2014 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the power steering assist feature was disabled, and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. The messages "Service Advance-trac" and "Steering Loss - Stop Safely" were displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 131,590.

On [XXX] I was driving on the freeway when both A pillars came loose and the rubber trim was damaged. I had to pull over and buy some electrical tape from the gas station to somehow secure them so that I can get home. While I was looking into the repair I came across information that there is a current safety recall for the A-Pillars for the Ford Explorer and my vehicle was one of the affected vehicles. Manufacturer recall # 24S02 and NHTSA Recall # 24V031. I contacted two Ford Dealerships Performance Ford located in 2000 E. Garvey Ave West Covina, CA. 91791 and also Chino Hills Ford 4480 Chino Hills Pkwy. Chino, CA. 91710. Both businesses gave me the excuse that they did not have parts for the repair but aftermarket parts are available with other vendors. I explained that my vehicle is actually one of the affected vehicles and I was concerned with not just the pillars flying completely off but also possibly water damage since the seals that go with the A-Pillars were damaged. They had nothing to say other than they will contact me when parts become available this recall is over a year old. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the local dealer was contacted in August 2024 for a technician to inspect the vehicle however, the parts to repair the vehicle remained unavailable. The A-pillar trim had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

When I was going down the highway at 60mph around a small curve and the steering wheel snatched hard, the car reduced the speed I was traveling (as if the brakes were engaged) and I lost ability to control. The Traction control light on the dashboard flashed several times so I pulled over. The light went away and I proceeded to drive at a slow speed (it happened again at 40mph). I was concerned about wrecking the vehicle due to this issue so I had my husband come and pick me and my small child up. The next day he drove it with no issues BUT it has done it several times now. I started reading up on this vehicle and in fact others with the same make and model have had the same issues.

This recall has been active for over 6 months with no resolution from Ford on the estimated time that the part will be available. The window trim is missing and parts broken which causes a major leak in the vehicle and has now escalated to mildew in the vehicle from continued leakage in the rain. The response continues to be the same from the dealer that they don't know when the part will be available but in the meantime, a part that could very well cause accidents, injuries or even death as well as interior damage seems to not that big of a concern as far as the Ford Motor Company is concerned. Is there anyway to create a little more urgency for those of us who are having to live with this.

While driving on [XXX] in Atlanta, GA, my 2014 Ford Explorer suddenly lost all power steering without warning. The dash displayed: “Steering Assist Fault – Service Required”, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. I was in the vehicle with my wife and [XXX] daughter, and we were traveling at highway speed. We were extremely lucky to be in the right lane at the time — otherwise, I may not have been able to safely maneuver or exit traffic. This could have easily led to a catastrophic crash. I was barely able to keep control of the vehicle and managed to pull over onto the shoulder. A few days before this incident, I noticed a brief steering warning, but the system reset on its own. After the highway event, I had the vehicle scanned and received the following diagnostic codes: U2011:00-49 and U3000, indicating a Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) failure. This is the same exact failure that led to Recall 14S06 for 2011–2013 Ford Explorers, but my 2014 model is not currently included — despite having the same EPS system and failure pattern. The component is still in the vehicle and available for inspection. I have not yet had it inspected by a Ford dealer or a certified mechanic but intend to do so. I am submitting this complaint to request an investigation and to express my deep concern for the safety of my family and others who may be driving 2014 Explorers with the same defective system. This is a dangerous, recurring problem that demands immediate attention. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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 stated that the driver’s and passenger’s side A-pillar trims detached. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware 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 that while his wife driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s and passenger’s side exterior A-pillar trims became loose and almost detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.