2014 FORD ESCAPE Engine Problems

At less than a thousand miles after purchasing the vehicle the Coolant has begun intruding into the cylinder wall and causing a sweet smelling exhaust from the rear

[XXX] *PERSISTENT LOW COOLANT - REQUIRING CONSTANT TOPPING OFF THE COOLANT FLUID * ENGINE OVERHEATING * ODOR OF COOLANT LEAK n the affected vehicles, a lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head. A cracked cylinder head can result in a pressurized oil leak. Oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface increases the risk of a fire in the engine compartment. Ford Dealership and Ford Customer Service Representatives have stated my 2014 Ford Escape Titanium with the 1.6 L engine was not covered under FORD'S RECALL CAMPAIGN #17S09. With the claim only certain engine series were covered. Requested the eligible engine series covered and the engine series of my 2014 Ford Escape Titanium. Dealership advised they did not have that information and that I needed to contact Ford's Corporate Office. The overheating of the engine required my...

Coolant intrusion due to head gasket/ cracked cylinder head

The coolant reservoir needs to be refilled on a regular basis even though there is no discernible leak. When it does get low but is not empty, the warning ⚠️ light comes on and if this is not attended to in a matter of days it can lead to the red warning ‼️ light coming on and the car losing power. The warning states a coolant issue and to pull over as soon as possible. Once the reservoir is refilled to max level the engine can be restarted and the car is again drivable. This has happened multiple times while on highways or interstates and can come on quickly. This has happened for years even after repairs have been made to supposedly address the problem I have had to make previous repairs to the engine where I was told that the spark plugs were stuck in place due to a...

I’ve always had electrical problems and now when I try to drive it, it smells like it’s going to catch on fire. And I’ve had to fix something within the fuel system 3 times.

My vehicle had no warning lamps, messages or any other symptoms before driving that day. Vehicle was well maintained. Driving on a rural straight paved road that is in excellent condition, at approximately 55 miles per hour, smoke suddenly came through the dash top (defroster along windshield) and bottom (underneath the dash - heavier volume of smoke); almost immediately, the horn started sounding independently, a message appeared that read engine failure, brakes failed simultaneously and could not stop the vehicle. Only possible way to get the vehicle to stop was to remove the ignition key, put lever in park, pulled park break up. Flames now under the dash & smoke was pouring out from under the hood. My safety was at risk and had to exit the vehicle as fast as possible from drivers side with cars approaching. After exit, saw flames in the tire well also; witness saw flames...

Engine coolant system failed, overheated car instantly. Had to get hoses, sensors, thermostat replaced. Possible fire, smoke was present, car had to be turned off immediately. Not the safest. Little to no warning from fine to dead.

Using up coolant/possible coolant intrusion issue, I have owned my 2014 Ford Escape for almost 2 years, and have to top up coolant every 2 to 3 months of daily driving, as low as 10 km a day. The engine itself has not had issues YET, but is using coolant when A. It should not. and B. At an alarming rate. There are also no leaks on my driveway, and dealerships cannot find the issue.

It had a recall for leak coolant, they installed a new expansion tank and new hoses, however for some reason it is still leaking, the inside of the car smells like burnt, when I’m stopped, Ford said the leak might be repaired when they changed the hoses it wasn’t the case it’s still leaking, they were supposed to install a sensor to let me know when the coolant level is low, however last time the compartment was almost empty and the car didn’t show any warning, looks like it’s not working as it should be, it could catch fire it could be even worst.

Coolant Intrusion on Cylinder 3, potential to overheat engine posing fire safety risks. Problem has been confirmed at Ford Dealership. Vehicle has been inspected by manufacturer. Check engine light came on Dec. 31st 2025, car was not driven until Jan. 2nd 2026, when it was given to dealership mechanic for inspection/diagnosis. Ford is aware of the dangers of coolant intrusion and the flawed engine design.

