Car Issues Tracker
Vehicle complaints, recalls & safety data — sourced from NHTSA

2014 Ford Escape: Complaints, Recalls, and Known Problems

Owners have filed 2,067 safety complaints about the 2014 Ford Escape with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · Retrieved July 14, 2026 · Counts change as new reports are filed

2,067
Complaints
16
Recalls
2
Investigations
4★
Overall crash rating

Complaints for this vehicle report 47 crashes, 103 fires, 41 injuries, 4 deaths.

Key findings
  1. Engine & cooling leads the complaint list, cited in 874 of 2,067 complaints, followed by Power train / transmission.
  2. Stalling is a recurring theme. 238 of the 2,067 reports describe the engine stalling — many while driving.
  3. Complaints peaked 5 years after the model year (286 filed in 2019) — a pattern consistent with wear-out failures rather than assembly defects.
  4. 2 NHTSA defect investigations are associated with this vehicle.

What owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2014 Ford Escape, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.

Complaints by vehicle system
System mentions in 2,067 complaints · a complaint can cite more than one system
Engine & cooling
874
Power train / transmission
479
Other / unspecified
275
Electrical
210
Body & structure
151
Steering
150
Fuel & propulsion
136
Airbags & restraints
55

"The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated and experienced a coolant leak. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a heater hose failure. Although the heater hose was repaired, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000."

Owner complaint filed June 2026 · Engine And Engine Cooling · NHTSA ODI 11742722

"The engine was replaced at 50,000 miles for a known coolant intrusion issue. The problem reappeared at 72000 miles. This widely known issue should have been a recall and won't be because of the financial impact to Ford."

Owner complaint filed May 2026 · Engine · NHTSA ODI 11737509

When complaints were filed

For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2014 Ford Escape peaked later than usual, in 2019.

Complaints filed per year — 2014 Ford Escape
Year the complaint was filed, not the incident year
5
61
58
69
165
251
286
219
136
232
206
167
146
66
1314151617181920212223242526
2026 is a partial year (through July 14, 2026). A late peak is the signature of wear-out failures: parts that don't fail until the vehicle has years and miles on it.

How the 2014 compares with other model years

Across the Ford Escape model years we track, the 2013 has the most complaints on file (2,743); the 2014 ranks 4 of 9.

Total complaints by model year — Ford Escape
All complaints on file per model year, as of July 14, 2026
2,126
1,312
2,743
2014
2,067
1,028
1,031
2,624
1,725
1,476
Older model years have had more time on the road to accumulate complaints — compare adjacent years, not endpoints.

Recall history: 16 recalls

16 recalls apply to some or all 2014 Ford Escape vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.

Apr 201414V-164
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August 15, 2012, through September 10, 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured June 5, 2012, through August 12, 2013, and 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured from Ju…

May 201414V-239
Structure:Body:Door

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through April 10, 2014. Due to an assembly misalignment between the exterior door handle and the door outer panel, the affected vehicles have doors that may be difficult to close or may …

May 201414V-237
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 C-MAX, and Escape vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) may have errors in the programming software which may result in a delayed deployment of the side-curtain rollover air bag.

Jul 201414V-403
Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 15, 2013, through October 22, 2013. The panorama roof glass may not be properly bonded to the attaching bracket.

Aug 201414V-495
Electrical System:Wiring

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compres…

Sep 201414V-525
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Focus vehicles manufactured May 1, 2014, to May 24, 2014, 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured on June 6, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured June 4, 2014, to July 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the Fuel Delivery …

Sep 201414V-597
Air Bags

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ…

Jan 201515V-005
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified the agency on January 8, 2015, that they are recalling certain model year 2014 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, to May 8, 2014, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to May 15, 2014. On April 30, 2015, Ford expanded the recall …

Jun 201515V-406
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured May 19, 2014, to February 6, 2015, and Transit Connect vehicles manufactured May 11, 2014, to July 2, 2015. Due to a software incompatibility issue, the instrument panel cluster be inoperative inclu…

Sep 201616V-643
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the d…

Mar 201717V-209
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder h…

Jul 201717V-472
Seat Belts

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford F-150 and E-350, 2014-2015 Ford Escape, and 2015 Lincoln MKC vehicles. Improperly manufactured bolts may have been used to install certain seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors on these vehicles.

Jul 201818V-471
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Ford Escape, and 2013-2016 Ford Fusion vehicles, equipped with six-speed automatic transmissions. The bushing that attaches the transmission shifter cable to the transmission may degrade over time and cause the bushing to detach from the trans…

Jun 202020V-331
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 o…

Jun 202222V-413
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Escape, 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2016 Fusion, 2013-2021 Transit Connect, and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission may degrade or detach.

Jan 202626V-011
Equipment:Electrical:Engine Block Heater

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, and 2015-2016 MKC vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Does your car have an open recall?

Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →

Crash-test ratings

NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.

★★★★☆
Overall
★★★★☆
Frontal crash
★★★★★
Side crash
★★★★☆
Rollover

Frequently asked questions

How many complaints does the 2014 Ford Escape have?

As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 2,067 complaints about the 2014 Ford Escape with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.

How many recalls does the 2014 Ford Escape have?

The 2014 Ford Escape has 16 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.

Is the 2014 Ford Escape safe in a crash?

NHTSA gives the 2014 Ford Escape an overall crash rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.

Methodology & source

All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.

Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.

This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.