2014 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

Was pulling up to gas pumps when steering failed/locked. Was able to stop vehicle to avoid collision with pumps. Steer Assist Fail warning light came on. Shut vehicle off and warning light went out and steering came back. Brought vehicle home and used other to go to work. Was told by dealer that the Steering Rack is faulted and needs replacement at 71000 miles. The 2014 Steering racks fail at between 60000-80000 miles just as the 2011-2013 Explorers do and need to be recalled before someone is killed.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn left or right. The steering assist fault warning light was illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and the vehicle worked as designed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where they informed the contact that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

There is a distinct smell of gas inside my cars cabin. I’ve tested for carbon monoxide and found the level to be higher than any car I’ve tested under similar conditions. My car is no longer drivable because the smell makes me nauseous and sick. It began slowly one day and is now so overwhelming. The dealer says they know about the issue but that it has not been recalled. My mechanic says I have a laundry list of repairs that would be needed to possibly remedy the issue. It’s not guaranteed.

Driving down the interstate and windshield A pillar panel flew off.

It’s a dang shame you spend thousands of dollars for a Ford Explorer and because the people that built it were not very smart the people that own them are having to pay thousands of dollars to replace the water pump. And Ford will not recall this or help with the cost. No warning lights come on and then we are stuck with the cost. I will never own another Fire in my life time.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was starting the vehicle, she noticed a fuel leak underneath the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the fuel pump had detached causing the fuel leak. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

While driving I noticed the power steering had failed. The steering was difficult and jerky while making turns and while coming out of turns. With the steering inconsistent the vehicle would on occasion not come out of the turn on it's own and put myself and my family at risk of an accident. The vehicle was brought to Salem NH Ford and the problem was found to be the steering rack and lower steering u-joint, shaft assembly, and pinion. There were no warning lights on the dash. Repairs for vehicle totaled $3,346.31

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was abnormal noise of metal being dragged. The vehicle was shaking and while making a turn the steering wheel was difficult to turn. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the link shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign number 20V692000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,840.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving over bumps in the roadway at various speeds, a jolt could be felt from the rear end of the vehicle. The contact then received a recall notice for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) which she linked to the failure. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer for the repair; however, upon return of the vehicle, the contact was informed that she needed to replace a knuckle assembly on the toe link that was not covered under a recall. The contact was assured that the vehicle was safe to drive and she was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The contact then stated that while driving 65 MPH, she drove over a bump in the roadway and the entire rear end of the vehicle slid into the opposite lane of traffic and almost caused an accident. The contact then read her service report which stated that the recall was not serviced since the assembly knuckle was not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The contact was then transferred to the NHTSA to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 108,000.

Steering Gear Failure. Mileage: 119,000 - ERROR MSG: "Steering Wheel Default. Seek immediate attention". Visiting family over the holidays in a different State - December 23th. Complete Steering shutdown. There are already recalls by Ford on their 2011-2013 for this very problem. - This was a very early 2014 model Sept/Oct. of 2013. Ford dealer quoted greater than > $2500.00 to replace. No Parts availability - Amazing that other owners of 2014 Explorers have the exact same steering problem just within the past 2-3 months on this site. Please Ford !!!!! - Time to include 2014 as part of an earlier recall for SAME EXACT PROBLEM for previous 3 model years

At one point the Explorer was always causing a rear wheel area to squeal really loud while driving. That finally got remedied but after 3 years of taking the vehicle in to 2 different shops. While yhe vehicle was still under warranty I was told there was nothing wrong and they can't reproduce the squeal. Once the warranty expired they said it was due to a seized brake which I ended up paying for the replacement even though they said this was a known issue on the Explorers. Another issue with the 2014 Explorer is water leaking into the rear compartments and the spare tire area in the vehicle. From online sear he's, this is also a known issue with no recalls. More recently, I was trying to get all four of my tires changed, but was told by the tire shop that they can't change my tires due to swollen lug nuts,this is a known issue on Ford's and I have to take it to a mechanic. I called Ted Britt Ford and inquired about the service to replace the lugs with solid metal lug nuts instead of the OEM chrome plated. Parts department told me they are $10 a piece. I went ahead an ordered them through the parts department. When I picked up my vehicle, I was told they don't sell the solid metal lug nuts and only replaced with the chrome plated OEM lug nuts.

