2014 Ford Explorer Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
STOPPED FOR FUEL ON 5/13/18. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE I RECEIVED A WARNING STATING SERVICE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE. NO LONGER HAVE POWER STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL, OR TURN SIGNALS. BRINGING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY. VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED 10/2013.
NOTICED LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE TRAVELING AROUND 40MPH. NO LIGHTS HAVE COME ON YET. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING RACK IS FAILING AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. FORD QUOTED ME ROUGHLY $1500 FOR THE RACK AND LABOR, THIS IS CRAZY THAT THE 2011,12,13 RECALL DOESN'T COVER THE SAME PROBLEM THAT 2014'S ARE HAVING.
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE LEFT WHEEL FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING LEFT AND THE RIGHT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING RIGHT WHILE HOLDING WHEEL STRAIGHT. VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THEN STEERING ASSIST FAULT MESSAGE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON.
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING GEAR ABRUPTLY FAILED. PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. STEERING STOPPED AND RECEIVED LIGHT WARNING. ' STEERING LOSS STOP SAFELY' LOST ALL FUNCTION OF STEERING AND TRACTION. DEALERSHIP SAYS 2234.00 TO REPAIR. THIS WAS A RECALL ON THE 2013 VEHICLES AND OLDER. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN ON HIGHWAY THE DAY BEFORE WITH MY KIDS. IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE ACCIDENT, TO LOSE STEERING AT 65 MPH.
STEERING BECAME HEAVY AND STIFF WITHOUT WARNING. TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROLS FAILED TO WORK CAUSING TROUBLE LIGHTS TO COME ON. TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT STAY ACTIVATED. STEERING FAULT INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT NORMAL SPEEDS ON A LEVELED CITY ROAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (RUXER FORD LINCOLN, INC., 123 PLACE RD, JASPER, IN 47546, (812) 482-1200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR FAILED. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET. POWER STEERING CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND LASTED 3 DAYS BEFORE GOING OUT AGAIN.
ON DECEMBER 27, 2017 THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2014 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED SEIZED. I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION (EVEN BY FORCE). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WAS UNOCCUPIED. IT HAPPENED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, PUT IT IN GEAR, AND COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 2/11/14 AND HAD 34,872 MILES. MY LOCAL DEALER ADVISED IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS LISTED. I FOUND PRIOR FORD RECALLS FOR MULTIPLE MAKES/MODELS AND SPECIFICALLY FOR EXPLORER MODEL YEARS '11 THROUGH '13 DEALING WITH STEERING ISSUES PERTAINING TO ELECTRONIC POWER ASSISTED STEERING [EPAS] FAILURES. [RECALL 14V286000 AND/OR 17S23] ATTACHED IS THE REPAIR BILL FOR $2,180.67 [NOTE THE TOWING SERVICE]. I HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRIC RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY REPLACED. THE PART ALONE, EXCLUDING LABOR WAS $1,120.58. ON JANUARY 2, 2018 I PHONED FORD AT 800-392-FORD AND SPOKE WITH KIMBERLY. I WAS PROVIDED WITH REFERENCE # CAS1328239. AGAIN, I WAS ADVISED THERE IS NO RECALL ISSUED AND WAS TOLD TO HOLD ON TO MY RECEIPT SHOULD THERE EVER BE A RECALL. IN MY OPINION, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAD HAPPENED. I AM THANKFUL I WASN'T DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THE MATTER,
A INTERNAL FAULT IN EAPS STEERING RACK, FAULT CODE 58530. FORD HAD RECALL ON 2013 MODELS, MINE WAS SHIPPED TO DEALER JAN. 2014. STILL HAD SAME ISSUE AS 2013. HAS TO MORE OF THEM OUT THERE. DEALER DID NOT INFORM OF 2013 RECALL AT TIME OF REPAIR. STEERING WAS NOT OK WHEN TURNING LEFT MADE NOISE AND VIBRATED.
