2014 Ford Escape Visibility Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11722634

Incident

Aug 10, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11698346

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

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

NHTSA ID

11689680

Incident

Sep 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver’s side windshield cracked causing a visibility hazard to the driver. The contact indicated that the crack was present between the two layers of glass used in the windshield construction. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle in daylight the driver’s vision was impaired by the internal cracks. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,500.

NHTSA ID

11493901

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

Mileage

38,500 mi

The wipers became slow and erratic, then stopped when headlights were turned on. The lights also were affected as they became dim or out depending on the selection of Hi, Low or Driving. The wipers could have failed during a storm, or the headlights could have become inoperative with no warning. The problem was reproduced at the dealer and inspected as well. There was no indication that there was a problem until the wipers and lights were operated. There could have been more systems that were failing we did not notice as the problem was all of the grounding wires were on painted surfaces. There are several Service Bulletins on this car and the Ford Focus in the same model year range. I have correspondence from the dealer that indicates the problem. Although our car did not fall under these bulletins, I feel this should be a recall since any electric component could fail with no warning by the design of these cars.

NHTSA ID

11443021

Incident

Aug 6, 2021

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AND HAD ONLY BEEN STARTED AND MOVING FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. NOTICED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF OR CHANGE SPEEDS, THEN NOTICED A SLIGHT ODOR IN CAR THAT INCREASINGLY STRENGTHENED. PHONED MY HUSBAND WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING BECAME MUCH STRONGER, THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING BETWEEN THE THE DRIVERS SIDE HOOD SEAM AND BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE WINDSHIELD, THIS WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY NOTICABLE FLAME. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED ON HAZARD LIGHTS AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, BEGAN WITH SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, WITHOUT SUCCESS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OPENED HOOD AND APPLIED WATER TO EXTINGUISH. THIS WAS ON A CITY STREET IN O'FALLON, MO. UNCERTAIN OF CAUSE, BUT AM NOW AWARE THAT FORD ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS MODEL (RECALL 17S09) AND BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A POSSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

11300132

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

Mileage

61,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE IN OFF POSITION WHILE DRIVING, STOPPED AND PARKED. CAN NOT TURN THEM OFF MANUALLY, HAVE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF TO MAKE IT STOP. THEY DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK EITHER. WIPERS GO AS SHORT AS 5 WIPES EVERY 5 SECONDS TO UP TO 30 SECONDS-MINUTE OPERATING IN THE OFF POSITION. WIPERS DO NOT ALWAYS TURN ON. WHEN TESTING TO SEE IF THEY WILL COME ON, SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT TURN ON. CONCERN FOR THEM NOT TURNING ON WHEN IT RAINS. BEEN GOING ON FOR 6 DAYS STRAIGHT. LUCKILY THERE HASN'T BEEN RAIN, YET.

NHTSA ID

11268778

Incident

Oct 11, 2019

Mileage

48,800 mi

THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THE FIRST FEW WEEKS I HAD THE VEHICLE. THEN THE REARVIEW CAMERA WENT OUT NOW MY RADIO HAS GONE OUT THE BACK WINDSHIELD DOESN'T WORK. IT HAS BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER AND I HAVEN'T HAD THE VEHICLE A YEAR. SOME OF THE THING HAPPENED IN MOTION AND IN PARK. MOSTLY IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11228398

Incident

Jun 18, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE FAN BLOWER MOTOR WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THAT IS, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK WHEN ACTIVATED. MOREOVER, IT HAS NOW COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THIS CAUSES EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE WHEN WINDOWS ARE FOGGED UP INSIDE VEHICLE, PREVENTING DRIVER FROM SEEING. HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND WHEN STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11172667

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

80,000 mi

JANUARY 9, 2019 AT 10:39PM MY 2014 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 81, GOING SPEED LIMIT 70 MPH, VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND SAID "SERVICE ENGINE NOW". STEERING AND BRAKES DID NOT LOCK UP BUT THE VEHICLE LOST RPMS AND WAS NOT RUNNING AS I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER, I WAS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE WHEN MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF. AS I STOPPED, I PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED KEY OFF, ALL WHILE IT SAID "SERVICE ENGINE NOW". I TURNED MY HAZARDS ON AND GOT OUT MY PHONE TO CALL SOMEONE FOR HELP. AS I LOOKED UP I SEEN FLAMES COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AREA AND SMOKE IN FRONT OF MY LIGHTS, I GRABBED MY WORK BAG AND JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE, JUMPED ACROSS THE GUARD RAIL, AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 FROM A SAFE DISTANCE. IN APPROXIMATELY 6-9 MINUTES THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AS I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH 911. TOOK RESPONDERS ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES TO ARRIVE AND TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. AS SOON AS RESPONDERS FINALLY SHOWED, I COULD HEAR BOTH TIRES EXPLODE A FEW MINUTES APART FROM EACH OTHER. ONCE FIRE WAS SAFELY PUT OUT, THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS MELTED AND THE INSIDE AS WELL WAS BEYOND RECOGNIZABLE. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS TOTALLED, OBVIOUSLY, AND I GOT A TOW TO TAKE VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE WHERE THE 2014 FORD ESCAPE IS SITTING IN MY YARD. I FIGURED MY INSURANCE COMPANY MIGHT COME LOOK AT IT BUT THEY DIDN'T BECAUSE ALL I HAD WAS LIABILITY ON IT. I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL A COUPLE DAYS LATER THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, DUE TO RISK OF ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11166803

