2014 Ford Escape Complaint Log

My reverse camera keeps going blank when reversing or it says Contact Dealership. My 2015 Lincoln MKC had the safety recall for that camera. I am wondering why my 2014 Ford Escape does not have this same recall? Almost wrecked into someone as could not see as there are blind spots. No alert of vehicle behind me.

Loss of coolant and engine misfires are occurring. Receiving the the following engine codes P0300, P0302, & P0303

#3 cylinder failed and leaked coolant into block and the block has cracked. Costs $8k to replace. It’s a known flaw with this ford engine.

2014 Ford Escape 1.6L engine with ECO boost. Alarm on dash for High Engine temperature, Stop Safely. Pulled vehicle to side of road and fire was under hood. Attempted to extinguish with standard fire extinguisher; called 911 and fire department had to extinguisher. Vehicle was towed to local shop.

Rear back up camera will intermittently lose functionality while in use - blue screen or error message will appear instead of camera feed. Tends to happen more frequently when wipers are in use; can be highly problematic when the weather is causing visibility issues and the need for the camera is greater. Service tech has inspected, verified the issue and made mention of the current recall on different year's models.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started shaking abnormally, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust system, the engine overheated, and the coolant level was extremely low hours after the coolant reservoir was refilled. The check engine warning light was illuminated while the vehicle was shaking. An independent mechanic determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and the spark plug was stuck and needed to be replaced. There were no visible leaks found. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

At less than a thousand miles after purchasing the vehicle the Coolant has begun intruding into the cylinder wall and causing a sweet smelling exhaust from the rear

Passenger side door will not.lock.

car has 56K miles. went to dealer for the recall on the bushing and cap. left dealer and next couple days the car slid twice in my driveway a few feet even with parking brake on. went back to dealer and they said cant duplicate problem. Drove home and car continues to have shifting issues and going out of gear.. have to shift to park or neutral and then reengage and to try to get it to work. in the mornings after sitting its now having issues going in gear and then after awhile will work. called dealer and Ford corporate and they said there is nothing they can do or help with. the car is a safety hazard slipping out of gear while driving in traffic or on a hill and then you are stranded in fear of getting totaled out from behind until it decides to go into gear! this is terribly dangerous and it only has 56, 600 miles on it!! Also the engine is NOT throwing a code. so dealer and another repair shop has charged 1600 for service and its still doing it!!!! Me researching seems to prove ford had transmission issues with this year of escape titanium and the edge etc.... why is there not a full recall on the transmission that they have to fix with such little mileage!

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her son previously replaced the spark plugs and other unknown parts of the vehicle due to a coolant leak onto the spark plugs; however, the coolant leak recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the coolant outlet, the engine connector assembly with vacuum filling and bleeding, and the coolant hoses assembly were replaced. Additionally, other unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the message “Engine Coolant Low - Service" was displayed, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no coolant leak was found. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the message "High Temp-Stop Safely" was displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot until the vehicle cooled down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that coolant was leaking from the thermostat housing. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 237,500.

Coolant intrusion due to head gasket/ cracked cylinder head

The vehicle has suffered four (4) catastrophic engine failures due to "coolant intrusion" into the engine cylinders, a known defect in this model year. Despite the vehicle’s VIN showing that Ford Recall 17S09 (NHTSA 17V209) was previously "repaired" by a previous owner, the engine continues to overheat, crack the cylinder head, and fail. The cooling system and engine block are currently available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: During multiple failures, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled in active traffic without sufficient warning. This creates an immediate risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. Additionally, the overheating creates a documented fire risk under the hood, as coolant or oil can leak onto hot engine components. CONFIRMATION: The failure has been reproduced and confirmed by both a major national used car retailer’s service department and an independent certified mechanical service center. The independent shop confirmed that the engine block has failed due to coolant entering the combustion chamber. SYMPTOMS: Prior to the most recent failure, the "Coolant Over Temperature" warning lamp appeared briefly before the engine lost power. These symptoms first appeared within 30 days of vehicle purchase and have recurred through four separate replacement engines, proving the manufacturer's recall "remedy" is ineffective at preventing catastrophic engine failure.

Coolant Intrusion on Cylinder 3, potential to overheat engine posing fire safety risks. Problem has been confirmed at Ford Dealership. Vehicle has been inspected by manufacturer. Check engine light came on Dec. 31st 2025, car was not driven until Jan. 2nd 2026, when it was given to dealership mechanic for inspection/diagnosis. Ford is aware of the dangers of coolant intrusion and the flawed engine design.

