2014 Ford Explorer Safety Rating — 5 Stars Overall
NHTSA rates the 2014 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall — 5 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. Check a specific Explorer’s crash and title history below.
Has this Explorer been in a crash since it was tested?
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2014 Ford Explorer— By the Numbers
- Overall rating
- 5★
- Frontal crash
- 5★
- Side crash
- 5★
- Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
- 16.9%
- Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
- 7
Overall rating
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover risk, single-vehicle crash
Recall campaigns on NHTSA's file
Quick Answer
- What is the 2014 Ford Explorer safety rating?
- NHTSA rates the 2014 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall — 5 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. These are results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
- Did NHTSA test every part of the 2014 Ford Explorer?
- Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD.
- Does the 2014 Ford Explorer have recalls or complaints on file?
- NHTSA's record for this version lists 7 recall campaigns, 1674 owner complaints and 4 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
2014 Ford Explorer crash-test ratings
Up front the driver trailed the passenger, and rollover came in under the rest; every other result is NHTSA's highest.
NHTSA rates the 2014 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall — 5 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover.
Whoever drives this SUV sits in the lower-rated frontal position, since the passenger seat did better in that test. The crash results say nothing about the investigations and the long complaint file also on record for this model year, so read those separately.
Recalls, complaints and investigations
NHTSA keeps these alongside the crash-test results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD. They answer a different question: not how the vehicle was built to perform in a crash, but what owners and the agency have reported since.
A recall campaign covers a range of vehicles; whether the repair was done on a particular car is a per-VIN question. Check open recalls by VIN.
What NHTSA did — and did not — test
A star rating is only as complete as the tests behind it. This is which of NHTSA's four crash tests the 2014 Ford Explorer actually went through.
Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD.
The rating is for the ExplorerNHTSA crashed. Check the one you’re buying.
Salvage and rebuilt brands, reported accidents and odometer records follow the VIN.
Inspecting a used 2014 Explorer
The ratings describe the Explorer as it left the factory. A car that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt, or had its airbags replaced is no longer the car NHTSA tested.
The driver's seat carries the lower frontal result, so check the driver's restraints closely: the belt should retract fully and lock on a sharp tug, the steering-wheel airbag cover should sit flush and even, and the airbag light should go out after start-up.
Rollover is the other rating below the top of the scale. Pull back the door seals at the roof pillars to look for weld marks or filler, and check the windshield sits evenly in its frame.
Forward collision and lane departure warnings were optional. If this example has them, look for the sensors at the windshield and front end, and confirm no fault message appears after start-up.
Every rated version of the 2014 Ford Explorer
NHTSA rates body styles and drivetrains separately, and the results are not always the same. Match the version to the car you are looking at.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 16.9% |
| 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 17.4% |
How NHTSA's current ratings work
NHTSA announced new NCAP crash tests and rating criteria in July 2008, including a new overall rating that combines the frontal, side and rollover results. It then postponed the change by a year: the new criteria apply to vehicles tested beginning with model year 2011, not 2010 as first announced.
In NHTSA's own words, its rollover resistance ratings “estimate the risk of rollover if a vehicle is involved in a single-vehicle crash.”
One limit applies to every vehicle here. NHTSA notes that the frontal crash rating “depends on vehicle mass, and cannot be compared across vehicle weight classes” — a full-size truck's frontal stars and a compact car's are not the same measure.
- Federal Register, 73 FR 79206 (Dec. 24, 2008) — new NCAP criteria begin with model year 2011
- Federal Register, 73 FR 40016 (July 11, 2008) — NCAP testing and rating changes, including the overall rating
- Federal Register, 68 FR 59250 (Oct. 14, 2003) — NCAP rollover resistance ratings
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Compare and keep going
Nearby model years and the same make, rated by NHTSA.
5 stars overall
4 stars overall
5 stars overall
5 stars overall
Whether a recall was repaired on one specific car.
Reported crashes and damage after the car left the factory.
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2014 Ford Explorer Safety FAQ
What NHTSA’s record shows for this model year, and what it cannot tell you about one car.
What is the 2014 Ford Explorer safety rating?+
NHTSA rates the 2014 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall — 5 for frontal crash, 5 for side crash, 4 for rollover. These are results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD, from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program.
Did NHTSA test every part of the 2014 Ford Explorer?+
Yes — NHTSA published frontal, side barrier, side pole and rollover results for the 2014 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD.
Does the 2014 Ford Explorer have recalls or complaints on file?+
NHTSA's record for this version lists 7 recall campaigns, 1674 owner complaints and 4 investigations. Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is answered by its VIN, not the model year.
Can I compare the 2014 Ford Explorer's stars with a newer model?+
Yes, with other vehicles rated under NHTSA's current program (model year 2011 onward). Stars from before then came from different tests.
Does a good safety rating mean a used Explorer is safe to buy?+
A rating describes the vehicle as it left the factory. A used Explorer that has been in a serious crash, rebuilt from salvage, or had an airbag replaced is no longer the vehicle NHTSA tested. A VIN check reads its title brands, salvage and accident records from NMVTIS.
Five stars at the factory. What about since?
A crash rating can’t see a salvage title, a rebuilt frame or a replaced airbag. The VIN record can.
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