What 1,670 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Explorer Hev

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

Back up camera goes blank with black screen

NHTSA ODI 11732118

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

The contact owned a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, black smoke started to come from the rear end of the vehicle. The contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact noticed the smoke continued and that black smoke was now coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact opened the hood of the vehicle and noticed a fire starting near the engine on the driver's side, closer towards the windshield. The fire department arrived and was able to extinguish the fire. The fire diagnosed a mechanical error was the cause of the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. The contact had not sustained any injuries and did not need medical assistance. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and a complaint was made. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678728

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rearview camera would display a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure had obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact stated that they had been involved in two low-speed, parking lot accidents. The contact stated that no injuries were reported in either incident. Unknown if a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. However, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11663978

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

My steering system needs to be replaced. While driving, my steering became very hard to control. My vehicle sways and I wrecked bc of it. Ford said it’s the steering gear that needs to be replaced for $2600. My driver and lane keeping assist lights came on when this started happening. My car needs a new sensor because of the wreck as well. This has prevented me from attending to everyday activities such as work. I have lost so much money and will probably lose everything I have like my home because of this. Ford needs to fix this now!

NHTSA ODI 11615137

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with his 12-year-old child in the vehicle, the steering wheel tightened up, and the vehicle drove straight and crashed into a sand barrier. The air bags deployed. The driver sustained injuries to his chest, head, and shoulder. There was no injury stated for the 12-year-old child who was also in the vehicle during the crash. Medical attention was provided to the driver. A Police report was filed but was not provided to the contact. The vehicle was towed to the Police Precinct. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that prior to the crash, the vehicle was parked and rolled back and struck another vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension). The contact called an unknown local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired after the crash. The contact stated that the vehicle was totaled; however, the Insurance Provider had not yet rendered a decision on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11606028

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was idle, the contact noticed smoke coming out from underneath the passenger's side of the hood. The contact stated upon exiting and inspecting the vehicle, she noticed burning plastic falling from underneath the passenger's side of the vehicle onto the ground, and there was fire. The contact poured water underneath the vehicle and opened the hood and poured water at the fire location. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries sustained. No police report or fire department report was filed. The contact added water to the coolant reservoir and drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where it was diagnosed that the A/C fan had caught on fire due to a stuck clutch bearing. The mechanics informed the contact that the radiator was damaged and was leaking due to the fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11593890

The contact owned a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the driver of the vehicle ahead abruptly braked; as a result, the contact collided with the rear of the vehicle ahead. The air bags did deploy; however, the contact stated that the driver's side air bag failed to fully deploy, only inflating to the size of a volleyball, and the front passenger side air bag caused the glove box panel to detach and become a projectile that resulted in injury to the passenger. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact transported herself and her husband to an area hospital, where her husband was treated for various cuts and bruises to his legs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11587527

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after refueling and had placed the vehicle in park (P) and had turned the vehicle off. The contact stated that she was at the rear of the vehicle on the passenger side by the gasoline port, she had inserted the fueling nozzle into the gas filler tube when the vehicle began to roll backward. The contact stated she pulled the fuel nozzle out of the port and then attempted to enter the vehicle through the front passenger door but was unable to get into the vehicle. The contact said that the vehicle rolled backward down the inclined gas station driveway rolled into the roadway and stopped. The contact stated that she was shaken and was not sure if the front passenger door had struck her. The contact stated that she felt pain on her right side from the right side of her face to her hip, but she had not received medical attention. The contact was asked if she had set the parking brake and she reported that she had not. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

NHTSA ODI 11583754

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, another vehicle driving at a high rate of speed abruptly merged into his lane and collided with the contact on the front passenger side of the vehicle, sending the vehicle careening to the shoulder of the roadway and coming to a complete stop after colliding with a guard rail. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard but later towed to a body shop for repair. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnosis. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. All occupants were transported to an area hospital by EMS for treatment. The contact was treated for non-descript injuries to his back and neck; the front passenger was treated for non-descript injuries to his back and neck as well as nerve damage; and the rear passenger was treated for non-descript injuries to his head and neck. Both passengers later required extensive rehabilitation as a result of the injuries they sustained during the accident. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11583843

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the contact noticed that both front door panels were damaged which led to the contact's wife being cut on her arm. The wife was seated in the passenger seat. No medical attention was needed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ODI 11542762

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after making a left turn, the vehicle jerked in the opposite direction, and then the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and she crashed into a parked vehicle. The check engine and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, she noticed a fluid leak underneath. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V675000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown. The contact stated that the air bags never deployed at the time of the incident. Also, it is difficult to click the seatbelt clip in. The local Ford Service Team was contacted but offered no help, stating that the accident had no correlation to the recall. They stated that they would not be covering the cost of repair for that incident.

