1999 Ford Escort Air Bags:frontal Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · data through 07/12/2026

52Air Bags:frontal complaints

16%Of all 325 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags:frontal ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL52 · 16%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE30 · 9.2%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION28 · 8.6%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE22 · 6.8%

AIR BAGS14 · 4.3%

Share of the 325 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1999 Ford Escort overview page.

What owners report

“CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON BROADSIDE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AIR BAGS DIDN'T…”NHTSA complaint 879622 — filed 02/01/2001

“AFTER BEING IN A CAR ACCIDENT AT 30 MPH IN RAIN, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING . THE CAR WAS…”NHTSA complaint 875402 — filed 11/22/2000

“VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 55 MPH. VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE DIVIDER AND BOUNCED OFF, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS…”NHTSA complaint 874050 — filed 10/27/2000

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

Air Bags:frontal complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1999 Ford Escort have air bags:frontal problems?

Air Bags:frontal is the most-reported problem area on the 1999 Ford Escort: 52 of 325 complaints on file (16%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1999 Ford Escort have in total?

325 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 79 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 56 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags:frontal category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 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 07/12/2026.