Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1985 Ford Escort

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

3
Open recalls
26
NHTSA complaints
9
Defect investigations
22
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

26 filed
1
Crashes
9
Fires
4
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
    5
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
    3
  • Fuel SYSTEM, Gasoline
    2
  • Electrical SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT Underhood
    2
  • Seat BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
    2
  • Power TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL Start Interlock Switch
    1
  • Fuel SYSTEM, Other
    1
  • Fuel SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL Injection System
    1

Recalls

3 campaigns
89V170000·SEATS1989-10-13

THE FORWARD OUTBOARD PEDESTAL OF THE SEAT TRACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURE.

RiskTHIS COULD RESULT IN A LIMITED DEGREE OF ROCKING MOTIONOF THE DRIVERS SEAT ASSEMBLY UPON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION, WHICH COULDCAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

FixINSTALL A REINFORCEMENT ON ALL MODELS AND A NEW SEAT TRACK AS NECESSARY

89V095000·ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1989-06-12

EXTERNAL CRACKS ABOVE THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER (1984 MODELS) OR ROCKER ARM COVER GASKETS SPLITTING (1985 MODELS) COULD ALLOW OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

RiskENGINE OIL LEAKING ONTO A HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD COULDRESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

FixREPLACE CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS (1984 MODELS); REPLACE ROCKER ARM COVER GASKETS (1985 MODELS).

85V054000·VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1985-05-01

THE THROTTLE LEVER MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE POSITION DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF SWITCH TO THE THROTTLE LEVER PIN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: A JAMMED THROTTLE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND AN ACCIDENT.

FixADJUST SHUTOFF SWITCH AND ASSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT TO THROTTLE LEVER PIN.

NHTSA investigations

9 actions
EA88038·SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1988-08-29 → 1990-05-11

REAR SAFETY BELT FIT

DP88007·SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1988-01-11 → 1988-08-24

REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE

EA87023·SEATS1987-09-24 → 1989-11-16

SEAT TRACKS

Led to recall89V170000

DP87032·VISIBILITY1987-09-03 → 1988-04-27

WINDOW SHATTERING

PE87028·ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1987-05-01 → 1988-01-21

STALLING

← home