1998 Ford Escort Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

26Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

6.9%Of all 375 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 engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL59 · 15.7%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE26 · 6.9%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION24 · 6.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM19 · 5.1%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE15 · 4%

Share of the 375 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Ford Escort overview page.

What owners report

“CRANSHAFT PULLEY BROKE, AND THEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SLID. CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING, AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE.”NHTSA complaint 867412 — filed 08/10/2000

“DUE TO A DEFECTIVE BALANCER THAT CAME APART THROUGH THE SERPERTINE BELT, ENGINE HEAD GASKET TO BLEW OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO, STALL UNEXPECTLY WHICH MAY…”NHTSA complaint 865390 — filed 07/14/2000

“AT 40000 MILES BOLT THAT HELD THE CRANKSHAFT BECAME LOOSE WITHOUT A WARNING. A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.”NHTSA complaint 863353 — filed 06/09/2000

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

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Ford Escort have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1998 Ford Escort: 26 of 375 complaints on file (6.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Ford Escort have in total?

375 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 84 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 78 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 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.