I have had problems with coolant leaks, coolant sensor, valve gaskets and coolant intrusion in my engine. The coolant reservoir was replaced at 36,580 miles on 07/13/17. The coolant sensor recall was completed at 37,315 miles on 07/31/17. The coolant overflow line was was replaced at 66,910 miles on 01/14/22. The coolant light came on and coolant was added at 69,882 miles on 02/16/23. There was a coolant leak and the valve cover gaskets replaced at 76,910 MILES ON 01/23/25. The engine started surging and the coolant light came one. The ignition coil was replaced and the sensor light was adjusted at 78,709 miles on 09/05/25. The sensor light came back on the next day. I went into the dealership 3 different times to tell them there had to be a leak. Since they assured me that it was just the sensor and I had no leak, they did not...

Coolant light indicates coolant should be added often. Coolant has been added to frequently. Last time coolant light came on another Error Code: P1299 and the engine stopped running properly. Vehicle was inspected by a repair shop who stated the coolant was leaking into the motor. If this keeps occurring engine may overheat, fail and possibly catch fire. Ford said there is no recall on this issue. Bring it in for diagnostics and stated it would take three months to just look at the issue. This is no exaggeration. We have read an astonishing amount of other people have and are having similar issues with the Ford Escape

My 1.6l ecoboost was leaking coolant and smoking on the side of the reservoir and burning coolant smells went thought the heater and ac vents when on especially at a stop light and it even leaks oil a little bit but I have got the “coolant leak” fixed but I have an internal leak somewhere clearly and all the symptoms add up to sound like the ford recalls 17S09 and also similar to 12S39 but that’s for 2013 escapes but there’s clearly an unsafe issue hear that cause cause fire underneath my hood I called ford and they said to try to make a claim because there should be no reason I’m not covered under warranty when it’s the same cars same engines and same issues

Intrusive coolant leak

My 2014 Ford escape started leaking coolant into the engine, producing a terrible odor throughout the cab and causing overheating. The mechanic pressure tested the coolant system and identified coolant leaking into the cylinders. This is a common occurrence in this make and model.

The Ford EcoBoost engine in my Ford Escape 2014 has consistent coolant leaking issues as reported by several other vehicle owners. I spent the last 4 years of owning it constantly returning to the dealership over this issue when my car was under warranty because the coolant tank kept leaking. They never fixed the leaking issue and when my warranty expired, they refused to help fix it any longer. I cannot afford a new car or the work I need to keep getting on it yet need it to get to work, and the constant need for my refilling of the coolant in the tank that progressively gets worse and can cause engine failure warrants a recall on behalf of the company and compensation.

Engine caught fire at the coolant reservoir

This vehicle has had a bad electrical problem where it makes a real bad clicking noise and sometimes it doesn't turn off the radio also the radio doesn't turn on at times. The major problem is it has not passed emissions for almost a year it gives out bad sensor readings and clearing the code so I can pass emissions don't help it comes back on. I have tried to let Ford know that this car is having recall issues . I have had a purge valve put on it but it's still it's not capable of passing the emissions because the sensors at all Ford dealerships said they can reset the sensors but they want me to pay I don't think that is fair to me because these are recall issues that I'm having! even though it's older .I think it's only fair to have it analyzed at a...

My coolant system has leaked for the last 5 or 6 years. It has been worked on by Ford and by independent mechanics. The last time, Ford said it was fixed and I shouldn’t have any problems. It still leaks and it is unknown where it is going.

The back up camera goes out at times.it says report too ford.tranmission issues and turbo issues.

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.

Head gasket blew and coolant leaked into engine. This applies to the Ford Escape 2013 - 2019. Ford's 1.5L, 1.6L, or 2.0L Ecoboost engines manufactured, marketed, and distributed by Ford Motor Company. They know about the problem but refuse to fix the problem. There is currently a class action lawsuit. But we all know that does noting.

see attached documents: Subject: Ongoing Unresolved Recall Issues and Safety Concerns with My Ford Vehicle I am writing to formally express my deep concern and frustration regarding my Ford vehicle, which currently has 15 open recalls that have gone unresolved for nearly two years. During this time, I have contacted every Ford dealership within a 50-mile radius of my home in repeated attempts to have these recalls addressed. Each dealership has provided a different excuse for not completing the necessary repairs. Some initially allowed me to schedule service appointments, only to cancel them once they realized the work involved recall issues. In several cases, I was never notified that my appointment had been canceled—I only discovered this when no one showed up. Other dealerships claimed they did not have the required parts and assured me they would contact me once the parts became available. To date, none have followed up....

