2014 Ford Explorer Engine and Engine Cooling Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 1, 2026 · 67 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 67 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer, 4% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 27,950 miles. The words owners use most often: “water pump” (24% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Water pump: mentioned in 16 of 67 complaints (24%)
  • Exhaust fumes: mentioned in 14 of 67 complaints (21%)
  • Hard acceleration: mentioned in 6 of 67 complaints (9%)
  • Carbon monoxide: mentioned in 5 of 67 complaints (7%)

At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?

Based on 56 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles20 · 36%
10k–25k miles6 · 11%
25k–50k miles6 · 11%
50k–75k miles3 · 5%
75k–100k miles4 · 7%
100k–150k miles10 · 18%
150k+ miles7 · 13%

How serious are the reports?

Of 67 complaints, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.

Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling complaints by model year

Peak: 1997, with 198 complaints
1995: 4519951996: 811997: 1981981998: 18919981999: 1002000: 902001: 3920012002: 1632003: 692004: 7120042005: 292006: 1642007: 1020072008: 42009: 12010: 320102011: 212012: 142013: 6720132014: 672015: 662016: 11420162017: 772018: 292019: 620192020: 212021: 102022: 220222023: 12025: 1

n = 1,752 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearEngine and Engine Cooling complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2025 Explorer11%—
2023 Explorer11%35,682
2022 Explorer21%88,689
2021 Explorer102%60,000
2020 Explorer212%51,250
2019 Explorer62%63,000
2018 Explorer294%71,699
2017 Explorer775%89,600
2016 Explorer1145%75,650
2015 Explorer664%59,220
2014 Explorer674%27,950
2013 Explorer673%61,151
2012 Explorer142%56,734
2011 Explorer212%85,000
2010 Explorer33%14,000
2009 Explorer13%88,350
2008 Explorer43%67,000
2007 Explorer105%53,000
2006 Explorer16426%45,776
2005 Explorer296%44,113
2004 Explorer715%55,000
2003 Explorer696%50,000
2002 Explorer1635%74,000
2001 Explorer3910%86,000
2000 Explorer909%56,700
1999 Explorer1007%64,000
1998 Explorer18910%100,000
1997 Explorer19811%98,000
1996 Explorer816%78,000
1995 Explorer455%139,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 21 complaints
2013: 1201312014: 212014212015: 2201522016: 3201632017: 9201792018: 3201832019: 2201922021: 1202112022: 102022102023: 8202382024: 4202442025: 320253

n = 67 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (0)

No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 2014 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

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…

Received Aug 6, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11678728

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced hard start-ups, and the engine was revving high while idling, with the check engine warning light remaining illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined…

Received Jun 25, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11669263

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 the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed exhaust Y-pipe. The contact was informed that the exhaust Y-pipe needed to be…

Received Jan 21, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11637320
Ford Explorer
A 2025 Ford Explorer Active (facelift) photographed in Fresh Meadows, Queens , New York, USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2014 Ford Explorers have engine and engine cooling problems?

No. NHTSA has 67 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2014 Ford Explorer (4% of the 1,679 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2014 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling?

No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.

At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?

The median reported mileage is 27,950 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer?

The most frequent phrase is “water pump”, in 16 of 67 complaints, followed by “exhaust fumes” (14).

Other 2014 Ford Explorer problems

See all 2014 Ford Explorer problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Explorer years.