2014 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 1,678 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 32 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 38 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, body, roof and pillarsJan 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Campaign 24V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJul 15, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Campaign 21V537000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearMar 12, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Campaign 20V675000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftNov 10, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.
The failed bracket could result in a loss of park function which can cause unintended vehicle movement, and loss of motive power while driving which increases the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall began February 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S63.
Campaign 20V692000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJun 10, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Campaign 19V435000 on NHTSA.gov
Wheels, hubAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 17E048000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearApr 26, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured January 17, 2014 to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles may have improperly welded rear suspension toe links that may fracture.
A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S18.
Campaign 16V245000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
498 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Mar 9, 2022
my wife own's a 2014 ford explorer and we been having problems with the power steering assist fault. on 5/7/2021 we had a message display on the dash saying power steering assist fault while she was on the way to work. when this happens you have no steering and goes into manual steering and is hard to steer. she got the vehicle off to the shoulder of the road and turned vehicle off and restarted it and power steering message went away. she took it to our local ford dealer and the scanned it for the problem and they gave her a code of C1BOO and code U3000 and both codes ford manufacturer says it is a information code saying doesn't require parts or to be diagnosed or replaced. now on 2/23/2022 the same problem happened while taking my 7 yr old daughter to school and message on the dash came on saying power steering assist fault service and she had no previous warning and the steering locked up while going down the road. so we took it back to the ford dealer again and they quoted us a price of 2175 before tax to have it repaired. yes it has 90,000 miles on the vehicle but the first time we took it in it had a extended warranty. so i called ford customer complaint and they told me there was nothing they could do cuz the vin# had no recalls on it and i told them someone is going to get seriously injured if not killed. there is page after page of this problem happening to other ford explorer owners and its pretty pathetic that ford has been having this problem with the explorer's since 2011 for what i have been reading.
Steering, Mar 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while her husband was driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized and could not be turned. The contact stated that the "Steering Loss Stop Safely" warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband pulled off the roadway and stopped the vehicle. The vehicle was towed back to the contact's home and later towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the steering gear box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Steering, Feb 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10-12 MPH and coming to a stop, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the failure almost caused a crash. The contact quickly veered to the emergency lane and turned on the hazard lights. The traction control warning light and the warning message "Steering Loss. Stop Safely" illuminated. The vehicle was being towed to the dealer and had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Steering, Feb 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while pulling into a parking spot, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Steering, Feb 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse from the residence, the steering failed to turn either to the left or the right. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,658. Vehicle has not been repaired.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT BELIEVED IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL 14V28600.
Steering, Feb 16, 2022
Was pulling up to gas pumps when steering failed/locked. Was able to stop vehicle to avoid collision with pumps. Steer Assist Fail warning light came on. Shut vehicle off and warning light went out and steering came back. Brought vehicle home and used other to go to work. Was told by dealer that the Steering Rack is faulted and needs replacement at 71000 miles. The 2014 Steering racks fail at between 60000-80000 miles just as the 2011-2013 Explorers do and need to be recalled before someone is killed.
Steering, Feb 10, 2022
While driving I noticed the power steering had failed. The steering was difficult and jerky while making turns and while coming out of turns. With the steering inconsistent the vehicle would on occasion not come out of the turn on it's own and put myself and my family at risk of an accident. The vehicle was brought to Salem NH Ford and the problem was found to be the steering rack and lower steering u-joint, shaft assembly, and pinion. There were no warning lights on the dash. Repairs for vehicle totaled $3,346.31
Steering, Suspension, Feb 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel there was an abnormal knocking and ticking sound detected. The maintenance warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was provided a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 21V537000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Steering, Jan 24, 2022
Engine water pump leak the pump is internal and can potentially cause engine damage. Steering some times the power assist fails and you have to turn-off and restart the car to get the steering to work
Steering, Jan 12, 2022
My steering started going out when I was merging infront of a truck. I was almost run off the road and hit by the truck at the same time but I muscled it.. it started working again for a second then went completely out saying power steering disabled pull over safely. I finally got to a place where I could pull over. Called a tow truck and my car has been sitting at the shop for months because Ford won't send the parts that were ordered. In looking up ways to get the parts I saw that there were so many other complaints of the same exact problem. I then looked up to see if there was a recall and the make and model was part of a recall but in looking up the VIN# it didn't show a recall. This issue could have killed me and from the other reports I've read it almost killed many others with the same car as well. Power Steering was inoperative. Code U3000 (control module) stored. Replace PCSM and program. PCSM is integrated into the steering rack. Integral part of the steering gear assembly. Includes lower subframe Program PCM. Is what the mechanic has put on the service order. My car was towed to the mechanic on 11/3/21. The part was ordered but Ford has yet to fill the order. The date today is 1/12/22
Steering, Jan 3, 2022
Steering Gear Failure. Mileage: 119,000 - ERROR MSG: "Steering Wheel Default. Seek immediate attention". Visiting family over the holidays in a different State - December 23th. Complete Steering shutdown. There are already recalls by Ford on their 2011-2013 for this very problem. - This was a very early 2014 model Sept/Oct. of 2013. Ford dealer quoted greater than > $2500.00 to replace. No Parts availability - Amazing that other owners of 2014 Explorers have the exact same steering problem just within the past 2-3 months on this site. Please Ford !!!!! - Time to include 2014 as part of an earlier recall for SAME EXACT PROBLEM for previous 3 model years
Steering, Dec 22, 2021
Steering gear failure. Ford dealer estimate $2,900 to replace the entire steering gear. A new part is not available, and there is no ETA on re-manufactured parts. The vehicle is unsafe to drive, and therefore unusable. There are recalls on 2011-2013 and 2015-2019 electronic assist steering gear systems for the same exact issue, why was 2014 was excluded, why does the vehicle require the entire steering gear after only 7 years of use, and why wont Ford take responsibility for a known failing and dangerous product. Ford CRC case # CAS34688035 has refused to take responsibility or assist.
