Research · complaint index
Ford Escort years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 7 model years of the Ford Escort by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 1997 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 88 | 4 | 0.5 | 1 | 7 | Fewest complaints |
| 2001 | 99 | 4 | 0.5 | 1 | 15 | Typical |
| 2000 | 150 | 6 | 0.8 | 2 | 26 | Typical |
| 1999 | 350 | 13 | 1.7 | 2 | 81 | Typical |
| 1998 | 389 | 13 | 1.9 | 1 | 85 | Typical |
| 1997 | 559 | 19 | 2.6 | 2 | 66 | Most complaints |
| 1996 | 223 | 7 | 1.0 | 1 | 25 | Typical |
- 200288 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 200199 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2000150 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 1999350 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 1998389 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 1997559 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 1996223 complaints · 1 recallTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 29, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2002.
About this comparison
What Ford Escort years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 1997 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 7 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.