CarComplaints.com Notes: The top problem trend for the 2014 Escape is transmission failure at around 70k miles.
This is relatively low mileage for an expensive transmission failure ($4,500 average to fix), but unless the trend becomes more established, we are only awarding the 2014 Escape our "Beware of the Clunker" badge for now.
Our 2014 Escape had passed the 36,000 mile standard warranty period last September, then the CD player failed at about 43,000 miles. Ironic. First it wouldn't take or eject CD's. Then, it quit running outright. I've never experienced CD player failure with any of the vehicles I've owned. In fact, I still have a 2004 Saturn Vue with a fully operational CD player! That's thirteen years for you readers who don't like math. The Ford repair guy's solution was to say I should have purchased the extended warranty. Duh!!! My question to him was, if Ford quality is so good, why is an extended warranty so necessary? Sort of like flying with a parachute on a commercial airliner. I believe the Ford CD/radio unit is basically crap and it's position on top of the dash a very poor design decision! Perhaps the problem can be attributed to the fact the CD player is mounted in between two un-insulated air outlets. When the heat is on, the CD's eject hotter than fresh pancakes. It makes one wonder about the overall design and quality of the other components in the Ford Escape - and any other Ford product for that matter. I wonder who the Ford junior engineer was who came up with that little gem? I'm in the market this year for a mid-sized SUV (retirement vehicle). You can bet Ford won't be on my source list. With all the expensive electronic junk in vehicles these days, I dare not trust "Ford quality" any further than I can throw an overweight elephant. Regardless, I'm out a hard-earned $421.34 for the CD/radio replacement after only three years of minimal use on the busted one. But, Ford is out another customer. My Escape is paid for and could be traded in, but I'm going to hang on to it to get my $421.34 worth out of the new CD/radio. Ford buyers beware!
Ever since I bought the car I have been getting a rattling noise from the dash area. The dealer could never find out what was causing it. Then, after 2 years for the first time I put a CD into the CD player. It played fine, but wouldn't eject, because the CD player is not line up with the housing around it. They replaced the CD player, but it still didn't line up correctly, so they had to do something to realign the CD player. The technician advised that there was a service bulletin about this.
This is the second time my Escape will be going back to the dealer for this issue. The first time it happened, the CD did come out before it went to the dealer. This time, the CD is still stuck in the player. Service Advisor at the dealership advised me a new Navigation Radio may need to be installed. Who puts a cd player on top of the dash? Not too bright!
- Jason J.,
Forest Lake, MN, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Our 2014 Escape had passed the 36,000 mile standard warranty period last September, then the CD player failed at about 43,000 miles. Ironic. First it wouldn't take or eject CD's. Then, it quit running outright. I've never experienced CD player failure with any of the vehicles I've owned. In fact, I still have a 2004 Saturn Vue with a fully operational CD player! That's thirteen years for you readers who don't like math. The Ford repair guy's solution was to say I should have purchased the extended warranty. Duh!!! My question to him was, if Ford quality is so good, why is an extended warranty so necessary? Sort of like flying with a parachute on a commercial airliner. I believe the Ford CD/radio unit is basically crap and it's position on top of the dash a very poor design decision! Perhaps the problem can be attributed to the fact the CD player is mounted in between two un-insulated air outlets. When the heat is on, the CD's eject hotter than fresh pancakes. It makes one wonder about the overall design and quality of the other components in the Ford Escape - and any other Ford product for that matter. I wonder who the Ford junior engineer was who came up with that little gem? I'm in the market this year for a mid-sized SUV (retirement vehicle). You can bet Ford won't be on my source list. With all the expensive electronic junk in vehicles these days, I dare not trust "Ford quality" any further than I can throw an overweight elephant. Regardless, I'm out a hard-earned $421.34 for the CD/radio replacement after only three years of minimal use on the busted one. But, Ford is out another customer. My Escape is paid for and could be traded in, but I'm going to hang on to it to get my $421.34 worth out of the new CD/radio. Ford buyers beware!
- Barry H., Boyne City, MI, US