N/A

The rear safety camera fails to appear in the dash. Car says unable to connect or display. Sometimes works, mostly does not. Ford dealer wants to charge $800 to fix. As this is a vehicle safety feature, I believe it is a failure similar to the latest recall by Ford

Steering gear failure. Ford dealer estimate $2,900 to replace the entire steering gear. A new part is not available, and there is no ETA on re-manufactured parts. The vehicle is unsafe to drive, and therefore unusable. There are recalls on 2011-2013 and 2015-2019 electronic assist steering gear systems for the same exact issue, why was 2014 was excluded, why does the vehicle require the entire steering gear after only 7 years of use, and why wont Ford take responsibility for a known failing and dangerous product. Ford CRC case # CAS34688035 has refused to take responsibility or assist.

Engine water pump leak the pump is internal and can potentially cause engine damage. Steering some times the power assist fails and you have to turn-off and restart the car to get the steering to work

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the “Steering Wheel Default, Seek Immediate Attention” warning message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 168,075.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the "Steering Wheel Default, Seek Immediate Attention" warning message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was 168,075.

****** DUPLICATE VOQ ****** THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11442983*DJR ***** DUPLICATE VOQ ******

PCSM Power steering module. Sensor on Rack and pinion. Can inspect if needed. Steering goes out at random. Can be driving at any speed and loose all steering elements and traction control. Complete loss of steering occurs occasionally. Ford confirmed the issue and stated it was recalled in 2011-2013 models but not 2014, $2500 fix. Three lights appeared as all steering was lost on highway: Terrain management system fault, Power steering assist fault, service advanced track.

Recently started experiencing a weird noise coming from the front end near the wheel area. The noise was also physical since I could feel it through the steering wheel. I did take it to a manufacturer locally they could not duplicate the issue. I explained to them that they needed to keep it longer than a couple hours in order to duplicate the problem. I did feel like the dealer did not inspect my vehicle long enough by keeping it and driving it.

I am writing to notify you of the problems I am experiencing with my 2014 Ford Explorer VIN # [XXX] and to request help to resolve these problems with the vehicle in a timely manner. I purchased the vehicle 8 months ago (March 2021) from Bomnin Chervrolet of Manassas. I began having trouble with the heat temperature on the right passenger side of the vehicle. I took my vehicle to Sheehy Ford Lincoln of Gaithersburg Maryland for recall repairs and my husband explained to service what we have been experiencing with the vehicle. He was told the Carbon monoxide is due to a leak in the manifold and the transfer case was about to go. I have been in contact with my finance company about what has been going on with the vehicle and they instructed me to reach out to the dealership where it was purchased. Which I did and unfortunately, they aren't willing to assist in the major problems with the vehicle. I was told on Monday November 29, 2021 they will be willing to repair heat temperature and that's it. The problems with the truck is the radio touch screen which controls heat, music, seat warmers and so forth isn’t working, temperature on right passenger side, back up camera, carbon monoxide coming thru vents, manifold, and the transfer case needs to be replaced because its about to go; if it hasn't gone already. The truck wont back up without making loud grinding noises and stalling. These problems my family are having substantially impairs the use and valve of my vehicle and creates a serious safety hazard to my family. After explaining to the dealer that I am on a fixed income of just SSI and needed my vehicle for appointments and everything; they isn't willing to repair the major safety. It's very hard to understand why anyone would sell my family a 2014 Ford Explorer knowingly aware of its history from November 16, 2018 from a previous owner of Carbon Monoxide concerns, still this vehicle was sold to my family. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

While operating my vehicle at approximately 40 mph, I experienced partial loss of steering (hard steering) making the vehicle difficult to control. The partial loss of steering experienced put myself and the safety of others in my vehicle at the and on the roadway at risk for a crash. I immediately took the vehicle into a repair shop to have it inspected to ascertain what the issue was. Upon completion of the inspection, it was determined that the rack and pinion failed and needed to replaced. Prior to the loss of steering, I DID NOT receive any warning indications on my dash about steering issues or steering failures.

This is an addition to initial complaint #11464655 regarding partial loss of steering. My initial complaint was for partial loss of steering while operating at 40 mph.. I had the vehicle inspected and it was determined that the rack and pinion failed. My mechanic attempted to order a new rack and pinion from Ford but Ford states that rack and pinion's for 2014 Explorers are on back order since so many have had steering loss issues and that they have no clue when the rack and pinions for the 2014 Explorer will be available. It seems as if there must be an issue with the steering in the 2014 Explorer if Ford itself states that they do not have any rack and pinions on hand for the many 2014 Explorer owners who have experienced steering loss issues with their vehicles and with the non-availability of a replacement rack and pinion for the 2014 Explorer, owners have their vehicles sitting at dealership or repair shops since they are not able to safely operate until such time that Ford is can produce the replacement rack and pinion. Fords answer to this issue (lack of replacement part - rack and pinion) is for the 2014 Explorer owners to rent a vehicle until the part becomes available but that puts a financial burden on the many 2014 Explorer owners for them to pay for the rental out of their own pocket while their vehicle is just sitting at a dealership or repair shop awaiting a replacement part due to the lack of availability of such replacement part. With so many 2014 Explorers out of commission due to steering and the lack of replacement rack and pinion, I believe this is a serious problem nationwide that should be handled as a potential recall. Ford had steering issues with its 2011-2013 Ford Explorers and I believe the steering issues for the 2014 Explorer should be examined and added to the recall for safety issues before a 2014 Explorer is involved in a fatal crash resulting in fatalities.