NHTSA ODI 11516053

We purchased a 2014 Ford Explorer Police utility from the Raleigh Surplus in the summer of 2021. We also had another vehicle,  so rarely drove this Explorer until last summer 2022 when we had to sell one vehicle,  therefore putting us driving the Explorer only. I had a failed surgery and was no longer able to drive,  so that was another reason the Explorer didn't get driven much the first year. Since last summer my husband has been very sick and in and out of doctors and pulmonary specialist. We have tried to figure out what happened all of a sudden.  After talking with his pulmonary specialist and her doing numerous blood work,  we came to the conclusion it must be the Ford Explorer causing him sickness.  He has been put on nighttime oxygen and has lost a great deal of weight, and become very sick with shortness of breath and now with neurological issues. His recent blood work revealed carbon monoxide levels of 11.8 %. After a recent weekend admission to the hospital,  the pulmonary doctor orders were to get rid of this Explorer.  We need a vehicle to drive,  because this is our only way of transportation.  I called corporate and got a case number of CAS-41523358 and was told to call a Ford dealership and get the vehicle there asap. I called Alex at 919-366-8000 Leith Ford, the closest dealership and he said I need to get in touch with wford@ford.com . I did 2 weeks ago and he is ignoring me. I also get nausea and dizziness and headaches in the vehicle. My daughter drove it one night and became sick as well. Most of all my husband is still very sick from this vehicle. He almost fell asleep at the wheel! Luckily I was there to alert him! He Never ever falls asleep at the wheel!

NHTSA ODI 11511266

My 2014 Ford explore Set fire and lost control of steering on the highway the transfer case set fire, which made the driveshaft explode and twist. There were no warning signs of this. And we are very lucky that we were not hurt in this we have lost so much money and time there is no way that this was not due to a recall when I contacted Ford they pretty much told me the car was totaled and I was going to have to pay a lot of money depending on how much damage the fire did.

NHTSA ODI 11511279

My Ford Explorer had a rear suspension toe link Recall, and in December I took my vehicle to the Ford dealership to get it fixed. At that time, they did a full vehicle inspection, fixed the part, and told me everything looked great. Shortly after the service, we had a snow storm, and my SUV would fishtail in Icy/snowy conditions. Every time it'd snow, it made me so scared to drive, because I'd essentially not have control over my vehicle. The issue wasn't present when the roads were clear. Within the two months since that service, my back tires have gone completely bald, down to the wires. I recently got in a car accident because my car wouldn't complete a turn and ended up t-boning a Tundra on a residential street. Luckily I was going slow so the damage to the other vehicle was minimal, and no obvious injuries have resulted from the accident. I was able to remove some of the plastic pieces around the fender, in order to still drive it, so I took it to the Ford dealership that originally serviced my car for an inspection. Now that the dealership has inspected my vehicle, they're claiming that it's not on their liability and that they're not responsible for any of the damage. Now the alignment is off on both the front and back, and the strut is bent (whether that's from the accident or not, we don't know). The Manager admitted that when servicing my vehicle they were only allowed to perform a rear alignment, but a front alignment was never suggested or offered to me. When aligning a vehicle (especially in the winter) the whole vehicle should be aligned, not just half. They of course claim zero liability or responsibility, even though I was having issues with it fishtailing shortly after it being serviced at their shop, for a part on the suspension, which affects alignment.

NHTSA ODI 11510009

The vehicle was placed in park with the engine running. No one was in the vehicle when, on it's own, it came out of park and rolled down our driveway, coming to a stop after hitting a tree. A person or cat could have easily been on the driveway and run and killed. It subsequently cost $10751.42 to repair the damage to the rear tailgate. No previous issues had been noted prior to this incident. This occurred in July 2001 and was submitted to our insurance company where we paid a$1000 deductible and caused our rates to go up. We have contacted Ford without any success.

NHTSA ODI 11497492

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was in park, it inadvertently shifted to reverse and the vehicle hit a tree. There was no failure warning lights. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and repaired the cosmetic damages. There was no failure diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11469562

The contact owns a 2014 ford explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked when the vehicle had rolled into a wall. One person was injured and sustained injuries to the face, back, legs, head, neck, and eye on the right side of the body and did seek medical treatment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure and was awaiting a response. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V692000 (POWER TRAIN) however the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 21973. Consumer stated owner of the vehicle is his wife's.

NHTSA ODI 11422627

I was in an accident driving ro work. Driver was coming off if a local freeway and slammed into the driver side at the front portion of driver door and wheel location. My vehicle was thrown across 3 lanes of traffic and half way onto a side walk. I slammed my head so hard on the driver door glass that it broke the window. Airbags did not deploy at any time. I was not going very fast but the other driver was racing to get threw a yellow light that had already turned red at the time of impact throwing the vehicle as stated above at an undetermined speed

NHTSA ODI 11420700

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, THE REAR TOE LINK SPLIT IN HALF WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND SLAM INTO THE GUARDRAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE BOUNCED AND SPUN 260 DEGREES AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL AGAIN AND SCRAPPED ALONG THE GUARDRAIL. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DOWN TO SLOW DOWN AND COME TO A REST IN THE LEFT MEDIAN LANE. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND GET OUT AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT HAD A POLICE OFFICER DIRECT HER TO FURTHER PULL HER VEHICLE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE LANE FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER APPROVED BY HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TOE LINK HAD BEEN A RECALL REPAIR FROM THE DEALER DOVI MOTORS, INC 263 TOMPKINS ST, CORTLAND, NY 13045 (607) 756-2801 BACK IN 2017. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11363057

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30-35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND PULLED TO THE LEFT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL EXPLODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A GROUND SYSTEM FAILED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED THE FRONT WHEEL WITH THE REPLACEMENT TIRE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. NO POLICE REPORT FILED. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.

NHTSA ODI 11341070

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 75 MPH, THE REAR DRAG LINK DETACHED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND SEVERAL TIMES AND CRASHED INTO THE CENTER RAIL AND POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN THE FRONT AND REAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RANDALL REED'S PLANET FORD (19000 EASTEX FWY, HUMBLE, TX 77338 866) 844-5995) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRAG LINK FRACTURED HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER THEY DECLINED THE REPAIRS DUE TO VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VIN SEARCH WAS DONE ON-LINE AND THEY DISCOVERED UNREPAIRED RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V435000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11329214

WHEN DRIVING THE 2014 EXPLORER, COKING OVER A HILL AND BEGAN BRAKING. CAR LOST BRAKING CAPABILITY AND BEGAN TO SPEED DOWN THE HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. ONE MIDDLE OCCUPANT ON 2ND ROW CAME UNBUCKLED AND DIDN'T SURVIVE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING TRIAL FOR 3 YEARS AND RECENTLY INFORMED THAT NO INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE EDR/CDR. NO POST VEHICLE INSPECTION HAS BEEN PERFORMED, NO MEDICAL REPORTS HAVE BEEN PULLED. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY FOR 3 YEARS INQUIRED FOR HELP ON THIS MATTER AND HAVE FORWARDED QUESTIONS REGARDING INFORMATION OBTAINED. I KNOW WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT I AM NOT LIABLE FOR THIS ACCIDENT AND HAVE WORKED FOR 3 YEARS TRYING TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN I WAS COMING DOWN THE HILL THE CAR SEEM TO BE INCREASED IN SPEED - THE REPORT DOES SHOW THAT FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE REPORT AND NO GAS WAS APPLIED. I TURNED AS FAR AS I COULD WITH THE WHEEL AND THE STEERING BARELY STEERED AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO SAVE A LIFE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE AS THIS HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER. THE OCCUPANT ON THE 2ND ROW PASSED AWAY THAT DAY FROM SEAT BELT COMING UNATTACHED. MEDICAL REPORTS SHOW HE WAS WEARING A SEATBELT. IF THERE WAS SOMEONE WILLING TO LOOK INTO THIS - WOULD BE A LIFE CHANGING SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI 11292202