2014 Ford Explorer Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 82,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “toe link” (22% of reports).
- 103suspension complaints
- 82,500median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Toe link: mentioned in 23 of 103 complaints (22%)
- Rear suspension: mentioned in 12 of 103 complaints (12%)
- Control arm: mentioned in 8 of 103 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 48 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 103 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Ford Explorer suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 3 | 3% | 2,289 |
| 2024 Explorer | 3 | 14% | 7,352 |
| 2023 Explorer | 14 | 13% | 3,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 13 | 5% | — |
| 2021 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 6,010 |
| 2020 Explorer | 35 | 3% | 43,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 11 | 4% | 88,086 |
| 2018 Explorer | 23 | 3% | 62,500 |
| 2017 Explorer | 57 | 3% | 43,500 |
| 2016 Explorer | 73 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 83 | 5% | 76,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 103 | 6% | 82,500 |
| 2013 Explorer | 79 | 4% | 96,500 |
| 2012 Explorer | 22 | 3% | 135,500 |
| 2011 Explorer | 24 | 2% | 125,525 |
| 2010 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2008 Explorer | 3 | 2% | 76,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 6 | 3% | 52,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 5 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 62,376 |
| 2004 Explorer | 37 | 3% | 65,950 |
| 2003 Explorer | 63 | 6% | 72,203 |
| 2002 Explorer | 422 | 13% | 80,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 43 | 11% | 92,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 62 | 7% | 57,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 65 | 5% | 113,850 |
| 1998 Explorer | 111 | 6% | 90,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 105 | 6% | 117,500 |
| 1996 Explorer | 97 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 93 | 11% | 127,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Risk: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured January 17, 2014 to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles may have improperly welded rear suspension toe links that may fracture.
Risk: A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S18.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
2 incomplete recalls
I had the toe link recall performed in 2022. Since that time, I have replaced brakes twice, tires twice (two full sets in less than 50k miles), control arms, sway bars, and bushings. The car will not come into alignment. There is ample evidence all over the internet that the toe link recall has…
There is a strong fuel order coming from passenger side after every fuel fill, affects everyone in the car while moving, especially affecting my grandchildren and my family. Backup camera rarely comes on while backing up, gives a black screen which can cause accidents especially in reverse. Rear…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2014 Ford Explorers have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 103 owner complaints about suspension for the 2014 Ford Explorer (6% 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 suspension?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 82,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 2014 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “toe link”, in 23 of 103 complaints, followed by “rear suspension” (12).
Other 2014 Ford Explorer problems
See all 2014 Ford Explorer problems or suspension problems across all Explorer years.