What 1,671 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Explorer Gas

Sudden and complete loss of power steering assist while vehicle was in operation. Vehicle became extremely difficult to steer, creating safety hazard for driver and child passenger. Inspection revealed 150A EPAS Mega Fuse, Part #L0114875AA, was melted due to electrical short in Power Steering Control Module. This is identical to the defect described in NHTSA Safety Recall 14V316000 / Ford 14S06. Fire risk confirmed by melted/burned fuse condition. Photos of failed component attached. Component is available for inspection. Ford Customer Service denied assistance under Recall 14S06 on 07/10/2026, claiming vehicle was not covered despite physical evidence of the exact defect described in the recall. Vehicle manufacture date is 06/2014. Ford Technical Service Bulletin 15-0082 acknowledges some 2014 vehicles may still have defective modules installed. Vehicle is currently inoperable. Owner has dependent child with medical therapy appointments requiring reliable transportation. Current mileage approximate as vehicle cannot be driven. Request immediate NHTSA investigation and enforcement under federal safety law 49 USC 30120.

NHTSA ODI 11749538

My pillar are coming off to the point when it rains water get inside my car. It’s messed up my system in my car. I can’t close my sun roof and water comes down from my lights that’s above my head where you put your sunny sunglasses in. I been calling around and still haven’t got no where.

NHTSA ODI 11739722

Backup camera failed, screen turns black or freezes when the car is put in Reverse. While driving or in reverse the screen becomes pixelated with red, green stripes. The camera is unuseable which creates a safety hazard. A recall is currently active for Ford 2015 explorers but not 2014 ford explorers. It is the exact problem the 2015 explorers are experiencing. The recall needs to be expanded to include the 2014 models.

NHTSA ODI 11738738

The back up camera turns black when the car is in reverse. Other times the screen has red, yellow, green horizontal stripes displayed which make the screen hard to see any objects behind me. This is the same problem ford has experienced with other explorer models and there is an activr recall for those models. My car is a 2014 model and is experiencing the same problems.

NHTSA ODI 11727200

When I'm driving on the freeway. I could be on flatland and it will stall, I could be going down a hill and it stalls, I could be on a regular road, turning a corner, hitting a bump. And it stalls when I'm on the freeway, I have to get over very scary happens all the time when It happens I coast, I put it into park, i turn it off, and it restarts immediately every time. This is constantly happening. IHave a video and picture but it will not upload on this.But it says hell descending control fail

NHTSA ODI 11723535

On January 8, 2026, my 2014 Ford Explorer (VIN: [XXX] ) caught fire without warning. The vehicle was parked in my garage prior to departure. When I pulled the vehicle out to leave, I noticed something burning on the garage floor. I briefly returned inside to extinguish that small fire, and when I turned back, the vehicle itself was on fire. I immediately moved the vehicle onto the grass away from a nearby tree to reduce the risk of further damage or spread. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire, and police were also on scene. The vehicle was effectively a total loss. There was no collision or prior accident involved. The fire appeared to originate in or around the engine compartment. The vehicle was properly maintained, and to the best of my knowledge, no unauthorized modifications were made. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11711929

All my dash lights turn off u can drive it but all my dash light is off the abs light its on

NHTSA ODI 11701781

When my vehicle is in reverse the back up camera shuts off or shows inverted.

NHTSA ODI 11695155

The back up camera blackouts every so often. Backing out of a parking spot then the screen blacked out and almost hit a person that walked behind the vehicle. No, it hasn’t been inspected but there is a recall on backup cameras from Ford, on several different models from 2015 to 2023 which my 2014 explorer is experiencing. No warning at all. It just started to blackout. It started couple months ago.

NHTSA ODI 11694351

Backup camera displays opposite. Power driver seat doesn’t lower making it difficult to reach the pedals

NHTSA ODI 11694188

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to obtain an extended warranty plan, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 75,000. Later, the contact was informed that the mileage was 138,000 at the time of purchase.

NHTSA ODI 11685228

•Rearview camera view and alerts •Inspection unknown • Hit mailbox •Dogded backup accidents in parking lots ︎Dogded backup accidents out of hard to see drive ways •Not taken to dealer no recalls for my year •Not inspected by anyone •No warning lamps •Alerts would just stop (checked settings it was on) •Camera would freeze first occasionally •Progressed to going black •Camera goes in and out •Beeping works then stops •No rhyme or reason to what stops or freezes and when or season •First noticed it after purchase a few years ago

NHTSA ODI 11671195

My vehicle has dual A/C , front and rear. The rear A/C can only be turned on from the touchscreen. My touchscreen went out about a week ago. I called the dealer to ask if there was another way to turn on the rear A/C and the answer was no. I asked what I had to do and the answer was to schedule an appointment so they could check it but I was going to get charged. I live in deep south Texas and it gets very hot down here. The rear A/C is a must. I don't think it's right that i have to spend thousands of dollars to replace my touchscreen just to be able to turn on my rear A/C unit. My passengers have been feeling lightheaded when riding in the back seats without A/C. Ford needs to put a button apart from the touchscreen to turn the rear A/C on and off.

NHTSA ODI 11665552

I was driving my explorer in a residential area when my power steering assist went out, causing me to not be able to control the steering wheel. I had 3 passengers in the vehicle at the time. I came close to crashing into a ditch but was able to stop the vehicle. It terrified me and my passengers. I struggled to steer it to a restaurant parking lot. After my power steering stopped working, and alarm went off on the dash and said "steering assist fault" needs serviced. I had the explorer towed to AschenBach Ford in Wytheville, Virginia. The Ford service department said that the bar and all electrical steering needs replaced. There was a recall for some 2014 Ford Explorers with this same problem but my VIN is not apart of those recalls and I feel it should have been because that's what happened to my vehicle. It's recalls 14S06/14V-286.

