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

May 31.2023 I was involved in an accident your left front wheel Castor and wheel . Separated from vehicle. Causing me to crash into a light pole.in the east bound lane when I was going west bound on Franklin rd in Boise id Knocking me unconscious idaho state police made report. Before accident left front wheel pulled left when braking gave car gas car pull right last thing I remember. EMT took Alfonso's hospital. As investigate because I was almost killed lucky I survive.

NHTSA ODI 11526324

I HAD A FLAT TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE AND WHEN AAA CAME OUT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, THEY COULD NOT GET THE LUG NUTS OFF, SO AAA HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP. THE SHOP HAD TOLD ME THAT THE LUG NUTS WHERE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OFF, WHICH THEY THOUGHT WAS DUE TO OVER TIGHTENING AND RECOMMENDED THAT ALL THE LUG NUTS ON ALL THE WHEELS BE REPLACED. I HAD THEM REPLACE ALL THE LUG NUTS. THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER AS I WAS DRIVING ON TOLLWAY DRIVING 60 MPH, I STARTED TO HEAR A THUMPING SOUND AND MY CAR SHAKING. THINKING I HAD ANOTHER FLAT TIRE I GOT OFF ON THE NEXT EXIT, WHICH WAS CLOSE TO THE SHOP I TOOK THE CAR BEFORE (LUCKILY). I TOLD THE SHOP MANAGER WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHEN THE SHOP TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL BROKE OFF DAMAGING THE CAR AND LUCKILY NOT HURTING ANYONE. THE SHOP SAID THAT THE STEMS FOR LUG NUT BROKE OFF! HE WAS NOT SURE HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. NOW THAT I HAVE READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT OF THE STEMS HOLDING THE LUG NUTS. IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT 60 MPH I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! THE COST TO FIX THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR IS $2,110.53, WHICH I HAD TO FILE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, STATE FARM. CLAIM AND REPAIRS ARE STILL IN PROCESS. AFTER READING OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE HIGHWAY EVERYDAY GOING TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11353723

JANUARY 9, 2019 AT 10:39PM MY 2014 FORD ESCAPE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 81, GOING SPEED LIMIT 70 MPH, VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND SAID "SERVICE ENGINE NOW". STEERING AND BRAKES DID NOT LOCK UP BUT THE VEHICLE LOST RPMS AND WAS NOT RUNNING AS I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER, I WAS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE WHEN MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF. AS I STOPPED, I PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED KEY OFF, ALL WHILE IT SAID "SERVICE ENGINE NOW". I TURNED MY HAZARDS ON AND GOT OUT MY PHONE TO CALL SOMEONE FOR HELP. AS I LOOKED UP I SEEN FLAMES COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AREA AND SMOKE IN FRONT OF MY LIGHTS, I GRABBED MY WORK BAG AND JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE, JUMPED ACROSS THE GUARD RAIL, AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 FROM A SAFE DISTANCE. IN APPROXIMATELY 6-9 MINUTES THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AS I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH 911. TOOK RESPONDERS ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES TO ARRIVE AND TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. AS SOON AS RESPONDERS FINALLY SHOWED, I COULD HEAR BOTH TIRES EXPLODE A FEW MINUTES APART FROM EACH OTHER. ONCE FIRE WAS SAFELY PUT OUT, THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WAS MELTED AND THE INSIDE AS WELL WAS BEYOND RECOGNIZABLE. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS TOTALLED, OBVIOUSLY, AND I GOT A TOW TO TAKE VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE WHERE THE 2014 FORD ESCAPE IS SITTING IN MY YARD. I FIGURED MY INSURANCE COMPANY MIGHT COME LOOK AT IT BUT THEY DIDN'T BECAUSE ALL I HAD WAS LIABILITY ON IT. I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL A COUPLE DAYS LATER THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, DUE TO RISK OF ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11166803

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING MECHANISM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

NHTSA ODI 10874886