2014 Ford Escape Problems

Coolant leak into the cylinder causing engine failure and need to replace the engine, it is not possible to fix this, must replace engine.

Coolant is leaking and overheats all the time. It has the 1.6l engine and is being grouped with the 2.0 engine.

- Component/ System: (UNKNOWN). Possible Powertrain / Transmission . - YES available for inspection. - My Safety @RISK: mine and my child (passenger) - Problem Confirmed : YES at local mechanic shop and FORD dealer service shop. - Has the vehicle been inspected : YES - Any Warning Lights or Messages prior to Failure: Check Engine (appeared at time of incident) and “Engine Fault: Service now” - When Did the Warning Appear: after it failed (5/2026) NO warning prior to failure. - Vehicle attempts from start to find the proper gear (like a bicycle chain that has come off) - clunky - NO power from first gear up. NO city driving - DANGEROUS to OPERATE

My in city driving car has had it's transmission fail and continues to not be drivable. I am the only owner of this car and have completed all repairs and upkeep according to schedule. In October 2025, my 2014 Escape "slipped" out of gear while in drive and would not engage again. Had it towed to Mel Hamilton Ford where I was informed my transmission had failed. I was given the option to overhaul it or replace with a new at almost $8000-$10000. The overhaul was the more economical solution at the time for us. They repaired the broken transmission parts and returned it to me. After receiving the car back, it never "felt" right again and continued to have issues with shifting between gears, especially around the 40 mph mark. In April 2026, the transmission failed again while driving to work. It "fell out of gear" and had to have the car towed again to the dealership. They found the Front Pump had gone out this time as well as more metal shavings in the transmission causing damage again inside. They replaced the affected parts again. Two weeks later, the transmission has failed again. When shifting from park to reverse, the car would shift very hard and the whole car would "hop" before settling into gear. Same issue happened as before where it fell out of gear and could not get it to go back into gear. It has been towed back into the shop and currently still waiting to hear what's wrong this time (May 2026). As of right now, there is no current recall on my vehicle. Clearly there is an issue that needs addressed!

Rear camera intermittently does not work properly. Multiple incidents of the rear camera flickering off and on when in reverse, image is sometimes upside down, or the rear camera doesn't work at all.

Reverse camera keeps cutting or flipping the image. There was a recall on Fords between 2020-2024 for this reason. I called my local Ford and they said my 2014 escape isn't covered. The issue has been ongoing for the past two years

While driving the steering wheel stopped returning to center when in turns and also would occasionally get "stuck" in the turn. A few days after this began, was out driving, notice flashed "power steering failure" and then the steering wheel was not able to be turned. Turned off and restarted the vehicle, the steering wheel would not budge. Had it towed to a nearby mechanic, told me that it was not the power steering but that something inside the steering rack had broken. He stated that he had never seen that before, where the wheel would not budge at all. $1,750 later and it's fixed and running fine. Why was this issue not looked into for safety purposes? Thankfully I was on a straight road and not needing to turn going 45mph.

My 2014 Ford vehicle the steering wheel began to malfunction, then became worse. I took it to Pep Boys Mechanic, they showed me the recall for this issue. I will include the recall attached. The mechanic told me to call Ford they should fix this problem. I called Ford who said since our vin no was not indicated on the recall, but same year make and model are, cannot repair due to vin no not on recall. Then the Ford Dealer Mechanic recommended I call Ford Corporate. I called Ford Corporate who advised not covered since the vin no for this Ford is not in recall, but acknowledged that year make and model is. The recall attached states this recall does not need to be vin no specific. I told both Ford Dealer mechanic and Ford corporate this, and offered to email the recall to them, yet they refused for me to send this. I asked speak to a manager multiple times at Ford Corporate and was told one would call back, but no one ever called me back. After multiple calls I finally got a manager on the phone [XXX] who provided me case no XXX and she denied my claim too, since my vin. No. for vehicle not included in recall. If you read the attached recall my car matches all the criteria for this recall, except the vin no. As per the recall the steering wheel is a safety hazard, that can cause a crash, as stated in the attached recall. Additionally, the other year I had another issue with the bushing, when I went to park in front a store, but the car kept driving almost ran into the store that had all glass windows. Because I pumped the brake and slammed on the emergency brake it stopped. Had it not stopped would have hurt myself, little daughter in my car, and whomever else was in the store. At the time, this bushing was not on recall. Several months later, I received a notice of this recall. I contacted Ford and provided receipts and they reimbursed me. This vehicle has only been inspected by a mechanic at Pep Boys who informed us of this recall INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.

Component failed 1.6L Escoboost engine coolant intrusión into cylinders causing misfire and white exhaust smoke vehicle available for inspection upon request .safety risk:engine misfire and coolant loss cause sudden of power or ingine fire while driving. Recall 17S09 was issude for this exact defect .Ford SSM 46433 states this requires new engine assemby . Problem confirmed multiple repair shops confirmed cooland in cylindres. I have spent S5000 on repairs including used transmisión Trying to fix this defect. Manufacturer inspection called ford customer service 05/22/2026. Agent refused supervisor and stated we cannot help no case number probided Ford is refusing to honor federal safety recall 17S09.warning symptoms: check ingine light, ingine misfire , white exhaust smoke , coolant loss. First appeared approximately 6 months ago and has worsened. Requesting NHTSA compel Ford to provide engine replacement per SSM 46433.

This vehicle has fuel problems and I'm not able to pass the emissions test for a year. This vehicle has serious electrical problems when I go in reverse the radio starts cracking and popping really loud and it's very annoying and ear splitting. I don't think it's fair that the van is not showing a recall when you issued engine fire recalls for 2014 Ford escapes l feel mine should be included??

