repaired · 2026 Q2
Body: roof and pillars
Risk. A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
2014 Ford ExplorerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,684 owner complaints about the 2014 Ford Explorer, most often about the steering. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-031 the manufacturer reports only 21% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 21, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Rutger van der Maar, CC BY 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2014 Ford Explorer has problems
1,684 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
500Steering12 crash/fire/injury
276Structure2 crash/fire/injury
198Engine4 crash/fire/injury
103Suspension8 crash/fire/injury
100Electrical system
80Power train
67Engine and engine cooling
63Fuel/propulsion system
47Air bags
27519 other systems19 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 500 | 12 |
| Structure | 276 | 2 |
| Engine | 198 | 4 |
| Suspension | 103 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 100 | 4 |
| Power train | 80 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 67 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 63 | 3 |
| Air bags | 47 | 7 |
| 19 other systems | 275 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2014 Ford Explorer recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2023 Q4
Suspension: rear
Risk. A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q4
Axle assembly: axle shaft
Risk. 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…
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2020 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2018 Q1
Suspension: rear
Risk. A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
90kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 309 steering complaints. 56% were reported before 100,000 miles.
20under 30k miles174under 100k miles135100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
47 owners mentioned a cost$2,365median
Middle half: $2,000 – $2,750
Unknown or other
15 owners mentioned a cost$600median
Middle half: $500 – $975
Structure
12 owners mentioned a cost$295median
Middle half: $200 – $681
Engine
10 owners mentioned a cost$2,750median
Middle half: $1,435 – $3,821
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2014 vs. every other Explorer year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Explorer median. How we score
6096339391,2078431,4501,7311,9591,3489523753,2951,1311,304497630208148331151,1988312,2391,6841,8202,4671,7067363031,25345627611321111440
'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2014 Ford Explorer, and the recalls they led to.
- Front Brake Hose FailureNo recall
- Exhaust Odor in Passenger CabNo recall
- Ford Explorer Exhaust OdorNo recall
- Windshield trim molding Item detachmentLed to recall 24V-031
In owners' words
What Explorer owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My steering wheel suddenly became really loose causing the control of the vehicle to be really difficult and it make a very loose hollow noise.
Power Assist Steering fails and becomes very difficult to turn the steering wheel, requiring much force to initiate a turn and requires just as much force to disengage/return the steering to a straight ahead direction. It cuts out unexpectedly and often. Dealer has examined and says cannot be…
My 2014 Ford Explorer experienced a serious electric power steering failure. While driving, the vehicle displayed “Power Steering Assist Fault” and the steering became extremely difficult to turn due to loss of steering assistance. I was driving with my child in the vehicle when this occurred. I…
Own a 2014 Explorer?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.