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
1,791 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Oct 13, 2021
Water pump and leaking
Other or unspecified, Oct 11, 2021
This is the 4th time this has happened. When driving on the highway all of a sudden warning bells go off dashboard lights up indicating Terrain Fault. Power steering goes out almost causing me not to make my turn. I pull over and look and I have error about Power assist, terrain fault and one other I don’t remember. At this point I am under able to steer the vehicle. So I turn it off for a few minutes and restart it and what do you know…. Everything is just fine. This is very sporadic and by the time I take it in to read codes none are there. When I speak to the dealership they act like they have never heard of this happening.
Seats, Oct 8, 2021, crash
I was stopped on the highway behind two other cars that were also stopped at a lane merger. A car hit my vehicle from behind and the impact caused my vehicle to hit the car in front of me, and that car to hit the car in front of them. When I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of my vehicle, I noticed that my seat (driver's seat) had reclined backwards. I have lower & mid back pain as a result of the crash. My vehicle is currently at a tow lot where it has been labeled a total loss.
Steering, Oct 6, 2021
The rack and pinion is bad and grinds when turning. Yes vehicle is available for inspection if needed. no warning lamped have shown up to date other than major grinding when turning.
Air bags, Oct 3, 2021
My SRS air bag light came on intermittently and is now on all the time. A internet search showed many years of explorer also have this problem. It appears MANY owners are having this same safety problem and Ford is charging full price for repair. CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN AIR BAGS ARE NOT WORKING. A RECALL IS NEEDED!
Back over prevention, Oct 3, 2021
The reverse camera randomly cuts out while I am reversing. I have almost hit cars and can't rely on it to back up safely.
Steering, Sep 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his son-in-law was driving, the power steering assists error message was displayed however, the vehicle was still drivable. The contact stated that the turn signal failed to stay in place while signaling left or right turn. The turn signal switch failed to operate. The contact stated that several days later while driving the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer a month later where the failure was diagnosed as the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was currently at the dealer for repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Steering, Sep 24, 2021
My son-in-law was driving our car with his family and the power steering went out while on the highway. The error message on the car was “Steering Assist Fault Service Required’. He could barely control the car to get it off the highway and back home. My husband took it to the dealership the next day but the error message had disappeared. The dealer was unable to diagnose the problem because they couldn’t get the diagnosis code for the issue. Then I was out with my step daughter driving the car and the power steering went out, same error message along with a new error message that read “Steering Fault Service Now”. This has happened several times so we took the car back up to the dealership and they have told us that they can’t replicate the problem and can’t get the diagnosis code so they can’t fix anything. The car has been with them for five days. I explained to the service writer that this issue keeps happening and the car keeps giving us the error message. Are we supposed to just wait until it goes out again and we end up in a horrific car accident? I have read incidents on this site with the same year, make and model all talking about the same issue yet Ford hasn’t recalled the 2015 Explorer to fix this problem. We have photos of the error messages and showed the service writer yet as it stands now they can’t do anything.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Sep 20, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and turning into a parking lot, the steering wheel inadvertently seized. The warning message "Steering Malfunction, Serviced Needed" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to pull into a parking space with assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced, and that the failure was a manufacturer’s defect. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired and was towed back to her residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist because there was no open recall related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 125,000.
Steering, Sep 13, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The "Steering Assist Fault Service Required" and "Service Advance Track" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled into a nearby parking lot. The contact stated she turned off the vehicle and when she restarted the vehicle, the steering wheel was easier to maneuver. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Steering, Sep 13, 2021
I drove to a soccer tournament with my wife and 3 small kids over 2 hours away from my home. about 5 mins away I received an alert that my advance trac system was disabled. When I was pulling in the hotel parking lot I received a warning that I had a steering system failure and to stop the vehicle. At this point it the power steering was totally disable and I barely missed hitting a parked car due to lack of steering control. I was able to guide the Explorer to an open space in the hotel parking lot. I was totally frustrated and terrified because if the failure had happened just two minutes earlier I would have likely crashed at highway speeds! So I was stranded in a new town 2 hours away from home with no idea how I was going to get home or how to get my Explorer diagnosed. I had the Explorer towed to a nearby dealership. (Midland Ford in Midland Michigan) to get it diagnosed. In the meantime I had to find away to get my kids and my wife back home 2 hours away before Monday morning (School & Work) without a car and on a Sunday. I was able to to find a way home but we arrived very early Monday morning. I am now facing a repair job of $2600. I surely do not think that I should pay for what is apparently a common and known defect for my Explorer. A clear safety issue that put me and my family at risk while leaving me stranded 2 hours from home.
