What 2,068 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Escape Gas

DOOR AJAR WARNING KEEPS GOING ON AND EVEN AFTER REPEATED HARD CLOSE OF DOOR WARNING IS STILL ON. VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND NOT MOVING. DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY NEEDING REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 10781871

**THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES THE PANORAMIC ROOF GLASS/WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY BURSTING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.** MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN SUDDENLY WE HEARD A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION. IT STARTLED MY HUSBAND, HE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SWERVED AS A RESULT OF HAVING THE ROOF TORN OPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS INCIDENT COULD CAUSE A SEVERE, LIFE-THREATENING INJURY. WE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE SAW THAT THE GLASS HAD BURST ALMOST COMPLETELY, LEAVING ONLY APPROXIMATELY 1.5" MARGINS OF SHATTERED GLASS AROUND THE EDGES. THE RUBBER BOND THAT SEALS THE GLASS ON ALL FOUR SIDES TO THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE BENT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS FLAILING ABOUT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE SHATTERED PIECES OF GLASS CHIPPED/SCRATCHED/DAMAGED THE ROOF RACK, REAR PANORAMIC ROOF GLASS (THE PANORAMIC ROOF ON THE THIS ESCAPE IS COMPRISED OF TWO GLASSES, ONE IN THE FRONT THAT SLIDES OPENED AND CLOSED, AND THE REAR ONE THAT REMAINS STATIONARY) AND THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IMPACTED THE VEHICLE TO CAUSE THIS DAMAGE. THIS INCIDENT IS NOT A RESULT OF MISUSE OR ABUSE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR. WHILST ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE CONTACTED OUR FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD US TO SEND PICTURES. WE DID AND THEY SENT THEM TO FORD CORPORATE FOR APPROVAL. THEY ANSWERED THAT SINCE THEY CAN'T SEE THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT IN THE PICTURES, THEY CAN ASSUME SOMETHING IMPACTED THE GLASS AND THEREFORE THE INCIDENT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. I WAS QUOTED THAT THE REPAIRS COULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1500USD. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION AND PICTURES OF THE INCIDENT THAT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE IF DEEMED HELPFUL TO MAKE MY CASE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS AFFECTED MANY ESCAPE OWNERS. THERE WAS EVEN A RECALL IN 2014 REGARDING ISSUES WITH THE PANEL OF THE PANORAMIC ROOF.

NHTSA ODI 10747296

THIS IS ONE OF MANY OCCURRENCES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. MY FIRST COMMUNICATION WITH FORD SERVICE WAS IN DECEMBER 2013 CONCERNING THE DOOR HANDLE STICKING CAUSING THE DOOR NOT TO LATCH. IN JANUARY 2014 THEY ASKED FOR A PHOTO OF THE PROBLEM TO SHARE WITH THEIR ENGINEERING TEAM. FORD HAS ISSUED CASE NUMBERS AND BASICALLY JUST TOLD ME TO BRING IT INTO THE DEALER. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION WITH FORD SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INFORMING THEM THAT I STILL HAVE THE ISSUE. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX FOUR TIMES INCLUDING APPLYING THE RECALL. THE LAST DEALER ATTEMPT WAS IN NOVEMBER 2014 BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE DOOR HAS OPENED WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY DUE TO THE HANDLE STICKING IN THE OPEN POSITION.THE DOOR HANDLE HAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION WELL OVER A HUNDRED TIMES. I'VE SHARED PHOTOS OF THE ISSUE WITH THE DEALER, FORD SERVICE AND OVER THE INTERNET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10671169

2014 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SHIELD AND GAS TANK DAMAGES. *SMD THE CONSUMER RAN OVER A METAL STRIP IN THE ROAD. THE METAL STRIP HE RAN OVER, PUNCTURED A HOLE IN THE SHIELD AND GAS TANK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GAS TANK AND SHIELD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE SHIELD WAS FLIMSY. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10644037

