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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 / 68
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
52,697 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 1 of 33)

problem #645

Jan 092025

Escape

  • miles

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

I saw that there is a current recall dealing with the cooling system on the Escape. My car has been over heating saying engine fault for the past two months. There now appears to be coolant in the engine.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #644

Dec 312024

Escape

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure persisted with the message that the engine was overheating before the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions where the spark plugs and other engine repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure, and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

- Jim Thorpe, PA, USA

problem #643

Jan 052025

Escape

  • miles
Rapidly losing coolant without being able to find any leaks with the assumption it-??s going into my engine. This also explains why my engine has been acting a bit funny.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #642

Aug 162024

Escape

  • miles

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

Coolant In Cylinders, White Exhaust Smoke

- Bellevue, KY, USA

problem #641

Jun 102024

Escape

  • 150,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and running, there was a cloud of gray smoke coming from the vehicle and the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics and was diagnosed a cracked cylinder. The vehicle was not repaired; however, the thermostat and water pump were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.

- Ben Lomond, CA, USA

problem #640

Dec 022024

Escape

  • miles
The smokes very excessively at startup. If the vehicle sits it will do it again,

- Cleveland, TN, USA

problem #639

May 012018

Escape

  • miles

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

Constant Coolant Leaks affecting the engine The vehicle is available for inspection Vehicle breaks down very easily now so safety is a concern This problem has been repaired several times. Yes the vehicle has been inspected Yes there were warnings. The vehicle now has a constant engine light that will not go away

- Cocoa, FL, USA

problem #638

Nov 112024

Escape

  • miles
Slow coolant leak that can-??t be located

- Flint, TX, USA

problem #637

Nov 052024

Escape

  • miles
There is a engine coolant leak into the cylinder 2 due to a faulty casing from the manufacturer (Ford). It is a known issue across several models (Escape, Edge) and model years. A mechanic has confirmed the engine block needs to be replaced as the issue will continue to get worse and eventually the engine will die due to the faulty casing which allows coolant to seep into the cylinder. Ford is at fault for this and countless claims have been filed online and there should be a recall to cover the repairs.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #636

Nov 042024

Escape

  • miles
My engine is leaking coolant and requiring me to have to constantly add it! Now coolant is leaking while I am driving it causing my car to overheat.

- Richmond , VA, USA

problem #635

Sep 062024

Escape

  • miles

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

The Ecoboost engine in this year/model has a known defect with coolant intrusion into the #3 cylinder. At 83,000 miles the car reported cylinder 3 misfires and the mechanic said coolant was leaking from the head gasket....a known issue with these engines. He warned of catastrophic failure and the potential of an engine fire. He said Ford knows of this issue and recalled several models. My car has the engine issue that Ford knows about and needs to correct before an accident happens. In addition, the coolant does not seem to circulate correctly and when it does, it burns in the cylinder. The has overheated 3 times in the past month.

- Downers Grove, IL, USA

problem #634

Oct 122024

Escape

  • miles
Coolant leak occurred out of no where. Roughly 90,000 miles on my car, it's been well taken care of. With no warning, the engine overheated in a drive through. Checked the coolant, it was low and bubbling. Check engine light went on. Difficult to find where the leak is coming from, not sure if it is the water pump, hoses, coolant reservoir or radiator. I refilled the coolant and lost it all in a matter of 2 days. Looked it up and this is very common in Ford Escapes, they need to offer assistance on the matter.

- Kingston, PA, USA

problem #633

Oct 222024

Escape

  • 151,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked on the driveway during nighttime, the contact's wife noticed a light underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire. The contact extinguished the fire using a water hose avoiding opening the hood to not expose the fire to oxygen. The contact's wife then also assisted in extinguishing the fire by using a fire extinguisher as the husband opened the hood and then used the water hose as well. The contact stated that the vehicle had been driven and then parked before the fire was experienced. The origin of the fire was unknown however the contact discovered that the valve cover was charred and melted. No fire report or police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed of an unknown recall however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 151,000.

- Patterson, MS, USA

problem #632

Jul 082024

Escape

  • 163,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the coolant warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed. The contact was informed that the cylinder head was cracked, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 163,000.