Engine coolant system failed, overheated car instantly. Had to get hoses, sensors, thermostat replaced. Possible fire, smoke was present, car had to be turned off immediately. Not the safest. Little to no warning from fine to dead.

I was driving on the road when the steering started to get stuck, it got hard to move it, I got the warning on the car about a steering fault, stop safely. fortunately I was able to pull over with no risk, I had to call tow, but it could have caused an accident.

Electronic power steering has stopped working, flashes a message on the dash, and vehicle is stuck with Armstrong steering without it's electronic assist.

I have had problems with coolant leaks, coolant sensor, valve gaskets and coolant intrusion in my engine. The coolant reservoir was replaced at 36,580 miles on 07/13/17. The coolant sensor recall was completed at 37,315 miles on 07/31/17. The coolant overflow line was was replaced at 66,910 miles on 01/14/22. The coolant light came on and coolant was added at 69,882 miles on 02/16/23. There was a coolant leak and the valve cover gaskets replaced at 76,910 MILES ON 01/23/25. The engine started surging and the coolant light came one. The ignition coil was replaced and the sensor light was adjusted at 78,709 miles on 09/05/25. The sensor light came back on the next day. I went into the dealership 3 different times to tell them there had to be a leak. Since they assured me that it was just the sensor and I had no leak, they did not give me another appointment to check it out. On 12/04/25 a message came on that said it was overheating and to park the car immediately. It then went into limp mode. I was given an appointment on 12/10/25 and I had the car towed in. At 80,158 miles the dealership informed me that there was coolant intrusion in the engine and the cylinders and the car would need a new engine.

My 1.6l ecoboost was leaking coolant and smoking on the side of the reservoir and burning coolant smells went thought the heater and ac vents when on especially at a stop light and it even leaks oil a little bit but I have got the “coolant leak” fixed but I have an internal leak somewhere clearly and all the symptoms add up to sound like the ford recalls 17S09 and also similar to 12S39 but that’s for 2013 escapes but there’s clearly an unsafe issue hear that cause cause fire underneath my hood I called ford and they said to try to make a claim because there should be no reason I’m not covered under warranty when it’s the same cars same engines and same issues

It had a recall for leak coolant, they installed a new expansion tank and new hoses, however for some reason it is still leaking, the inside of the car smells like burnt, when I’m stopped, Ford said the leak might be repaired when they changed the hoses it wasn’t the case it’s still leaking, they were supposed to install a sensor to let me know when the coolant level is low, however last time the compartment was almost empty and the car didn’t show any warning, looks like it’s not working as it should be, it could catch fire it could be even worst.

I’ve always had electrical problems and now when I try to drive it, it smells like it’s going to catch on fire. And I’ve had to fix something within the fuel system 3 times.

I have a 2014 Ford escape 1.6 engine which was clearly on the recall list for engine coolant failure and my vehicle is showing all the signs I repaired some things changed the hoses and it keeps giving me the high engine light oil is mixing into the reservoir. I have not passed emissions over a year The sensor keeps going off and the electrical system is really bad it creates a lot of static I can't play the radio. Here is the codes for the recalls 17S09-and 17v209000. I am making car payments on this vehicle that I cannot drive I've asked Ford in the past could I just have it serviced for the engine coolant system problem and for the purge valve because I can't pass emission test they refuse to help me saying that my VIN is not coming up as a recall but it's the exact same car that they've recalled in the past 2014 Ford escape engine 1.60 I need help!!! This has been going on for weeks with a high engine overheating sensor shutting off the engine stalling me in traffic. This is a safety issue this car belongs to Ford and I think that they should help me get it repaired at a dealership please

My vehicle had no warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms before driving that day. Vehicle was well maintained. Driving on a rural straight paved road that is in excellent condition, at approximately 55 miles per hour, smoke suddenly came through the dash top (defroster along windshield) and bottom (underneath the dash - heavier volume of smoke); almost immediately, the horn started sounding independently, a message appeared that read engine failure, brakes failed simultaneously and could not stop the vehicle. Only possible way to get the vehicle to stop was to remove the ignition key, put lever in park, pulled park break up. Flames now under the dash & smoke was pouring out from under the hood. My safety was at risk and had to exit the vehicle as fast as possible from drivers side with cars approaching. After exit, saw flames in the tire well also; witness saw flames under the car therefore he was yelling "get away from the car, it's on fire". Got away as fast as possible. The witness called the fire department who arrived extremely timely (and police even sooner). FD attempted to put out fire with water first, then needed foam as it ultimately turned into a gas tank fuel fire. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer since there was nothing to speak of left. The Police, Fire Department, Tow Company, and also the Insurance Claim Inspector did view and/or inspect the remnants of the vehicle. The insurance inspector took possession of the remnants of the vehicle from the tow company. My safety was extremely put at risk as I could have died from many factors including brake failure, smoke inhalation, burns from the fire, getting hit from another vehicle upon exit from the burning vehicle, or heart attack.

