Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford Escort owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: the contact stated the heater core ruptured, which caused water to get into the electrical system, and vehicle caught on fire. The vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the problem. Upodated11/29/05.
Dt*: the contact stated there was a recall for the vehicle, NHTSA # 02V323000, concerning the air bag sensor. However, the recall remedy did not correct the problem. The vehicle was parked at an independent repair shop. The technician noticed the windows fogging up and opened the driver side door. While inside looking at the gauges the air bag deployed. This pinned the technician between the seat and steering wheel. The deployment cracked the windshield. Upon inspection, the technician determined it is the same problem indicated in the recall. There was water accumulated in the integrated air bag monitor. Updated 3/1/2006 - the consumer still has the defective parts in her possession.
On the 1997 Ford Escort the airbag control module is installed directly underneath the heater core. On my car the heater core developed a leak and antifreeze flowed over the airbag control module and the electrical connector associated with it. This resulted in burnt insulation on the wiring for the airbag control and blowing the associated fuse. It came very close to causing a fire. The main problem with this is that you do not get indications of an antifreeze leak until it is to late and the air bag system is no longer usable.
The heater core sprung a leak. This is the second time this has happened within 15 months. I caught the problem before any damage occured. The first time there was extensive damage. The air bag and PCM modules were damaged by the heater core leak. There also was a fire from the PCM and air bag module. This damage cost $1500. The dealer will not fix the problem because it is out of warranty by 3 months. I have found out that there are many cars that are expierencing this problem.
Consumer had left vehicle at repair shop for the transmission to be checked and to find out why a light in the dash had illuminated, consumer was informed that the heater core had a hole in it, when demanding her vehicle back, she discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire under the dash and that the windshield was burned, nobody contacted her to let her know about the fire, claim 24-5124-338.
Vehicle experienced passenger compartment fire, it appears to have started at the ignition switch, consumer suspects the fire was due to a prior collision, however an inspector stated the heater core was leaking into the ecs module, this caused a short in the wiring harness, thus causing the fire, claim 40-2188-822.
Vehicle experienced fire in the passenger compartment, fire May have started in ignition switch, consumer feels the fire May have occurred due to a prior collision, heater core leaking into the ecs module, causing a short in the wiring harness, claim 40-2188-822.
Consumer left vehicle at repair shop to determine why a light in the dash was illuminating, dealer stated that the heater core had a hole in it, consumer saw that vehicle had caught fire under the dash and that the windshield was burned, claim 24-5124-338.
Since vehicle was purchase in 1999 the consumer has replaced four defective heater cores. The first failure in 04/01 resulted in damage to the airbag module due to leakage from the heater core. The most recent failure was in 10/02. Nlm
The heater core leaked onto the air bag diagnostic module, causing it to short out and catch on fire. This item was replaced along with the heater core for a cost of $955.00. I had to remove the battery cable to keep the car from catching on fire and burning up, the service manager at stegall Ford in pontotoc stated I should not have this problem again because the new part was sealed in plastic. I believe this is a serious design flaw after looking at your odi id logs of 865884,867236,845896 and 845837 along with numerous air bag deployments for this model car for no reason. I believe this part was changed by Ford and should have been recalled on all models. I work as a design engineer and if an electrical item is subject to moisture injestion, it should be sealed or potted to eliminate shorts and failure. …
AC & Heater complaints in other Escort years
Frequently asked questions
How common are ac & heater problems on the 1997 Ford Escort?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the a/c & heater of the 1997 Ford Escort, 5% of the model year's 543 complaints. The component named most often is defroster/defogger/hvac system › heater core (24 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Escort ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for the 1997 Ford Escort, though it has 1 recall 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 1997 Ford Escort ac & heater problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 7 fires and 1 injury to a/c & heater 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.