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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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 67
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,887 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2014 Ford Escape engine problems

engine problem

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2014 Ford Escape Owner Comments (Page 10 of 31)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #439

May 132021

Escape

  • 164,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My dash lights never indicated any low oil. Ended up running out of oil and I started keeping track. I was putting in a qt a day. No visible signs on motor or ground of oil leak. But smoke in tail pipe. Then today the motor blow completely even w oil in it. I searched up my make and model. Their are tons of recalls for the oil leak ad I said, and for the instrument panel not working. But my dealership said I have no recalls what's so ever and non have been done on this car. Some of those recalls I read said it could catch fire!!

- Midland, MI, USA

problem #438

Apr 112021

Escape

  • 136,925 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated she had NHTSA campaign number: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling) completed at autonation Ford sanford (4911 wayside dr, sanford, fl 32771, (407) 680-0781) back in 2019. The contact stated she was unable to start the vehicle in April 2021. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed back to autonation Ford sanford (4911 wayside dr, sanford, fl 32771, (407) 680-0781) where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak which needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant in cylinder number 3. the vehicle was not yet repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 136,925.

- Longwood, FL, USA

problem #437

Apr 292021

Escape

  • 104,954 miles
I replaced the spark plugs on 4/25/2021 for my 2014 Ford Escape SE due to an P0303 error indicating a misfire for # 3 cylinder. All the spark plugs were easily changed except cylinder #3, this spark plug seized. As a result, I had my Ford Escape towed to hastings Ford (greenville, nc) on 4/29/2021. Gary from the service department called to tell me (@5:00 4/29/2021) that the mechanic was unable to remove the seized spark plug and that replacing the cylinder head would not be sufficient. The engine (1.6 L ecoboost) is known to leak coolant and that it would be a waste of time and money to just replace the cylinder head. The service department recommended that I replace the "long block" for a total cost of $7800 (including labor). My vehicle only has 104,954 mile. The dealership knowingly acknowledges a defect with the motor but will not accept responsibility towards fixing the engine. I call Ford's customer service on 4/29/2021 @ 6:06 to ask for assistance in repairing my vehicle (case # - cas-31599643) and received a call from a supervisor on 4/30/2021 @ 1:37. Joel indicated that Ford assumes no responsibility towards the repair of my vehicle since it's beyond the powertrain warranty. I have found 2 class action law suits against Ford for the 1.6 L ecoboost due to the coolant leak damage to the engine and believe that Ford should be responsible for the repairs.

- Greenville, NC, USA

problem #436

Jul 162018

Escape

  • 40,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Due to coolant leak/burning/leaking into engine I am having to add coolant to my vehicle every other month when the vehicle alerts me that coolant level is low. I took car in back in 2018 when the recall for this issue was created. The recall did nothing to fix the actual issue of where the coolant was going and only inserted a sensor in the system to notify the driver of the issue sooner to hopefully prevent engine from catching fire due to running too hot. My vehicle has less than 55K miles and engine is not performing as it did before and I am concerned that coolant has damaged my engine. Ford customer service has said that since my vehicle is 2014 model year that it is out of any warranty. This is really not acceptable as I mentioned they identified an issue with the coolant but didn't fix it and only put an early alert in. Please look into and advise how I can get this corrected or replaced. When this happened in 2018 the vehicle said it was running hot and reduced power and I could only drive it for a few mins at a time to get it to a dealer to check it out. This was in July 2018 and I have been adding coolant every couple of few months since July of 2018.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #435

Apr 152021

Escape

  • 102,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 mph, the vehicle made a loud grinding sound. The contact pulled over and shut-off the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred a second time after the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle would not restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with metal shavings inside the transmission fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. A local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.

- Buffalo, MO, USA

problem #434

Apr 072021

Escape

  • 67,000 miles
I have a 2014 Ford Escape SE with 67000 miles and when I was parked burger king parking lot with engine running a message came on that said it was overheating so I parked it and looked under hood saw it had an antifreeze reservoir that was low so I proceeded to get an appointment for cloninger Ford morganton nc for the works oil change and coolant reservoir and they checked it put antifreeze in it and said any problems call them. I left and it seemed ok, until I had it runnung in the driveway and it was overheating it said again so then I called told them what happened and got appointment to come in again and I went and showed them that the reservoir was empty again so maybe I had a leak since they just filled it up a week ago at my appointment same dealer service dept. After they looked at it they said the engine needed to be replaced due to the engine coolant system causing a crack in the engine and it would be $8000. Plus labor to repair and there was no recall for it and it was out of warranty and they were seeing it more and more on this car and I would be better to trade it in. It now sits in my driveway until something can get done. I truly believe consumers should be covered for this with all the complaints here and with attorneys on the internet who are exploring same problem.

- Morganton, NC, USA

problem #433

Apr 052021

Escape

  • 125,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

There is a coolant system leak similar to that in Ford recall #17S09 (NHTSA campaign #17V209), but the dealer says my car is not covered by that recall.

- Springfield, MO, USA

problem #432

Dec 262020

Escape

  • 116,883 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact then saw smoke emerging from the engine compartment. There were no crash or injuries due to the fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire in the engine compartment. The fire department was contacted and was able to extinguish the fire underneath the vehicle. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to gordy's automotive repair (2639 S fieldspan rd, duson, la 70529). The contact has not notified the local dealer. The vehicle has been not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer has not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 116,883.

- Lafayette, LA, USA

problem #431

Nov 302020

Escape

  • 160,000 miles
The car started to delay and wouldn't accelerate while I was on a three lane interstate going 70mph then shortly after that it would make a loud boom sound that would shake the vehicle everytime it was shifted into any of the gears. It won't accelerate at all now. It will move forward and bsckward automatically when put into gear but will only rev when the gas pedal is pressed

- Tonopah, AZ, USA

problem #430

Mar 092021

Escape

  • 170,730 miles
During a routine oil change, the technician found a coolant leak. After an in depth diagnosis, the technician preformed a coolant pressure test. He found coolant intrusion in two cylinders. The Ford service center wrote: Recommended immediate attention to rebuilt/replace the engine. They preformed coolant pressure test leaking down 10 psi within 1 and1/2 hour no external leak. They removed all 4 spark plugs, used a borescope and found evidence of coolant on top of #2 and #3 piston. Thus the need to replace the long block assembly. The service center recommended the need to replace the engine at the suggested cost of $8,000. I have changed the oil regularly since owning this vehicle. I do not have the funds to do this major type of repair. Why hasn't Ford recalled the vehicle to correct this problem since this have been a problem since 2010?

- Elizabethtown, KY, USA

problem #429

Sep 102019

Escape

  • 112,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On or about August of 2019 my car began pulling when I was on the freeway. The car then just turned off and I was luck to veer off to the right without hitting any other cars. The car was towed to the dealership (serra Ford in rochester, mi) only to find out I needed a new transmission. The car was only 5 years old and even though it was out of warranty (mileage) 112,000 miles on the car and Ford refused to assist me in repairing the car. I have purchased Ford cars since 1998 and kept them for over 8 years. I have never had to replace a transmission on a car let alone when its only 5 years old. Serra Ford (matt) stated that the overdrive band failed first which caused the transmission to overheat. The material then desenagrated and metal was sucked into the tube for the actual transmission pump. He recommended another transmission but I wanted to know why they engine light never came on when the overdrive band failed? I asked the same question to the rep at Ford and no one could answer me. I feel like I would not have had to purchase another used transmission had the sensor indicated that something was going on with the engine. I really want Ford to refund me for the money I had to spend on my transmission.

- Apopka, FL, USA

problem #428

Mar 082021

Escape

  • 1 miles
Ford Escape SE 2014 all coolant leaked, car could not run, white smoke and now also has oil leak. There is recall 17V209000 dated 03/27/2017 that describes what happened to my vehicle yet the dealer mentioned that my car has no recalls outstanding. I was just leaving my home when this happened and had to stop the car. Only the yellow check engine light came on and the red "I" in cluster. Right now my car is in the shop and they are checking to see exactly why this happened. As soon as I know and get the estimate, I will be posting it in this complaint. Also called Ford and they said that any questions had to be thru the dealer which I had already done. Checked my recalls online and also says no recalls.