Engine caught fire at the coolant reservoir

Coolant leak again. Third time having the same issue. Coolant leak issue has been fixed twice within recent years.

My 2014 Ford escape started leaking coolant into the engine, producing a terrible odor throughout the cab and causing overheating. The mechanic pressure tested the coolant system and identified coolant leaking into the cylinders. This is a common occurrence in this make and model.

Coolant light indicates coolant should be added often. Coolant has been added to frequently. Last time coolant light came on another Error Code: P1299 and the engine stopped running properly. Vehicle was inspected by a repair shop who stated the coolant was leaking into the motor. If this keeps occurring engine may overheat, fail and possibly catch fire. Ford said there is no recall on this issue. Bring it in for diagnostics and stated it would take three months to just look at the issue. This is no exaggeration. We have read an astonishing amount of other people have and are having similar issues with the Ford Escape

[XXX] *PERSISTENT LOW COOLANT - REQUIRING CONSTANT TOPPING OFF THE COOLANT FLUID * ENGINE OVERHEATING * ODOR OF COOLANT LEAK n the affected vehicles, a lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head. A cracked cylinder head can result in a pressurized oil leak. Oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface increases the risk of a fire in the engine compartment. Ford Dealership and Ford Customer Service Representatives have stated my 2014 Ford Escape Titanium with the 1.6 L engine was not covered under FORD'S RECALL CAMPAIGN #17S09. With the claim only certain engine series were covered. Requested the eligible engine series covered and the engine series of my 2014 Ford Escape Titanium. Dealership advised they did not have that information and that I needed to contact Ford's Corporate Office. The overheating of the engine required my daughter to pull over to the side of the road. Ultimately the vehicle was towed to our home. The vehicle was towed to a Ford Dealership for servicing advised the coolant was leaking on the ground. Dealership service included a valve assembly part (cooling system component designed to regulate the flow of engine coolant to the heater core), coolant outlet flange, anti-freeze, coolant outlet gasket, coolant temperature sensor, HVAC heater hose. The cost was around $1,230.00. Service was completed 11/14/2025. Even after the non-recall service was provided PERSISTENT LOW COOLANT continued requiring constant topping off of the coolant. While Ford has indicated that the engine series determined which 2014 Ford Escapes where affected by the recall it is my understanding that ALL of the 2014 Ford Escapes TItanium had the very same ENGINE CONFIGURATION for ALL the 1.6L engines. Thank God there have been no fires or accidents. Similar issues noted in FORD RECALL CAMPAIGN 17S09 creates a driving safety concern for my family. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Rear-view camera is not working while in reverse. When backing up, it doesn't show anything but a blank screen. Says it is unavailable. I had a mechanic run a diagnostic on it and it showed the camera was faulty.

ABS braking not functioning, Power steering failure , speedometer and odometer failure, Air Bag indication of non function. Warning indications on dash illuminated at once when failures occured The loss of functioning Air bags, Power Steering, ABS Braking are all possible safety risks, most especially when combined at once. Vehicle has been diagnosed by a registered Ford Dealership. Problems diagnosed as a Failure of the electrical ABS system module by the Ford dealership. Dealership expressed that this was a known issue and all repair parts are currently out of stock and on national back order with no ETA for availability. This leaves the vehicle in a condition that makes it a safety hazard to be driven , for myself and others. Documentation unavailable at this time from dealership, verbal conversation, still awaiting repair options. Vehicle has been in dealership since 11/03/2025.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine overheated, causing the engine temperature gauge to rise, and the check engine warning light to illuminate. Additionally, the coolant reservoir became empty after being refilled. The contact examined the vehicle and determined that the cylinder head was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Backup camera frequently stops working. It displays a black screen (that sometimes includes a message stating to contact the dealer), stays on the main screen, turns the displayed image upside down, or the image may scroll/flash.

