The 1995 Ford Escort has 5 recalls, the most serious being a fuel tank that can crack and leak near heat shield attachment points, creating a fire risk if fuel contacts an ignition source.
The fuel tank issue affects vehicles equipped with 1.9L engines, and coverage varies by assembly plant and the state where the vehicle was originally sold or is currently registered. Where cracks develop through the tank wall, fuel can escape and ignite. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the issue, which is why separate recall campaigns address overlapping populations of affected vehicles.
On the airbag side, there are two distinct concerns. The driver's airbag inflator canister can have an inadequate weld seam that splits open in a crash, causing the bag to fail to deploy properly while venting hot gases out the back of the steering wheel toward the driver. The passenger airbag module may be missing the two bolts that hold it to the instrument panel, meaning the entire module can break free in a frontal collision rather than staying in place and cushioning the occupant, raising the risk of injury to the front passenger.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuel tank can crack near where the heat shield attachment points are located, potentially causing fuel to leak if cracks penetrate through the tank wall.
What the fix does
Dealers will remove the heat shield attachments. The heat shield will remain in place and function normally, held by the fuel tank straps.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The fuel tank can crack near where the heat shield attaches, potentially leaking fuel if cracks penetrate the tank wall.
What the fix does
Dealers will remove the heat shield attachments. The tank straps will continue to secure the heat shield.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side air bag inflator canister may have a weld that is not strong enough, which could cause the air bag to fail during a crash.
What the fix does
A new air bag module will be installed to replace the defective one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The two bolts securing the passenger side airbag module to the instrument panel may be missing. In a collision, the unsecured module could detach from the panel, potentially causing injury.
What the fix does
The dealer will install the mounting bolts and tighten them to the correct specification.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Two bolts holding the passenger air bag module to the dashboard are missing. In a frontal crash, the module could separate from the dashboard.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger air bag mounting bolts and install or tighten them to the correct specification.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
