Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle at approximately 3 MPH, the backup camera would show as "camera not available" or the camera would start pixilating and go blank. The contact stated no other warning lights were illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that a module for the "blue tooth/hands free" phone system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure on the camera was still recurring. The contact researched a recall that could be related to her failure, NHTSA Campaign Number 22V082000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. The radio quit working as well as hands free and backup camera comes and goes when it wants. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25-26 MPH, the message "Engine Fault" was displayed, and the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, there was coolant leaking onto the ground. The contact drove to the residence and parked the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. Additionally, the contact stated that rear passenger's side taillight failed to operate as needed, and the taillight bulb had been replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact also stated that the infotainment system and the rearview camera were inoperable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera screen had displayed the message "Rear View Camera Not Available" on a blue screen while attempting to reverse. The contact stated that while shifting into park, the vehicle intermittently displayed a message that the vehicle was not in park. Additionally, while shifting into drive, the RPM increased, and the transmission felt like it was stuck between gears. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V159000 (Back Over Prevention) and 22V413000 (Power Train), and the repairs were completed. The vehicle was not repaired a second time because the VIN was no longer under recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,100.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rearview camera was intermittently inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown software needed to be updated; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred and that the rearview camera was displaying the image upside down. The vehicle was then taken to Metro Ford, Inc. (2860 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64055), who confirmed the prior dealer's diagnosis of replacing the software. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no recall on the VIN and was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure limited the driver's visibility, preventing the safe operation of the vehicle. The message "Camera Unavailable - Please Contact Dealer" was displayed. The contact called the local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Most recently, the rearview camera displayed a pink screen and intermittently turned black. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 106,830.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, the back over prevention camera failed to function as intended with the back over prevention warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed back over prevention camera system. The contact was informed that the back over prevention camera system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not included. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,850.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera system failed to function as intended. The contact stated an error message that the rear-view camera was unavailable was displayed. In addition, the rear-view camera screen occasionally displayed a blue screen or failed to activate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failure of the back-over prevention camera system. The contact was informed that the back-over prevention camera system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the rear camera was not displaying an image. The message the "Camera was Unavailable" was displayed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rearview camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V442000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display an image of the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rearview camera. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while reversing at approximately 2 MPH, the rear-view camera would malfunction and display a message "camera not available" also the camera image would display upside down on the monitor or was completely blank. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and referred the contact to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
Collision Avoidance complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are collision avoidance problems on the 2014 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the driver assistance of the 2014 Ford Escape, 3% of the model year's 2,089 complaints. The component named most often is sensing system › camera (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Escape collision avoidance problems?
No. NHTSA lists no driver assistance recall for the 2014 Ford Escape, though it has 16 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Escape collision avoidance problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to driver assistance problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.