2014 FORD ESCAPE — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 2,066 complaints · 16 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (688 complaints · 33.3%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 46
  • Fires 103
  • Injuries 41
  • Deaths 4
Compare with 2013 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 688 of 2,066 owner complaints (33.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 688 complaints, 33.3% of reports ENGINE 688 · 33.3% · 1 crash reports 69 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 423 complaints, 20.5% of reports POWER TRAIN 423 · 20.5% · 9 crash reports 2 fire reports STEERING: 139 complaints, 6.7% of reports STEERING 139 · 6.7% · 5 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 106 complaints, 5.1% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 106 · 5.1% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 99 complaints, 4.8% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 99 · 4.8% · 2 fire reports STRUCTURE: 62 complaints, 3.0% of reports STRUCTURE 62 · 3.0% · 1 crash reports BACK OVER PREVENTION: 46 complaints, 2.2% of reports BACK OVER PREVENTION 46 · 2.2% WHEELS: 41 complaints, 2.0% of reports WHEELS 41 · 2.0% · 2 crash reports 1 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 32 complaints, 1.6% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 32 · 1.6% · 2 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 497 complaints, 24.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 497 · 24.1% · 11 crash reports 26 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 688 33.3% 1 crashes · 69 fires
POWER TRAIN 423 20.5% 9 crashes · 2 fires
STEERING 139 6.7% 5 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 106 5.1% 1 crashes · 1 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 99 4.8% 0 crashes · 2 fires
STRUCTURE 62 3.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
BACK OVER PREVENTION 46 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
WHEELS 41 2.0% 2 crashes · 1 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 32 1.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 497 24.1% 11 crashes · 26 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2013; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 2014. 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2014-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2015-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2015-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2015-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2016-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2016-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2016-Q4: 29 owner reports 29 2017-Q1: 30 owner reports 30 2017-Q2: 40 owner reports 40 2017-Q3: 45 owner reports 45 2017-Q4: 49 owner reports 49 2018-Q1: 53 owner reports 53 2018-Q2: 41 owner reports 41 2018-Q3: 82 owner reports 82 2018-Q4: 74 owner reports 74 2019-Q1: 68 owner reports 68 2019-Q2: 72 owner reports 72 2019-Q3: 84 owner reports 84 2019-Q4: 62 owner reports 62 2020-Q1: 53 owner reports 53 2020-Q2: 42 owner reports 42 2020-Q3: 73 owner reports 73 2020-Q4: 51 owner reports 51 2021-Q1: 39 owner reports 39 2021-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2021-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2021-Q4: 40 owner reports 40 2022-Q1: 41 owner reports 41 2022-Q2: 49 owner reports 49 2022-Q3: 87 owner reports 87 2022-Q4: 55 owner reports 55 2023-Q1: 51 owner reports 51 2023-Q2: 51 owner reports 51 2023-Q3: 50 owner reports 50 2023-Q4: 53 owner reports 53 2024-Q1: 51 owner reports 51 2024-Q2: 37 owner reports 37 2024-Q3: 43 owner reports 43 2024-Q4: 36 owner reports 36 2025-Q1: 39 owner reports 39 2025-Q2: 32 owner reports 32 2025-Q3: 44 owner reports 44 2025-Q4: 30 owner reports 30 2026-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2026-Q2: 32 owner reports 32 2026-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 Owner reports Jul 2013 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 14V164000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V164000 Recall campaign 14V237000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V237000 Recall campaign 14V239000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V239000 Recall campaign 14V403000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V403000 Recall campaign 14V495000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V495000 Recall campaign 14V525000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V525000 Recall campaign 14V597000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V597000 Recall campaign 15V005000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V005000 Recall campaign 15V406000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V406000 Recall campaign 16V643000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V643000 Recall campaign 17V209000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V209000 Recall campaign 17V472000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V472000 Recall campaign 18V471000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V471000 Recall campaign 20V331000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V331000 Recall campaign 22V413000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V413000 Recall campaign 26V011000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V011000 Investigation PE16001 ● Investigation PE16001 Investigation RQ19005 ● Investigation RQ19005
  • Campaign 14V239000 was reported 124 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V403000 was reported 256 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V495000 was reported 259 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V005000 was reported 81 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V406000 was reported 576 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V643000 was reported 888 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V209000 was reported 1,171 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V471000 was reported 1,727 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V331000 was reported 2,259 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V413000 was reported 3,152 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V011000 was reported 4,306 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 4
2014-Q1 Owner reports 12
2014-Q2 Owner reports 12
2014-Q3 Owner reports 19
2014-Q4 Owner reports 16
2015-Q1 Owner reports 18
2015-Q2 Owner reports 9
2015-Q3 Owner reports 13
2015-Q4 Owner reports 17
2016-Q1 Owner reports 8
2016-Q2 Owner reports 17
2016-Q3 Owner reports 13
2016-Q4 Owner reports 29
2017-Q1 Owner reports 30
2017-Q2 Owner reports 40
2017-Q3 Owner reports 45
2017-Q4 Owner reports 49
