2014 Ford Explorer complaints

Rear backup camera is faulty on my 2014 Ford Explorer. It works intermittently or not at all. Sometimes the image on my display is flipped, meaning if I should see grass on the right side of my vehicle while backing up, the image is displaying grass on the left side. There is a recall for newer models of Ford Explorers related to the backup camera, but I believe there is an issue with older models as well.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the transmission warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

Power steering suddenly stopped working making it very difficult to steer. I was turning the corner at a stoplight and nearly ran into another vehicle in the next lane. 1) Power steering. Yes, available for inspection 2) Nearly crashed into another vehicle 3) Have not taken it to a mechanic yet 4) Has not been inspected by the dealer 5) No warning lights were on Looking on the internet, this is a widespread problem with this year of Ford Explorer. There should be a recall for this issue!

When backing up the screen will go black. When I place the car in drive again and back in reverse, it will work for a short period of time then go black again. A warning pops up stating the camera is unavailable and to contact the dealership.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the power steering assist had failed with an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where several software updates were performed, and the braking system was repaired. The contact was later informed that the repairs that were performed would resolve the issue with the power steering. Despite the repairs, the power steering failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair of the power steering. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Ford built the motor with a water pump when it leaks leaks right into the crank case where the oil is so the motor seizes up and that’s what happened to my car now my car is shot

We were driving down the road with our kids in the car when the steering completely went out with absolutely no warning mind you we were on the Thruway doing about 70 which is our speed limit where we live thank God my husband was able to keep the vehicle under control even though it threw us into the other lane and almost made a side swipe another vehicle doing further research on this stupid electric rack and pinion that y'all decided to put in instead of a regular power steering system has so many bad reviews hundreds of hundreds of complaints of accidents caused without warning to the driver something so dangerous and something that could take your lives or the lives of your children within a split second without no warning at all should definitely have a recall on it especially when it's happened to hundreds and hundreds of people if you can put a recall on the toe links because the suspension and that's considered dangerous this is a lot more dangerous than that and should be at the top of the recall list but I did my research there is no recall on it especially for a 2014 my family could have almost died because of a crappy part and people that have replaced the part has had it go out on them again so how safe are your vehicles really how can you stand behind a vehicle that can lock up all steering on you at a moment's notice with no warning and cause potentially a deadly accident do y'all even care about your customers or is it just the money signs you're concerned ab

I purchased the Explorer used in November 2022 and almost immediately began having problems with the Air Bag light coming on intermittently. I contacted the dealership and had it in for repairs multiple times but was told if the light isn't currently illuminated they could not determine the issue. Last time I took it to the dealership the light was on when I dropped it off but they said it was not on when they inspected the vehicle. I picked it up and on the way home the light came on and has now been on constantly for two weeks. I went back to the dealership but they are unable to look at it until next week. I've been told if I were to be in an accident my airbags would not deploy. After some research, I've found this to be an extremely common issue that affects the safety of numerous individuals driving this model vehicle.

Unknown

My 16 year old grandson was driving my car home from school when the traction control light came on and POWER STEERING went out completely. Not only did power steering go out and traction control wasn't working the turn signals were also not working properly making this situation even more dangerous. My grandson had a very difficult time getting the vehicle off the road with no power steering. We were very lucky he didn't have an accident. There was no warning lights prior to power steering/traction control going out as he was driving. I've done some research and it appears this has been a problem with Ford Explorers since 2011 (Safety Recall Notice 145061 NHT5A Recall 14V-286) for some reason 2014 was not included in the recall. I was surprised to find there have been many 2014 ford explorer owners that have experienced the same issues and filed complaints. I have contacted Ford customer service and filed a complaint with them; complaint # (42667416). I'm further angered/disappointed by the recall on 2011-2013 Explorers. WHY WAS 2014 EXCLUDED???!!! This problem has obviously not been corrected. This is a DEADLY situation!!!! My explorer is currently in a Ford shop and the problem was reproduced and diagnosed. They have ordered parts to have repairs completed which is costing approximately $2300 and my vehicle has been out of commission for 2 weeks by the time repairs are completed. I am very disappointed with Ford overlooking this issue which may cause major injury or death.

