Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
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 headlights in my Ford Explorer 2014 are extremely dim. The road is poorly lit in front and cannot see anything on the sides. This has been a problem since I purchased the vehicle. I just missed hitting a pedestrian on the side of the road. I was in a residential area and only going 20 mph. It is extremely dangerous and a large safety concern.
This vehicle has gone through 5 headlight bulbs in the last year. 3 were on the driver side. 2 on the passenger side. Bulbs will last only 3 to 6 months. No damage seen to either headlight assembly and not electrical short can be found. Date listed is last replacement for driver side
Cabin light does not turn off, it could drain car battery, thereby causing a loss of power and a accident... did not notice this untill car was brought to Dealership,Beiner.They pointed out.Want alot to fix.
My name is [redacted] and I live in lorain ohio. I am the owner of a 2014 Ford Explorer (limited). Recently, my driver side brake light failed and after much research on my part I came to the realization that the brake lights are LED. I went to my dealer and was told it was not covered, even though I purchased the premium maintenance package for my vehicle. I looked in the vehicle manual and it stated the brake lights are LED and expected to last for the lifetime of the vehicle. My Explorer is just over 2 years old and has 45K miles. I explained to the dealer that I didn't feel as though I should be responsible since this is expected to last and failed so early. I also noted as did the dealer that there is moisture and something black in the light inside. This probably attributed to the light failing.
This vehicle is not safe to drive at night. With low beams on the distance the road is illuminated varies drastically, at times the illumination is only a few feet with not side illumination at all. Even in the best of conditions the illumination is insufficient to make driving at night safe. Also there is a distracting dark curtain moving up and down the windshield as you go up and down hills. Traveling hilly roads is where the condition is at its worst. This phenomena has been verified by the Ford dealership I purchased the vehicle from, but there seems to be no solution the the issue. This vehicle needs to be recalled, I do not drive the vehicle at night, too dangerous.
The first time I took my new vehicle out at night I struggled seeing the road even with the fog lights on. When you look out over the hood there is a black line at hood height and the light appears above the black line. So there is not much light hitting the road. When making a turn the headlights do not follow the road on the turn as they appear off in the distance and not down on the road. You virtually cannot see in rural areas when making a turn. Even high beams do not illuminate the road very well. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed before someone has an accident and kills themselves.
The headlights on this vehicle are terrible. They barely illuminate the road in front of me. I find it unsafe to drive at night. On city streets at night the problem isn't as apparent, but when I'm traveling on the interstate or any other road without street lighting, if I'm approached by an oncoming vehicle it's as if I don't even have my headlights on. Side lighting is also an issue when turning at night as its nearly blind. It's a vehicle I really enjoy, but I'm considering selling because I find it completely unsafe for night driving.
There's moisture buildup in the rear taillight asembly that burned out the LED lights. The whole taillight asembly needs to be replaced. The cost at the local Ford dealership is $525.00. I have since been picked up by law enforcement that's driving a Ford Explorer. I told him I was aware of the taillight. I proceeded to tell him that it was going to cost $525.00 to fix it. I feel that this problem should be a recall. Nothing on the asembly is broken
The "door ajar" light will stay on whether I am stationary or driving. I have had to open and shut the door 5 to 7 times sometimes to get it to shut off. No matter how soft or hard I shut the door it won't shut off. If I don't shut it off the interior light will stay on.
When driving on rural unlit roads, the headlights at times light up less than 3 vehicle lengths and or blind oncoming drivers when using low beams. The issue appears to be associated with the recent headlight design which uses a "projector style" lens incorporating a "high beam" bulb and a shutter to create the low beam by cutting off the top portion of the beam. There is "no" light above the cut-off line so when driving down an undulation and/ or during braking, the light beam aims down relative to the road. When going up an undulation, the beam cut-off moves up and shines the uncut-off beam into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Additionally, the headlights have no light onto the shoulder above headlight height so roadside traffic control signs and pedestrians are not illuminated. Situation has been observed by dealership salesman and technician who expressed disbelief. …
Headlight complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the lights of the 2014 Ford Explorer, 1% of the model year's 1,682 complaints. The component named most often is brake lights › switch (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Ford Explorer headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights 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 headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 3,000 miles, and 54% before 25,000 miles.
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.