Issues with coolant leakage in multiple places. One is with the HVAC heater core valve and hose and the other is with the turbocharger cooling input put up and oil lines. Has been leaking for a while diagnosed on 10/03/2025 Similar to other issues reported by ford escape 1.6L drivers on complaints and documented issues.

I have experienced multiple coolant leaks. The first one was repaired with a new engine coolant bypass housing, and I am now experiencing the issue again. The heater core hoses are degraded and swollen causing the leak. The coolant bypass (which was replaced a year ago) is made of plastic and cracked. The valve cover is leaking and is a fire hazard. This has impacted my means of transportation. The error messages of “overheating” occur abruptly and at times when I have not been able to safely pull over or stop. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. No, not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. The first time this occurred I only received 2 error messages. And this time I only received one.

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.

Vehicle hesitates when shifting mainly from secon to third gear and hesitates to accelerate. The rpms go up but not going any faster and then jerks. If I was to try and pull out onto a highway there is no way the car will accelerate fast enough. Took it to the dealer to see if they could check a previous recall item to see if it was maybe defective and they would not look at it unless I paid 220 dollars for a diagnostics even though the recall was for the transmission shifting cable bushing. This has been happening since I bought the car about a year ago which wa previously owned by an elderly person that got it from the dealer with 35000 miles on it and it now only has 50000 miles on it and the dealer could not tell me what else was fixed on the car....

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the instrument cluster screen malfunctioned and turned black or flickered off and on. Additionally, the headlights, turn signals, and brake lights intermittently failed to operate as needed. The transmission and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failures, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,000.

I received a notification on the my dash and the car was diagnosed the codes came back Code: P018B and it states Fuel Pressure/ misfire. I've noticed the car misfiring prior to the dash light coming on and now it does it while I'm on the freeway or streets as if it's going to just stop which os very dangerous. This has to be a recall may 2014 ford vehicles are having this issue along with the coolant leak. This needs to be recalled

Coolant leak just like as listed in other 2014 Ford Escape recalls. It leaked into the engine block causing misfire of spark plugs and thus the Ford dealership tells me I am required $14,000 engine rebuild which I can't afford. It is dangerous for me to drive as the engine may misfire or overheat at any time. The Ford company says I have no recalls and yet this issue was a recalled issue on this year of Ford Escapes.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the local dealer sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to repair a bushing on the vehicle. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was repaired, but the mechanic had forgotten to replace a tubing on the vehicle. The vehicle failed to start, and the contact's husband noticed that the tubing was disconnected. The contact's husband was able to attach the tubing, and the vehicle restarted. While her husband was driving the vehicle and making a turn, the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping. Roadside Assistance was contacted and left the parking brake activated during towing. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and several DTC were retrieved. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called the customer service at...

On [XXX] - vehicle was started and when turning out of the driveway I notice a puddle which was coolant. The vehicle started to overheat. I turned back and went home then called a tow truck to retrieve the vehicle which they were able to do on Monday. The vehicle was towed and investigated by Fosters Towing in Fraser, MI. They found no evidence of a leak but there was a code (which they did not write down). They cleared the code and tried to replicate the issue but, after running it for an hour and searching for leaks, nothing was found. The vehicle has not been taken to a dealership. The mechanic at Fosters is certified to deal with this vehicle. At the time of the incident I had my kids in the car - ages [XXX] and [XXX] - and their safety was more important than the trip...

Coolant leak into engine gasket/block. Moderate acceleration or freeway driving depletes coolant then overheats. No signs of coolant underneath vehicle upon stopping. Vehicle is now lurching/jerking with any acceleration at any speed.

The 1.6L EcoBoost engine is leaking coolant into the #3 cylinder. The vehicle lost power while in motion on a busy road. The check engine light came on with a warning that the engine was overheating, and traffic behind me had to slow down, causing a potential rear-end accident. The engine was scanned, and the fault code P1299 was discovered.

