Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 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 contact's father owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) the dealer performed a complete inspection of the vehicle and informed the contact that the mass air flow sensor needed to be serviced and the coolant system needed to be flushed. The contact stated that the dealer completed the service and the recall repair however, upon picking up the vehicle and returning to his residence, the contact's father noticed that there was mechanical fluid leaking from the vehicle onto the ground. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that engine needed to be flushed and the timing chain and water pump needed to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the vehicle was not drivable and he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. …
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 contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was stalling and while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that she received assistance from a bystander to move the vehicle to the side of the roadway and noticed a puddle of water coming from underneath the engine. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving up a hill, the vehicle was stalling and the parking brake was activated. The vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front passenger's side door panel had started to detach from the body of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN and the contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the rear wheel bearing needed to be replaced. The dealer repaired the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light later was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the camshaft position sensor and the ABS. The vehicle was not repaired. Later, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the engine was overheating. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant level was abnormally low. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, who determined that coolant was leaking into the engine, resulting in damages to the engine, and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. …
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. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle jerked, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and then the engine stalled. After several attempts, the vehicle was restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, when the contact was able to restart the vehicle, the failure recurred after driving a short distance. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated the vehicle was at the dealer for an air bag customer service repair when a leak in the water pump was discovered. The contact stated that the water pump needed to be replaced; however, the water pump was not replaced due to the cost. The contact stated that the dealer informed him that the engine could fail. The contact stated that he had not experienced a failure but was concerned that a failure could occur with no warning as the issue was not discovered until the vehicle went to the dealer for an air bag customer service program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no assistance was offered as there was no recall. The contact stated that he researched the failure and found a Customer Service Program in Canada for the issue but not in the United States. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000
NHTSA investigations
Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor
During the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?s (NHTSA?s) investigation into the Ford carbon monoxide allegations, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified additional Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports with similar exhaust odor claims.Presently, ODI has identified 791 VOQs for Model Year 2011-2017 Ford Explorers pertaining to exhaust odor claims.ODI has identified three crashes and 41…
Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab
During the EA17-002 investigation, the agency reviewed and analyzed reports of exhaust odors in the passenger cabins of Model Year 2011 to 2017 Ford Explorers. This investigation required an approach that incorporated knowledge and expertise from the automotive, medical, environmental health, and occupational safety fields.
Engine complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 260 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2014 Ford Explorer, 15% of the model year's 1,682 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Explorer engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2014 Ford Explorer, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Ford Explorer engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 37,000 miles, and 37% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 6 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.