Incident

Jan 9, 2019

Mileage

197,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A TOXIC ODOR COMING OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, REGARDLESS IF THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON OR OFF. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP AND AN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, STATING THAT POWER WAS REDUCED AND TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11133261

Incident

Oct 3, 2018

Mileage

10,000 mi

2014 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INOPERABLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD TO BE MANUALLY RESET IN ORDER TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. ALSO THAT THE WIPERS WERE OLD WHICH CAUSED THE DRAG AND WHEN THEY HEATED UP IT CAUSED A MALFUNCTION. THE CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A LIABILITY.*JS

NHTSA ID

11122629

Incident

Aug 9, 2018

FRONT WIPERS GO OFF WHEN IN OFF POSTITION ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ONCE ISSUE STARTS HAPPENING IT DEGRADES QUICKLY. IT STARTS WITH A RANDOM WIPE AND OVER A MONTHS PERIOD DEGRADES INTO THE WIPERS RANDOMLY TURNING ON AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND DIFFERENT TIME INTERVALS RANGING FROM A FEW WIPES UP TO 15 MINUTES OF UNCONTROLLABLE WIPING. SOMETIMES ONLY A SINGLE WIPER BLADE WILL TURN ON RANDOMLY THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT ( ONCE RESTARTING CAR BOTH WIPERS WILL GO OFF RANDOMLY AGAIN). THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON ALL DRIVING TYPES STREET/HIGHWAY/TURNING/STATIONARY EVERYTHING. AGAIN THE WIPERS ARE IN OFF POSTITION AND NOT ENGAGED BUT WILL RANDOMLY TURN ON.

NHTSA ID

11122018

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BEING DRIVEN WHEN HEAVY RAIN BEGAN. THE WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON IN ANY LEVEL, MANUAL OR OTHERWISE. THIS CREATED AN EXTREAMLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH LITTLE TO NO VISIBILITY. THE DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2014 FORD ESCAPE BCM BUT INDICATED WAS THE CAUSE. THEY HOWEVER DID NOT REPLACE IT, BUT DID CHARGE $450 FOR DIAGNOSIS ONLY. NO ACTUAL REPAIR WAS MADE. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL. IT IS AGAIN AFFECTING THE WIPER CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

11023002

Incident

May 12, 2017

Mileage

36,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, GOING STRAIGHT, NO OTHER CARS NEAR ME, WHEN MY REAR GATE WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. NOTHING HIT IT OR THE CAR. I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. JUST BANG, AND IT WAS BROKEN. INITIALLY IT WAS ALL STILL IN PLACE BUT BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, PIECES HAD BEGUN TO FALL OFF. IT WAS VERY COLD OUTSIDE, ABOUT 15 DEGREES, BUT NO WIND OR PRECIPITATION WAS FALLING. I WAS GOING ABOUT 20 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10939584

Incident

Jan 3, 2017

Mileage

43,000 mi

BACK WINDSHIELD SHATTERED WHEN DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS CLOSED. NO APPARENT CRACKS IN WINDOW PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. AFTER REPLACING THE REAR WINDSHIELD, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WITHIN 24 HOURS OF IT BEING REPLACED. HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR APPROX. 45 DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING BOTH TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10937769

Incident

Dec 25, 2016

Mileage

41,208 mi

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2014, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED 5 TIMES, AND EACH TIME THE CRACK PROPAGATED SO QUICKLY THAT IT COULD NOT BE CONTAINED. THE CRACKS ARE INITIATED THROUGH THE SMALLES STONES THROWN FROM VEHICLES AHEAD. ALL INCIDENCES HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION AND AT LEAST 3 IN INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. SO FAR WE REPLACED IT WITH 2 OEM WINDSHIELDS AND THE OTHERS WERE AFTERMARKET. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM IN TERMS OF CHIP OR CRACK RESISTANCE. I STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE PURE COINCIDENCE. HAVING TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD AN AVERAGE OF EVERY 6 MONTHS IS NOT REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

NHTSA ID

10881214

Incident

Jun 20, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID LEAKING IN CAR, LEAK IN HOSE. WHEN FIXED DIDNT SEAL WINDSHIELD PROPERLY CAUSING RAIN TO COME INTO VEHICLE CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10703840

