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

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.

NHTSA ODI 11742722

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started shaking abnormally, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust system, the engine overheated, and the coolant level was extremely low hours after the coolant reservoir was refilled. The check engine warning light was illuminated while the vehicle was shaking. An independent mechanic determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #3, and the spark plug was stuck and needed to be replaced. There were no visible leaks found. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

NHTSA ODI 11723779

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine overheated, causing the engine temperature gauge to rise, and the check engine warning light to illuminate. Additionally, the coolant reservoir became empty after being refilled. The contact examined the vehicle and determined that the cylinder head was cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11719298

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her son previously replaced the spark plugs and other unknown parts of the vehicle due to a coolant leak onto the spark plugs; however, the coolant leak recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the coolant outlet, the engine connector assembly with vacuum filling and bleeding, and the coolant hoses assembly were replaced. Additionally, other unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the message “Engine Coolant Low - Service" was displayed, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no coolant leak was found. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the message "High Temp-Stop Safely" was displayed. The contact pulled into a parking lot until the vehicle cooled down. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that coolant was leaking from the thermostat housing. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 237,500.

NHTSA ODI 11717498

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, attempting to activate the heater, there was an abnormal fuel odor entering the vehicle through the vents. No warning light was illuminated. A local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 94,602.

NHTSA ODI 11717320

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a warning light for the low coolant level was illuminated. The contact checked the coolant reservoir and became aware that the coolant level was low. The coolant level was topped off. The contact stated that a warning light was illuminated while driving, and the contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that a bypass hose needed to be installed on the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was repaired; however, the loss of coolant continued, and there was no leak found. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, who was unable to diagnose the vehicle but determined that an air bubble had formed in the system and the failure had worked itself out. The overheating and coolant loss reoccurred, and the contact took the vehicle back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinders #2 and #4, causing damage to the engine. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to a defect of the engine with the intrusion of coolant. The contact relayed the information to the dealer and was advised that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11702975

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for an oil change, and the fluids were checked by the independent mechanic. When the vehicle was started several days later, the “Low Coolant" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the coolant level was not low at the time. The contact continued to drive the vehicle, and while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started bucking with a warning chime, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The coolant level was low, with the engine overheating. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected, and the coolant level was low. The contact added coolant to the reservoir and continued driving, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Parts Store, where a handheld diagnostic machine failed to retrieve a fault code but suggested that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact believed that the failure was linked to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11689341

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH on the highway, the engine overheated and the vehicle stopped unintentionally. The contact was able to pull over safely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was previously taken to an undisclosed local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that there was an internal leak in the head gasket. The contact called the manufacturer and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11683078

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his daughter was parking the vehicle, the driver noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment and a coolant odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact added coolant to the vehicle and drove the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a vehicle safety complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 178,998.

NHTSA ODI 11678474

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that there was coolant inside the cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 117,000.

NHTSA ODI 11674982

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the coolant level was low; however, there was no warning light illuminated. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, after driving for approximately 20 minutes and then parking the vehicle overnight; however, while attempting to start the vehicle the following morning, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was engine failure due to coolant intrusion into cylinder #4. The contact was informed that the cylinder head gasket had melted, causing the engine to seize. The dealer informed the contact of the failure and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,900.

NHTSA ODI 11667119

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine rod had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinders, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred, and the contact parked the vehicle. The vehicle was no longer driven due to the safety concerns. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11661861

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated, and upon checking the coolant tank, the coolant level was low. The coolant reservoir was refilled; however, several days later the coolant level was low again. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the engine started overheating, causing the engine to seize. The contact was forced to pull over onto the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic and was inspected. The contact was notified of coolant intrusion into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. A local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11657780

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the engine was overheating and there was oil leaking from the top of the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and scheduled an appointment, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11657261

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The message that coolant was needed was displayed. The contact added coolant to the reservoir. While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle was driving rough. The contact was concerned about the vehicle catching on fire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that a pressure test was needed to check for leaks. The mechanic informed the contact about potential codes and referred the contact to Ford and the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 38,268.

NHTSA ODI 11650410

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon attempting to accelerate on a neighborhood street at 10 MPH, the vehicle started losing automotive power, and the vehicle proceeded to slow down, and then shut off. The engine coolant light was illuminated, with the low coolant message displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that due to coolant intrusion, the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 168,000.

NHTSA ODI 11647706

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust, requiring the contact to top off the coolant reservoir occasionally. The check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated, with the “Coolant Level Low” message displayed. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11645407

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while pulling out of the driveway and attempting to make a turn onto the street, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the used car dealer where it was purchased. The dealer added coolant to the coolant reservoir and informed the contact that the vehicle was experiencing excessive coolant consumption due to a possible coolant leak. The contact was advised to monitor the coolant level. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an excessive amount of fumes entering the cabin of the vehicle through the A/C vents, causing the contact health concerns. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

NHTSA ODI 11645023

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the engine overheated and the message "Coolant Low" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant inside the cylinders. The contact stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 104,000.

NHTSA ODI 11645118

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Shut Down Engine, Engine Overheating" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and waited several hours for the vehicle to cool down and the vehicle eventually returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was an internal coolant leak into the engine; however, the independent mechanic could not locate the leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced and that there was a coolant leak into the engine; however, the location of the leak was not found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,768.

NHTSA ODI 11644598

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of white smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak from the radiator hose. The contact was informed that the radiator hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the coolant reservoir was being refilled every other day for several years. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

NHTSA ODI 11643390

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated with the message "Pull Over Engine Overheating" displayed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who was not able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred and had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion into the engine block. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that prior to the engine failure the transmission failed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.

NHTSA ODI 11642696

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that there was coolant leaking into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); to the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 121,656.

NHTSA ODI 11642155

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his daughter was driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the message "Engine Failure" was displayed intermittently. The driver continued driving to a safe location. The contact stated upon noticing smoke coming from underneath the hood, the driver pulled to the side of the road and opened the hood. The contact stated that the driver saw flames on the ignition coils, behind the engine compartment, and on the firewall. The contact's daughter picked up snow and was able to extinguish the fire with snow. The fire department was contacted and arrived at the scene, but no further action was required. The contact's daughter did not sustain any injuries. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to Pep Boys, who referred the contact to the dealer and to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic was contacted and informed the contact that the failure could be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000( Engine and Engine Coolant). The contact became aware that the VIN was included in the recall. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11641086

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the coolant temperature warning light illuminated. Additionally, an abnormal coolant odor was detected coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact added coolant to the reservoir, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

NHTSA ODI 11640721