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Ford Escort 1997 Air Bags Problems

152 distinct owners reported a air bags problem on the 1997 Ford Escort - 28% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage152 complaints

152 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

02V323000Reported December 9, 2002 - 396,217 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the air bags system, reported to NHTSA on December 9, 2002. The campaign covers an estimated 396,217 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Electrical System118Engine75Suspension71Brakes46Visibility31Power Train31
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.