I am writing to complain about the windshield pillar trim. I just had my left trim fly off while doing 80mph down the interstate. This already happened to my right side last year. This is a safety issue. It could have possibly hit a windshield of a car behind me and caused an accident. I have seen other complaints about this same issue. Can you please do something? I can't afford to keep buying aftermarket replacement trim for the rest of my life. That's like 60 dollars a pop. Also the aftermarket part cracks and doesn't fit snug like an OEM part. Please help. Please help others with this same issue. Thank you for your time. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

April 17, '23 traveling down Mountains in WV to VA the STEERING on 2014 Ford Explorer lost PowerSteering VERY difficult control vehicle descending 9 degree grade on 2 lane highway no place to pull over right then. Had to fight the STEERING down the mountain until I was able to pull off in an Emergency stop area. No dash warning lights, under the hood P/S fluid was good all seemed normal, looked under the car no leak. Rack & Pinion Steering system t no signs of damage. Started car turned Steering wheel back/ forth a few times, heard a GRINDING noise each time I turned the wheel, like metal pieces binding. Since It scared the Wheaties out of me I called for a tow. Quote $400.00 to shop. I called my Husband to get a trailer, get this car as I'm not risking going down a mountain, injuring or killing anyone. 2 -1/2 hrs & 135 miles my husband arrives I finally felt safe. We took it to our mechanic he confirmed RACK and PINION Steering component needs replacing. Suggested to check for SAFETY RECALL seen many fail/break MY 2012-2017. Cost $2K/Part $1200. CERTAINLY a SAFETY HAZARD with little to no control over a 4000lb deadly weapon. Driver cannot manipulate 2nd MOST IMPORTANT (BRAKES being #1) FUNCTION - STEERING- whichever direction or get out of harms way. 2014 EXPLORER NHSTA reports of 1171 total complaints, 2 largest complaints: #1 STEERING(loss of steering control) 374 reported; #2 Suspension-86 reported. See NHTSA ID#11518075-Suspension 2014 Ford Explorer while driving vehicle

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds and was vibrating abnormally. Additionally, the tires experienced a loss of traction while turning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the CV joints twice; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the steering rack and bushings were replaced, and an alignment was performed. The failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was determined that the CV joints needed to be replaced for the third time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the VIN was not included in an unknown TSB. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

I was driving down the freeway at 70 mph when the driver side windshield trim flipped off the car and hit the cars behind me and the roadway. Very dangerous situation. Scary to say the least. Is there a recall or a fix so this does not happen again?

Loss of power steering, electric steering assist is making noise when turning steering wheel. My mechanic said that i need new Gear Assembly, he also said that there is a recall for this for a Ford Explorer years 2011-2013 and 2015-2017 but for some reason there is no recall for 2014 even that its the same part

IN 11-2022, (NOVEMBER 2022), I NOTICED NO HEAT IN CABIN AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, FOUND LOW COOLANT IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. I ADDED COOLANT BUT STARTED NOTICING COOLANT LEAKS ON DRIVEWAYS. HAD VEHICLE CHECKED BY FORD DEALER, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW, AND REGULARLY SERVICED; AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WATER PUMP INSIDE THE 3.5L ENGINE IS BAD WITH A COST OF $4,900 TO FIX. IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS FORD EXPLORER VEHICLES FROM 2011 - 2019 WITH THE 3.5L ENGINE WITH THIS ISSUE. REQUEST INVESTIGATION AND RECALL BY FORD.

While driving down the interstate, a trim piece on the driver's side of the windshield flew off.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after making a left turn, the vehicle jerked in the opposite direction, and then the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and she crashed into a parked vehicle. The check engine and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, she noticed a fluid leak underneath. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V675000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown. The contact stated that the air bags never deployed at the time of the incident. Also, it is difficult to click the seatbelt clip in. The local Ford Service Team was contacted but offered no help, stating that the accident had no correlation to the recall. They stated that they would not be covering the cost of repair for that incident.

Steering wasn't acting right kept pulling to left and right. Acted like it was locking up. Went to leave a parking lot and it wouldn't steer at all. A warning popped up and said Steering loss service immediately.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while making a left turn from a complete stop, the steering wheel failed to return to the center. The contact stated that he manually steered the steering wheel back to the center. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 14S06 and referred the contact to the dealer. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under Ford Campaign Number: 14S06 as the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000. The VIN was not available.

