RoadVitals

2014 Ford Escape

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2,084
+7 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
16
Latest Jan 15, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
150
41 injuries, 4 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2,084 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2014 Ford Escape, most frequently naming the engine, powertrain (other) and electrical categories. 16 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 146 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

16 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

Jan 15, 2026
116,672 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26S01View on NHTSA.gov

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL); POWER TRAIN:SHIFT LINKAGE/CABLE/ROD

Jun 10, 2022
2,925,968 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.
The risk: A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 22S43View on NHTSA.gov

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Jun 8, 2020
2,147,323 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
The risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 20S30View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ19005ClosedRecall Query

Door Latch Failures

Opened Dec 19, 2019
Closed Feb 7, 2022

In December 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation based on 235 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging doors failed to latch when closed, and/or inadvertently opened while driving, on model year (MY) 2012-2014 Ford Fiesta, and 2013-2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Some VOQs reported the failure occurred after the latch had been remedied under a prior recall which involved fracture of the latch pawl spring tab due to thermally induced cyclic fatigue. Other VOQs alleged a similar failure in vehicles not previously recalled. A latch with a fractured pawl spring tab typically results in a ?door will not close? condition, however in certain somewhat rare circumstances, may result in the door coming open while driving. In response to ODI?s investigation, Ford has announced three field actions, as discussed below.On March 23, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-177 (Ford 20S15), a regional recall campaign to address door latch failures in vehicles not previously recalled under Safety Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210. The recall affects vehicles currently or ever registered in certain high ambient temperature states (see 20V-177 for affected states). As a remedy, Ford will replace all four door latches free of charge.On August 24, 2020, Ford issued a non-safety regional field action (Ford 20R01) to address door latch failures on the same model/MY vehicles not covered under 20V-177 (i.e., not currently/ever registered in affected states). According to Ford, spring tab failure rates for vehicles covered by this action are about half that of the 20V-177 vehicles. Under this action, dealers will replace all door latches, free of charge, if either; a) the vehicle exhibits a related latch concern, or b) if the vehicle owner expresses a concern about the latches in their vehicles. Details can be found under NHTSA TSB No. 10190990, a copy of which is available in this investigative file available at NHTSA.gov.On June 8, 2020, Ford submitted Safety Recall 20V-331 (Ford 20S30) addressing vehicles previously remedied under NHTSA Recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 and 17V-210, where the repair may not have been properly completed, specifically not all of the door latches were replaced, or replaced correctly. This recall involves an inspection of the latches, with the option for a consumer self-inspection; owners could view the date codes on their latches (and confirm child safety locks are present on the rear doors) and then submit the information to Ford?s mobile app or website. A dealership inspection option was also available. Any vehicle found to have unreplaced defective latches requires the replacement of all door latches as directed by Ford.Regarding the 4,494 reports cited above, 1,485 involve scope-related failures (with 13% alleging door opening), and the remaining 3,009 reports involving remedy concerns (with 18% alleging door opening - note ODI was unable to verify the allegations of door opening). The three ODI injuries were all relatively minor. Ford?s reported injury incidences include one (unconfirmed) report of an ejection, three minor injuries with the others involving undisclosed injuries. Ford?s crashes involved two (unconfirmed) crashes alleging the incident door contacted another vehicle and three involving doors striking other property.The recalled vehicles include MY 2011-2015 Ford Fiesta, 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015 Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKC, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2012-2015 Ford Focus and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect.Ford's actions address ODI's concerns at this time. ODI will take further action if warranted by new information. The reference (OD

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCHLed to recall 20V177000
PE16001ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Door Latch Failure

Opened Jan 16, 2016
Closed Oct 29, 2016

In January, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation based on consumers' allegations of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening on model year (MY) 2012-2013 Ford Focus vehicles (subject vehicles).ODI has received 464 unique reports related to the alleged problem, with over 200 claiming that the door(s) opened inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion.One consumer alleged an injury that occurred while driving when a door inadvertently opened and then closed on a child's arm.Another alleged that a door that inadvertently opened struck a parked vehicle.In response to ODI's information request, Ford Motor Company (Ford) provided 500 unique reports related to the alleged problem on the subject vehicles.Ford reported no injury or accident claims.Ford also submitted 1,513 warranty claims related to door latch failures.Many customers indicated that the affected door could not be latched at all and some of them decided to restrain the door by other means in order to operate the vehicle.Some customers also reported door latch failures occurring on multiple doors and at different times.Additionally, Ford stated that MY 2014-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape, 2013-2015 Ford C-Max, 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect, 2015 Ford Mustang, and 2015 Lincoln MKC, all use the same door latch as the 2012-2013 Ford Focus.On September 6, 2016, Ford notified ODI that it would conduct a safety recall (16V-643) to remedy the door latches in the MY 2012-2015 Ford Focus and other Ford models mentioned above (total of approximately 2 million vehicles).According to Ford, a component within the door latch may break preventing the door from latching.Ford dealers will replace all four door latches in the recalled vehicles with a new more robust latch design that is currently in production.The recall action initiated by the manufacturer appears to address the safety risks.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the identification (ODI) numbers found in the attached list.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCHLed to recall 16V643000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2026

In the ford escape, when the remote start is activated. The car will show as overheating. I was told it was a known issue with ford. This occurred twice resulting in over $1900 in towing and repairs. Those repairs did not fix issue as 4 weeks later it did it again.