2018-Q1 Owner reports 53
2018-Q2 Owner reports 41
2018-Q3 Owner reports 82
2018-Q4 Owner reports 74
2019-Q1 Owner reports 68
2019-Q2 Owner reports 72
2019-Q3 Owner reports 84
2019-Q4 Owner reports 62
2020-Q1 Owner reports 53
2020-Q2 Owner reports 42
2020-Q3 Owner reports 73
2020-Q4 Owner reports 51
2021-Q1 Owner reports 39
2021-Q2 Owner reports 30
2021-Q3 Owner reports 27
2021-Q4 Owner reports 40
2022-Q1 Owner reports 41
2022-Q2 Owner reports 49
2022-Q3 Owner reports 87
2022-Q4 Owner reports 55
2023-Q1 Owner reports 51
2023-Q2 Owner reports 51
2023-Q3 Owner reports 50
2023-Q4 Owner reports 53
2024-Q1 Owner reports 51
2024-Q2 Owner reports 37
2024-Q3 Owner reports 43
2024-Q4 Owner reports 36
2025-Q1 Owner reports 39
2025-Q2 Owner reports 32
2025-Q3 Owner reports 44
2025-Q4 Owner reports 30
2026-Q1 Owner reports 34
2026-Q2 Owner reports 32
2026-Q3 Owner reports 8
Recall campaign 1 14V164000
Recall campaign 1 14V237000
Recall campaign 1 14V239000
Recall campaign 1 14V403000
Recall campaign 1 14V495000
Recall campaign 1 14V525000
Recall campaign 1 14V597000
Recall campaign 1 15V005000
Recall campaign 1 15V406000
Recall campaign 1 16V643000
Recall campaign 1 17V209000
Recall campaign 1 17V472000
Recall campaign 1 18V471000
Recall campaign 1 20V331000
Recall campaign 1 22V413000
Recall campaign 1 26V011000
Defect investigation 1 PE16001
Defect investigation 1 RQ19005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (16)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V164000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEATS
    Consequence:
    The back of the subject seats may become loose or lean while driving and potentially increase the risk of injury in certain crashes.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seatback, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14C03.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V237000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    If the side-curtain rollover air bag is delayed in deploying in certain rollover circumstances, the risk of injury to the passengers is increased.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the RCM, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S04.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V239000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    A door that opens unexpectedly may result in an unrestrained occupant falling from the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the mounting of the door handles, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 30, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S03.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V403000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    If the glass panel is improperly bonded, the glass may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
    Remedy:
    Ford has notified owners. Dealers will inspect each vehicle and replace the front roof glass if its production date and sequence number falls within the affected range, free of charge. The recall is began on July 14, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S13.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V495000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current crimped splices with new splices, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S17.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V525000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    A reduction in fuel pressure may result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the FDM, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S20.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V597000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V005000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S30.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V406000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    If the instrument cluster is inoperative, the driver of may not be warned of safety related issues such as low tire pressures or disabled air bags, increasing the risk of personal injury or a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C03.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V643000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    Consequence:
    A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V209000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    If the cylinder head cracks and leaks oil, the oil may contact a hot engine or exhaust component, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install a coolant level sensor and the supporting hardware and software, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 21, 2017. The recall began on January 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S09.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V472000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    The improperly manufactured bolts may fracture. If a seat, seatback, or seatbelt anchor attaching bolt fractures, the affected component may not be properly secured, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected bolts, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available in the fourth quarter of 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S17.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V471000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S20. Note: Owners are directed to use the parking brake until the recall remedy repairs can be made.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 20V331000

    Report date
    Component:
    LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    Consequence:
    A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
    Remedy:
    Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V413000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    A damaged or missing bushing may prevent the vehicle from shifting into the intended gear, and cause the vehicle to move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, the vehicle may roll after the driver selects the 'Park' position. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash or injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the under hood shift bushing and add a protective cap over the shift cable bushing, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 1, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available in 4th Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S43.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  16. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 26V011000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S01. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 2,066 complaints · page 1 of 83

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources