CarComplaints.com Notes: The top problem trend for the 2014 Escape is transmission failure at around 70k miles.
This is relatively low mileage for an expensive transmission failure ($4,500 average to fix), but unless the trend becomes more established, we are only awarding the 2014 Escape our "Beware of the Clunker" badge for now.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 23
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 2
Average Mileage:
35,893 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The backup camera works only intermittently. I see there are already recalls on the 2015/16 models. 2014 should be included also. I contacted the dealership and Ford Customer Service and they say I have to pay out of pocket.
Backup camera frequently stops working. It displays a black screen (that sometimes includes a message stating to contact the dealer), stays on the main screen, turns the displayed image upside down, or the image may scroll/flash.
Coolant leak at the 3 way heater hose going to the heater core. I'm seeing a lot of complaints about leaks at the quick connect and nothing being done about it. Ford made a replacement part thats upgraded. I believe they should be replacing the defected parts with the new one. They knew this was an issue for some time now and refuse to take care of the problem.
The rear camera has worked intermittently for the last several years. I am aware that the 2015 Ford Escape was included in the recall for rear camera issues, but mine is a 2014 and has the exact same issue.
Whenever I got the vehicle at the middle of 2025 I had issues with the shocks hub assembly axle motor mount electrical issues trunk was opening and closing by itself. Recent recently I drive it to Savannah and the vehicle started to skip and would not switch gears while I was driving down a 70 mph Road. I almost wrecked due to an issue with the vehicle I have looked up the recalls that hasn't been repaired on the vehicle and I believe it has something to do with unrepair recalls or maybe there is a recall that wasn't found or reported because I've seen a lot of recall information about the transmission. I also had a incident with the door unlocking and locking while my nephew was in the vehicle after stepping out the doors automatically locked but I still had the driver door open. My nephew freaked out cuz he can't get out the vehicle. The vehicle has some other issues that I do not know how to explain and if there is any possible way that the unrepared recalls has something to do with the repairs that the vehicle need now then I would like something done immediately. There is 19 recalls on a 2014 Ford escape. Now out of those 19 only two have been reported for my VIN number but I believe due to the car being sold five different times within a short period of time no one had the time to actually report the issues wrong with the vehicle I think people were just trying to get rid of it because they knew something was wrong with it.
- Uvalda, GA, USA
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Why is a vehicle rear view camera not listed as one of the "Problem Parts" above? I reported twice in previous years that the rear view camera on this vehicle intermittently fails and is an ongoing safety issue. Please add 2014 Escapes to your recent recall notice to safeguard this owner and the public.
For years the rear back up camera has failed to engage or turns on and off intermittently when the vehicle is put in reverse. This can lead to a potentially hazardous driving issue which could lead to property damage or potentially in the extreme loss of life. There are recalls for exactly this same issue on literally millions of similar Ford vehicles, but they refuse to acknowledge this issue and fix it for the 2014 Ford Escape Thank you
Purchsed a 2014 Ford Escape Titanuim 1.6L Eco Boost in April of 2024. Since then, my vehicle has been to three different mechanics, one was a Ford dealership, because the sensor keeps coming on and coolant keeps leaking out. The first incident occured barely a week after the purchase and I've actually been stranded 2 out of the 3 times. In my research I've learned that Ford is aware of this issue, however, there's no recall on my vehicle.
I purchased the car in April 2023, a few days later the sensor light came on and coolant leaked out and I was stranded. I took it to my local Ford dealership and they "repaired it". About a month ago the same thing happened and I was stranded. Got it towed to a mechanic, was told it's been repaired, a couple of weeks later the sensor came back on, but I was able to make it to the mechanic before I was stranded. He put a mark on the reservoir and told me to add more coolant if it got before that line. I shouldn't have to keep doing this.
Rear backup camera is not working. I see 2015 + years were recalled but not 2014 which is my car's model year. Since this is a safety issue it should be repaired.
Backup camera went blank. The screen said camera not available contact dealer. This was about a month ago. It took a week to get an appointment at the dealer to get it checked. I had to replace the camera. It cost almost $900. On several occasions as I backed out there were cars and people I could not see until they were very near to my car. I saw there is a recall for cameras starting with the 2015 models. I think it should be extended to 2014. My car only had 44000 miles on it when the camera went.
Rear view camera only operates intermittently. Most of the time it comes up with a message that says camera unavailable, and then goes to a blank screen. I was surprised and disappointed that this vehicle was not included in the massive Ford rear camera recall that was just issued
Rear view camera quit functioning appropriately on 09/05/25. The dash displayed the message -??Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership.-?? Since the first incident of the camera not functioning, the camera functions intermittently, more often not functioning. No one other than the vehicle owners have confirmed the camera error.
The rear back up camera routinely appears upside down, in readable lines, a blue screen, or unable to get camera image. Inconsistent and a engine reset makes camera available again. Loss of camera could result in increased backover, crash and injury risk. Able to reproduce every time I reverse for now than 30 seconds or when I shift to reverse then drive then reverse again. A similar recall had been issued for other Ford vehicles 2015 and newer.
1. My backup cameral is malfunctioning. 2. I use it for visual safety when I put my car in reverse. 3. The back up camera either does not work or it shows the image upside down. It has not been confirmed by a dealership because it is easy to identify by me. 4. No, it has not been inspected by anyone else. On line, the 2014 Ford Escape Titanium has been identified with these issues however, for some reason my VIN (vehicle) is not on the list for recall. 5. My camera first started malfunctioning about a year ago. I can not have it looked at except at my expense which does not seem appropriate since others of the same year, make and model have been recalled due to the same issue.
My car loses power, I-??ll go to get in interstate or just pull out of somewhere and I-??ll press the gas and it-??ll barely go. I-??ve almost got hit multiple times. I take it to have it looked at and all I get is they can-??t seem to see the problem but it-??s there and extremely dangerous. After talking to several people apparently ford escapes are known for this problem yet ford doesn-??t want to acknowledge there faulty parts. I have two small kids and this is dangerous and going to kill people
Backup camera goes blank when you put the car in reverse. I have no visual. It has been this way for over a year and it has been reported to you before. Now there is a ford recall for this exact issue but my year car isn-??t included.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Gastonia, NC, USA