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for routine service, and the dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the back-over prevention camera had failed. The mechanic stated that the screen displayed a reversed, inverted, or distorted image. The certified mechanic also became aware that the camera intermittently displayed a black screen before showing an inverted image. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,355.

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.

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)

Environmental Contributing Circumstances (Select Up to 3):

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side door failed to latch or lock as intended. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to securely close. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted regarding the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

Ford Motor Company should issue a recall and replace the known faulty manufacturing defective lug nuts since 2019. The lug nuts swell and can not be removed by standard lug nut wrench. This is a safety issue because recommend tire rotation is impossible with standard tools. Dealerships are requiring owners to replace faulty lug nuts at an exorbitant cost. Vehicle owners are not performing the routine tire rotation thus creating a safety hazard resulting from tire failure, roadside safety issues and crashes due to excessive tire wear. This has been a known manufacturer fault since 2019. It is immoral and unprofessional to allow this practice to continue.

During an oil change, the technician discovered 14 of the 20 lug nuts had swelled and needed replacement for a 2014 Ford Escape. The cost was $110. The service manager stated the technician would not put the old lug nuts on the vehicle since it was a safety issue. He said the nuts could not be removed with the lug wrench which comes with the vehicle and there is potential for the nuts to crack. He said Ford is aware of the problem and the cause is defective lugs especially in an environment where salt and brine solutions are used for snow and ice control. We live in Wisconsin. He suggested searching the Internet for the problem. I searched the Internet and found a large amount of complaints related to Ford Escapes and other Ford models.

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.

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.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at approximately 45 MPH the vehicle began to make a loud winding and roaring coming from the rear-end of the vehicle. The contact put a new set of tires and replenished the rear end grease, however the vehicle continued to make this abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed. The contact was informed that they would need to replace the rear drive unit. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

I have been needing to add coolant to my car almost bi-weekly and just recently it lost power while getting on the freeway. The airbags have been problematic since I purchased the vehicle even after having the wire harness replaced twice at a Ford dealership. The light will not go off.

Unknown- I purchased my Car in 2021 and I’ve had ongoing transmission issues since I purchased it. As of now the issues have gotten worse. I had the transmission recall repair done, but it did not fix the jerking way my car was driving. The repairs keep getting more costly and I don’t believe there’s an actual fix, but rather that this vehicle was sold with a faulty transmission. As of now I can’t drive my vehicle because last month there was a fire under my hood and it’s totally unsafe for me and my family to be in. Ford won’t take any responsibility but they’ve already had to buy back vehicles for settling them with bad transmissions. This is not new for them.

While in Reverse, my Back-up Camera usually does not work. I either get a Blue screen, a message saying Back up camera unavailable, or if it does come on, it is upside down and doesn't stay on but for a few seconds. I have called the dealer, and they will not even look at it unless I pay for this. There are recalls for other years, and I counted over 100 complaints about this issue on the same year as my vehicle... I am wondering if people actually have to die for Ford to fix this and issue the dang recall.

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.

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.

the drivers seatbelt does not retract. The seatbelt is extended all the way loose in your lap. In an accident i don’t think it would work at all. Something is broken inside that doesn’t allow it to retract on its own at all.

While doing oil change, I realized car has rear seal oil leak. Transmission experiences slippage in cold weather. Car has a very good maintenance record.

May 31.2023 I was involved in an accident your left front wheel Castor and wheel . Separated from vehicle. Causing me to crash into a light pole.in the east bound lane when I was going west bound on Franklin rd in Boise id Knocking me unconscious idaho state police made report. Before accident left front wheel pulled left when braking gave car gas car pull right last thing I remember. EMT took Alfonso's hospital. As investigate because I was almost killed lucky I survive.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the instrument cluster screen malfunctioned and turned black or flickered off and on. Additionally, the headlights, turn signals, and brake lights intermittently failed to operate as needed. The transmission and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failures, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH at night, the center information console failed to display an image as well as pertinent vehicle safety information. The contact then became aware that the headlights were not functioning. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 48,000. The VIN was not available.

I would like to voice concern about the 2 pc lugnuts that Ford places on vehicles.They are not good & after doing some research & talking with other Suppliers and Companies regarding this matter, it is my understanding this is an ongoing issue that Ford continues to ignore. This is not safe. My tire had a slow leak in it. I took it to a local Tire shop who advised the Tire could not be fixed because the tear was in the sidewall. They also advised the lugnuts were swollen & in terrible condition & then went on to show me the lugnuts & educate me on the design that Ford has. The reason for the terrible condition is likely because the nuts have to be beaten off unless the work is done at Ford, as they have special tooling & capabilities to deal with the nut. He also advised, instead of recalling, Ford opted to come out with a special tool or tooling that is specific to only their Dealers. Not ok. Not all people want to use Ford for their tire needs. Nobody should ever take one opinion at face value. I went to another local tire shop to make sure the info I was given about my tire AND the lugnuts was correct. However, when I went, I made no mention that I already had the first opinion, nor did I share any of the info with the 2nd Company. Same information was repeated to me, both about the lugnuts & my tire. Very concerning on the lug nuts & I now believe this to be accurate. This place felt so bad for me & for the condition the nuts were in, that they put gently used ones on 1 of my tires, free of charge, just because they had the tire off to look at it & knew the Ford ones were total "garbage". As of today, I went to my local Ford dealer for a tire rotation & oil change. Low & behold, they mention all of my lug nuts are swollen & that I need new. I voiced concern to the Service Manager about the lugnut information. He & the Service Advisor both advised that yes, this was an ongoing complaint & it was bad for them too. This is ridiculous & i complained to Ford also.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while in the driveway and loading the vehicle, wheelchair lift fractured. Additionally, there was a low-pressure sensor light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was still drivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.