Total Complaints
53 filings
FORD ESCORT · model year
53 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986FORDESCORT carries 53 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 20 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 ESCORT is electrical system:ignition:switch with 10 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (6) and electrical system:ignition (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1986 ESCORT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
53 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 10 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 5 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
I AM WRITING YOU TODAY ABOUT A SITUATION THAT OCCURRED JULY 3RD 1986 IN MORTON GROVE ILLINOIS AT 11:52P.M. I AM THE MOTHER OF A 2 YEAR OLD THAT WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN A 1986 FORD ESCORT THAT WAS NOT ON IN THE PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE. YES IT HAS BEEN OVER 20 YEARS, BUT DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TIME I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYONE TO LISTEN TO MY STORY. WELL, THIS PARTICULAR CAR WAS A RENTAL FROM BUDGET RENTAL IN GLENVIEW ILLINOIS AND WE WERE ON A FAMILY OUTING. ALL WAS WELL AND THEN WE STOPPED OFF TO GET SOME FIRE WORKS. I COULD ONLY AFFORD SMOKE BOMBS AND SPARKLES. NEEDLESS TO SAY WHEN THIS HORRIFIC EVENT OCCURRED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE REASON THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THAT IS NOT TRUE. YOU CAN'T START A FIREWORK WITHOUT A LIGHTER. THE RENTAL CAR DID NOT HAVE A CIGARETTE LIGHTER OR THERE WERE NO MATCHES. I FOUND A NEWS ARTICLE DATE IN THE VIRGINIAN PILOT, APRIL 18, 1996, TEN YEARS LATER STATING THAT THERE WAS AN IGNITION PROBLEM IN CARS DATED AS
CONSUMER BECAME ILL FROM THE FUMES THAT EMITTED FROM THE HEATER/AC SYSTEM. *PH THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THE HEATER/RADIATOR SYSTEM HOWEVER THE CONSUMER REMAINED ILL. *NM
SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT BETWEEN 70-75 MPH THE ENGINE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG AND ALLOWING THE IGNITION MODULE TO COOL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTS. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND THE IGNITION MODULE PICKUP WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN RESURFACES AFTER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. A CALIFORNIA JUDGE HAS ORDERED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COMPLY UNLESS THE NHTSA ORDERS THEM TO DO SO. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PARTS AS TO NOT ENDANGER MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMI
Mileage: 80,150
SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT BETWEEN 70-75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG AND ALLOWING THE IGNITION MODULE TO COOL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTS. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND THE IGNITION MODULE PICKUP WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN RESURFACES AFTER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. A CALIFORNA JUDGE HAS ORDERED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COMPLY UNLESS THE NHTSA ORDERS THEM TO DO SO. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PARTS AS TO NOT ENDANGER MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO GET IT STARTED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED THAT ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON AND STAY ON THROUGH OUT TRAVEL .DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, TECHNICIAN CUT INDICATION LIGHT OFF 4 TIME WITH COST TO CUSTOMER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT BETWEEN 70-75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG AND ALLOWING THE IGNITION MODULE TO COOL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTS. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND THE IGNITION MODULE PICKUP WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN RESURFACES AFTER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. A CALIFORNA JUDGE HAS ORDERED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COMPLY UNLESS THE NHTSA ORDERS THEM TO DO SO. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PARTS AS TO NOT ENDANGER MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
NO SUMMARY
IGNITION MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 3 YEARS, CAR WAS STALLING AT LOW SPEED. THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RETURNING.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL STALL AND CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT IGNITION WENT BAD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL . IGNITION WAS REPLACED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.*AK
THE ENTIRE FRAME HAS PREMATURLEY RUSTED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, AND VEHICLE WENT DOWNHILL. FRONTAL IMPACT, ONE INJURY TO DRIVER. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, NO RECALL LISTED. *AK
QUARTER PANEL OVER REAR PASSENGER TIRE HAS WEAKENED TIRE IS BENT IN SLIGHTLY FROM HOLE DEVELOPED RIGHT NEXT TO SHOCK WITHIN INCHES.
LEFT REAR UNIBODY IS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS NOTHING IS HOLDING THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ON VEHICLE.
CARBURETOR FAILED.
ENGINE FIRE.
PLASTIC GOVERNOR IN TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 601574)
RUST DEVELOPED IN SUSPENSION OFF THE WELL, CAUSING TIRE TO FALL OFF.
ALUMINUM HEADS OVERHEATED/CRACKED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ONTO HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH STARTED ENGINE FIRE. *DH
WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM VENTS, THEN SUDDENLY VEHICLE INTERIOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.