Problems · by component
1999 Ford Escort ZX2 electrical system problems
44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford Escort ZX2 cite electrical system, 12% of all 365 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
44
12% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEATER BLOWER FAILED AND SPARKS WERE SHOOTING FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT THE HARNESS BEFORE A FIRE IGNITED. THE CONTACT LOCATED A MANUFACTURERS RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE WIRING OF THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM, IN WHICH HE BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON HIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.”
“RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF FOR A COUPLE DAYS. GOT A REPLACEMENT BULB TO CHANGE LIGHT. FOUND THE HARNESS THAT CONNECTS INTO THE BACK OF THE LIGHT TO BE MELTED AND PARTIALLY BURNT. HAD TO REPLACE HARNESS. *TR”
“I PURCHASED MY SE IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 WITH LESS THAN 83K MILES ON IT. THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT, ONE OF THE HEAD GASKETS CRACKED. I HAD THE HEAD REPAIRED, AND LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT THE HEAD CRACKED AGAIN. I HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. I HAVE NOW HAD NEW HEADS, NEW ENGINE, NEW FUEL PUMP AND A NEW ALTERNATOR INSTALLED AND NOW AM HAVING A NEW PROBLEM. WHEN I PULLED OUT FROM A STOP, THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON UNTIL THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE ENGINE IS NOW EMITTING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN STOPPED, AND I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS ALL IN ADDITION TO THE VIOLENT SHAKING, FAULTY FRONT HEADLIGHT, TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDS FLUSHED AND LOUD ENGINE NOISE. I HAVE SPENT MORE ON REPAIRS THAN I PAID FOR THE VEHICLE, AND NOW HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY IN TO IT, AND IT STILL HAS LESS THAN 94K MILES ON IT. THIS IS MY FIRST FORD, AND WILL BE MY LAST. *TR”
“THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL IN MY 1999 FORD WINDSTAR HAS BEEN GOING HAYWIRE SINCE MAY 2007. ALL THE NEEDLES WERE GOING ROUND AND ROUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAD TAKEN IT TO GRIFFEN BROTHERS AND THEY CON NOT FIND A INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ANYWHERE. THEY CALLED FORD MOTORS AND THEY WERE TOLD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS IN NATIONAL BACK ORDER. IF THEY ARE IN NATIONAL BACK ORDER, THAT MUST MEAN THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF THE SAME PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE. SHOULDN'T THIS HAVE BEEN A RECALL ISSUE? ON AUGUST 30, 2007 GRIFFEN CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT THEY ORDERED ON 8/20, 2007. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT ANY INFORMATION YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE FORD WINDSTARS HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. A T.V. STATION I HAD CONTACTED ABOUT HIS PROBLEM TOLD ME TO CONTACT YOU. THEY ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT ZX2. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPG THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED. APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME STEADY THEN COMPLETELY FAILED AND WENT TO ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN ALSO FAILED. THE CURRENT AND MILEAGES WERE 130,788 MILES.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER HORN DOES NOT WORK. SHE WAS UNABLE TO PLACE HER VEHICLE IN DRIVE BECAUSE OF BLOWN OUT FUSES, INCLUDING THE HORN FUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE WIRES TO THE CRUISE CONTROL WERE BLOWN. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE HORN FAILED TO WORK AGAIN. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO PURCHASE A FORD FUSION AND TO CONTACT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000.”
Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.