STEERING WENT OUT CANT TURN WHEEL NO POWER STEERING
ON JULY 20, 2017, WHILE PULLING THE VEHICLE OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. A WARNING LIGHT ABOUT TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON. THINKING THE TRACTION CONTROL HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN PRESSED, I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AT THAT POINT. ON SUNDAY, JULY 30, 2017, AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WITH ME AND 3 OF OUR CHILDREN AS PASSENGERS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN AND WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY ABOUT TRACTION CONTROL BEING TURNED OFF AND POWER STEERING ASSIST NEEDING SERVICE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN ON ONCE AGAIN SEEMED TO RESET THE POWER STEERING AGAIN. I CALLED AUTOFAIR FORD OF HAVERHILL, MA THE NEXT DAY AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN THAT AFTERNOON. ON THE WAY TO AUTOFAIR FORD, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. AUTOFAIR DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A FAILED STEERING RACK AND REPLACED THE STEERING RACK AND PROGRAM SYSTEM FOR A TOTAL OF $1721.90. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I LEARNED THAT THE 2011, 2012, AND 2013 FORD EXPLORERS HAD THE SAME OR VERY SIMILAR ISSUE AND THERE WAS A RECALL. IN ADDITION, I FOUND MESSAGE THREADS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES OF 2014 FORD EXPLORERS HAVING THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES AS WE DID. LUCKILY, WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY VEHICLE, WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR; HOWEVER, IF SUDDEN SHARP STEERING WOULD HAVE BEEN NEEDED, THERE LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE. IN ADDITION, A FAILURE SUCH AS THIS ONE SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A VEHICLE THAT IS BARELY 3 YEARS OLD WITH ABOUT 48,450 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE HAD ALL REGULAR RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCES PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE AT AUTOFAIR FORD, FORMALLY REGAN FORD, FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE AS A NEW VEHICLE.
THE POWER STEERING IS FAILING. THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED.
STEERING GEAR BOX WENT OUT OF MY VEHICLE WITH ONLY 29,000 MILES ON IT, HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE GEAR. I ONLY DRIVE 600 MILES OR LESS A MONTH I SPLIT MY TIME BETWEEN 2 VEHICLES. JUST BOUGHT A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, IN A TURN, THE STEERING ASSIST HAD A FAULT. A MESSAGE SHOWED ON THE SCREEN STATING THAT THERE WAS A STEERING ASSIST FAULT. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, THE ISSUE DID NOT GO AWAY. STEERING THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FIGHTING AGAINST ME (RATHER THAN SIMPLY A POWER STEERING LOSS). I WAS TOLD BY A DEALERSHIP MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM WAS UNKNOWN BUT SOMEWHERE IN THE STEERING COLUMN SO REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD FIX IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE "STEERING LOSS STOP SAFELY" AND "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY (POWER STEERING RACK) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS-12267703. THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO ASSIST THE CONTACT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE 36 MONTH OR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,988.....UPDATED 06/21/17 *BF UPDATED 09/15/2017*JS
BEGAN HEARING WHIRRING AND SCREECHING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. WAS ALSO DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT TIMES. FORD DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A STEERING GEAR FAILURE. VEHICLE HAD 20 THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND WAS ABOUT 5 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. FORD REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR AND CHARGED 1570.00 TO FIX.
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL 2014 WITH A LITTLE OVER 500 MILES. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 33,900 MILES. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE NOTICED A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED EITHER WAY WHILE MOVING AND WHILE NOT MOVING. I CALLED ON 4-25 FOR APPOINTMENT ON 4-27. THE VEHICLE WAS LOOKED OVER AND I RECEIVED A CALL ON 4-28 STATING THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS BAD AND NEED REPLACED. I WAS THEN TOLD MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON 4-17 AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE BILL OF $1738. I DID RESEARCH AND THERE WERE SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE AS WELL AS RECALLS ON THIS SAME VEHICLE 2011-2013. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE FORD HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE AND SHOULD COVER THESE RIDICULOUS COSTS TO THOSE THAT HAVE HAD THEM. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THESE TYPES OF THINGS ON SUCH A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. FORD WILL PROBABLY BE LOSING OUR CONTINUED BUSINESS.
WE HAVE OWNED THIS EXPLORER FOR 2 MONTHS WITH 44,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE STEERING STARTED GRINDING AND LOCKING UP . THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND OTHER PRIOR YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. DEALER WANTS $1500 TO FIX IT. THIS CAR WAS MUCH TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THESE LOW MILES. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS AND FIX OUR VEHICLE FOR US . WE ASKED THE DEALER TO PAY FOR THIS BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WORD THAT THEY WILL. MANY OTHERS ARE THIS WEBSITE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE SO IT IS OBVIOUSLY A LARGE PROBLEM WITH OTHER EXPLORERS. PLEASE HELP!!
