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1989 Ford Escort

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 Escort.

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1989 Ford Escort paired a 3-speed automatic transmission with EPA fuel economy ratings of 23 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined — modest but practical numbers for its class. Owner complaints for this model year totaled 174, with the electrical system emerging as the top problem area and a single recall on record. Within the broader complaint history spanning 1990 through 2002, the 1989 sits on the quieter end of the spectrum, far below the 647-complaint peak of 1995 and closer in character to the low-water mark of 90 complaints in 2002, indicating that this model year represents a relatively stable point in the Escort's reliability trajectory before issues escalated in the mid-1990s.

Model year2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1989

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy23/29/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1106

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	168.9 in
Overall width	63.8 in
Overall height	53.5 in
Wheelbase	94.1 in
Curb weight	2452 lb
Track (front / rear)	55.5 / 55.5 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	23 / 29 / 25 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Escort of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.4–11.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.40 sec — 1987 Sierra RS Cosworth 3-door Hatchback (Euro)

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1987	Sierra RS Cosworth 3-door Hatchback (Euro) 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.40 sec	14.20 sec	204 hp	RWD
1986	GT 3-door Hatchback 1.9L I-4	11.70 sec	17.80 sec	90 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Although the 1989 Ford Escort predates the earliest federal record year of 1990, its specific complaint profile—highlighted by 70 fire complaints and 65 electrical system complaints—foreshadows the escalating trouble seen in the subsequent generation. The documented arc from 1990 onward reveals a volatile but generally surging complaint trend, starting at 130 complaints in 1990 and spiking to highs of 647 in 1995 and 610 in 1997, alongside a steady increase in Technical Service Bulletins that peak at 186 in 1997. Because 1989 sits just before this escalating arc, it implies the vehicle carried foundational, unresolved issues into the 1990s that the manufacturer continually struggled to address. The data does not specify the root cause of these electrical and fire failures, but the sheer volume of fire complaints for the 1989 model is highly concerning. Given the severe fire risk inherent to the 1989 model year and the rapidly deteriorating reliability trends that follow, this is a vehicle you should absolutely avoid purchasing.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

174

Owner complaints

9 involved a crash · 70 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 174 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System65

Engine & Engine Cooling23

Seat Belts19

Fuel System, Gasoline12

Exterior Lighting9

Vehicle Speed Control8

Seats6

Power Train5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

96V071000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 25/04/1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 27 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
01156	2001-08-06	Visibility	SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
01157	2001-08-06	Unknown Or Other	INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
00188	2000-09-04	Engine And Engine Cooling	CONCERNS WITH PREMATURE FAILURE OCCURING ON THE 1.9L MOTORCRAFT REMANUFACTURED LONGBLOCK…
0015	2000-01-10	Power Train	INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
99222	1999-10-18	Electrical System	SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Escort. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Thermostat RT1106

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 1989 Escort have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Escort get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 29 highway / 25 combined mpg.