2014 Ford Explorer — Known Issues & Recalls

The trim piece on the outside of your car's A-pillar (the support between your windshield and door) separated from the vehicle while you were driving at 60 mph. Your dealer confirmed this part needs to be replaced as part of a safety recall, but the replacement part wasn't available at the time of your visit. You're concerned that Ford has taken longer than reasonable to make this repair part available.

The trim pieces on both sides of your windshield (called A-pillar trims) have separated and come loose from the vehicle while you were driving. Ford issued a recall to fix this problem, but when you took your Explorer to the dealer, they told you the replacement parts weren't available yet, so the repair couldn't be completed. You're concerned that Ford has taken too long to make these parts available for the recall. The repair will involve replacing the windshield A-pillar trim pieces on both the driver and passenger sides.

Your 2014 Ford Explorer is subject to a recall (NHTSA Campaign 24V031000) for a structural issue, but the required repair part hasn't been released yet. You've contacted your dealer, and while no failure has occurred in your vehicle, you're concerned that Ford is taking longer than reasonable to make the repair available.

You received a recall notice (Campaign 24V031000) for a structural issue with your 2014 Ford Explorer, but when you took it to the dealer, they told you the replacement parts aren't available yet. You haven't experienced any actual failure, but you're concerned that Ford has taken too long to provide the parts needed to complete the recall repair.

Your 2014 Ford Explorer's A-pillar trim (the vertical piece around the front side window) has detached. Ford issued a recall for this issue, but the replacement parts aren't available yet, and your dealer confirmed they can't complete the repair. Your vehicle hasn't been fixed, and Ford is aware of the problem.

Your 2014 Ford Explorer is subject to a recall (Campaign 24V031000) related to the vehicle structure, but the repair part hasn't been available for an extended period. Ford is aware of the parts shortage for this recall. You haven't experienced any actual failure yet, but you're waiting for the manufacturer to resolve the availability issue so the repair can be completed.

Your windshield trim cracked and started flapping while you were driving. You applied sealant as a temporary fix to keep it from falling off completely. The dealer told you that replacement parts weren't available at the time, and even though Ford issued a recall for this issue (Campaign 24V031000), the parts still weren't in stock to complete the repair.

The trim piece on the passenger side of your windshield (the A-pillar trim) started coming loose while you were driving. Your dealer confirmed it needs to be replaced as part of a safety recall, but the replacement parts weren't available yet. Ford is aware of the issue, and you're concerned about how long you've had to wait for the repair.

The trim piece on the A pillar (the vertical support between your windshield and front door) on the passenger side came off while you were driving on the highway. This is a cosmetic issue, though it should be reattached to prevent further damage and maintain the vehicle's appearance.

The trim pieces (A-pillar appliques) on both sides of your windshield have come off while driving on the highway twice, creating a safety hazard that nearly caused accidents. Ford says they don't have OEM parts available and won't repair the issue, and aftermarket replacements you installed also fell off on the interstate. Additionally, your windshield rubber seals are deteriorating rapidly, which you believe is related to the ongoing trim problem that Ford refuses to address.

Your Explorer's engine stalls unexpectedly while driving on the freeway, hills, regular roads, and even when turning corners or hitting bumps. When it stalls, you have to coast to safety, and the engine restarts immediately every time — but this happens constantly and is very scary. Your dashboard shows an error message about "traction control fail." This suggests an electrical or fuel system issue that's causing the engine to cut out intermittently. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the fuel system, checking electrical connections, and addressing whatever is triggering the traction control failure.

Your reverse camera has been malfunctioning since last year, starting with a distorted image and eventually not turning on at all when you shift into reverse. You've had several near-misses with pedestrians and at least one collision with a vehicle behind you because you couldn't see properly. While there's a recall for this issue on 2015 Ford Explorers, your 2014 model isn't included, and you're asking Ford to expand the recall to cover your year. Fixing this will likely involve replacing or repairing the reverse camera and its wiring harness.

Your steering wheel stopped responding to your input while driving, and the power steering warning light came on. A mechanic diagnosed this as a failure in the electric power steering assembly, and the dealership later confirmed the steering gear assembly needs to be replaced. The repair involves replacing the steering gear assembly, which is a major component of your power steering system.

Your backup camera display goes black when you put the car in reverse, and at other times shows red, yellow, and green horizontal stripes across the screen, making it difficult to see objects behind you. You've noted that Ford has an active recall for this same problem on other Explorer models, and your 2014 is experiencing identical issues. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and repairing or replacing the backup camera system or its display connection.

Your ABS (anti-lock braking) module has failed, and the dealer confirms this is a known issue with your model. The dealer has the replacement part on backorder with no estimated arrival date. According to online reports, the problem involves the wire harness breaking at the solder joints where it connects to the positive and negative contacts inside the module.

Your Power Transfer Unit (PTU) has failed. Ford doesn't provide clear maintenance guidelines for the PTU in the owner's manual, including recommended service intervals or fluid change procedures. The PTU's location makes servicing difficult, which may have contributed to the failure.

Your front seatbelts aren't retracting automatically when you buckle or unbuckle them—you have to manually pull them back into position. This makes it harder to secure yourself and your passenger properly. Additionally, your driver and passenger door panels are coming apart, which is blocking your right rear view mirror and the loose driver panel has scratched your arm while driving, creating a distraction hazard.

Your water pump failed shortly after the first cold weather of the season, even though the car was inspected by both the dealership and your mechanic before you bought it in March. You've found that this is a known problem affecting 2011-2020 Ford Explorers with EcoBoost engines, and there have been class action lawsuits filed about it. The water pump will likely need to be replaced to restore proper engine cooling.

Your Explorer's front A-pillar trim clips aren't properly attached, likely due to assembly or repair issues, causing the trim to potentially detach. Additionally, your rear tires are tilting inward because the rear toe link may be fractured or have broken welds from corrosion. Both issues should be inspected soon, as misaligned tires can affect handling and visibility trim shouldn't be loose. The fix will involve reattaching or replacing the A-pillar trim clips and inspecting or replacing the rear toe link.

Your backup camera stops working when your car heats up, but functions normally when the vehicle is cold. You're wondering if this issue is covered by Ford's existing backup camera recalls for other models and model years.