Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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 that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. In addition, the contact stated that at times the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant valve. The contact was informed that the coolant valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while the independent mechanic was driving at an undisclosed speed and test-driving the vehicle, the independent was flagged down by a nearby Police Officer. The independent was advised to pull the vehicle off to the shoulder of the road. The independent mechanic was advised that flames were exiting the rear undercarriage and the front undercarriage of the vehicle. The independent mechanic drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road and exited the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked on the driveway during nighttime, the contact's wife noticed a light underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire. The contact extinguished the fire using a water hose avoiding opening the hood to not expose the fire to oxygen. The contact's wife then also assisted in extinguishing the fire by using a fire extinguisher as the husband opened the hood and then used the water hose as well. The contact stated that the vehicle had been driven and then parked before the fire was experienced. The origin of the fire was unknown however the contact discovered that the valve cover was charred and melted. No fire report or police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed. …
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. …
The contact owned a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, he noticed smoke exiting from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road and exited the vehicle safely. The contact opened the hood and saw fire located around the engine. The contact stated a bystander attempted to extinguish the fire but the vehicle was engulfed in the fire. The fire department extinguished the fire but no fire report was filed. The contact stated the police officers did arrive at the location and deemed the vehicle a total loss but no report was filed. The contact stated no one was injured or sought medical attention. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard. The vehicle was not diagnosed. A dealer was not contacted. …
The contact owned a 2014 Ford Escape. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a service appointment which included a system scan and replacement of the coolant valves. The contact stated that after the repair was completed and the mechanic was test-driving the vehicle, the engine caught on fire. A nearby Police Officer alerted the mechanic to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder of the road because the vehicle was on fire. The mechanic drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road and exited the vehicle. The Police Officer extinguished the fire by using a fire extinguisher that was in the trunk of the officer's vehicle. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the cause of the fire was the engine and the engine coolant. The vehicle was destroyed due to the fire. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the low coolant warning light was illuminated. The contact then pulled into a gas station and turned off the vehicle. The message "High Engine Temperature. Stop Safely" was displayed. The contact stated that her husband who was following her at the time also pulled into the gas station and opened the hood of the vehicle. The contact's husband saw flames coming from the engine compartment. The contact was able to extinguish the fire by pouring soda on the flames. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (Engine And Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the contact to follow up on the case. …
The contact's niece owned a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his niece was driving at 60-65 MPH, she saw smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The coolant warning light illuminated. The contact stated that as his niece veered to the side of the road and exited the vehicle, she saw fire underneath the vehicle. The contact's niece was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was totaled. The used car dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V209000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while idled and attempting to park in her driveway, there were flames coming from under the hood. The hood was opened and flames were visible from the engine. No warning lights illuminated. The contact mentioned that the vehicle overheated, there was a cracked cylinder and an oil leak prior to the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. The fire department was not notified. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, she observed smoke issuing from under the hood and from under the vehicle. No warning lights had been illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and shut the vehicle off, however upon exiting the vehicle she saw that flames were coming from under the vehicle from an area just behind the front tires. The contact called the fire department, and the police department also was on the scene and issued an incident report. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,355.
Unknown. Something at the backside of the motor caught on fire. The car overheated and would not drive. Pulled over, cooled off, added coolant, drove home. Car won't go over 40, shakes, and makes noises. Took it to automotive place. They took the manifold(?) and stopped! Called and told us there had been a fire in the motor, we need to call our insurance company and take it to a Ford dealership. Warranty and insurance company are both fighting with us. Neither one wants to pay!!! This is total BS!!!! No recalls?! Google this cars problems and their #1 problem is they catch on fire!!! WHY IS THERE NO RECALLS?!?!? Does someone have to die to get a recall?
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Escape, 2014-2015 Fiesta ST, 2013-2014 Fusion and 2013-2015 Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6L GTDI engines. If the vehicle is started and driven with an insufficient level of coolant within the engine cooling system, the engine cylinder head may overheat, crack and…
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.
Engine complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2014 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 885 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2014 Ford Escape, 42% of the model year's 2,089 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Escape engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-209 (engine, Mar 27, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Escape engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 83 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.