Total Complaints
199 filings
FORD ESCORT · model year
1989 FORD ESCORT
199 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989FORDESCORT carries 199 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 86 fires, 9 injuries, and 2 fatalities. 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 1989 ESCORT is electrical system:ignition:switch with 35 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (11) and electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator (10). 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 1989 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.
199
Complaints
9
Crashes
86
Fires
9
Injuries
2
Deaths
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 35 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 11 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 10 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 8 |
| SEAT BELTS | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 5 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 5 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
Recent Complaints
20100309CrashSEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD ESCORT. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE SHE WAS REAR-ENDED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO HER HEAD AREA. SHE MENTIONED SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELTS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND BELIEVED THE FAILURE OF THE SEATBELTS CONTRIBUTED TO HER INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
20060922FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1989 FORD ESCORT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AND ONCE HE/SHE PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *JB
20040815FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
1989 FORD ESCORT HATCHBACK - A PASSENGER EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR SEAT STEPPED ON AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LOCATED UNDER THE CARPET WHICH CAUSED THE +12V AND GROUND WIRES TO SHORT TOGETHER. THIS CONNECTOR IS PART OF THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP HARNESS. THE CONNECTOR MELTED, THE WIRE HARNESS BURNED AND THE CARPET SINGED. THERE WAS SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *JB
Mileage: 150,000
20040204FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO REPLACED ALTERNATOR. ALSO, THE SECOND ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE GAS PUMP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE. CONSUMER CLAIMED IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE INSTALLATION THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK
Mileage: 120,000
20031013ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BATTERY CHARGING LIGHT GOING ON & OFF AT TIMES. ALSO ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED FUEL GAUGE WILL REGISTER ABOVE FULL & AT SAME TIME TEMPERATURE. GAUGE GOES UP TO MAXIMUM. NEITHER BEING CLOSE TO BE CORRECTED. DURING THIS TIME I NOTICED KEYS & IGNITION BECOME VERY HOT. IF TURNED ON & OFF COUPLE TIMES IT IS OK AGAIN . EXCEPT OCCASIONAL CHARGING LIGHT ON & OFF WITH NO LOSS OF POWER. CAN'T FIND CAUSE! *LA
Mileage: 25
20030619FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
MHTSA#92-V-117-000:FATIGUE CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE SOLDER JOINT BETWEEN THE FUEL RETURN TUBE AND THE FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER,THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED BECAUSE YEAR OF MANUFACTURING, 1989. *AK
20030512FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 1989 FORD ESCORT SHE TURNED L TO PULL INTO A DRIVE WAY AND SHE SMELLED SMOKE. SHE ONLY GOT A FEW YARDS AND THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. I DID CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT INSURED FOR FIRE. THEY RECOMMENDED I CONTACT FORD. WHEN ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY DEFECTS THAT WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO BURST INTO FLAMES. I WAS TOLD NO THERE WAS NOT. SO THERE WAS IT WAS NOT INVESTIGATED. WHILE LOOKING OVER THIS WEB SITE I HAVE FOUND MANY FIRES. AND I WAS WONDER IF ANY ACTION COULD BE TAKEN. I DO NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S DAUGHTER DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND POSSIBLY BURNING TO DEATH. AND I FEEL FORD SHOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST WITH ME. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Mileage: 89,000
20021217ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN HE PLACED THE KEY INSIDE OF THE IGNITION. TS
20020917ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS STALLING DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF AN ELECTRONIC MODULE ON THE DISTRIBUTOR, WHEN THE ENGINE GOT HOT, IT CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE MODULE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION DUE TO THE RULING IN ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. *SLC
20020307EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20010611ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
IT RAN LIKE A CHARM UNTIL 1 DAY I SLOWED TO GO TO DRIVEWAY, AND STALLED. IT STARTS BACK UP. *AK
20010227FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS TANK FAILED TWICE. NLM
20010227FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE ENGINE OVERHEATED RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
20010207FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE INSURANCE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. I REMOVED LOWER CRANKSHAFT PULLY AND RETURNED IT TO DEALER. THEY FINALLY REPAIRED PROBLEM AFTER MUCH INCONVIENCE TO ME. *AK
20001023SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
IN TRYING TO BUY RECYCLEED PARTS I ENCOUNTERED MANY INSTANCESES OF THE SAME PROBLEM
20001020ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLS ALOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS. OWNER HAS TO BLOW DRY DISTRIBUTOR CAP BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START AGAIN. ALSO, WHEN DEPRESSING CLUTCH PEDAL, VEHICLE STALLS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20001020POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
VEHICLE STALLS ALOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS. OWNER HAS TO BLOW DRY DISTRIBUTOR CAP BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START AGAIN. ALSO, WHEN DEPRESSING CLUTCH PEDAL, VEHICLE STALLS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20001017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
POSSIBLE WATER PUMP OR FAN BELT FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK WHILE DRIVING LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS, VEHICLE DID NOT TURNOVER, BUT CUT OFF AGAIN.* ET
20001017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
POSSIBLE WATER PUMP OR FAN BELT FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK WHILE DRIVING LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS, VEHICLE DID NOT TURNOVER, BUT CUT OFF AGAIN.* ET
20001003VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A CLAMP FROM THE THROTTLE BODY DISLODGED AND ENTERED THE ENGINE RESULTING IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. *ET
Compare 1989FORDESCORT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 FORD ESCORT have?▼
The 1989 FORD ESCORT has 199 NHTSA complaints, 9 crashes, 86 fires, 9 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD ESCORT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD ESCORT is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 35 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR.
Is the 1989 FORD ESCORT safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.