2014 Ford EXPLORER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Ford EXPLORER has 2036 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 25.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: to avoid hitting another vehicle that illegally came into the lane i was entering (they were driving on the shoulder), i had to take evasive action, which caused me to turn my vehicle into a curb. at the time, i was traveling 15 to maybe 20 mph. after hitting the curb, my vehicle came to a stop an. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 25 crash reports 34 injuries

2036

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

25.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

495 complaints

24%

• TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT ILLEGALLY CAME INTO THE LANE I WAS ENTERING (THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER), I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH CAUSED ME TO TURN MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB. AT THE TIME, I WAS TRAVELING 15 TO MAYBE 20 MPH. AFTER HITTING THE CURB, MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AN
• LUCKILY WE WERE COMING TO A STOP ANYWAY WHEN WE LOST POWER STEERING. LOUD WARNING BEEPS WITH A MESSAGE SAYING "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULTY" APPEARED. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP AND START THE ENGINE TO RESET THIS, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WE TOOK OUR NEW 2014 FORD TO OUR CULLMAN, ALABAMA ECK
• VEHICLE STOPPED TO LET PASSENGERS OFF. STOPPED ENGINE. RESTARTED THE ENGINE, STARTED TO PULL AWAY FROM CURVE AND POWER STEERING FAILED AND RECEIVED STEERING ASSIST FAULT ALARM. VEHICLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DRIVEN WITH NO POWER STEERING. ALSO, NOTED THE FOLLOWING: TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT, SERVICE ADVANC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT ILLEGALLY CAME INTO THE LANE I WAS ENTERING (THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER), I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH CAUSED ME TO TURN MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB. AT THE TIME, I WAS TRAVELING 15 TO MAYBE 20 MPH. AFTER HITTING THE CURB, MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

339 complaints

17%

• WHEN DRIVING MY 2014 FORD EXPLORER AT ANY SPEED AND ON ANY TERRAIN, THE EXHAUST FUMES ENTER INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS EXTREME, CAUSES HEADACHES, NAUSEA, AND TENDS TO BURN MY EYES AS WELL AS MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO IS WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME. BECAUSE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH PEOP
• UPON HEAVY ACCELERATION (TO ENTER THE FREEWAY, FOR EXAMPLE) A STRONG ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES ENTERS THE CABIN. IT IS NECESSARY TO OPEN A WINDOW IN ORDER TO BREATH AGAIN! THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME UPON ENTERING THE FREEWAY, AND IF/WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
• UPON ACCELERATION EXHAUST ENTERS THE VEHICLE CABIN. SOMETIMES EXHAUST ENTERS THE VEHICLE CABIN WITHOUT ACCELERATION. I THOUGHT I HAD REPORTED THIS BEFORE. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“WHEN DRIVING MY 2014 FORD EXPLORER AT ANY SPEED AND ON ANY TERRAIN, THE EXHAUST FUMES ENTER INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS EXTREME, CAUSES HEADACHES, NAUSEA, AND TENDS TO BURN MY EYES AS WELL AS MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO IS WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME. BECAUSE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH PEOP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

273 complaints

13%

• TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR CUP HOLDER BUT FOUR OF HIS FINGERS BECAME STUCK INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO PRY THE HOLDER OPEN IN ORDER TO RELEASE HIS FINGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEA
• PANEL BELOW REAR WINDOW CRACKED. NOT DUE TO ACCIDENT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF ABUSE. *TR
• AT FIRST THE ONLY TIME WE WOULD NOTICE EXHAUST ENTERING THE CABIN WAS AFTER HARD ACCELERATION. NOW IT SEEMS THAT A LOWER SPEEDS EXHAUST IS ENTERING REGARDLESS OF ACCELERATION LEVELS ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR CUP HOLDER BUT FOUR OF HIS FINGERS BECAME STUCK INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO PRY THE HOLDER OPEN IN ORDER TO RELEASE HIS FINGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

263 complaints

13%

• I BOUGHT MY FORD EXPLORER 2014 ON JULY 1ST 2013. ON AUGUST 1ST, 2013, MY CAR DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WHILE I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT TO 'D' (DRIVE) IN A PARKING LOT. INSTEAD, THE CAR WENT BACKWARDS WHILE I STEPPED ON GAS. I WAS VERY CONFUSED, AND THOUGHT IT WAS MY ILLUSION. SO I STEPPED ON BRAKE
• EXHAUST SMELL COMING OUT FROM AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM AT HIGH RPMS (ABOUT 3500). *TR
• WITHIN 24 HRS. OF PURCHASE, DRIVING ON EVEN ROAD DRY CONDITIONS APPROX. 40 MPH ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION NO HESITATION NO BUCKING JUST SHUT OFF. PULLED OFF SIDE OF ROAD RESTARTED OK TOOK TO DEALER (JACK BYRNE FORD) NO CODE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED IT, COULD NOT GET TO REPEAT . THIS VEHICLE IS PRIM

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“I BOUGHT MY FORD EXPLORER 2014 ON JULY 1ST 2013. ON AUGUST 1ST, 2013, MY CAR DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WHILE I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT TO 'D' (DRIVE) IN A PARKING LOT. INSTEAD, THE CAR WENT BACKWARDS WHILE I STEPPED ON GAS. I WAS VERY CONFUSED, AND THOUGHT IT WAS MY ILLUSION. SO I STEPPED ON BRAKE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

102 complaints

• TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT ILLEGALLY CAME INTO THE LANE I WAS ENTERING (THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER), I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH CAUSED ME TO TURN MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB. AT THE TIME, I WAS TRAVELING 15 TO MAYBE 20 MPH. AFTER HITTING THE CURB, MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VIBRATION APPEARED TO COME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE VIBR
• VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH DOWN A ROAD WITH NO POT HOLES WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT BRINGING THE VEHICLE INTO THE STREET CURB. DAMAGE TO THE FENDER, TIRE, WHEEL, CV JOINT, AND OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS REPORTED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 8 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2036 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT ILLEGALLY CAME INTO THE LANE I WAS ENTERING (THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER), I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, WHICH CAUSED ME TO TURN MY VEHICLE INTO A CURB. AT THE TIME, I WAS TRAVELING 15 TO MAYBE 20 MPH. AFTER HITTING THE CURB, MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHEN DRIVING MY 2014 FORD EXPLORER AT ANY SPEED AND ON ANY TERRAIN, THE EXHAUST FUMES ENTER INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IS EXTREME, CAUSES HEADACHES, NAUSEA, AND TENDS TO BURN MY EYES AS WELL AS MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO IS WITH ME MOST OF THE TIME. BECAUSE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH PEOP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR CUP HOLDER BUT FOUR OF HIS FINGERS BECAME STUCK INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC HOLDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO PRY THE HOLDER OPEN IN ORDER TO RELEASE HIS FINGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I BOUGHT MY FORD EXPLORER 2014 ON JULY 1ST 2013. ON AUGUST 1ST, 2013, MY CAR DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WHILE I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT TO 'D' (DRIVE) IN A PARKING LOT. INSTEAD, THE CAR WENT BACKWARDS WHILE I STEPPED ON GAS. I WAS VERY CONFUSED, AND THOUGHT IT WAS MY ILLUSION. SO I STEPPED ON BRAKE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)