2015 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 1,791 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 37 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 98 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraOct 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
Campaign 25V695000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, roof and pillarsJan 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Campaign 24V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJul 15, 2021
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.
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V537000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearMar 12, 2021
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.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 20V675000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftNov 10, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.
The failed bracket could result in a loss of park function which can cause unintended vehicle movement, and loss of motive power while driving which increases the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall began February 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S63.
Campaign 20V692000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJun 10, 2019
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.
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 19V435000 on NHTSA.gov
Wheels, hubAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 17E048000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearApr 26, 2016
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.
A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 16V245000 on NHTSA.gov
Parking brakeJul 24, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
If the parking brake does not fully engage and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while on a slope, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C07.
Campaign 15V464000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
402 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 30, 2025
Recall number 25S42 should include 2015 Ford Explorers. The rearview camera goes blank or is distorted. It causes the driver the inability to see anything behind the vehicle if the object cannot be seen using the mirrors.
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2025
The back up camera on my explorer has been experiencing intermittent failure for about the past month. It started by occasionally losing the parking lines while I was in reverse, and has progressed to a black screen while I'm in the process of backing up. Sometimes it's just a glitchy image, and sometimes it goes in and out while in reverse. The component has not yet been inspected. There were no indications of a problem before the issue began. This is concerning because the height of the vehicle does not allow me to see objects that are directly behind the vehicle, such as the neighborhood children running around. I experienced this failure on a rainy day with low visibility and backed into a mailbox.
Other or unspecified, Feb 21, 2025
We received the February 2024 notice but not the July 2025 recall notice stating the parts were available. We took our vehicle in for other work during August 2024 and Helena Motors took our A-pillar appliqué trim off without notifying us. They said it was loose but we hadn’t notice that. In fact, my spouse cleaned the windshield and pillars the day before are appointment and the A-pillar trim was tight. They said they didn’t have the parts for replacement but would order them and contact us. We contacted them in September and they said the part wasn’t ordered but they would order it and let us know when it was in. This behavior has continued and we still don’t have the replacement part on the spot where they removed the part. We have been getting the runaround from Helena Motors for six and half months. Employees that are suppose to be getting the parts don’t return calls.
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2025
CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. THEN GOT IT FIXED @FORD DEALER. DROVE FOR A WHILE THEN CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AGAIN A FEW WEEKS LATER. BACK IN THE SHOP. SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THEN THE ISSUE WAS IT NOT STARTING AT ALL WHEN I GO TO GET IN THE CAR. THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE JULY AND THEY KEEP REPLACING PARTS BUT NOT RESOLVING THE ISSUE! I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MY MONEY FOR NO RESOLUTION. THEY ARE DOING NOTHING BUT TAKING MY MONEY AND CHANGING PARTS THAT WERE POTENTIALLY FINE! I AM A REPEAT FORD BUYER AND ONLY HAVE 107,235 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. BUT THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY ARE MAKING ME RETHINK A 3RD PURCHASE EVER GOING FORWARD! THIS IS MY 2ND TIME FILING A REPORT I HAVE HEARD NOTHING ON THE PREVIOUS ONE FILED ON 11/22/24. THE 2015 EXPLORERS' NEED TO BE INC IN THE RECALL!
Other or unspecified, Jan 1, 2025
Rear Backup Camera malfunctioning for the second. Backup camera goes black and the following message appears: Camera is unavailable. Please contact your dealership. Rear backup camera was replaced at my expense of $513.16 on 1/3/2022 by Ford dealership. This is presenting a safety issue and I don't feel that I should be responsible for a second replacement when recalls have been issued on other model years but not the 2015.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 2, 2024
Recall 24V031 I received a notice in February about the recall. I have since received several notices and emails about it. Every time I call, they still don't have the part(s) to fix my vehicle and they have no estimated time for when they will get the part(s). When I looked up the recall, it was filed January 19, 2024. It is now December 2024 and still no part(s) to fix the recall. This is totally unacceptable. Ford should be held accountable for fixing the recall in a timely manner (10+ months is not timely).
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 22, 2024
On [XXX] while driving to work my car just shut off and the brakes locked up. This scenario happened again several other times even after being worked on at a Ford dealership. Please see attachment for specific dates & details. Fuel pump driver module was replaced first time then the fuel pump the last time. Explorer was inspected by the Sandy Sansing Ford Dealership in Daphne, Alabama. Only time warnings/codes appeared was when it shut off. I attached a screen shot of what the dash showed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Nov 14, 2024
Backup camera does not work
Other or unspecified, Nov 1, 2024
Shifter (not transmission) intermittently fails to acknowledge when transmission is in Park. This problem is becoming more frequent than before. Attached pictures show error when door is open and transmission is not in Park ONLY when the transmission is also not in Park. The "P" on the instrument panel does not light up when I shift to Park. It takes up to a minute for the shifter to acknowledge that the transmission is in Park. If I shut the engine off before the shifter acknowledges this, I get an error that the transmission is not in Park when it in fact is. I do not remember when this problem started, only that it has been doing this for at least a year. I can tell that the transmission is in Park, even if the shifter (computer) doesn't acknowledge this.
Other or unspecified, Nov 1, 2024
Reverse camera intermittently fails to operate properly, if at all.
Other or unspecified, Oct 10, 2024
I have contact ford dealer I. Desoto about the recall on my ford explorer the piller has came off on the driver side and the passenger side is about to come off they say they waiting on ford to send them the parts but be here around mid year and still have not heard anything from ford
Other or unspecified, Oct 1, 2024
Rear backup camera doesn't work anymore its been 2 years it hasn't been working please look into it and hope there's a recall for it
Power train, Other or unspecified, Aug 14, 2024
The vehicle stopped while I was driving and wouldn’t accelerate when trying to push the gas pedal. The warning wrench light then appeared and said power train. Once I pulled over and cut the car off and back on it drove normal for a few miles and broke down again. My safety was impacted because the vehicle literally stopped while I was driving on a busy road.
Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2024
Right and left inside door panel detaching from the door
Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2024
Exterior A-Pillar Molding
Other or unspecified, May 31, 2024
Windshield - NHTSA Recall 24V031 I received this recall notice in February. It indicated that "when parts are available" Ford will send a follow-up communication. There has been no follow-up communication received. On [XXX] I called the local dealership (Parks Ford of Gainesville FL) and was informed that parts are not yet available. Today is 31MAY24. Why is this taking so long and why has there been no follow-up communication? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, May 6, 2024
Computer intermittently fails to acknowledge that the transmission is in Park. The vehicle is physically in Park (will not move as if it were in gear), but the computer warns that the "Transmission is Not in Park" even though it is. This is leading to battery drain due to computer incorrect error notifications. I have to wait, sometimes several minutes, for the computer to acknowledge that the transmission is indeed in Park before I shut my vehicle off to avoid this error notification. This issue has been going on for several years with no recall to fix. Since the transmission, itself, has not been the root issue, I have not sought repairs as of yet. This is a computer/software error.
Other or unspecified, May 6, 2024
Rear camera intermittently fails to function.
Other or unspecified, Apr 6, 2024
My vehicle is Ford Explorer 2015. 106,000 on it. All the sealer for the door and windows are coming apart. I've never had a vehicle ever to do that less 10 years old. I've had cars, trucks and SUVs older than that and the seals stay intacted. Water comes in the front passenger side door. Drivers door disclose solidly it rattling as you drive. The sealer around the windsheild and under the A-Pilars both side have blown out. Have use black duck to insure the windshield does blow out. It's a safety and just plan bad seals.
Other or unspecified, Feb 28, 2024
Vehicle was being driven on the highway and due to the weather conditions (it was very windy today) out of nowhere the exterior a pillar applique trim attachment unattached and broke off. I want to speak with someone regarding this due to the fact that I received a recall NOTICE in the mail but since there has been no official recall made I cannot schedule an appointment for service with my nearest dealership and I want my vehicle fixed.
Other or unspecified, Feb 27, 2024
IT IS REGARDING THE RECALL- THIS PART ACTUALLY CAME OFF A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT FIXED. SINCE THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE TRIM ALONE AS IT WOULD COMPROMISE HOW THE WINSHIELDS WAS HELD IN THE WHOLE THING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE THE BILL FROM THAT AS WELL AS PICTURES FROM THE TRIM BEING GONE SO IS THERE ANYAY TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT SINCE THAT HAS BEEN LABLED A RECALL/DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE?
Other or unspecified, Feb 19, 2024
The driver and passenger front interior door panels are separating from the door and blocking the vision from the driver on the driver’s window and passenger window. They are also effecting the operation of the power windows from going up and down. This can definitely cause an accident which is not safe to drive. This was recalled in November 7, 2017 under 17N04 from Ford Motor Company. I am looking for these unsafe door panels to be replaced by Ford with your help.
Other or unspecified, Feb 14, 2024
Well my problem began AFTER I got my cat back from the dealer for taking it in to get the rear toe link recall taken care of. Now I don't know exactly what the problem even is but I will try to explain with as much detail as I can to help you understand what I am still currently having to deal with. After getting. Y car back everything was fine until I suddenly get this sudden jerking of my car after I had made a right hand turn and as I was trying to accelerate to the posted speed limit, I honestly believed that one of my tires was about to break off while driving on the freeway with my two daughters in the vehicle with me while traveling to my sister's house nearly 35 minutes away from my residence. When I felt it, it startled me to the point where I believed that I might have popped a tire. I pulled over to check and nothing visible was wrong. Being 5 minutes away from my sisters house I drove to her house with my hazard lights on and after every turn I would feel as if one of my tires was going to just fall right off. My brother in law is a mechanic and I asked him to take it for a careful drive in an empty parking lot so he can feel what I was trying to explain to him. So he did and he said that it might be either the transmission not shifting properly and could be slipping, or the second theory is that the rear toe link can be either broken or damaged. He didn't know that I had already taken it to the dealer to have it replaced. I told him that the dealer had already replaced the rear toe link and his facial expression was very clear to understand that he was not sure if they did actually fix it or possibly mess with something else, because they might have believed I would have taken my car to get fixed there. Since that is my only vehicle and have a teenager in junior high and a 9 yr old in elementary I have to take them to school on opposite sides of my house . I have noticed that now it's not just after turning, but actually more frequently and longer.
Other or unspecified, Jan 27, 2024
I have had to have this trim piece replaced twice by McMahon Ford in Norwalk ct. first time [XXX] and the second time [XXX]. Both times I have had to pay out of pocket. Therefore I do not understand why my vin number is not included here. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Oct 6, 2023
For over a year our 2015 Ford Explorer REAR BACKUP CAMERA malfunctions frequently. Either the image is reversed, streaky, or completely blank and makes backing up difficult and dangerous. A year ago the local Ford dealership was trying to tell us the camera is faulty, but many times the image is clear. They tried to sell us a $1,000 camera replacement, but no cameras were in stock for many months. Later, we discovered there are SIMILAR ISSUES with many other Ford vehicles. Currently there is a NHTSA campaign #23V598 targeting Fords and Lincolns. We feel this needs to be BROADENED to cover the many other Ford models, such as the Explorer. We do not think this is a camera issue, but rather a SOFTWARE issue. Please look into this and include other years and models of Fords in this recall. Thank you very much for your consideration.