Problems · by component
1997 Ford Escort power train problems
30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Escort cite power train, 5% of all 559 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
30
5% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY MOM BOUGHT THE CAR, CERTIFIED USED, WITH ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. AS IT NEARED 37,000 MILES IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. AFTER THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE IT REACHED 70,000 MILES.”
“CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION AXLE SLIPPAGE AND DEFECTIVE BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN ACCELERATING. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC. *AK”
“I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 FORD ESCORT AT 70MPH DOWN INTERSTATE 75 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. HERE TO FIND OUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS WHAT LOCKED UP THE GEARS JUST LOCKED UP TIGHT CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK. I AM 48 YEARS OLD AND HAVE A CDL DRIVERS LICENSE. I DRIVE A 40FT. BOOKMOBILE EVERYDAY FOR A LIVING. MY COMPLAINT IS FORD NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE A LESS EXPERIANCED DRIVER WOULD HAVE ROLLED THE CAR OR BEEN RUN OVER BY OTHER TRAFFIC. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH A USED ONE AT A COST OF 887.24. I CONTACTED FORD 2 TIMES AND THEY DO NOT CARE. JUST TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL SO THE PROBLEM WAS ALL MINE.*AK”
“WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, SUDDENLY THE RIGHT AXLE BROKE ,DAMAGING THE TRANSMISSION/ STEERING WHEEL, FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK”
“I HAVE A 1997 FORD ESCORT. AT APPROXIMATELY. 37,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRED SERVICE. TOOK CAR TO BOARD FORD IN WHITTIER, CA. TWO DAYS AFTER SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. BOARD FORD ALLOWED AN ESP FOR POWER TRAIN AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION. AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT, BOARD FORD INDICATED THE NEW POWER TRAIN WAS WARRANTED FOR 75,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES ON THE NEW POWER TRAIN, IT LITERALLY EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT (COMPLETELY CRACKED THE CORE). CALLED BOARD FORD AND FORD MOTOR AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE CAR HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT, THE POWER TRAIN WASN'T WARRANTED EVEN THOUGH THE POWER TRAIN ONLY HAS 45,000.00 MILES ON IT.*JB”
“CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WITHIN THE SAME WEEK THE VEHICLE DEMONSTRATED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE IS OF NO SERVICE TO HER. *JG”
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.