2014 Ford Escape SE 1.6, received the "high engine temperature stop safely" warning. No problem, seen it before when I was low on coolant or whatever. Now the vehicle has been sitting in the garage for several hours, just went to check on it, and didn't even start it, warning message is still present and the temp gauge is all the way up vertically redline reading it's still overheated, any thoughts?? Bizarre.

 

That means it was placed in limp mode.
1) plug in your scanner, retrieve the CEL/DTC codes, take the screenshots and attach the pics to here
2) check the coolant level and top it off
3) do not start the car, check for coolant leak
4) disconnect the battery ground for a few hours

 

2014 Ford Escape SE 1.6l, Front wheel drive, automatic

I will get a scanner, its now been sitting for 12 hours, is ice cold and still gives me that message when I turn the key without starting it this morning. No coolant leaks whatsoever. I will disconnect the batter for a bit, when I get the codes I will post. Thank you.

 

Coolant leaks 10 times faster when under pressure (engine running), and when you are driving you can't tell. When engine is off and cool down the coolant level is more accurate how much you have to top off, put a large cardboard underneath then you can tell. It's a good sign but that doesn't mean you have no leaks when it's under pressure. But when it's under pressure and you have no leak, then it's a sign of a big problem, coolant can't evaporated and disappeared or escaped that fast for no reason. Since you already disconnected the battery ground before you plug in the scanner so all previous ones are erased, if they do come back later on when you plug in the scanner you have better picture what's going on.

 

I should put in a disclaimer that I did do a coolant flush, so its very possible i have air in the system. It appears to me with all the effing hoses and crap on these ecoboost engines it may be a pain in the butt to remove air throughout the entire coolant system. I will check for codes, see whats going on.

 

My alldata software covers up to 2007 any car so I don't have any on your 2014. If there is no leak no significant loss of coolant the trapped air in your cooling system can definitely cause it to overheat. So next time you bleed jack up the front just to elevate it so that radiator overflow tank is at the highest possible elevation of the cooling system (when your car doesn't have a bleeder valve), this helps a lot on bleeding.

 

Only active code I have is P1299, Cylinder head overtemperature protection active. Ive had that before when I did have a coolant leak, but there is absolutely no leak now, Im going to swap out this cylinder head temperature sensor and make sure its full with coolant and go from there. There has to be a way to get this overheating pull over safely message and my temperature gauge cleared. Disconnecting the battery for 5 hours didn't do it.

 

Do you think you have a ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature) sensor for PCM and another ECT for gauge as well?
You might want to check the electrical connectors on both ECTs and CHT, sometime it's bad connection and not the sensor itself. Everytime you change out a sensor like this, you have to bleed don't forget.
Also check if your tstat is working probably.
Your new scanner do you think it has live data support? You might want to check the temperature value there as well.

I think there is a recall on the overheating on your 2014, you might want to check that first, simply search 2014 ford escape recall overheating at google.
A quick screenshot below:

 

IF,,,,,,,,,,You have a scan tool that can provide coolant temp and intake air temp readings, when cold before starting the engine, those readings should be the same. If they are not, you will know right away which one is providing false info.

 

Depends on which scan tool he just bought, if Foxwell NT510 Elite, it has bidirectional support, then he can even activate the tstat with the scan tool without waiting till the OE temp, say at 180 degree, just to see if tstat is opening properly. Even without bidirectional support scanner he can still verify the tstat based on ECT reading. Let say all the temperature sensors are working properly but the tstat is stuck or partially stuck closed or not able to read the temperature provided by ECT, then he can find out what to do next.