10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 19
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 2
Average Mileage:
51,149 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2014 Ford Escape:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #153

May 062020

Escape

  • miles
Unrepaired door recall/door won-??t open from inside

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

problem #152

Oct 292021

Escape

  • miles
Vehicle stalled while driving around 45mph while in traffic this has happened 2 times now and mechanics were unsure of issue.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

problem #151

Oct 222021

Escape

  • miles
Went to pull out from light and car would not go into gear then clunk it jammed into gear but then the light was red and it almost sent me into the intersection

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #150

Oct 092021

Escape

  • 90,342 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated he turned off the vehicle and as he turned it back on, the vehicle made an abnormal popping sound. The contact stated when he switched gears to drive the vehicle moved with delay, however, he was able to drive to his destination. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to their location for diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 90,342.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #149

Jul 072021

Escape

  • miles
Engine caught on fire

- Mcgaheysville, VA, USA

problem #148

Aug 282021

Escape

  • miles
Rear window shatter due to heat while parked, when not in used the vehicle is parked in the garage.

- Anchorage, AK, USA

problem #147

Aug 092021

Escape

  • miles
The vehicle was used days prior with no issues. I started the vehicle up while still in the parking spot and the vehicle started great. Everything was fine while driving this particular day. My husband and I alternated between drivers, him and I. Suddenly the car was revving itself as I pushed on the gas pedal. The vehicle suddenly with no warning stopped picking up speed then would pick up speed when you least expected it. I didn't receive any warning on the dashboard until this had been going on for nearly 2 hours so there was definitely a delayed response on the dashboard of any warning or malfunction. My husband and I pulled over multiple times, turned off the car and allowed it to sit for 15-30 minutes then carried on our way. It wasn't until 2 hours after this issue started that we suddenly received a warning on the dashboard that stated transmission fault service now. Every time we would stop, turn off the car and turn it back on the warning on the dashboard disappeared. It would eventually come back on approximately 20-30 minutes later. We were far from home and wouldn't have been able to get a tow unless we were within a 100 mile radius. We drove the vehicle as far as we could then without warning the vehicle it shut off. It lost all power completely. I took the vehicle for a diagnostic to a reputable Ford Dealership and I'm being told that I need an engine and transmission. I did a bit of research and found that Ford Escape are nitrous for Engine and Transmission issues. I've found several articles where individuals complained of the exact same issue as mines. Ford needs to be held accountable for making such an unreliable vehicle! They made a vehicle that is known to have a multitude of major safety issues yet has done nothing to resolve the matter. Now we are stuck with a vehicle that doesn't work! We have to continue making payments on a vehicle that is of no use! We are both disabled as well so this vehicle was our lifeline to getting around!

- Euclid, OH, USA

problem #146

Apr 152021

Escape

  • miles
Driving a friends vehicle, got out to run into an open garage for an errand. Placed floor shift in park, left driver door open, vehicle running...no chime! Came back to SUV, friend had gotten out of the passenger side, closed door and was standing at the rear of the vehicle. She stated that she needed to get into the cargo area and that I needed to turn the vehicle off so that it could be opened. I questioned why I could not just push the door open button and she stated that it was a safety feature. She came around to the outside of the driver's door and said to reach in and turn it off, at which time the SUV immediately went into reverse, caught me under the door and dragged me approximately 20-25 feet The vehicle came to rest partially on the driveway and partially in grass. I had road rash on my back and massive blood loss in my abdomen as well as bruising on thigh and elbows. It is my understanding that this model has been recalled for both the lack of chime when running, key in the ignition, door open AND a transmission bushing that malfunctions and does not properly go into park by using the gear shifter. And that others have been dragged by their 2014 Escapes. I do not own this vehicle and the owner stated that I did not properly put it into park OR knocked it out of park when I reached in to turn the ignition off. Therefore she will not have the vehicle checked for a malfunction.