NHTSA ODI 11663420

Problem with sunroof leaking. had car 11 years, at dealership 5 times water coming in from headliner soaking all electrical...radio, AC/heater, sunroof controls. Currently, sunroof is open and will not close. Repair 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and today 5-9-25

NHTSA ODI 11659967

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off, there was an abnormal dinging sound heard. The instrument panel lights were dimmed. While driving at approximately 40-45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle drove roughly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a tire center, and the spark plugs and coil packs were replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact thought there was water in the fuel tank. The contact added a fuel treatment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that there were electrical issues. The contact called a local dealer regarding the warranty on the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11649451

Ford explorer had known issues with connectors under the rear passenger seats which they did a recall for certain VIN numbers. They said it only effected certain VPN which were from a specific factory in Chicago I have the same issue and my VIN is not listed and Ford and the dealership will not do anything to help fix the problem. If I pay out of pocket they want 500 dollars to fix it. The issue is 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 and if the light is on that means the air bags will not work.

NHTSA ODI 11648238

Due to a failed seal between the roof and the trunk door, water has leaked and corroded the exterior of the body over time. The corrosion has caused a hole to develop to the point that when it rains water leaks into the back of the car. As a result water entered the tail lights and caused the tail light to short out on one side. Some roofing tar and duck tape has helped with a temporary fix but it has been a hazardous problem because the leaking water can create a build up of moisture and mold growth within the vehicle. Another problem is the power windows and the power locking and unlocking system have become glitchy and have failed to work at times. The key pad, keyless entry has completely stopped working and the lock mechanism for the driver side of the car has completely fallen apart and can no longer be used. The only way to unlock and lock the car is to use the key lock and unlock buttons. Lastly, the door hinges have ripped off on the passenger door which prevents the door from staying open. The extra bar that helps the door stay open broke off during a relatively moderate winds when the door got caught in a moderate level strength wind gust and completely broke off.

NHTSA ODI 11643294

I’m still waiting for the current recall to be corrected. The suspension is worn out. Replaced rear shocks, front struts, lower control arm. This is the worse automobile I’ve ever owned. If possible, I will never buy another ford. The car’s rear back up camera has been replaced and has stopped working again.

NHTSA ODI 11638903

Hi my name is [XXX] and Im an owner of a 2014 Ford Explorer sport my vehicle is at the service department for almost 2 months already before i took the vehicle into the dealership to get fix i was going to have a car crash thanks to the front tires of the car. Both front tires locked and the car slide really bad that day the steering wheel went loose and i wasnt able to control the vehicle. I took it to the service department at a ford dealership where I was told that the ABS was falling the computer module was not working and the traction control has an issue too INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11633816

The electric steering went out on my way home on a very curvy road. The rack and pinion apparently has failed. Please recall this part to get it fixed before someone gets hurt.

NHTSA ODI 11627096

Lane keeping system malfunction. Steering assist malfunction. I have no power steering and it’s hard to control vehicle. Ford diagnosed that I need a new steering rack and sensor.

NHTSA ODI 11623742

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the security light was illuminated, and the battery was drained. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the security panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving, the lights failed to turn on, and the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was determined that the electrical system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that there was no longer a dinging sound when the doors were ajar. The interior lights were dim, and the horn was inoperable. The rubber trim was detaching. The moon roof failed to close. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who determined that water had entered the vehicle through the sunroof and that the wires were wet. The dealer added plastic and glue to the sunroof. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. There was an abnormal clicking sound while attempting to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the compressor needed to be replaced because the compressor was clogged. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

NHTSA ODI 11606756

Steering fault warning message came up service now and stability control lights engaged both on and off, I lost control of my steering and it completely tightened up as I was driving. I was driving 60 miles per hour when this happened. Depending on the severity of the failure, I was completely at risk with colliding with anything on the road. I brought it straight to the dealership where it has been sitting for a week since they are not able to drive it into the garage because the steering is locked up and the wheel will not move even though it will start and engage in drive. They need to actually tow it into the garage to complete diagnostics, I expect from other reports this is an expensive fix, but the risk to my life and others on the road is worth reporting. Ford needs to include this steering fault on the 2014 explorers in a recall. There were no issues with the steering prior to this happening. Ford knows about this issue, how many complaints and near misses is it going to take to fix this problem?

NHTSA ODI 11606642

Hi there! We received a letter in the mail about a recall on our EXTERIOR A-PILLAR TRIM which did fall off on its own and ripped of the seal that was on it by my windshield we never received a call from the dealership so they can replace this for us and because it fell off everyday that it has rain water has been getting into my car to the point that I have puddles on the floor of the vehicle water got into my dashboard and blew out my A/C Motor and blew out my sunroof motor which it is wide open now we can’t close it.. I ride around in the suv with it being extremely hot my children are also in the car with us because it is our only means of transportation also the buttons on my radio are messed up due to water getting in… I’ve contacted carvana the place we bought it from about this and they said this is a ford issue because they were suppose to replace this a while back I don’t know what to do or who to contact we can’t really afford to fix it on our own.. I am scared that one day I drive it the airbags will just go off because water is going all through my dash when it rains! I don’t know what else to do!

NHTSA ODI 11603919