Exhaust smell in passenger compartment while driving; similar to sulfur. Feel safety at risk due to smell causing headaches/nausea; concerned about carbon monoxide or other hazardous materials. Vehicle brought to dealer on 12/13/2021 and issue confirmed. Dealer aware of similar complaints across this vehicle type; TSB is available, so Ford is aware, however not catagorized by Ford as a safety issue. Dealer "reset" HVAC system, installed plugs on tailgate and installed tape on rear body module. Dealer stated additional repairs may be necessary as these "fixes" don't always work. No warning lamps, messages or other notifications. Issue first began November 27, 2021.

My 2014 explorer is having the same steering fault assist recall problem the 2013 has. The power steering stops working and has happened while driving and now it is constantly popping up. Ford won't fix it under the recall.

When turning the steering wheel, you can hear a terrible squeaking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle in the center. Over time the squeaking gets worse and worse. Steering the vehicle is becoming harder to control, when letting off the gas, the whole steering wheel will stay straight but the actual wheels are quickly do a hard pull to the right. This is extremely unsafe and is likely to cause an accident. Yes the problem has been reproduced by a service center. They told me this is the same issue with the 2013 (1 year older) and there was a recall on that year, however not the 2014, even though the same part was used in the 2014 also. There are no warning lamps, or messages. They have been gradually getting worse since I purchased the vehicle.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the oil extremely low warning message was illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. When the engine failed there was absolutely no warning indication. My car is regularly in for oil changes at the dealership between 5-6K miles and there was no indication that there may be coolant in the oil when it was changed. No warning signs indicated on the console except for right before the engine went which was "Extremely Low Oil". Consumer stated climate control system in the rear of the cabinet turns on by itself. Additionally, in the morning or anytime when car is auto started consumer can smell a pungent order like sulfur in the heating system.

My steering started going out when I was merging infront of a truck. I was almost run off the road and hit by the truck at the same time but I muscled it.. it started working again for a second then went completely out saying power steering disabled pull over safely. I finally got to a place where I could pull over. Called a tow truck and my car has been sitting at the shop for months because Ford won't send the parts that were ordered. In looking up ways to get the parts I saw that there were so many other complaints of the same exact problem. I then looked up to see if there was a recall and the make and model was part of a recall but in looking up the VIN# it didn't show a recall. This issue could have killed me and from the other reports I've read it almost killed many others with the same car as well. Power Steering was inoperative. Code U3000 (control module) stored. Replace PCSM and program. PCSM is integrated into the steering rack. Integral part of the steering gear assembly. Includes lower subframe Program PCM. Is what the mechanic has put on the service order. My car was towed to the mechanic on 11/3/21. The part was ordered but Ford has yet to fill the order. The date today is 1/12/22

Air bag light came on, when I took it in to get looked at they said the wiring harness is faulty and it has been reported by ford as a common issue on this vehicle. As of right now due to the faulty wiring harness rear air bags will not deploy in an accident. They will not cover the expenses of changing it and are charging $600 for the harness plus the labor.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the vehicle started to overheat. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was sludge in the engine. The contact was informed that there was coolant leaking into the engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 133,553.

The rear backup camera has been glitching for years. The screen will go completely blank or glitch in and out. Sometimes the infotainment center says it cannot detect the rear camera. This puts the safety of pedestrians, drivers, and those in the car at risk when backing up. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by both a dealer and an independent service center. The component has not been inspected because it would cost up to $2,000 just to diagnose the issue. There are no warning lamps or codes for this issue. As stated, sometimes the infotainment center gives a message saying that the rear camera was not detected.

Torque converters failed without notice or warning. Could lead to complete transmission failure and risk passengers and other drivers safety. Dealer has confirmed the issue. Manufacturer has denied any sort of coverage or assistance. Vehicle has less than 52,000 miles and will now require a complete transmission replacement. Faulty engineering and manufacturing. Unacceptable.

