Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1995 Ford Escort owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Consumer has replaced ignition switch 3 times within 5 years. Vehicle has caught on fire once from ignition, the day after the starter had been replaced. Starter, starter solenoid, ignition switch(which had melted to the switch), and o2 sensor have been replaced, consumer states that the problem started when trying to start vehicle with the engine being cold, it would crank several times, but never start until turning key off and back on. Vehicle experienced problems with engine light becoming illuminated, dealer diagnosed the problem as a faulty fuel pump, however the engine light still comes on occasionally. Pcv valve was also replaced.
When on highway 55 MPH or more transmissions acts like it goes into neutral have no overdrive or drive then also slips in and out. Also have like power surges when using the heater in the car the engine revs up and down like you are stepping on the gas pedal even when in park have not been able to find the cause of these issues yet. Also have had the rear wiper motor and stuff replaced and still do not get washer solvent to rear wiper the brake light in the middle of back window does not work either causes still unknown it is a 1995 Ford Escort lx wagon with only 73000 miles 1.9 l.
I cannot shut off the engine in my 1995 Ford Escort station wagon. The engine continues to run even though the ignition is turned to off and the key has been removed. There have been 4 ignition switches installed in this car, but the locksmith does not believe that the ignition switch is the problem. He believes that something is not working in the computer that tells the engine to shut off. The only way to stop this car was to remove the battery cable and then remove the spark plug, which is very dangerous to do when the car is running.
On 05/19/99, the lights on the dashboard as well as the seatbelts were not functioning at all.there were no indicator lights to warn of a problem other than a possible fuse burn out. Less than 24 hours later, the vehicle burned.the vehicle was parked in a 2 car garage.the entire vehicle burned along with the garage in which it was housed.the vehicle parked next to it had severe smoke damage.all occupants of the home were asleep at the time of the fire.
Dt: the contact owns a 1995 Ford Escort. She stated that vehicle caught on fire. She put the key into the ignition, and when she done this it exploded and caught on fire. Everything got jammed up after this, even the steering wheel. The tow truck driver stated that he had a hard time towing the vehicle because of this problem. The contact called two Ford dealership and told them that this was not a problem.
Consumer stated while driving 20-25 MPH heard a puff, looked down, and saw a flam coming out from under vehicle. He got out, and started to pull as much as he could out of the vehicle when his friend came along, who was driving a water truck, and they together put the flames out. Consumer had not received a recall notice on this vehicle because he was not the original owner.
Electrical ignition switch: driving down highway approximately 40mph, when noticed smoke coming from the dash of the vehicle. Drove the vehicle to house, jumped out of the vehicle and ran for a fire hose. By then the vehicle was engaged in flames. Fire dept arrived and put the fire out and said the cause of the fire was electrical, possibly the ignition switch.
While standing idle for more than three hours vehicle caught on fire, with the dashboard and engine compartment fully engulfed. Although exact cause of malfunction has yet to be determined, this vehicle should never have just caught on fire.
While driving the car slowly died first the radio shut off then the wipers stopped, lights shut off then the car stopped completely in the middle of the road this has now happened on about 8 different occasions while I had my 2 small children in the car. I have taken it to a Ford dealership and had over $1,200 put into it in the last year and the problem was never fixed. The mechanic at Ford told me if I wanted the car to be safe I'd be better off getting a new car. I have since found out the car had been wrecked before I purchased it but I was never told that by the dearlership where I purchased it. On several occasions my car has been sitting in the drive way without running and the keys were not in the ignition and the four ways will start flashing as well as it happens as I am driving down the road. …
We please send me two signature cards for both vehicles just bought this car for are daughter on 7/01/01 what was funny is the ignition switch was bad when we got it then 9 day's later the raidiator satrted to leak the same place my 92 taurus was leaking from the drive side seal of the raidiator so I called Ford and I wanted to know why there making parts that are failing in not one car made but two different car's and I also was told but various mechanics that Ford knows of these problems with both the taurus and Escort but won't fix the problem why would two different cars from the same manufacture have the same problems Ford knows the parts are defective and alot of other people around the us have had the same problems with the 3 main things transmission raidaitor and egnition switchs so why are you not looking in to this consumer fraud I'll be glad to file a civil suit against Ford …
Electrical complaints in other Escort years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1995 Ford Escort?
NHTSA has 48 complaints about the electrical system of the 1995 Ford Escort, 8% of the model year's 576 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Ford Escort electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1995 Ford Escort, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1995 Ford Escort electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 11 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.