- Check, VA, USA

problem #145

Aug 142021

Escape

  • miles
1. my electrical system shutdown the car 2. It stop while we were driving in the middle of a busy street 3. yes...they needed to keep the car for several days in order to fix all of the components that were effected. 4. a policeman tried to help with the car and then they had to redirect traffic and they called for the tow 5. no warning lights or alerts

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #144

Aug 132021

Escape

  • miles
When putting my vehicle into reverse it wouldn't go into gear it was stuck in a neutral position unless it was in park. If I would step in the gas it would just rev up the engine.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

problem #143

Aug 082021

Escape

  • miles
I was driving down a busy highway and out of nowhere I noticed my car started to slowly stall out. I was lucky enough to pull into the median where my car had came to an abrupt stop. I put it in park, but after that I wasn-??t even able to turn my car off or on. My lights were still on in my car and everything else. I couldn-??t shift gears to even put it into neutral to push it out of the way. I was lucky enough to call the police to come make sure I wouldn-??t get hit. We had it towed, the tow truck driver had to manually unhook my car battery and take the shifter apart to put it into neutral. I looked my vin # up for a recall but mine is not apart of the recall. Which it definitely needs to be, I could-??ve been killed if I wouldn-??t have gotten my car over in time.

- Osceola, IN, USA

problem #142

Aug 032021

Escape

  • miles
When I turn the car on and put it on reverse it takes a while to change gears and when you change it to drive it sometimes won-??t let you drive and makes you feel like ur on N

- Taylorsville , NC, USA

problem #141

Apr 152021

Escape 4-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently reversed as the vehicle was not running dragging the contact about 20 feet. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact sustained road rash and a bruised thigh and abdomen. The contact had to seek medical attention. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to have it was diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was relating the issue to NHTSA campaign number: 18V471000 (power train). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Mcdonald, PA, USA

problem #140

Apr 162021

Escape

  • 140,000 miles
I tried to park my car as usually, put the shift in P, but the car continued to move. I was scared and unpleasantly surprised. I had to to drive around the parking lot in front of home depot in dickson city and finally decided to turn of the car. After that I was not able to turn on the engine. I had the car towed away to gibbons Ford.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #139

Mar 312021

Escape

  • 95,000 miles
For the second time in 3 months, my 2014 Ford Escape was stationary when the flywheel in front of the engine broke with no warning light going on (only a telltale rattling when turning on the ignition) which did extensive damage to other nearby parts, such as the front pump. I am aware that the defective flywheel is stamped instead of made of cast iron and so, the inferior material has failed in other Ford Escapes. Furthermore delays of all the necessary replacement parts by the Ford Motor Co. To ruge's Ford dealer, dragged on for 2 weeks from 12/28/2020 to 1/15/2021 and again from 4/5/2021 until now 4/18/2021. My 2014 Ford Escape sits idle at ruge's Ford for 2 weeks waiting for all the parts to arrive. This is not an isolated case. Other Ford Escape owners in my area have experienced a similar issue with the defective flywheel. I expect you to take immediate action and issue a recall on the defective flywheel part.

- Rhinebeck, NY, USA

problem #138

Apr 022021

Escape

  • 129,000 miles
The passenger side back door is missing the child safety lock feature.

- Bardstown, KY, USA

problem #137

Apr 052021

Escape

  • 59,850 miles
2014 Ford Escape titanium taken in for every recall, and maintained. While driving on a 3 lane road going 40 mph the windshield wipers went on full speed (not raining) and would not/could not turn them off. After about 5 minutes they went down to slow speed. Then the car lost power, no steering or brakes. No way to stop or steer the car. It slowed and finally came to a clunky stop. Flames were coming out of the bottom of the car onto the road at that time. Within 1-2 minutes the flames were coming from the top of the engine, up and over the hood onto the top and over the car completely.

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #136

Mar 092021

Escape 4-cyl

  • 125,000 miles
There is a known recall on 2014 Ford Escapes for the bushing linkage on the transmission, stating the car can be in park but not really in park. My car was in drive and was going backwards. To me this is the same explanation. My car doesn't know what gear it is in.

- Mt Washington, KY, USA

problem #135

Jan 102021

Escape

  • 120,000 miles
My 2014 Ford Escape stalled while driving. I had just gotten off the interstate when the interior lights went on and the voice activated system stated "you are not in park" I was able to pull over. Restart the SUV and drive home. I was lucky because I had just gotten off the interstate.....and was doing 25mph! if it happened on the interstate I probably wouldn't be here right now!

- Cottage Grove, WI, USA

problem #134

Jan 012021

Escape

  • 68,000 miles
While driving the car started to smoke from the hood. The smoke started to come into the car so the car was pulled over. Once stopped, the hood was popped and flames started to come out. The entire front end was burned.

- Draper, UT, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »