2014 Ford Escape Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 216 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2014 Ford Escape, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 62,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “instrument cluster” (11% of reports).
- 216electrical system complaints
- 62,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Instrument cluster: mentioned in 24 of 216 complaints (11%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2014 Ford Escape at $1,000, and half of them between $620 and $1,700.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 127 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 216 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 18 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Escape electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escape | 2 | 67% | — |
| 2025 Escape | 7 | 27% | 18,250 |
| 2024 Escape | 27 | 36% | 9,000 |
| 2023 Escape | 41 | 41% | 15,500 |
| 2022 Escape | 19 | 8% | 58,595 |
| 2021 Escape | 34 | 10% | 39,000 |
| 2020 Escape | 158 | 10% | 17,500 |
| 2019 Escape | 37 | 6% | 3,400 |
| 2018 Escape | 57 | 3% | 17,349 |
| 2017 Escape | 156 | 6% | 37,129 |
| 2016 Escape | 95 | 8% | 43,734 |
| 2015 Escape | 135 | 12% | 61,000 |
| 2014 Escape | 216 | 10% | 62,000 |
| 2013 Escape | 339 | 12% | 61,000 |
| 2012 Escape | 42 | 7% | 58,600 |
| 2011 Escape | 117 | 9% | 53,000 |
| 2010 Escape | 216 | 10% | 58,000 |
| 2009 Escape | 143 | 8% | 85,500 |
| 2008 Escape | 136 | 7% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Escape | 30 | 12% | 75,000 |
| 2006 Escape | 34 | 7% | 93,000 |
| 2005 Escape | 153 | 11% | 104,000 |
| 2004 Escape | 31 | 6% | 77,500 |
| 2003 Escape | 39 | 7% | 90,000 |
| 2002 Escape | 123 | 12% | 60,000 |
| 2001 Escape | 136 | 14% | 89,250 |
| 2000 Escape | 1 | 20% | 55,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Escape vehicles manufactured May 19, 2014, to February 6, 2015, and Transit Connect vehicles manufactured May 11, 2014, to July 2, 2015. Due to a software incompatibility issue, the instrument panel cluster be inoperative including a blank multiple functional display (MFD), and non-functional warning chimes, messages and warning lights. Specific warning chimes, messages and warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to April 1, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines and Focus ST vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to October 14, 2013, and equipped with 2.0 liter engines. Insufficient compression in the engine wiring harness splices to the Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor may provide incorrect signals to the powertrain control module (PCM).
Risk: The incorrect signals could cause the vehicle to hesitate or the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving, a message was displayed [Hill Start Assist Not Available] and all mileage figures previously displayed disappered. Additional warning lights were displayed indicating Traction Control, and ABS failures. Electric Power steering assist also stopped. Subsequent testing indicated the…
At first, I just bought it two weeks ago. It was smoke coming from the engine and there was no coolant. The coolant wasnât holding in the car now I was driving last night. I had coolant in it and there was just flames coming out by where the Oil is
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost ABS functionality, and the instrument panel was blank. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the instrument panel needed to be replaced and brake system repair…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2014 Ford Escapes have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 216 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2014 Ford Escape (10% of the 2,089 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2014 Ford Escape electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 62,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2014 Ford Escape?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $620 and $1,700), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2014 Ford Escape?
The most frequent phrase is “instrument cluster”, in 24 of 216 complaints.
Other 2014 Ford Escape problems
See all 2014 Ford Escape problems or electrical system problems across all Escape years.