I was driving up a hill on the highway with my father in the car with me when my car began to rattle slightly. I looked down and saw that my engine heat dial was somewhat higher than its standard setting, which was weird because I had just put engine coolant in a day or two prior. A second later, my dash said, "Severe engine failure. Pull over." At the same time, the smell of smoke wafted into the car, and soon after, smoke began billowing into the vehicle as well. We pulled to the side of the highway and got out to check what was happening with the engine. At this point, tons of smoke was coming out of the hood. I tried to lift the hood to inspect the engine, but I couldn't because the metal was too hot. I peered through the slit of the hood and...

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the messages "Temperature High" and "Pull Over Safely" were displayed. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the coolant was leaking. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that, on a separate occasion, the coolant reservoir was constantly low. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic who diagnosed coolant intrusion into cylinders 2 or 3, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Left my home and drown about 1 mile and car Oil light came on then battery light came on then car started rolling I had no control of the speed and car stopped in middle of street got it towed to mechanic . Mechanic advises known issue with fords and should be under a recall. coolant leaking from turbo lines

Vehicle overheated caused the cylinder head that crack. I am concerned it may catch fire as others before the recall. When I key in the VIN it shows no recall. However the NHTSA recall no 17V-209 or 17S09 shows all Escapes produced 2/12/13-9/2/14 have this issue and should have gotten a part to prevent this. With a production date of 5/14, shouldn't this vehicle be included?

Engine overheated, lost power, and smoke came from the exhaust. Mechanics opinion is the engine block is cracked and what had caused the heating is a blown head gasket.

1. The transmission has continuously slipped and stuck in gears when significantly outside of standard RPM:Speed standards for the vehicle. 2. The vehicle has recently started leaking oil via a lower pressure valve. 3. The engine thermostat and/or sensor need to be replaced with faulty internal temperatures being registered. 4. The rear collision warning and camera system started malfunctioning after an update that happened middle of 2024. The camera won't work at all approximately 50% of the time. 5. The brake issues haven't been fully diagnosed, but I'm aware of the model year/series of vehicle having several faulty components that could have a hand in the weakened braking. 6. I recently had AAA come diagnose the vehicle (reference the photos provided). My objective is to have my vehicle included in the widespread recalls that were released for my car model, year, and overall series. For some reason my VIN in...

While doing oil change, I realized car has rear seal oil leak. Transmission experiences slippage in cold weather. Car has a very good maintenance record.

Engine light came on and over heates

The car has been in the shop on and off for two years because of coolant leaking but the coolant pressure test show no leaks. As of March 2025 the car was checked again and showed no pressure leaks. Over the course of time, The radiator was replaced and several other things have been attempted. We are at the point where we don’t want to put more money into the vehicle because we are afraid it is the classic coolant intrusion situation with this car. I have read many reports of this problem. I am only reporting on the most recent incident below. I do not have an invoice for the March, 2025 visit for coolant pressure test.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

A few months ago, Engine coolant light came on and had more coolant added. Then the week after my card stopped in the middle of the road because the engine was over heating, I had to get it towed. Took it to mechanic and there was a hole and coolant leaking. My engine coolant light just came on again, requiring further inspection.

Initially diagnosed as a coolant leak due to requirement to constantly add coolant. There was no evidence of a leak. Shortly thereafter the car began experiencing hard starts and illumination of the check engine light (CEL). Code showed number 3 cylinder misfire. Subsequent starts had white smoke in conjunction with rough idle and CEL. Took to my mechanic and he said this is a known issue with this Engine and quoted me 9K for repairs. I did some searching online and found that this issue is VERY well known and Ford is currently in litigation over it.

Coollant leak

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.

while driving on a busy road, the vehicle went into LIMP mode and would not move forward, the coolant was below the sensor and the vehicle said it would over heat, the block leaks coolant into the engine cylinder and there is no fix for this but to replace entire engine as per dealer. I was almost hit from the rear from traffic. the car had to be pushed into our driveway via a police car bump guard. the dealer could not find where the coolant was going too.