2014 Ford Explorer complaints

I have been trying to get the recall done for a year and a half only to be told the parts are not available. Just got a letter from Ford that parts were available so I called for appointment. Guess what! No parts. Year and a half and still no parts. This is a real safety issue. There have been known s accidents caused by this part failure yet after all this time I'm told no parts. Crazy!!

Took to dealership to fix previous recall issues and was told clunking noise when turning right is do to needing new rack and pinion system. Previous recall for this excludes the 2014 explorer but covers the 2013 thru 2017.

When driving the Ford Explorer 2014, the power steering seems to be faulty, when turning corners or pulling out of parking spaces the steering wheel is very hard to turn. Re: safety it is very hard to steer and very dangerous, seems like it has a mind of its own. Been inspected by a Ford Dealer in Brattleboro and have been informed that i need to replace the Rack & Pinion Assembly R&R. I have been reading different websites and have noticed that ford explorers from 2013 to 2017 apart from 2014 have been recalled due to steering issues and there are many comments and complaints re: other ford explorers 2014 owners having steering issues. No warning lights have come up on the desk board.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled; however, the appointment was rescheduled for a later date. 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

Hello, my vehicle as I’m driving it jolts. Now it doesn’t happen all the time but , I’ve have noticed it.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine was making loud noises, and then the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled over safely to the side of the road. No warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel; however, a message was displayed to shift the vehicle into park (P). The state patrol arrived on the scene and contacted the towing company. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with water pump failure. The contact was also informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Went to start my 2014 Explorer on and it struggled 3 times before turning on. It showed a "Check Brake System" light in the dashboard for a quick second but other than that the car seemed to be ok. I turned on my information panel to check the temperature gauge and it was normal. Kept it on that while driving my kids to school to make sure if I had to pull over I could. I immediately brought it to Hemborg Ford in Norco, CA. When I first brought it in and they popped my hood my coolant tank was below the recommended line and the service advisor immediately said it's most likely my water pump. They had my SUV for over 24 hours for testing and sure enough it's the water pump. Ford decided to install the water pumps INSIDE the engine rather than outside. This is a very dangerous move as the coolant and oil can mix which can cause a vehicle to shut down unexpectedly. Thankfully I trusted my intuition and took it in when I noticed something off and didn't ruin my engine or overall car. I was quoted $2900 to fix this issue. $2500 in LABOR and $400 in PARTS. This is because the job can take up to 14 hours to complete start to finish due to the location of the pump. This is ridiculous. We need something done. Soooooo many people are paying thousands of money out of pocket for something that shouldn't even be a problem. Look at all these complaints: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/all-about-the-ford-explorer-water-pump-recalls

The Water Pump failed unexpectedly, no warnings or alarms.

The vehicle has such a strong propane smell at times.

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.

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

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.

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.

Upon attempting to pick up my child from school the car began to jerk, hiss, and click. The vehicle gave no warning and recently (2 weeks ago) had was serviced for an oil change. The transmission is the issue. The vehicle is available for inspection. The severe jerking occurred when I was driving at 55 mph which significantly impacted my driving as I abruptly loss power. The vehicle is currently at a repair shop, Harrison’s Transmission in Easton, MD. The vehicle has not been evaluated by insurance, police or manufacturer. There was no warning lights or system notifications prior to the transmission failure.

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.

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.

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

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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.

It’s a dang shame you spend thousands of dollars for a Ford Explorer and because the people that built it were not very smart the people that own them are having to pay thousands of dollars to replace the water pump. And Ford will not recall this or help with the cost. No warning lights come on and then we are stuck with the cost. I will never own another Fire in my life time.

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

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

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was abnormal noise of metal being dragged. The vehicle was shaking and while making a turn the steering wheel was difficult to turn. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the link shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign number 20V692000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,840.

Re: 2014 Ford Explorer VIN: [XXX] I am writing to you with a problem with the Ford vehicle described above.. The two problems I am having seem to have been programmed into the onboard computer to fail after a certain time or mileage. I will address each problem individually starting with the most hazardous one first. The onboard navigation system utilizes a SD card program that becomes outdated as time passes. I have received numerous mailing from Ford notifying me that the original navigation system is outdated and that I should update to a current one at a cost to me of $149.00. The original system works fine for me and I felt no need to upgrade until the system began getting interrupted by prompts to update (see FIGURE 1 below). When the prompt appears the navigation system is no longer operational. The most recent of these interruptions became a serious and hazardous situation. I was driving on the interstate nearing an interchange to switch to a different highway. I was relying on the navigation system to direct me to the correct exit and this is when the prompt appeared. The navigation system was now useless and will only resume normal operation if the vehicle is shut off and restarted. You don’t do this at 70+ mph! My only option was to use my phone which meant I had to program it and while driving this is dangerous. I feel Ford was being irresponsible by programming the prompts into the onboard computer that disable the navigation system in return for the sale of an u

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

Exhaust smell in passenger compartment while driving; similar to sulfur. Feel safety at risk due to smell causing headaches/nausea; concerned about carbon monoxide or other hazardous materials. Vehicle brought to dealer on 12/13/2021 and issue confirmed. Dealer aware of similar complaints across this vehicle type; TSB is available, so Ford is aware, however not catagorized by Ford as a safety issue. Dealer "reset" HVAC system, installed plugs on tailgate and installed tape on rear body module. Dealer stated additional repairs may be necessary as these "fixes" don't always work. No warning lamps, messages or other notifications. Issue first began November 27, 2021.