Steering became very difficult, car would not track straight and turning was delayed. The dealer said teeth in the steering box had broken off. Also had a broken suspension strut - front right.

When turning on the rear Auxililary climate control the cabin of the vehicle had a large amount of exhaust smell enter the cabin.

Driving my explorer and the water pump went bad. Got overheat warnings and now I find this happens to all of these engines. A class action suit has been filed. The cost to repair is nearly $4000 for an issue does knew about it? Not recalling and fixing these is negligent and dangerous.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while inspecting the vehicle, the tech stated that the toe link needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer repaired the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to the inspection center again and the tech stated that the toe link needed to be replaced once again and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the rear passenger’s side knuckle needed to be replaced and stated that the vehicle had exceeded the 6 marks for warranty coverage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 123,000.

Lug nuts on wheel, swollen and hard to remove Not able to change or rotate tires, possibly breakage of lug nuts Confirmed by independent service center The vehicle lug nuts have not been inspected First noticed was changing brake pads

Windshield trim flew off while we were driving on the highway. It hit the windshield flying backwards and almost hit a driver behind us. It startled us and almost caused an accident while we were going 75MPH with our kids in the vehicle.

While driving on the highway, the passenger front windshield trim piece flew off, causing the driver behind me to swerve to avoid being hit by it. I was not positive what happened until I was able to stop and look at the vehicle. Dealership said it was not under recall so would cost $300+ to replace the part. Previously in the same day I had heard a tapping/rattling noise but could not identify where the sound was coming from.

We purchased a 2014 Ford Explorer Police utility from the Raleigh Surplus in the summer of 2021. We also had another vehicle, so rarely drove this Explorer until last summer 2022 when we had to sell one vehicle, therefore putting us driving the Explorer only. I had a failed surgery and was no longer able to drive, so that was another reason the Explorer didn't get driven much the first year. Since last summer my husband has been very sick and in and out of doctors and pulmonary specialist. We have tried to figure out what happened all of a sudden. After talking with his pulmonary specialist and her doing numerous blood work, we came to the conclusion it must be the Ford Explorer causing him sickness. He has been put on nighttime oxygen and has lost a great deal of weight, and become very sick with shortness of breath and now with neurological issues. His recent blood work revealed carbon monoxide levels of 11.8 %. After a recent weekend admission to the hospital, the pulmonary doctor orders were to get rid of this Explorer. We need a vehicle to drive, because this is our only way of transportation. I called corporate and got a case number of CAS-41523358 and was told to call a Ford dealership and get the vehicle there asap. I called Alex at 919-366-8000 Leith Ford, the closest dealership and he said I need to get in touch with [email protected] . I did 2 weeks ago and he is ignoring me. I also get nausea and dizziness and headaches in the vehicle. My daughter drove it one night

My 2014 Ford explore Set fire and lost control of steering on the highway the transfer case set fire, which made the driveshaft explode and twist. There were no warning signs of this. And we are very lucky that we were not hurt in this we have lost so much money and time there is no way that this was not due to a recall when I contacted Ford they pretty much told me the car was totaled and I was going to have to pay a lot of money depending on how much damage the fire did.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Back up camera works intermittently. It frequently gives a message stating thet the camera is not available and owner should contact the dealer.

My Ford Explorer had a rear suspension toe link Recall, and in December I took my vehicle to the Ford dealership to get it fixed. At that time, they did a full vehicle inspection, fixed the part, and told me everything looked great. Shortly after the service, we had a snow storm, and my SUV would fishtail in Icy/snowy conditions. Every time it'd snow, it made me so scared to drive, because I'd essentially not have control over my vehicle. The issue wasn't present when the roads were clear. Within the two months since that service, my back tires have gone completely bald, down to the wires. I recently got in a car accident because my car wouldn't complete a turn and ended up t-boning a Tundra on a residential street. Luckily I was going slow so the damage to the other vehicle was minimal, and no obvious injuries have resulted from the accident. I was able to remove some of the plastic pieces around the fender, in order to still drive it, so I took it to the Ford dealership that originally serviced my car for an inspection. Now that the dealership has inspected my vehicle, they're claiming that it's not on their liability and that they're not responsible for any of the damage. Now the alignment is off on both the front and back, and the strut is bent (whether that's from the accident or not, we don't know). The Manager admitted that when servicing my vehicle they were only allowed to perform a rear alignment, but a front alignment was never suggested or offered to me. When alig

While driving on highway the trim on the side of the windshield flew off .