My vehicle stalls while driving or after pumping fuel and I frequently have to "fart" it is the only thing I can describe it as. The opening to the fuel tank will start vibrating and making noises. If I do not pull over, the minute I let off the gas, it stalls out. In addition, when I pump gas, it takes 4-5 times to start it. It dies 3 or 4 times before it will turn over and I have to press the gas pedal and take off as soon as it starts so it doesn't die. I have been able to get it to stay running, but barely, when adding a small amount of fuel. It chugs and rpms go up while I'm pumping like it's about to die. If I put more than 10 dollars in, it dies while fueling and I get stranded. It's getting worse. I'm listing the date as today, but this started in 2023 or so and I bought the vehicle in 2017

The rear camera has worked intermittently for the last several years. I am aware that the 2015 Ford Escape was included in the recall for rear camera issues, but mine is a 2014 and has the exact same issue.

Head gasket blew and coolant leaked into engine. This applies to the Ford Escape 2013 - 2019. Ford's 1.5L, 1.6L, or 2.0L Ecoboost engines manufactured, marketed, and distributed by Ford Motor Company. They know about the problem but refuse to fix the problem. There is currently a class action lawsuit. But we all know that does noting.

On 10/12/2025, we noticed the driver's side rear door would not latch properly while shopping. We contacted the dealer the following Monday and dropped the vehicle off for inspection on 10/15/2025 at Classic Ford of Columbia, SC. Two open recalls were identified: Manufacturer Recall 16S30 (NHTSA 16V643) - Door Safety Latch: The pawl spring tab in the side door latch broke, preventing secure latching. The recall requires replacing both latches. The failed door latch assembly is available for inspection at the dealership. Manufacturer Recall 18S20 (NHTSA 18V471) - Transmission Shifter Cable Bushing: The bushing is degraded or detached. Safety Risk: The rear door failure risks the door opening unexpectedly while driving, potentially causing ejection or injury to occupants/others. The shifter bushing risks the vehicle rolling if not properly in Park. The issues were confirmed by the authorized Ford dealership during the 10/15/2025 inspection. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership; no other inspections noted. No warning lamps or prior symptoms before the door failure on 10/12/2025. Shifter bushing symptoms unknown. The dealer claimed to fix the shifter bushing on 10/15/2025, but both recalls remain "Incomplete". The rear door latch is unfixed, requiring bungee cords to secure it. The vehicle has been driven this way for nearly 4 months. We contacted Ford (case XXX) and escalation began. After weather closure, we were told an appointment would be rescheduled. I emailed Tiffany from Ford last night (~10PM 2/5/2026) and called today (2/6/2026); no response yet. This ongoing safety defect endangers the driver who needs the car for work. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Coolant leak at the 3 way heater hose going to the heater core. I'm seeing a lot of complaints about leaks at the quick connect and nothing being done about it. Ford made a replacement part thats upgraded. I believe they should be replacing the defected parts with the new one. They knew this was an issue for some time now and refuse to take care of the problem.

Issues with coolant leakage in multiple places. One is with the HVAC heater core valve and hose and the other is with the turbocharger cooling input put up and oil lines. Has been leaking for a while diagnosed on 10/03/2025 Similar to other issues reported by ford escape 1.6L drivers on complaints and documented issues.

For years the rear back up camera has failed to engage or turns on and off intermittently when the vehicle is put in reverse. This can lead to a potentially hazardous driving issue which could lead to property damage or potentially in the extreme loss of life. There are recalls for exactly this same issue on literally millions of similar Ford vehicles, but they refuse to acknowledge this issue and fix it for the 2014 Ford Escape Thank you

I have experienced multiple coolant leaks. The first one was repaired with a new engine coolant bypass housing, and I am now experiencing the issue again. The heater core hoses are degraded and swollen causing the leak. The coolant bypass (which was replaced a year ago) is made of plastic and cracked. The valve cover is leaking and is a fire hazard. This has impacted my means of transportation. The error messages of “overheating” occur abruptly and at times when I have not been able to safely pull over or stop. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. No, not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. The first time this occurred I only received 2 error messages. And this time I only received one.

Whenever I got the vehicle at the middle of 2025 I had issues with the shocks hub assembly axle motor mount electrical issues trunk was opening and closing by itself. Recent recently I drive it to Savannah and the vehicle started to skip and would not switch gears while I was driving down a 70 mph Road. I almost wrecked due to an issue with the vehicle I have looked up the recalls that hasn't been repaired on the vehicle and I believe it has something to do with unrepair recalls or maybe there is a recall that wasn't found or reported because I've seen a lot of recall information about the transmission. I also had a incident with the door unlocking and locking while my nephew was in the vehicle after stepping out the doors automatically locked but I still had the driver door open. My nephew freaked out cuz he can't get out the vehicle. The vehicle has some other issues that I do not know how to explain and if there is any possible way that the unrepared recalls has something to do with the repairs that the vehicle need now then I would like something done immediately. There is 19 recalls on a 2014 Ford escape. Now out of those 19 only two have been reported for my VIN number but I believe due to the car being sold five different times within a short period of time no one had the time to actually report the issues wrong with the vehicle I think people were just trying to get rid of it because they knew something was wrong with it.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while shifting to reverse, there was a loud popping sound coming from the transmission. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who replaced the transmission fluid, but the failure persisted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 138,000.

