Problems · by component
1999 Ford Escort air bags problems
66 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford Escort cite air bags, 19% of all 350 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
66
19% of all complaints
Crashes
58
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
45
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“1999 FORD ESCORT,HAD A WRECK AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY INSURANCE ADJUSTER,THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND EVEN THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED WOW THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND WERE INJURED AND WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE OCTOBER 2011 AND HAVE OVER 100,000 DOLLARS ALONE IN MEDICAL BILLS AND STILL HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY. AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE WORKED LIKE THEY WERE INSTALLED TO DO. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT YOUR LOCATION AND SHE SAID THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL YET,BUT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FILL OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR WORK WHEN WE HAD A ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT AND WE WERE IN A 1999 FORD ESCORT. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH, THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND ONE OF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WAS REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 132,000. UPDATED 10/19/10*JB”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99,000.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE FRONTAL SEAT BELT WEBBINGS DID NOT LOCK (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04E048000) AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED SEVERE STRAIN, SPRAIN, AND BRUISES TO HER CHEST AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,308. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD-ON COLLISSION THAT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 42 MPH. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING, THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. THE SERVICE DEALER HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED THE DAMAGES ON THE VEHICLE.”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING 45-55 MPH. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE FUEL SYSTEM DID NOT SHUT OFF, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT. THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED; THE CONTENTS OF THE TRUNK STRUCK THE CONTACT CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE REAR END WAS REPLACED.”
Showing 6 of 66 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.