- Naples, FL, USA

problem #427

Feb 112021

Escape

  • 110,000 miles
Car dash board electrical wiring has gone bad. Originally the information on screen was fading and after about a month no longer shows any information. Ford stated the entire panel would need to be replaced, involving re-reading engine mileage and programming keys again for $700. Did not get that fixed as it's not a necessity. Driver window motor failed without warning while driving with the windows up. Now the engine has been reading a turbo issue but it cannot be determined if it's the actual turbo boost or the waste gate. This lead to transmission skipping and ultimately stalling while driving on highway and then city roads and having to restart car several times to make it home and then towed the car to local mechanic shop who stated transmission needs to be replaced for $4500. Along with a fuel line issue that had already been repaired 2 years prior and again unable to confirm why the turbo sensor code is popping up. Car is used for typical daily driving with children and should not have these issues. There are recalls for this make/year but not on my specific VIN though they are similar issues. The cost to repair the vehicle is more than it is worth and I'm very unsatisfied with the longevity of it. I did get the recall for my doors done after one day driving and a back door opened on its own, come to find out they still need to replace the other doors.

- Inman, SC, USA

problem #426

Aug 142020

Escape

  • 117,000 miles
I was driving the car when it started having problems. I took it to my mechanic and he checked the car out and called me to tell me that the vacuum pump failed because it wasn't getting any oil from the engine and it caused the engine to lock up. The oil gauge showed that it was full. Now my engine needs replaced! I have always been a Ford owner and for this to happen to a 2014 Ford Escape well I guess I won't be buying a Ford product again. I struggle to make ends meet as it is but the cost of replacing the engine is too expensive for me.

- Mapleton Depot, PA, USA

problem #425

Oct 042019

Escape

  • 84,000 miles
Coolant leaking in #3 cyl, looks to be a bad casting in the block from factory, overheats and uses coolant

- St Peter, MN, USA

problem #424

Jan 252021

Escape

  • 120,000 miles
2014 Ford Escape titanium, 1.6 ecoboost engine, since around 55000 miles, nothing but issues related to engine and cooling systems...car had recall that Ford did not have parts for, engine froze up coolant and oil all over the inside of the engine and needed to be replaced, Ford replaced engine due to the fact that it was documented they did not have the parts for the recall yet and the worst case scenario happened. This shouldn't happen in a car that has 55000 miles on it. They installed the coolant sensor at that time as well. Then at 75,000 miles, the transmission went without warning while driving with 2 children in the car. I had it replaced by my private mechanic for $4500. Last week, used the factory installed remote start X1 in 20 degree new england weather, and when tried to go out to car, the high temp code was on and the engine wouldnt start. Let it sit for 5 hours in the 20 degree weather, clearly engine now cool but still wouldn't start...had it towed to my mechanic, next am he let me know that the 2018 coolant sensor was blown and leaking coolant...replaced and repaired at cost of $250...why should a sensor go after only 2 years? so many issues with this one car all around the coolant and the engine. I have contacted the lawsuit filed in December to join this as well.

- North Kingstown, RI, USA

problem #423

Jan 112021

Escape

  • 119,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted and jerked however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #422

Feb 022021

Escape

  • 74,588 miles
I was driving when the high engine temperature stop safely alert popped up on the screen above the steering wheel. I was driving in a residential area when this happened.

- Williamsburg, OH, USA

problem #421

Sep 022020

Escape

  • 108,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle overheated and went into limp mode. As a result, the exhaust pipe started to smoke. The contact stated that the engine was hot and making cracking sound. The failure cause a coolant leak. The warning indicator light illuminated engine overheating. The vehicle was taken to cook county Ford Inc (1000 S. hutchinson ave, adel, ga 31620) and the contact was informed that the coolant sensor and hoses failure had to do with a recall and the vehicle would be repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 17V209000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was repaired however, the repair failed to fix the issue. The contact stated that two weeks later the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the same dealer and was diagnosed that the engine cylinder head was fractured and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

- Valdosta, GA, USA

problem #420

Jan 282021

Escape

  • 101,000 miles
A car took the red light as we had the green light she ran into the car in front of me and then fish taled and her rear car smashed into my front... none of my airbags deployed at all but the other 2 car did and my front end damages are severely damaged. The person responsible for this accident was arrested at the scene and they did a sobriety test on her

- Berwyn, IL, USA

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