Steering, Sep 11, 2021
Power steering assist light came on and I lost my power steering all of a sudden. Stopped car turned it off started again and it worked for a minute then came back on.
Structure, Sep 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he noticed that the passenger’s side door panel was fractured, and the back of the trim panel was exposed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they could not complete an unknown recall repair on the vehicle because the extended warranty had expired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
Structure, Aug 26, 2021
Pulled on driver side door handle to open and handle came apart. Smaller piece fell off and larger handle part pulled out from the door.
Other or unspecified, Aug 23, 2021
While my son was driving our 2015 Explorer on the highway @60 mph a month ago, the black mounding trim piece on the driver’s side windshield went flying off, along with a rubber strip that caused him to swerve lanes, almost creating an accident. Then, last week I was driving on the highway through a construction zone late at night when a large black plastic piece(the trim molding on the other side of the windshield) flew off the passenger side and a two foot piece of thick gooey rubber was flapping on my windshield. Fortunately, there were no cars behind me as it occurred, because it startled me and I swerved a little bit & had to quickly pull off the road and ended up have to pull off the flapping/dangling rubber piece because it would not be go back on and was slapping tar on my windshield and body of the vehicle. Ford has advised they want nearly $1,100 to fix the issue which I see from numerous other posts, and from 3 other Explorers I’ve noticed this last week alone in my neighborhood with the same exact defect problem. This is obviously a well known issue as per the numerous posts here, the comments from the two Ford dealerships I’ve been to and a Safelite Auto Glass Repair shop who advised they’ve seen many of these same exact instances on Explorers. It’s unbelievable that the NHTSA hasn’t required Ford to do a recall on these, and it’s despicable that Ford hasn’t proactively offered to replace or repair these for owners, - but instead seems to have no problem gouging consumers on repairs that they tell them they need to pay for themselves!
Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2021
When I purchased this vehicle I noticed there was a fawl smell like rotten eggs or sulfer when you would push on gas. I mentioned it to the dealer they said they kneew about it and there was a recall to fix it. I brought it in a few times as each time they never seemed to be able to fix it. It made my whole family sick, headaches, nauseua, sleepy. I was scared to drive my family in my car. I looked up this incident to see if others had same issue and there were many across the board that all said the same thing and FORD would not do anything about this. I tried to trade my car in manytimes and have them do an exchange they did nothing. I am ready at this point to hire a lawyer and sue FORD for this. what else can be done
Fuel system, Gasoline, Aug 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost power on several occasions. The vehicle was restarted and operated as designed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with a faulty throttle body. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
Back over prevention, Aug 9, 2021
The rear backup camera continually fails due to what appears to be a faulty electrical connection. It stops working while in the middle of a backup almost causing a collision. sometimes it does not work at all.
Back over prevention, Aug 5, 2021
When I put my car in reverse and start backing up my backup camera screen flickers and then goes completeley blank. My 2015 Ford Explorer only has 31,000 miles on it.
Steering, Aug 4, 2021
Electronic steering assist gear failed and complete loss of steering was experienced. Driver was traveling at 45 MPH at the time of failure which could have resulted in serious injury or death. Ford was contacted 72 hours ago and has failed to make contact.
Electrical system, Air bags, Jul 29, 2021
Driver side air bag light on.
Steering, Jul 27, 2021
Multiple times I have started vehicle and the “steering assist fault service required” light has come on. Never stays on for long and still able to drive car. Spoke with Ford dealership and they said I need to bring it in when the light is on. Well the light has come on as well as “service advance Trac” light and now I can not drive my car. Have lost all power steering. I have looked up recalls and see that this has been a problem for 2011-2013 and a lawsuit in process for 2016-2018. Not sure why 2015 is not also a recall because I have seen multiple complaints for the same problem. I believe this is a Ford problem and should not have to pay to have this fixed. I am lucky I was still in my driveway when this happened. I now have to pay a towing company to get my car to dealership to have serviced, when it could have been taken care of multiple times if it was included in recall.
Engine and engine cooling, Structure, Jul 22, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front windshield bonding fracture and disconnected structing another vehicle. The contact also mentioned that an abnormal fume odor appeared in the interior cabin from all vents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and inspected which the technician was unable to duplicate the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact mentioned a recall however while conducting a recall search there was NHTSA Action Number: EA17002 (STRUCTURE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) as a possible solution to the failure, however, the VIN was not included in the action number. The manufacture was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no recalls was under the VIN. The failure mileage was approximate 26,000.
Steering, Jul 19, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering assist fault and service advanced track warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact continued driving for two miles from where the failure occurred to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V675000 (Suspension) however, the vehicle was not yet taken to be repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximate 102,000
Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 19, 2021
merging northbound 280 on the freeway, lost all power to vehicle.