2014 Ford Escape problems
NHTSA has received 2,679 complaints about the 2014 Ford Escape, and 34% of them involve engine. Next are drivetrain & axles (17%) and electrical system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 2,679 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 34% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 78 and 150
- Injuries and deaths
- 62 and 6
- Typical mileage
- 75,000 miles 1,723 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 200 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 160 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 252 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 324 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 316 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 230 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 119 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 73 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 34 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 8 |
| 200k+ miles | 7 |
What the data shows
Of the 1,723 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 75,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 79,000 miles (602 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 78 complaints mention a crash; 150 complaints mention a fire; 62 injuries reported; 6 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2014 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 25 model years of the Ford Escape with enough data (1,236 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 16 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My driver passenger door does not close anymore as of 7/9/2023. My 2-year-old son could have flown out the door as he sits on that side in his car seat.
Driving down road. Car said engine failure pulled over poped the hood and engine caught on fire and car burned total loss
To: HTSA: We believe that our 2014 Ford Escape motor vehicle has a mechanical defect that caused it to catch fire while driving on the highway with our family inside. We are alive because another driver reported the fire in the car and we stopped and got out at the exact time before the car burned to the ground. We have a 22S43 Safety Campaign Notice for that vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 ford escape. While operating the vehicle, the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer (ford of uniontown, 1 superior way, union town, pa) where it was diagnosed that the coolant reservoir had cracked and caused coolant to leak out. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and did not assist. The failure mileage was 58,000.
My girlfriend was driving at about 40 MPH and noticed a whining noise that corresponded with the acceleration of the vehicle. When she came to the next stop light and the light turned green the escape would not accelerate, but the whining was very loud and would only move about 3-4 miles per hour. She pulled over, shut off the engine. Waited and started again. The escape drove for a few minutes and then she felt it slip out of gear and then the engine would just rev.