2014 FORD EXPLORER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
1,997
Owner Complaints
7
Recalls
14
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
The 2014 FORD EXPLORER has received a total of 1,997 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 9 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS, SUSPENSION:REAR. 14 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Steering (478 complaints), Unknown Or Other (324 complaints), and Engine (195 complaints).
Recalls for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
NHTSA has recorded 9 recalls for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER, potentially affecting up to 6,150,721 vehicles.
Recall 24V031000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
| 1,889,110 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
View full details →Recall 24V031000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
| 1,889,110 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
View full details →Recall 21V537000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 631,176 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V692000 — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
| 15,587 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 20V675000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 454,941 vehicles affected
Defect: 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....
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 19V435000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 1,194,173 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 17E048000 — WHEELS:HUB
| 630 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 17E048000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 630 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Recall 16V245000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 75,364 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
1,997 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side A-pillar trim on 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 vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the A-pillar trim had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 109,101.
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 while driving 60 MPH, the passenger's side windshield exterior A-Pillar trim separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected, and the dealer confirmed that the part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.
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 front driver's side and passenger's side windshield exterior A-Pillar trims had separated from the vehicle while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not 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 failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
PTU failure, due to no maintenance service recommended for PTU, PTU failure has been a ongoing issue due to the position of the PTU,location of changing fluid and no mileage recommended for regular service or recommended regular service in the owners manual
PTU failure, due to no maintenance service recommended for PTU, PTU failure has been a ongoing issue due to the position of the PTU,location of changing fluid and no mileage recommended for regular service or recommended regular service in the owners manual
Safety Rating for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
The 2014 FORD EXPLORER received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
Ford Motor Company has issued 14 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
22N01 S1 — SUSPENSION
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Program Terms: added 21R01 and 21R02 REASON FOR PROVIDING A NO-COST, ONE-TIME REPAIR: added 21R01 and 21R02 OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE: added mailing schedule for 21R01 and 21R02 OASIS ACTIVATION: added 21R01 and 21R02
22N01 — WHEELS
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement Ref 21S32 Submitting Owner Letter
21B11 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 Certain 2014-2016 Model Year Explorer Vehicles 2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt: In all of the affected vehicles, the air bag light may illuminate as a result of a worn or damaged connection to the rear inflatable seat belt connector.
21B11 — AIR BAGS
Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 Certain 2014-2016 Model Year Explorer Vehicles 2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt: In all of the affected vehicles, the air bag light may illuminate as a result of a worn or damaged connection to the rear inflatable seat belt connector.
21B14-S1 — SUSPENSION
Certain 2013 through 2017 Model Year Explorer and Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles that are Registered or Sold in Certain States/Provinces; Rear Toe Link Ball Joint Inspection This program is a proactive investigation by Ford Motor Company to obtain field data and parts for testing. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program...
17G01-S1 — SUSPENSION
Certain 2013-2016 Model Year Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles - Rear Suspension Toe Link Replacement
17N03-S1 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles - Carbon Monoxide Concerns
17M06 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
Certain 2014 Model Year Police Interceptor Sedan and 2014-2016 Model Year Police Interceptor Utility Vehicles - Canister Purge Valve Leaks
TSB 16-0144 — ENGINE
SOME 2014-2015 EXPLORER AND TAURUS VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.5L OR 3.7L TI-VCT ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN ILLUMINATED MIL WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0138 AND/OR P0158 STORED IN POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) MEMORY. FOLLOW THE SERVICE PROCEDURE STEPS TO CORRECT THE CONDITION.
16-0047 — POWER TRAIN
HARSH ENGAGEMENT DURING ELEVATED IDLE - AMBIENT TEMPERATURE BELOW -9 °C ISSUE Some 2013-2015 Explorer vehicles located in Russia and equipped with a 3.5L Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) engine, may exhibit a harsh engagement during elevated idle. The condition usually occurs while ambient temperature is below -9°C. ACTION...
Showing 10 of 14 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2014 FORD EXPLORER
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 2014 FORD EXPLORER.
Investigation EA17002 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE Closed
Opened:
Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab
Other Model Years of the FORD EXPLORER
- 2009 FORD EXPLORER — 49 complaints
- 2010 FORD EXPLORER — 154 complaints
- 2011 FORD EXPLORER — 1,477 complaints
- 2012 FORD EXPLORER — 1,014 complaints
- 2013 FORD EXPLORER — 2,735 complaints
- 2014 FORD EXPLORER (current)
- 2015 FORD EXPLORER — 2,105 complaints
- 2016 FORD EXPLORER — 2,925 complaints
- 2017 FORD EXPLORER — 1,893 complaints
- 2018 FORD EXPLORER — 801 complaints
- 2019 FORD EXPLORER — 293 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints
- FORD MUSTANG — 11,551 total complaints