AFTER A KNOCK WAS DISCOVERED WHILE TURNING I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO FORD ASSUMING I WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY IDENTIFIED A CODE (NOT AVAILABLE) AND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE WITH THE "STEERING GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY", SPECIFICALLY THE RACK AND PINION. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF SIMILAR MISHAPS, SOME RESULTING IN LOCK UP OF THE STEERING COMPONENT. FORD INFORMED ME THAT WE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE PORTION OF THE WARRANTY BUT NOT THE YEARS (VEHICLE IS 2 1/2 YEARS OLD). THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE, THEY WOULDN'T COVER THE REPAIRS AND QUOTED $2200 IN REPAIRS. $1500 FOR PARTS AND THE REST FOR LABOR. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL TO LOCK UP THE STEERING RESULTING IN COLLISION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE REPAIR AND CAN OBTAIN THE SAME PART NUMBER FOR APPROX. $650 AND LABOR AROUND $700. THERE ARE DOCUMENTED RECALLS ON FORD EXPLORERS UP TO 2013, BUT FOR SOME REASON 2014 IS NOT INCLUDED.
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON A HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENTLY I GOT TWO WARNINGS DISPLAYED ON MY PANEL THAT SAID "STEERING FAULT / SERVICE NOW" "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC." ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER THE STEERING BEGAN TO FEEL A LITTLE HARDER TO MOVE, BUT I MADE IT HOME O.K. THE NEXT DAY, THOUGH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MANUEVER.
STEERING FAULT ASSIST AND GEAR ASSEMBLY WENT OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR EARLIER MODELS, I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE EXTENDED IT FOR LATER MODELS AS WELL. THE REPAIR COST WAS $1652.00 PLUS TOWING, HOTEL STAY AND RENTAL CAR FEES WHICH IS NOT INCLUDED. FORD SENT A DEFECTIVE PART TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD MY VEHICLE REPAIRED AND WILL NOT PAY FOR THE EXTRA DAYS I WAS WITHOUT A CAR AND RENTAL FEES.
A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WARNING LIGHTS FOR THE STABILITY CONTROL AND THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM OFF TURNED ON ON THE WARNING INDICATOR DASHBOARD. THIS CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST ON MY VEHICLE WHILE I WAS GOING UP TO BIG BEAR ON HIGHWAY 330. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND CONTROL MAKING IT A VERY UNSAFE AND DANGERS DRIVE. LUCKILY I WAS GOING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED DO TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD OF HAPPEN IF I WAS GOING AT THE SPEED LIMIT POSTED. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2011,2012,AND 2013 REGARDING THIS ISSUE "SUSPENSION & STEERING, MAY 29, 2014" THE FORD RECALL NUMBER IS 14S06. MY CAR IS STILL IN BIG BEAR UNABLE TO DRIVE ANYMORE STEERING WHEEL IS STUCK NOW THAT I PARKED IT.
POLICE PATRO VEHICLE WITH LOUD NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT, SUSTAINED COMPLETE POWER ASSIST FAILURE. VEHICLE WITH 62,019 MILES. AFTER FAILURE, DEALER DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY DEFECTIVE. REPAIR COSTS TOTALLING $1065.00 WITH DEALER ASSISTING WITH $400.00 DISCOUNT. CONTACTED FORD REGIONAL SALE REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL ONLY STATE THAT FORD WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. ***THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT WILL GET SOMEONE KILLED***
I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH MY FORD EXPLORER NOT TURNING WELL, MAKING NOISES WITH THE TURN, AND HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THE SHOP WHO HAVE SAID IT'S A COMMON ISSUE. THIS IS A DANGER. MY OTHER COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL (NHTSA RECALL 16V-245) AND HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE REPAIR AND THEY HAVE SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT TO USE THE PARTS/TIME TO DO THE FIX! I HAVE CALLED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE REPAIR AND THEY STATE THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THE REPAIR. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A POTENTIAL DANGER WITH MY CAR AND FORD SENDS A LETTER TO COVER THEMSELVES WITH THE GOVERNMENT, AND I'M LEFT IN THE LURCH. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND I'M HOPING THAT MY MESSAGE WILL BE HEARD BY SOMEONE.
I STARTED MY VEHICLE AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC SYSTEM LIGHT WAS ON. IT WOULD ONLY MOVE 1/4 OF AN INCH IN EITHER DIRECTIONS. I COULD DRIVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD HOWEVER IMPOSSIBLE TO SAFELY DRIVE AS YOU CANNOT MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. ON THE OTHER OCCASIONS THIS OCCURRED IT WAS AFTER HAVING DRIVEN THE VEHICLE PARKING AND THEN RETURNING A SHORT WHILE LATER AND ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE. THE DEALERSHIP FIRST SAID WAS A STEERING GEAR WHICH WAS REPLACED THEN SAID CODES NEED TO BE CLEARED THEN SAID WAS A MODULE AND THEN SAID WAS ANOTHER MODULE AND AS OF TODAY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2014 Ford Explorer has 413 Steering complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.