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
1,678 reports, newest first.
Structure, Oct 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after a routine front windshield replacement, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s side A-Pillar trim detached. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic and was repaired out-of-pocket. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Structure, Oct 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Other or unspecified, Oct 26, 2025
My 2014 Explorer back up camera goes blank with a blacked screen while trying to back up. When in reverse the camera goes blank back on then blank again. This problem has caused several near misses while backing up.
Engine, Oct 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle jerked, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and then the engine stalled. After several attempts, the vehicle was restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, when the contact was able to restart the vehicle, the failure recurred after driving a short distance. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 23, 2025
side-to-side reversed image on a 2014 Ford Explorer's backup camera
Structure, Oct 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Electrical system, Oct 23, 2025
When my vehicle is in reverse the back up camera shuts off or shows inverted.
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Oct 22, 2025
The rear back uo camera. The camera will randomly flip the screen when backing up & lose the lines or the screen goes black and nothing appears. It has not been confirmed byxa dealership yet. There were no warnings. There has been a recall for the 2015 explorer and up. Can the 2014 explorer be added to the recall aswell?
Structure, Oct 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated the driver's side A-pillar and the passenger's side A-pillar trims had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while it rained, water entered inside the vehicle. The dashboard, the carpet, and the dome light were wet. The contact stated that water dripped down into the console area. The contact believed that the water entered through the dome light. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
Structure, Oct 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Structure, Oct 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Electrical system, Oct 19, 2025
The back up camera blackouts every so often. Backing out of a parking spot then the screen blacked out and almost hit a person that walked behind the vehicle. No, it hasn’t been inspected but there is a recall on backup cameras from Ford, on several different models from 2015 to 2023 which my 2014 explorer is experiencing. No warning at all. It just started to blackout. It started couple months ago.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 17, 2025
Backup camera displays opposite. Power driver seat doesn’t lower making it difficult to reach the pedals
Other or unspecified, Oct 17, 2025
Backup camera not working. It will show a black screen or yellow triangle instead of the back up camera turning on.
Back over prevention, Oct 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera system independently powered on and off. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Back over prevention, Oct 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera displayed a black screen. In addition, the error message indicated that the back-over prevention camera was unavailable. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Steering, Oct 5, 2025
Steering gear failure and faulty eps module. Second event. The full assembly and eps failed, and fatal crash was avoided.
Power train, Sep 30, 2025
PTU (transfer case) failure during a drive when I was making a safe left turn across traffic and the car quit moving forward with oncoming traffic inbound. Mazda has recalled this part but ford has not. There are so many failures the part is out of stock for months. The ptu design was set up for failure as a non serviceable part
Steering, Sep 30, 2025
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Electronic Steering Gear failed causing the steering to "stick" at certain points of steering, and causing a loud rubbing noise. The steering is also more "loose" and feels insecure. Yes it is available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure of the electronic steering gear can cause unexpected failure of steering ability while operating the vehicle. This could cause a severe accident going any speed, but especially if I were on the highway. A crash due to loss of steering ability could kill me, my family, and others on the road. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, my local Ford dealership has confirmed the issue and stated that they won't repair it because it isn't part of any open recall, even though there was a major recall (14S06/NHTSA 14V-286) opened for the prior model year of my vehicle. Ford should have included 2014 in that recall since the issues persists in 2014 models and is evident by the other 200+ Technical Service Bulletins posted by Ford. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? It's been inspected by my local Ford dealership. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or messages. I noticed the issue after picking the vehicle up from the Ford dealership. They didn't notice the issue until I reported it to them, meaning they missed it during their maintenance inspections and check-up. I noticed the issue on September 21, 2025.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 27, 2025
Engine stopped working I wanna know if there is a warranty
Structure, Sep 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield started to detach. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 300,000.
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2025
The rear backup camera has been glitching for years. The screen will go completely blank or glitch in and out. Sometimes the infotainment center says it cannot detect the rear camera. This puts the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and those in the car at risk when backing up. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by both a dealer and an independent service center. The component has not been inspected because it would cost up to $2,000 just to diagnose the issue. There are no warning lamps or codes for this issue. As stated, sometimes the infotainment center gives a message saying that the rear camera was not detected.
Back over prevention, Sep 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the rear-view camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the image displayed on the screen was inverted, making it difficult to safely maneuver the vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for further assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Other or unspecified, Sep 15, 2025
REAR BACK UP CAMERA IMAGE IS REVERSED NOT ALWAYS IN COLOR CAMERA STAYS ON ONCE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE FOR SOMETIMES UP TO 20 SECONDS IMAGE IS NOT DISPLAYED AT ALL TIMES WHEN IN REVERSE AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WITHIN 24 HOURS THERE IS A 'SYSTEM UPDATE' THAT AFFECTS INFOTAINMENT SCREEN INCLUDING BLUETOOTH
Structure, Visibility/wiper, Sep 15, 2025
The vehicle inspection to see if our vehicle qualified for the recall to replace the A-Pillar trim was done well over a year ago. The inventory has been on backorder for over a year as well. The windshield desperately needs replaced for safety reasons and the windshield cannot be replaced without replacing these recalled pieces. We are having to pay $200 extra out of pocket to replace these defective pieces. According to Ford they will not reimburse for the repair since they notified us of the recall, but they haven't been able to fix the problem in a timely manner and we need a new windshield immediately. So I believe they should reimburse us for these parts we have to pay out of pocket for due to not being able to fix the recall.