1985 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1985 Ford Escort. The newest campaign is 89V170000. NHTSA received the report on 13 Oct 1989. The NHTSA record gives the component Seats. NHTSA has 26 complaints on file for this model year. 9 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 89V170000, in the NHTSA record

Install a reinforcement on all models and a new seat track as necessary

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 15 May 2019. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

3 campaigns, newest first. 1,866,549 units in total.

89V170000Received 13 Oct 1989. 1,375,500 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The forward outboard pedestal of the seat track of driver's seat may be susceptible to fatigue fracture.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This could result in a limited degree of rocking motionof the drivers seat assembly upon acceleration or deceleration, which couldcause an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a reinforcement on all models and a new seat track as necessary
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Nov 1989.
89V095000Received 12 Jun 1989. 481,049 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Engine oil leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold couldresult in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace cracked cylinder heads (1984 models); replace rocker arm cover gaskets (1985 models).
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 Jul 1989.
85V054000Received 1 May 1985. 10,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Adjust shutoff switch and assure proper alignment to throttle lever pin.
Report filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

26 complaints, 31 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1985 Ford Escort: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Electrical System		10
Engine and Engine Cooling		5
Seat Belts		3
Fuel System, Gasoline		3
Power Train		3
Seats		2
Visibility		1
Fuel System, Other		1
Air Bags		1
Parking Brake		1

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 11.

Complaints that report a crash: 1
Complaints that report a fire: 9
Injuries in the complaints: 4
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 30 Jul 2002

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1985 Ford Escort, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1996, with 13 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1985 Ford Escort
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA88038	Engineering analysis	REAR SAFETY BELT FIT	Seat Belts / Rear/Other	29 Aug 1988	11 May 1990
DP88007	Defect petition	REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE	Seat Belts / Rear/Other	11 Jan 1988	24 Aug 1988
EA87023	Engineering analysis	SEAT TRACKS	Seats	24 Sep 1987	16 Nov 1989	89V170000
DP87032	Defect petition	WINDOW SHATTERING	Visibility	3 Sep 1987	27 Apr 1988
PE87028	Preliminary evaluation	STALLING	Electrical System	1 May 1987	21 Jan 1988
PE87026	Preliminary evaluation	SEAT TRACK FAILURE	Seats	28 Apr 1987	24 Sep 1987
EA87005	Engineering analysis	FIRES	Engine and Engine Cooling	1 Dec 1986	31 Oct 1989	89V095000
PE86048	Preliminary evaluation	FIRES	Engine and Engine Cooling	23 Apr 1986	1 Dec 1986
EA86010	Engineering analysis	SEATBACK FAILURE	Seats	26 Mar 1986	28 Jul 1989	86V082000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1985 Ford EscortThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1985 Ford Escort: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/escort/1985/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 15 May 2019
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1985 Ford Escort?: 1,866,549 units in 3 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Ford Escort have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 35 recall campaigns for the Ford Escort, model years 1981 to 2003. 3 of them name the 1985 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1985 Ford Escort name most often?: Electrical System: 10 of 31 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1985 Ford Escort open?: No. Each of the 9 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.