Steering, Dec 9, 2021
PCSM Power steering module. Sensor on Rack and pinion. Can inspect if needed. Steering goes out at random. Can be driving at any speed and loose all steering elements and traction control. Complete loss of steering occurs occasionally. Ford confirmed the issue and stated it was recalled in 2011-2013 models but not 2014, $2500 fix. Three lights appeared as all steering was lost on highway: Terrain management system fault, Power steering assist fault, service advanced track.
Steering, Dec 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the “Steering Wheel Default, Seek Immediate Attention” warning message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 168,075.
Steering, Dec 7, 2021
****** DUPLICATE VOQ ****** THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11442983*DJR ***** DUPLICATE VOQ ******
Steering, Dec 7, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the "Steering Wheel Default, Seek Immediate Attention" warning message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 168,075.
Steering, Dec 4, 2021
Recently started experiencing a weird noise coming from the front end near the wheel area. The noise was also physical since I could feel it through the steering wheel. I did take it to a manufacturer locally they could not duplicate the issue. I explained to them that they needed to keep it longer than a couple hours in order to duplicate the problem. I did feel like the dealer did not inspect my vehicle long enough by keeping it and driving it.
Steering, Nov 15, 2021
When turning the steering wheel, you can hear a terrible squeaking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle in the center. Over time the squeaking gets worse and worse. Steering the vehicle is becoming harder to control, when letting off the gas, the whole steering wheel will stay straight but the actual wheels are quickly do a hard pull to the right. This is extremely unsafe and is likely to cause an accident. Yes the problem has been reproduced by a service center. They told me this is the same issue with the 2013 (1 year older) and there was a recall on that year, however not the 2014, even though the same part was used in the 2014 also. There are no warning lamps, or messages. They have been gradually getting worse since I purchased the vehicle.
Steering, Oct 27, 2021
After having the Water Pump exchanged (on 9/8/21) and a multi-point inspection done, and finding no issues, we went on a road trip. While driving on freeways, we noticed that while in a gentle curve of the road to the left, the steering wheel would not return to the neutral position when the road straightened. As we drove home, it became worse, to where we we would have to forcefully turn the wheel to straighten back to neutral. Returned Explorer to dealership 9/21/21. They finally were able to figure out it was the Rack and Pinion that needed replaced. We got the Explorer back on 10/13/21. Please hold Ford responsible for this issue as they have not fixed the problem that was on other years and this is no different.
Steering, Oct 22, 2021
The electric power steering is failing. Turning the steering wheel is becoming more difficult. I fear it will completely stop working. Earlier 2013 models have recalls for this. There has not been a recall for the 2014 model. I am bringing it to the Ford dealer 10/26/2021
Steering, Sep 11, 2021
On August 14th, whilst on vacation in New Mexico, the steering of my 2014 Ford Explorer completely seized in the middle of the road, and left us helpless. Thankfully, we were on a relatively quiet side street in Taos. Just a few days earlier we were traveling up and down the steep winding roads to the top of Pikes Peak. We are thankful that this malfunction did not happen during this time, as the results could have been catastrophic. I have since read related safety recall notices for this issue, and the symptoms described in thse notices are exactly as I experienced. I am very surprised that my vehicle is not covered by any of the safety recalls. The failed rack and pinion was sent back to Ford for analysis. It is a sealed unit so the Ford mechanics at Capitol Ford in Sante Fe were unable to comment.I have attached a photo of the part. For reference with the cost of towing, repairs, car rental and flights, my outlay has been approximately $4,500. I have the necessary documentation to support this figure.
Steering, Sep 7, 2021
About 2 weeks ago my steering wheel started making a noise whenever I turned the wheel both parked or moving. Since then it has progressed into a loud grinding noise. The wheel is sticking while driving on the highway and I have to force it to move at times. It does not return freely anymore on it's own to a straight forward position. After having the vehicle inspected atva local suspension shop, they told me it's dangerious and I could loose my steering entirely while driving and to have the rack and pinion replaced. I can see this is a common problem with this model and there was a similiar recall a few years prior for a similar problem. I don't think the proper improvements to the rack and pinion where ever applied in later models and there should be another recall or the prior recall should be extended. Thank you.
Steering, Aug 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact had to turn the steering wheel with force to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that the cruise control was disabled, and the traction control warning light was illuminated when the failure occurred. The contact drove the vehicle home. The contact started the vehicle the following day and the power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 143,310. Consumer stated the following morning steering locked up and was taken to the dealer. Dealer stated power steering needed to be replaced. While loading power steering broke free but makes a lot of noise. Consumer has not driven the vehicle since the failure and has noted 2014 Explorers were not included in the recalls.
Steering, Aug 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and occasionally at start-up, the vehicle would suddenly lose power steering functionality. The power steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle several times the power steering regained normal function. The contact stated that recently the power steering failed to reset. The dealer was contacted and stated that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 162,423.
Steering, Aug 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 139,000.