Incident

Mar 13, 2015

Mileage

9,000 mi

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY DURING THE DAY. WE WERE NOT OPERATING THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF AND THE SHADE WAS COMPLETELY OPEN. SUDDENLY AND ALL AT ONCE, THE FRONT PANE OF GLASS IN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED INTO THE CABIN. GLASS CUT MY FACE IN TWO LOCATIONS AND CAUSED BLEEDING. THERE WAS NO NEARBY TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF US OR ON THE SIDE. WE WERE NOT TRAVELING UNDER AN OVERPASS. WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THE BREAKAGE CAUSED US TO SLOW DOWN AND SWERVE. THERE WERE NO OTHER COLLISIONS OR DAMAGE AFTER THE SUNROOF BROKE. AS NO OBJECT OR PROJECTILE CAUSED THE BREAKAGE AND THERE WAS NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE SUNROOF, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A FAULT WITH EITHER THE GLASS OR SUNROOF ASSEMBLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671793

Incident

Jan 11, 2015

Mileage

28,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE HIGH 20'S I HEARD A LOUD POP SIMILAR TO A GUN SHOT AND THEN LOOKED BACK AND MY REAR WINDOW JUST STARTED TO SPIDER. I WAS ONLY IN THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I PULLED OVER AND THERE WERE NO IMPACT MARKS AND THE GLASS ON EACH SIDE OF THE WINDOW HAD FALLEN OFF BUT THE REST OF THE GLASS WAS IN TACT. THERE WERE VERTICAL STRESS FRACTURES ON EACH FAR SIDE OF THE GLASS AND SPIDERING ON THE REST OF THE GLASS TOWARD THE MIDDLE. FORD LET ME KNOW THAT THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING TO F150'S RECENTLY BUT NOT IN NEW ESCAPES AND THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT. THEY ADVISED THAT SOMETHING MUST OF IMPACTED THE WINDOW BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATION. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE GLASS ALSO AND SUBMITTED THEM TO FORD'S CORPORATION AND ALSO THE DEALERSHIP, MOON TOWNSHIP FORD. THEY STILL WOULD NOT PAY. IT SEEMS THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PATTERN FOR FORD ESCAPES THROUGHOUT THE PAST DECADE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663952

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

Mileage

13,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DONE THE ROAD, A LOUD POP WAS HEARD. MY 3 YEAR OLD POINTED TO THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF AND SAID LOOK. IT HAD FALLEN INWARD ON THE BACK OF THE GLASS WHILE THE FRONT OF THE GLASS STAYED ATTACHED, CRACKING THE GLASS. PIECES OF GLASS FELL INTO THE BACK SEAT AND ALL IN MY SONS LAP. FORD HAS HAD RECALLS ON CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS BUT NOT MINE, EPOXY BEING MIXED INCORRECTLY CAUSING GLASS TO BECOME SEPARATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663835

Incident

Dec 11, 2014

Mileage

16,500 mi

THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. WITH THE HEADLIGHTS NOT ON, THE WIPERS WOULD WORK ERRATICALLY AND NOT EFFICIENTLY, CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVE DURING RAIN. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON, THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. TRYING TO RIDE HOME IN THE DARK WITH NO LIGHTS, NOR WIPERS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY CAUSED AN UNSAFE SITUATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE SIGNALS AND PARKING LIGHTS ARE DIMMING AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CAR IS PRESENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR TWO DAYS- HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED AT YET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604283

Incident

Jun 14, 2014

Mileage

13,000 mi

ON FEBRUARY 3, 2014 WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 A STONE FLEW UP OFF THE ROAD AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPAIRED BY SAFELITE. ON MARCH 12, 2014 THE SAME THING HAPPENED A SECOND TIME ON A DIFFERENT STRETCH OF I-95. HAD SAFELITE REPAIR THE WINDSHIELD. THIS MORNING APRIL 6, 2014 AGAIN ON I-95 AND THE WINDSHIELD GOT CRACKED FOR A THIRD TIME. HAVE DRIVEN FOR 53 YEARS WITH ONLY ONE CRACKED WINDSHIELD PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE HAD THREE WITHIN 62 DAYS!!! GREATLY CONCERNED THAT ANYTHING LARGER THAN A SMALL PEBBLE MAY CAUSE THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD TO DISINTEGRATE WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. WILL TAKE TO FORD DEALER TOMORROW OR TUESDAY FOR THEM TO EXAMINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577769

Incident

Feb 3, 2014

Mileage

1,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM AND THE DEFROSTER FAILED. THE AUTOMATIC REMOTE ALSO FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM HEAT. THE CONTACT HAD TO LET THE ENGINE RUN FOR A FEW MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO HEAT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE THEREFORE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A FIX FOR THE HEATING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,400.

NHTSA ID

10576857

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

1,500 mi

THIS IS THE 3RD TIME WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS FAILED FOR MY NEW 2014 FORD ESCAPE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER DID NOT MOVE WHEN TURN ON THE WIPER AND THE DRIVER SIDE WILL MOVE ONCE AND STUCK AT THE UP RIGHT POSITION. AFTER IT GOT STUCK, IT'LL NOT RESPOND TO ANY WIPER CONTROLS. I SHUT DOWN MY ENGINE AND THE WIPER THEN RETRACTED TO THE OFF POSITION. SENT THE CAR TO THE DEALER LAST SATURDAY BUT NOTHING WAS DONE SINCE THEY COULDN'T REPLICATED THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562871

Incident

Feb 4, 2014

Mileage

800 mi