NHTSA ID
11765816
Incident
Jul 5, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 17, 2026

Car is eating antifreeze with no visible leaks. The vehicle overheats if not enough antifreeze. I had to use stop leak just to keep the antifreeze from leaking. The vehicle had a recall fix in 2018 for coolant intrusion by the previous owner but problem is occurring again. Have asked multiple ford dealerships to help but they said the warranty is expired but after doing research I saw that even after a recall occurs if the problem was not fixed even after a warranty expires the company is still liable for repairs. I would like to make a complaint because I feel as if Ford is not honoring their recall policy. Even after correct information was given.

NHTSA ID
11765087
Incident
Sep 15, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine light and low coolant warning light were illuminated. Upon checking the coolant level, the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the vehicle; however, the coolant disappeared and gushed back into the reservoir. Additionally, upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated to start and chugged, with a white sweet-smelling smoke coming from the tailpipe while idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was purchased, and the contact inquired about a free diagnostic test, but the dealer denied assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 104,353.

NHTSA ID
11764342
Incident
Sep 13, 2026
Mileage
104,353 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 14, 2026

am reporting a potential safety defect involving my 2014 Ford Escape Titanium 1.6L EcoBoost. While driving, I suddenly heard a pop/burst from under the hood. The vehicle then began producing white smoke/steam. There were no warning lights or temperature warnings before the smoke began. The high-temperature/overheating warning appeared only after the vehicle was already smoking/steaming. I immediately pulled over and stopped the vehicle. Green coolant had sprayed throughout the engine compartment. An independent repair shop confirmed that the plastic return-side heater-hose union/connector broke, causing a severe coolant leak. The shop recommended replacing the connector and coolant, performing a cooling-system pressure test, and a combustion leak test to check for possible engine damage. This failure created a safety risk because the vehicle suddenly lost coolant while being driven and gave almost no advance warning before overheating. The vehicle has not been inspected by Ford for this specific failure. I am concerned because these symptoms appear similar to the coolant-loss/overheating concerns addressed by Ford Safety Recall 17S09 involving certain 2014 Ford Escape 1.6L EcoBoost vehicles. My VIN is not currently listed in that recall. I am reporting this so NHTSA can determine whether similar sudden cooling-system failures are occurring in vehicles outside the original recall population.

NHTSA ID
11764180
Incident
Sep 11, 2026
Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2026

My coolant mixing with the oil cause a severe overage. This is what I understood my recall to be about but the FORD dealership refused to fix it on June 1st. Now I’m subject to a very expensive car repair.

NHTSA ID
11763228
Incident
Aug 23, 2026
Filed Sep 7, 2026

I have been sending email for 2 years. I did not know I could use this form. The back up camera that helps me back up does not operate. Sometimes it show upside down or is not available at all. This is a safety issue for me to operate my vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11762510
Incident
Sep 1, 2024
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 30, 2026

When I was about to park, the transmission failed. I couldn’t reverse, and it got stuck in Neutral. I wasn’t able to shift it into Park. When the mechanic came, he said the shifter cable bushing was faulty, which was exactly the part covered by the recall they had previously done.

NHTSA ID
11760815
Incident
Aug 16, 2026
Electrical
Filed Aug 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost ABS functionality, and the instrument panel was blank. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the instrument panel needed to be replaced and brake system repair was needed. The contact was informed that the part was no longer being manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,194.

NHTSA ID
11759721
Incident
Aug 19, 2026
Mileage
100,194 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

25H05 S1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Harvest Program 25H05 – Supplement #1 Certain 2011-2021 Model Year Vehicles Software Verification Harvest Program

SSM 54601

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k

25B61

POWER TRAIN

Certain 2013-2014 Model Year Escape and 2013-2016 Fusion Vehicles Equipped with a 6F35 Transmission Shift Cable Bushing Inspection and Protective Service Cap Installation

25H05

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to inspect a limited number of affected vehicles that are customer-owned. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the software currently installed on one or more electronic modules in the affected vehicles.

SSM 53176

Some 2013-2016 Escape vehicles may exhibit an ABS warning indicator with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) U2300 after the ABS module is replaced.

SSM 53040

While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions. While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Escape by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026320—
2025249053.3
2024768062.6
20239811060.4
202223119268.1
202134619267.7
20201,60023263.1
20195873059.3
20181,7974059.8
20172,6844058.1
20161,1234061.4
20151,1009268.1
2014Viewing2,08416264.6
20132,74918361.4
20125992254.7
20111,3163456.2
20102,0695456.0
20091,6933355.2
20081,9745358.2
20072544254.8
20064645153.9
20051,3945255.3
20044998661.8
20035589865.2
20021,027101067.3
2001996151166.3
2000500—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.