Engine Failure problems of the 2014 Ford Escape

Driving down road. Car said engine failure pulled over poped the hood and engine caught on fire and car burned total loss.

Tl the contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. While the contact's husband was driving 40 mph, the "engine failure" warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The driver smelled and observed smoke emitting from the hood. A fire occurred under the hood and the driver was able to locate a fire extinguisher and put out the flames himself. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not able to be driven. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17v209000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was towed to sonju all american superstore (located at 893 scenic dr, two harbors, mn 55616, (218) 834-2101) where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 73,589.

The car's engine will cut off, lights and electricity will stay on, but the engine will cut out while driving. Acceleration is lost, and cannot start moving again until the car is put in park, turned off, and turned back on. This is while the car is in motion. This has happened at 30 mph and slower, as well as 55 mph. The car will give an engine fault or engine failure and begin jerking. This happens on the highway and city streets. The most recent time, the car began jerking after turning and could not stay on for longer than 10 seconds before shutting off. This has happened at least 6-10 times, and almost caused car accidents. Multiple parts have been replaced, and the issue still happens.

March of 2018 engine starting ticking, took it in for oil change and asked them to look at it. Got it back the next day, they told me it was the alternator ticking and it was normal. November of 2018 took my car back in for tire, told them about the ticking again and said it wasn't the alternator, something in the engine is ticking and now it idles rough. The put new tires on it did a 60,000 mile engine performance (I only had 50,000 miles on it) February 2019, I was getting on the expressway and it started shaking, the rpm's jumped to 5 and back down to 2 them back up to 5 or 6 and the car would not maintain speed. Took the car to bronde's Ford, they told me I blew the engine. Paid to have the short block replaced, got the car back 2 weeks later, no more ticking. Drove my car for 4 weeks and on my way to work on us223, 55mph, my car started vibrating again and my engine light was flashing. I turned around, took the car back to bronde's again. They had the car for 4 weeks this time. Replaced the short block and head gasket again. Both times it was cylinder 4 in my engine. This time I had my car for 13 days. I was getting on the expressway 23 north and barely got going and the car did a little hesitation. I looked over at the panel and the engine light was flashing again. I pulled off the very next exit and the car was smoking so bad, I thought it was going to catch on fire. Pulled off and called bronde's to send a tow truck. I could smell a sweet smell and know I blew a head gasket again. Bronde's sent a car hauler and loaded it up. He turned the key and it read engine failure failure failure. In 14 1/2 weeks I have had my car in 3x for a blown engine. I am still making payments on this car and it is junk.

The vehicle stalled while driving down a rural highway. A sudden jerk was felt and then �engine failure� appeared on the display. The car began to smoke and within seconds the engine compartment was fully engulfed. It was later learned that this vehicle had a recall related to a defect that has caused several similar cases. This recall notice was never received by us, therefore went unfixed. This vehicle has been worked on by a certified Ford dealership since the recall and the recall went unnoticed there as well.

I was driving up the interstate after work and while I was driving I began to notice smoke. I looked around and realized it was my car. I pulled over to the side and my car started flashing everything on the dash panel was red and flashing engine failure. I cut the car off and then went to try and pop the hood, I couldn't get it opened and I looked down and began to see flames. I called 911 and my car engulfed in flames. I had a recall on my car for a problem with the engine cylinder head saying that it could cause an engine fire if oils were to get out and hit a hot surface. I got my recall fixed and then my car caught on fire a few weeks later.

My son was driving my 2014 Ford Escape on the street to I-25 when he thought he smelled smoke, then the engine failure flashed on the screen and the engine turned itself off. He was able to move the vehicle to a safe location then he popped the hood and saw flames so he shut the hood and called the fire department.

December 3 2016 I was driving down the road on hwy 111 and the engine shut down. I coasted over to the shoulder of the road and put the vehicle in park. The instrument panel displayed engine failure, immediate attention required. Smoke was coming from under the hood. I got out of the vehicle and raised the hood and flames started coming from the engine area and spread very quickly. I called 911 to put the fire out. Cause of fire is unknown. A police report was filled out but I don't have it at this time.

For the first incident, the car's warning light came on and said "engine failure - service immediately. " I attempted to proceed to the dealer for service but, before I made it off of our street, the car began to shake and shudder violently, then died in the middle of the road. I was able to get it to coast to a small parking area. As it would not start again, it required a tow to the dealer. The dealer informed me that it was a sensor issue and ensured that it was repaired and would not happen again. Today (may 10th) a similar issue occurred, though this time it was while I was pulling into traffic. Again, the same warning light came on. I attempted to turn and get the car home but, before I could do this, the car began to shake again and the engine lost power. This required another tow to the dealership for repair; the vehicle is presently in the shop.

While accelerating to pass a slower vehicle the engine started stumbling and went into some type of limp mode and lost power. I had to rapidly pull back into the slower lane to avoid having cars behind me rear-end me. I stopped the car, turned it off , and when I restarted the car the problem was gone. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealer but they stated there was no error codes stored in the ecu so they couldn't diagnose or fix the problem. Then a few months later it happened again just like before- I was passing a slower vehicle and suddenly the car went into a limp mode and I lost power and had to quickly pull back into the slow lane to avoid having cars from behind rear-end me. This time I had my wife use her phone to video the engine failure lights on the dash. Again I had to stop my car, turn it off, and when I restarted the cars it was ok. And again I took it to a different Ford dealer, I showed them the video of the problem occurring, but again they couldn't find an error code so they said they could not fix the problem. My wife is afraid to take this car on trips because she is afraid the problem will happen again and she will be rear-ended. I did some internet research on this issue and there are numerous complaints from other drivers describing the exact same problem. The two Ford dealers we took the car never told us that this is a known problem and there have recalls for the older Escapes for the same issue. Nhtsa can you help before someone gets hurt.