At one point the Explorer was always causing a rear wheel area to squeal really loud while driving. That finally got remedied but after 3 years of taking the vehicle in to 2 different shops. While yhe vehicle was still under warranty I was told there was nothing wrong and they can't reproduce the squeal. Once the warranty expired they said it was due to a seized brake which I ended up paying for the replacement even though they said this was a known issue on the Explorers. Another issue with the 2014 Explorer is water leaking into the rear compartments and the spare tire area in the vehicle. From online sear he's, this is also a known issue with no recalls. More recently, I was trying to get all four of my tires changed, but was told by the tire shop that they can't change my tires due to swollen lug nuts,this is a known issue on Ford's and I have to take it to a mechanic. I called Ted Britt Ford and inquired about the service to replace the lugs with solid metal lug nuts instead of the OEM chrome plated. Parts department told me they are $10 a piece. I went ahead an ordered them through the parts department. When I picked up my vehicle, I was told they don't sell the solid metal lug nuts and only replaced with the chrome plated OEM lug nuts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

****** DUPLICATE VOQ ****** THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11442983*DJR ***** DUPLICATE VOQ ******

I am writing to notify you of the problems I am experiencing with my 2014 Ford Explorer VIN # [XXX] and to request help to resolve these problems with the vehicle in a timely manner. I purchased the vehicle 8 months ago (March 2021) from Bomnin Chervrolet of Manassas. I began having trouble with the heat temperature on the right passenger side of the vehicle. I took my vehicle to Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Gaithersburg Maryland for recall repairs and my husband explained to service what we have been experiencing with the vehicle. He was told the Carbon monoxide is due to a leak in the manifold and the transfer case was about to go. I have been in contact with my finance company about what has been going on with the vehicle and they instructed me to reach out to the dealership where it was purchased. Which I did and unfortunately, they aren't willing to assist in the major problems with the vehicle. I was told on Monday November 29, 2021 they will be willing to repair heat temperature and that's it. The problems with the truck is the radio touch screen which controls heat, music, seat warmers and so forth isn’t working, temperature on right passenger side, back up camera, carbon monoxide coming thru vents, manifold, and the transfer case needs to be replaced because its about to go; if it hasn't gone already. The truck wont back up without making loud grinding noises and stalling. These problems my family are having substantially impairs the use and valve of my vehicle and creates

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.

My 2014 explorer is having the same steering fault assist recall problem the 2013 has. The power steering stops working and has happened while driving and now it is constantly popping up. Ford won't fix it under the recall.

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.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V435000 (Suspension) and 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and another dealer, John Kennedy Ford of Pottstown (3189 W Ridge Pike, Pottstown, PA 19464) were made aware of the issue and informed the contact that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect on NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V435000 (Suspension). VIN tool confirms parts not available on NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (suspension).

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the oil extremely low warning message was illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. When the engine failed there was absolutely no warning indication. My car is regularly in for oil changes at the dealership between 5-6K miles and there was no indication that there may be coolant in the oil when it was changed. No warning signs indicated on the console except for right before the engine went which was "Extremely Low Oil". Consumer stated climate control system in the rear of the cabinet turns on by itself. Additionally, in the morning or anytime when car is auto started consumer can smell a pungent order like sulfur in the heating system.

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.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the vehicle started to overheat. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was sludge in the engine. The contact was informed that there was coolant leaking into the engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 133,553.

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

Air bag light came on, when I took it in to get looked at they said the wiring harness is faulty and it has been reported by ford as a common issue on this vehicle. As of right now due to the faulty wiring harness rear air bags will not deploy in an accident. They will not cover the expenses of changing it and are charging $600 for the harness plus the labor.

Torque converters failed without notice or warning. Could lead to complete transmission failure and risk passengers and other drivers safety. Dealer has confirmed the issue. Manufacturer has denied any sort of coverage or assistance. Vehicle has less than 52,000 miles and will now require a complete transmission replacement. Faulty engineering and manufacturing. Unacceptable.

I have a 2014 Ford Explorer I bought used. On the passenger side the door panel is pulling away from the door and the armrest. After researching I found out this was covered under a recall so I contacted Ford. The lady I online chatted with told me to set up an appointment at my local Ford dealer to have it fixed that it would be covered under the recall 17N04. I contacted the dealer and they said the would order the part. A few weeks went by and I called to see if the part was in. The dealer informed me Ford would not cover the repair because my recall was over the years, but it was still under the mileage of the repair. They took photos and Ford still refuses to do anything the fix the problem. I then took it to a car repair business and they told me there was nothing they could do to fix it, that it was a design flaw on Fords part and it would need a new door skin. Is there anyway you can help me? I understand the years of the warranty are up but I also understand I have not exceeded the mileage on the recall and now I am stuck with an unrepairable door panel. Sure hoping there is something you can do.

In failure while driving on highway and it was found that the issue was due to a faulty water pump

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact then called a dealer and he was informed that they would charge a diagnostic fee for inspecting the vehicle however, the contact declined. The manufacturer also was notified of the failure and referred him to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000. The VIN was unavailable.

7/20/2020 and before, dashboard light came on with message "check charging system" then steering wheel locked up, turned off engine, waited 2-3 seconds, turned back on and its okay. Kept doing this once in a while, bought new battery, message kept coming on. 07/28/2021 message came on saying "something is draining the juice out of battery". This message came on after we bought a new battery. Told Ford company when getting oil change, they said my battery is charged okay. They don't know whats causing it.

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.

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.

Internal water pump failure. coolant mixing with oil. vehicle shut down unexpectedly while in motion.