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Model Year Problem Record

Ford Escort 1996 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1996 Ford Escort: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

205Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
0Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
0Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
41Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Seat Belts78 complaints

78 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine33 complaints

33 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train20 complaints

20 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags19 complaints

19 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System14 complaints

14 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Brakes13 complaints

13 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension13 complaints

13 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System11 complaints

11 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering10 complaints

10 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Latches, Locks and Linkages3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

No recall campaigns cover this model year.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

199613
199727
199814
199930
200041
200126
200219
20038
200411
20054
20064
20072
20081
20101
20111
20121
20151
20161
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.