1986 Ford Escort Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 1986 Ford Escort narrows the engine list to two: the naturally aspirated 1.9-liter SOHC inline-four on gasoline and the 2.0-liter SOHC diesel. The trims are GL, GT, L, LX and the Pony, and the bodies are the two-door hatchback, the four-door wagon and the four-door hatchback. Gasoline and diesel cars diverge in fueling, starting circuitry and service intervals, so specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics are given for each rather than averaged into one set of figures.

Engines covered

• 1.9L inline-four (116 cu in) — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
• 2.0L inline-four (122 cu in) — SOHC, naturally aspirated, diesel

Body styles covered

• 2-door hatchback
• 4-door wagon
• 4-door hatchback

Trims covered

• GL
• GT
• L
• LX
• Pony

Known issues on the 1986 Escort. Two recalls are on federal record for this year. The first covers the forward outboard pedestal of the driver's seat track, found susceptible to fatigue fracture and able to let the seat rock under acceleration or braking. The second concerns a spring-lock fuel line coupling that may not have been fully engaged and could separate under fuel pressure, vibration and engine movement. Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA, weighted toward the electrical system, then engine and cooling and body structure. Fuel line service, seat hardware and wiring diagnostics are all covered here.