Water pump leakage

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while accelerating at slower speeds, the vehicle hesitated while shifting gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

Backup camera works intermittently

Turn off vehicle one day and that next started it and cannot turn the wheel what so ever. Was able to start vehicle and remove keys from ignition. Steering did release a day or two later, but seized up and cannot remove keys or use the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the front driver’s side windshield trim panel detached. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where the trim panel was replaced. The same failure also occurred with the passenger’s side trim panel and the panel was also replaced by the same body shop. Recently, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred on the driver’s side windshield panel. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE23001 (Structure). The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The steering gear failed. The vehicle's steering wheel was locked in the fully right hand turn position and could not be moved. Luckily, this happened in my driveway. If this happened on the road, a crash could have occurred, possibly causing injury to myself or others. The problem has been confirmed by my mechanic. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps but the steering was jerky about 1 week prior to completely locking up.

The traction control sensor will come on out of nowhere making a loud noise and causing the vehicle to jerk to a stop. Yes it is available for inspection and has already been taken to a dealership. My safety is out at risk because the vehicle almost jerks to a stop when the traction control kicks in when not needed. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealer. The component has been inspected and reset according to the work report from the dealership. There were no other warning lamps, messages or symptoms before this issue began. According to the dealership my vehicle was taken to they said they have seen this issue on several other vehicles and usually is fixed with the process they performed on my vehicle for $545.09. And if that didn’t fix it that I would have to spend approx $2,500 to get the ABS module replaced. This issue a a safety concern and I don’t feel like I should be liable to pay for these repairs especially when the dealership has said that they have seen this issue before on other vehicles. I feel this repair should be covered under a safety recall and that ford should reimburse me for the original repairs that did not fix the issue. They stated that they test drove my vehicle before and after the repairs but how is that when the mileage in and out of the shop on their repair order is the same mileage…???

Driving on highway approx. 65-70 mph windshield trim on passenger side flew off, over car onto highway. I was unable to retrieve piece due to number of vehicles on the 3-lane highway. Have noticed other Explorers in Colorado missing same piece. Thanks for looking into this issue.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while making a right or left turn, there was a loud sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that the failure persisted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced; however, the parts for the repair were on backorder. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the parts for the repair. The contact was informed the vehicle was inoperable. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after stopping at stop sign, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that after driving a short distance the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that whenever the vehicle came to a stop the failure would reoccur. The contact stated that a message to check the charging system was displayed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer to diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel inadvertently turned to the right and then seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a popping sound and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the engine shut off. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rotor fractured, and coolant leaked into the engine and the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

I have had the windshield replaced for the trim coming loose on both sides. I was able to use duct tape to keep them in place until replacement. That was a few years back. Then it happened again. Now it is happening again. So 3 times in 8 years.

Driver’s side windshield molding detached while driving 70 miles per hour on highway, unknown if object hit another car. Was unaware what happened, heard loud noise. I have a picture, unable to upload below.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. In addition, while reversing out of a parking space, the failure recurred with the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where and diagnosed with power steering failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

The drivers side pillar molding piece along the windshield flew off the car while driving down the highway. It could have struck the car behind us but luckily it missed them. The piece seemed a little loose when scraping ice off the car but didn’t seem like it would just fly off like that.

WINDSHIELD TRIM PIECES HAVE BLOWN OFF MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAD TO BE REATTACHED BY BODY SHOP. LOCATED TRIM PIECE ON SIDE OF HIGHWAY. LIKELY PUT DRIVERS IN REAR IN DANGER DUE TO FLYING DEBRIS. NO WARNING WAS GIVEN OF THE FAULTY PIECES COMING FREE FROM THE SUV.