- Hohenwald, TN, USA

problem #631

Sep 082024

Escape

  • miles
Coolant fluid is leaking into engine cylinder #3. Yes, the vehicle would be available for inspection upon request. The coolant leak can cause the car can overheat, leading to a loss of power, poor performance, and potential engine damage An engine coolant system pressurized diagnostic test was performed by Stuckey Ford in Bellefonte, PA. I will have the report from this test when I pick up the car from the shop. Previous owner stated that one of the spark plugs needed to be changed, but did not disclose engine coolant leak. After purchasing, an indicator light came on stating that the coolant level was low. We have been adding coolant as needed.

- Bellefonte, PA, USA

problem #630

Aug 102024

Escape

  • miles
My 2014 Ford Escape had run into coolant fluid issues such as leaking fluid and a cylinder misfire. Took it to a Ford dealership where they stated the only option for a fix was a replacement of the long block assembly. My car has just about 72,000 miles on it and it already needs an engine replacement due to coolant intrusion and the Ford dealership cited codes P0303, P0316, and P1299. These are codes that are referenced to Ford's recall of engines on Ford Escapes in the years 2017-2019, and it states it applies to Ford Escapes built from late 2015 to 2019. The 2014 Ford Escape experienced an unfixable engine failure that requires the customer to pay for replacement when Ford should be the one paying for damages. It is clear that their coolant intrusion failure affected more years of production that NHTSA has previously found. There is no reason a care with regular service should have its engine fail at 72,000 miles, and the driver shouldn't be shouldering the cost when this specific issue and PCM codes is commonplace among Ford Escape engines outside of the recalled production years of 2015-2019, or even limiting the recall to 2017-2019. Whoever decided to limit which production years applied to the engine coolant recall made a mistake and it needs to be revisited because Ford customers are being forced to pay for Ford's poor design failures.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #629

Sep 212024

Escape

  • miles
Hello, I'm writing to see if the Ecoboost lawsuits also include 2014 Ford Escapes? Mine cut off on me while on the highway Saturday (XXX). The Engine failed while driving, no light or warning. This is even after me dishing out a little over $8k in 2021 when I purchased it used from Bommarito Ford in St. Louis. I had transmission/engine issues from the start. When the car stopped on me a few folks that work on cars pulled over to see if they could assist. They all said the same thing... that the engine was done... oil was everywhere. They kept asking if it overheated but my gage always stayed between C and H. No lights or warnings ever. It was horrifying to be going about 60 mph to hear something break and lose power without warning. I'm grateful no accident was caused while I merged over to the exit ramp shoulder. I had the car towed back to my apartment while I try to figure out how to get the engine repaired. I'm currently re-starting after a very messy divorce so I do not have extra funds laying around to have a new engine installed. Currently in Chapter 13 due to issues with the divorce. Now I'm catching the bus and I'm still dealing with his stalking/harassment. I've been told my additional warranty ended in June of 2023. I contacted Ford and they told me I would need to have their dealer look at the car which will be towing plus the $250 fee. But that my car type is not included in the class action. The dealer said the same, but I do have an ecoboost engine and have been having issues with the engine/transmission since I purchased it in 2021. Do you know how I could add my name to the Class Action? Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Cahokia Heights, IL, USA

problem #628

Apr 142024

Escape

  • miles
The transmission on my 2014 Ford Escape went totally bad at 91,000 miles. I had to replace the transmission at a cost of $6,780. I have read that this has happened to many 2014 Ford Escapes with low mileage. There should be a recall on this vehicle.

- Bethesda, MD, USA

problem #627

Aug 202024

Escape

  • 71,669 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine misfired, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine overheated. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and allowed for the engine to cool down. The vehicle was later started and taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 71,669.

- Manhattan, KS, USA

problem #626

Aug 202024

Escape

  • miles
104,340 miles and diagnosed with coolant consumption and coolant intrusion into cylinder #2 causing engine misfire. known defect of the 1.6L EcoBoost engine. Needs engine replacement.

- New Glarus, WI, USA

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