The electric power steering is failing. Turning the steering wheel is becoming more difficult. I fear it will completely stop working. Earlier 2013 models have recalls for this. There has not been a recall for the 2014 model. I am bringing it to the Ford dealer 10/26/2021

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, after which the vehicle started to pull to the left. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the steering rack and pinion. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 121,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and an appointment was scheduled; however, the appointment was rescheduled for a later date. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

In failure while driving on highway and it was found that the issue was due to a faulty water pump

After having the Water Pump exchanged (on 9/8/21) and a multi-point inspection done, and finding no issues, we went on a road trip. While driving on freeways, we noticed that while in a gentle curve of the road to the left, the steering wheel would not return to the neutral position when the road straightened. As we drove home, it became worse, to where we we would have to forcefully turn the wheel to straighten back to neutral. Returned Explorer to dealership 9/21/21. They finally were able to figure out it was the Rack and Pinion that needed replaced. We got the Explorer back on 10/13/21. Please hold Ford responsible for this issue as they have not fixed the problem that was on other years and this is no different.

The Exhaust manifold/catalytic converter is cracked causing excessive exhaust fumes which leak into the cabin area exposing passengers to carbon monoxide.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact had to turn the steering wheel with force to steer the vehicle. The contact stated that the cruise control was disabled, and the traction control warning light was illuminated when the failure occurred. The contact drove the vehicle home. The contact started the vehicle the following day and the power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 143,310. Consumer stated the following morning steering locked up and was taken to the dealer. Dealer stated power steering needed to be replaced. While loading power steering broke free but makes a lot of noise. Consumer has not driven the vehicle since the failure and has noted 2014 Explorers were not included in the recalls.

Exhaust Manifold leaking. Causing Exhaust smell in cab.

About 2 weeks ago my steering wheel started making a noise whenever I turned the wheel both parked or moving. Since then it has progressed into a loud grinding noise. The wheel is sticking while driving on the highway and I have to force it to move at times. It does not return freely anymore on it's own to a straight forward position. After having the vehicle inspected atva local suspension shop, they told me it's dangerious and I could loose my steering entirely while driving and to have the rack and pinion replaced. I can see this is a common problem with this model and there was a similiar recall a few years prior for a similar problem. I don't think the proper improvements to the rack and pinion where ever applied in later models and there should be another recall or the prior recall should be extended. Thank you.

On August 14th, whilst on vacation in New Mexico, the steering of my 2014 Ford Explorer completely seized in the middle of the road, and left us helpless. Thankfully, we were on a relatively quiet side street in Taos. Just a few days earlier we were traveling up and down the steep winding roads to the top of Pikes Peak. We are thankful that this malfunction did not happen during this time, as the results could have been catastrophic. I have since read related safety recall notices for this issue, and the symptoms described in thse notices are exactly as I experienced. I am very surprised that my vehicle is not covered by any of the safety recalls. The failed rack and pinion was sent back to Ford for analysis. It is a sealed unit so the Ford mechanics at Capitol Ford in Sante Fe were unable to comment.I have attached a photo of the part. For reference with the cost of towing, repairs, car rental and flights, my outlay has been approximately $4,500. I have the necessary documentation to support this figure.

Internal water pump failure. coolant mixing with oil. vehicle shut down unexpectedly while in motion.

Power steering stopped while driving

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 139,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel there was an abnormal knocking and ticking sound detected. The maintenance warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was provided a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 21V537000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the rear-view camera malfunctioned and failed to display an image. The contact stated that occasionally while reversing, the rear-view camera activated and then the image suddenly disappeared, and the display screen turned black. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The power steering assist on the vehicle produces a loud grinding noise when the steering wheel is turned in either direction. Additionally, the steering assist is sporadic during lane changes and turning corners. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic shop and they were able to replicate the same issues with the steering, namely loud grinding during the steering process and sporadic steering assistance. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealership at this point and the independent mechanic advised to have a Ford dealership repair the vehicle since they have to complete some computer programming. Currently there has not been any warning lights or messages displayed and problem began about 2 weeks ago.

Power steering is hit and miss. At time’s, near impossible to turn the wheel and other times it’s fine. (This is all within full rotation of the wheel). 100% chance of the steering almost locking up and 100% it will be fine in certain spots. This problem arose rather quickly, within about 2 weeks. Looking online, these same symptoms are causing others to have their steering completely lock up due to the electronic steering fail. I’ve had this vehicle about a month and a half and I would say the steering is about 15% power steering and 80% no power.