THE REAR HATCH WHERE THE HANDLE BAR IS TO CLOSE THE BACK HATCH HAS RIPPED OFF. THIS IS NOW HANGING AND HAS CAUSED THE BACK PLASTIC PIECE THAT HOLDS MY WINDOW, WINDSHIELD WIPER, AND WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO PULL THE HATCH DOOR DOWN TO BE USELESS. IT JUST FLAPS NOW. I CANT SHUT MY DOOR WITH THE HANDLE THAT WAS PROVIDED SINCE IT FELL OFF!! I HOPE THIS DOESN'T MAKE MY WINDSHIELD LEAK OR HURT THE WIPER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10648289

THE DOOR HANDLE STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION PREVENTING THE DOOR FROM LATCHING CLOSED. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO RESOLVE THREE TIMES NOW AND IT'S CONTINUES TO GET HAPPEN AND IN FACT GETTING WORSE. FORD`S CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON JANUARY 19, 2014. LAST CONTACT WITH FORD`S CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER WAS ON AUGUST 26, 2014 WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10629700

DOORS WOULD NOT ALWAYS LATCH SHUT IN COLD WEATHER. NOTIFIED FORD SERVICE ON LINE AND PROVIDE A PHOTO OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME BUT NEVER DID. I FOLLOWED UP WITH FORD SERVICE A COUPLE MONTHS LATER AND THEY SAID TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO MY DEALER. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN MAY 2014 FOR THIS ISSUE, I FOUND OUT RECALL 14S03 EXISTED FROM THE DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THEY APPLIED THE FIX BY ADJUSTING ALL DOOR HANDLES. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED AS IT'S NOW HAPPENING IN THE WARM WEATHER.COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND FORD SERVICE. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK IN JUNE 2014 AND THE DEALER SAID THEY AGAIN ADJUSTED THE DOOR HANDLES. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THE DOOR HANDLE PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR HANDLE STICKING AND THE DOOR NOT LATCHING. THE DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10604615

FRIDAY EVENING I NOTICED SOMETHING HANGING DOWN FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR. THE HARD PLASTIC AND WHAT I WILL DESCRIBE AS FIRE RESISTANT INSULATOR WAS 1/2 OFF. THE PINK PLASTIC BOLT IN THE FRAME WAS BROKEN AND FURTHER BACK WHERE IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ATTACHED WITH A METAL BOLT; THE HOLE AROUND IT ON THE PLASTIC WAS TOO LARGE. NOW THERE ARE VARIOUS ELECTRONIC PARTS, BELTS, ETC EXPOSED. I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT SOMETHING HIT THE CAR OR PERHAPS HAD BEEN BACKED INTO BY ANOTHER VEHICLE NOT LEAVING VISIBLE DAMAGE, BUT CAUSING PRESSURE UNDERNEATH, OR THE HARSH MINNESOTA WINTER CAUSED THIS AS THEY ARE SEEING MANY THINGS BREAK.THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF ANY DAMAGE AND THEY REFUSED TO PUT IT UP ON THE JACK TO INSPECT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT FORD IS WILLING TO EVEN INVESTIGATE THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS, IN FACT. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY PROBLEM BUT RATHER AN INSURANCE ISSUE. SINCE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING WITH ALL OF THIS EXPOSED I HAVE TIED IT UP TO MY GRILL WITH TWINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10578217

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HWY AT 70MPH AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST. I LOOKED AROUND AND HEARD WHAT ENDED UP BEING GLASS FALLING INTO MY REAR SEAT. MY REAR PANORAMIC GLASS HAD SHATTERED AND BLOWN UPWARD IN A WAY I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED IT, AS THERE WERE ONLY CLOTHES AND A BOX IN THE REAR SEAT. I TOOK IT TO FORD AND MADE A CLAIM WHICH WAS DENIED. I AM CONFIDENT THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT FORD SAYS THIS BREAKAGE WOULD ONLY HAPPEN UPON INSTALLATION DUE TO USING TEMPERED GLASS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE NOTHING HIT MINE AND STILL, IT SHATTERED. I ALSO HAVE A LEAKING ROOF, WHICH MAY BE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

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