1997 Ford Escort Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

55Air Bags complaints

10.1%Of all 543 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL63 · 11.6%

AIR BAGS55 · 10.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM51 · 9.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING34 · 6.3%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE30 · 5.5%

Share of the 543 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Ford Escort overview page.

What owners report

“05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S…”NHTSA complaint 712363 — filed 09/28/1999

“DUE TO MOISTURE IN AIRBAG MODULER , THE MODULER SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A FIRE.BECAUSE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP , IT SMOTHERED FIRE OUT.”NHTSA complaint 845837 — filed 08/25/1999

“STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP,BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION.”NHTSA complaint 528058 — filed 01/12/1997

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Ford Escort have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Ford Escort: 55 of 543 complaints on file (10.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Ford Escort have in total?

543 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 67 involved a crash, 83 involved a fire, 65 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.