1. Total transmission failure. Kept up with maintenance, but I changed the transmission fluid and suddenly it just died. Transmission just gave out and it's been a fancy lawn ornament for the last 6 months. 2. God forbid I was anywhere that wasn't inside my neighborhood. If I was anywhere else the car suddenly decelerating and not being able to accelerate would be a death sentence. 3. It's an 6F35. You can go get it reproduced at any Ford Escape really. 4. Got it inspected. Needs a brand new trans, not just a single part. Quotes going at lowest $6k. 5. No warnings, messages, etc. Car would jerk a little bit when initially accelerating, but this went away with oil changes.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her mother observed that the driver's seat belt failed to retract properly over time and failed to secure the driver as intended. The contact stated that the seat belt was very loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Rear view camera quit functioning appropriately on 09/05/25. The dash displayed the message “Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership.” Since the first incident of the camera not functioning, the camera functions intermittently, more often not functioning. No one other than the vehicle owners have confirmed the camera error.

Rear backup camera is not working. I see 2015 + years were recalled but not 2014 which is my car's model year. Since this is a safety issue it should be repaired.

Rear camera intermittently stopped working. This was recalled for other years of Ford Escape models, but (according to the dealer) not for the 2014 model year. This puts at risk the driver and others that we might not see (little kids in the neighborhood) when we are backing in or out of our driveway. We had this problem repaired at the dealership (because we're responsible adults) but think that it should have been covered by the recall of other model years.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on several occasions while in reverse(R), the rearview camera image was flipped upside down. The contact stated that after a month, the camera failed and displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rearview camera needed to be replaced. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.

I was driving down a 25mph road and my car completely stopped. I shut my car off and it had trouble starting. When it would start it would go a couple hundred feet and stop. Took it to the shop and the transmission line was broken. The entire transmission needed replace because of one thing going bad. 4.5k repair bill

Backup camera went blank. The screen said camera not available contact dealer. This was about a month ago. It took a week to get an appointment at the dealer to get it checked. I had to replace the camera. It cost almost $900. On several occasions as I backed out there were cars and people I could not see until they were very near to my car. I saw there is a recall for cameras starting with the 2015 models. I think it should be extended to 2014. My car only had 44000 miles on it when the camera went.

see attached documents: Subject: Ongoing Unresolved Recall Issues and Safety Concerns with My Ford Vehicle I am writing to formally express my deep concern and frustration regarding my Ford vehicle, which currently has 15 open recalls that have gone unresolved for nearly two years. During this time, I have contacted every Ford dealership within a 50-mile radius of my home in repeated attempts to have these recalls addressed. Each dealership has provided a different excuse for not completing the necessary repairs. Some initially allowed me to schedule service appointments, only to cancel them once they realized the work involved recall issues. In several cases, I was never notified that my appointment had been canceled—I only discovered this when no one showed up. Other dealerships claimed they did not have the required parts and assured me they would contact me once the parts became available. To date, none have followed up. One dealership required that I speak with a supervisor before scheduling any recall work, but despite multiple messages, my calls were never returned. On one dealership’s website, I attempted to schedule the recall repairs online. The system showed numerous open appointment dates until I selected “recall service,” at which point all availability disappeared, and I was unable to proceed. Each dealership I contacted referred me elsewhere, passing responsibility without resolution. Ford has been fully aware of the potential safety risks—including the risk of serious injury or death—associated with these recalls, yet I was repeatedly told it was “safe to continue driving.” This was clearly not the case. Recently, while driving, my vehicle suddenly lost all power and stopped moving. I managed to pull over to the side of the road and called for a tow truck. As the tow truck driver prepared to load my car, it unexpectedly lurched forward on its own and crashed into the tow truck. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the incident caused significant front-end damage to my vehicle. It could have easily resulted in a fatal accident. My vehicle has been inoperable since the incident. When I reported the matter to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), I was told to contact my insurance company to cover the damages. However, I do not believe I should bear the financial burden for Ford’s negligence in failing to repair known defects. Ford’s continued delay and lack of accountability have not only caused extreme inconvenience but also placed my safety—and the safety of others—at serious risk. I am requesting immediate action to resolve all recall issues and full compensation for the damage caused by Ford’s failure to act. Sincerely,