Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 Certain 2014-2016 Model Year Explorer Vehicles 2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt: In all of the affected vehicles, the air bag light may illuminate as a result of a worn or damaged connection to the rear inflatable seat belt connector.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Ford Explorer airbags problems
critical Owners of the 2014 Ford Explorer have filed 37 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 67,784 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
37
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Explorer | 6 |
| 2011 Explorer | 36 |
| 2012 Explorer | 21 |
| 2013 Explorer | 12 |
| 2014 Explorer (this page) | 37 |
| 2015 Explorer | 72 |
| 2016 Explorer | 80 |
| 2017 Explorer | 24 |
| 2018 Explorer | 7 |
6crashes
9injuries
1fatality
When does it fail?
Of the 37 airbags complaints filed for the 2014 Ford Explorer, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 37 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 16 model years of Ford Explorer in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗49 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗FORD EXPLORER 2014-2016: BULLETIN INFORMATION INVOLVING VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SECOND ROW INFLATABLE SEAT BELTS MAY EXHIBIT AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH DTC B141B AND B141C.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two dominant airbag system failures in the 2014 Explorer. The first is an intermittent or persistent airbag warning light triggered by a defective restraint control module (RCM) or degraded wiring harness in the rear seat inflatable seatbelts. When this light is on, the entire airbag system shuts down—meaning no frontal or rear airbags will deploy in a crash. Owners consistently cite Ford Technical Service Bulletin 16-0001 addressing the rear seat harness, yet Ford has issued no recall. Repairs run $350 to $1,060 and Ford declines to cover them even when failures occur only hundreds of miles past warranty expiration.
The second group of complaints involves actual collision events where airbags fail to deploy or deploy incompletely despite no prior warning light. One owner's airbags did not deploy during a broadside collision at 65 mph; passengers required extensive rehabilitation. Another reported a driver-side airbag inflating to only volleyball size, leaving the occupant unprotected. A third involved a head-on collision where only the driver and one passenger airbag deployed; seat belts also detached. When airbags do deploy, some owners report they cause injuries—deep lacerations with burn-like wounds and detached glove box panels becoming projectiles.
Owners also report seat belt connector failures, steering rack sensor failures, and rear airbag sensor wiring problems, all triggering the warning light and disabling protection. Multiple owners state Ford is aware of these issues but refuses recall coverage.
Same Ford Explorer airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag restraint control module (RCM) failure
Defective airbag restraint control module causing the airbag warning light to illuminate and disabling the entire airbag system. Prevents frontal and rear airbags from deploying in a collision.
When: Typically discovered between 50,000 and 80,000 miles; one case at 60,472 miles just past warranty expiration
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates and stays on; All airbags disabled when light is on; Light may come on intermittently
Codes mentioned: B141B-13
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of restraint control module; cost varies but owners cite $1,000+ for parts and labor when harness replacement is included
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford issued Technical Service Bulletin TSB 16-0001 addressing rear seat inflatable seatbelt wiring harness; no recall issued despite owners reporting it as a known issue. Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 existed but expired.
Rear seat inflatable seatbelt wiring harness failure
Defective wiring harness in rear row inflatable seatbelts creates high resistance in the RCM circuit, triggering airbag warning light and disabling the entire airbag system. Wires can become detached due to automatic seat adjustment mechanism.
When: Occurs at various mileages from 48,000 to 80,000+ miles; often at or near warranty expiration
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates intermittently or continuously; High resistance detected between RCM and second-row inflatable seatbelt circuit; Wiring harness becomes detached from seat adjustment movement; Rear airbags may not deploy in a crash
Repairs/costs cited: Requires replacement of the rear seat harness assembly and sometimes cleaning of connector contacts with dielectric grease. Costs cited range from $350 to $1,060 for parts and labor.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford issued TSB 16-0001 with corrective action as new factory-designed wiring harness. Multiple owners report Ford refuses warranty coverage even when failures occur only a few hundred miles past warranty expiration. No formal recall has been issued.
Airbag failure to deploy in collision
Airbags do not deploy or deploy incompletely during crashes despite no warning lights being active at time of impact. Includes incidents where driver-side bag inflates to only volleyball size and incidents where side airbags deploy but frontal bags fail.
When: Occurs during actual collisions; mileages vary from 160,000 miles to unknown
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during front-end or broadside collision; Partial deployment of driver-side airbag (volleyball-sized inflation); Side airbags deploy but frontal bags fail; No warning light illumination prior to collision
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple cases resulted in injuries including back and neck trauma, nerve damage, and lacerations. One collision involved fatality with only driver and one passenger airbag deploying; seat belts also detached.
Airbag deployment injuries
Airbags that do deploy cause injuries to occupants, including deep lacerations with burn-like wounds from airbag contact and glove box panel detachment that becomes a projectile.
When: Occurs during deployment in collisions
Symptoms owners cite: Deep circumferential lacerations (180 degrees around leg) from airbag contact, cutting to bone; Burn-like blistering around airbag wound without vehicle fire; Glove box panel detaches and becomes projectile, injuring passenger; Passenger-side airbag deploys with insufficient cushioning
Repairs/costs cited: Victims required hospital treatment, stitches, and rehabilitation. One case resulted in total loss vehicle.
Seat belt and airbag connector issues
Defective connectors and electrical issues in second-row seat belt harnesses prevent proper airbag system function. In some cases, the driver seat belt latch mechanism fails, preventing seat belt buckle from fastening.
When: Can occur early in ownership; one case reported at 50,000 miles with airbag light on intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates; Driver seat belt male connector will not engage with female connector; Electrical issue in second-row seat belt harnesses; Both frontal and rear airbags disabled when connector issue is present
Repairs/costs cited: Seat belt harness replacement required; diagnostic cost alone cited at $150–$252. Replacement of connectors and application of dielectric grease cited at $99 in labor.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 16-0001 issued but no recall. One owner reported this as a known issue that Ford refuses to recall despite it being a safety issue.
Rear airbag sensor wiring failure
Wiring system in rear passenger and driver airbag sensors fails, preventing those airbags from deploying in a crash. Repair required even when sensor itself may not be bad.
When: Discovered at 48,000 miles and other mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates; Diagnostic codes retrieved at rear passenger and rear driver airbag sensor locations; In event of crash, rear passenger and driver airbags may not deploy
Repairs/costs cited: Rear passenger and rear driver airbag sensors were replaced in one documented case
Steering rack impact sensor failure
Inoperable sensor located in the steering rack triggers airbag warning light and potentially disables airbag system.
When: Discovered at 126,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates while driving at low speed (5 MPH)
Repairs/costs cited: Steering rack sensor replacement required but not completed due to cost concerns
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer offered no assistance with repair
Second-row seat belt inflator sensor contamination
Second-row seat belt inflator sensor becomes dirty or contaminated, triggering airbag warning light. Temporary cleaning fixes the issue but failure recurs within approximately one year.
When: Discovered around 50,000 miles; recurrence approximately one year after cleaning
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates
Codes mentioned: B141B-13
Repairs/costs cited: Cleaning of sensor resolved issue temporarily; one year later failure recurred requiring further diagnosis
Synthesized from 37 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Ford explorer. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer to have diagnostic testing performed. The test located failure codes at the rear passenger air bag sensor and the rear driver's air bag sensors wiring system. The dealer advised that, in the event of a crash, the rear passenger and rear driver's…
Had airbags trouble with your 2014 Ford Explorer?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2014 Ford Explorer?
It's a serious issue. 37 complaints have been filed, including 6 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 28 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 45,000 and 99,852 miles, with the median around 67,784. A quarter of owners report trouble before 45,000; a quarter make it past 99,852. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Ford/Explorer.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.