Car · Ford problems

2014 Ford Explorer problems

1,684 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Ford Explorer. The most reported area is steering (30% of them). NHTSA also lists 103 service bulletins and 6 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 38. Deaths: 2.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,684 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Steering500 · 30%
• Other or unknown337 · 20%
• Body and structure276 · 16%
• Engine and engine cooling260 · 15%
• Suspension103 · 6%
• Electrical system100 · 6%
• Power train (transmission and drive)80 · 5%
• Fuel system72 · 4%

17 smaller areas not shown (313 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 103 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2014 Ford Explorer. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

   While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

2. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

   Body and structure

   For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended.

3. 21R01Received December 2, 2022

   Suspension

   Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Toe Link Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S32, some of the affected vehicles exposed to a highly corrosive environment where road salt is used...

4. 22N01Received October 5, 2022

   Wheels

   Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement Ref 21S32 Submitting Owner Letter.

5. 21B11-S2Received June 13, 2022

   Seat belts

   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...

6. SSM 50804Received June 1, 2022

   Electrical system

   Some 2013-2023 Ford or Lincoln vehicles with modems activated through FordPass or LincolnWay may experience 12 volt battery drain symptoms when the customer uses non-Ford/Lincoln phone...

7. 21B11-S1Received February 17, 2022

   Seat belts

   Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 - Supplement #1 - Certain 2014 - 2016 Model Year Explorer Vehicles 2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt.

8. 21B11Received February 4, 2022

   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...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2014 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 24V031000January 19, 2024

   Structure

   The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

2. 21V537000July 15, 2021

   Suspension

   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.

3. 20V675000March 12, 2021

   Suspension

   The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.

See all 6 recalls for the 2014 Ford Explorer, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Explorer will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Steering 500 complaints · 30%

• Tie rod end replacement (one side)$130 to $380
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Body and structure 276 complaints · 16%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Engine and engine cooling 260 complaints · 15%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Suspension 103 complaints · 6%

• Struts, front pair$490 to $1,250
• Struts / shocks, rear pair$330 to $850
• Control arm replacement (one side)$250 to $800
• Wheel bearing / hub replacement (one wheel)$240 to $750

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2014 Ford Explorer: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer?

Of the 1,684 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Ford Explorer, 500 (30%) name steering, and 276 (16%) name body and structure. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2014 Ford Explorer reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 32 of the 1,684 complaints as involving a crash and 6 as involving a fire. They also reported 38 injuries and 2 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2014 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2014 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 103 repair bulletins for the 2014 Ford Explorer.

More

• 2022 Explorer problems
• 2021 Explorer problems
• 2020 Explorer problems
• 2019 Explorer problems
• 2018 Explorer problems
• 2017 Explorer problems
• 2016 Explorer problems
• 2015 Explorer problems
• 2013 Explorer problems
• 2012 Explorer problems
• 2011 Explorer problems
• 2014 recalls
• All Ford recalls
• Ford problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.