2015 Ford Explorer problems, complaints and recalls
NHTSA data checked October 31, 2026 · counts are computed from NHTSA's public APIs, not estimated
Summary
NHTSA's public complaint database lists 1,814 owner complaints for the 2015 Ford Explorer, and its recall database lists 9 safety recall campaigns for it.
Leaving out "unknown or other", the component group owners named most often is structure (411 complaints, 23%), followed by steering (348) and engine (227). A complaint can name more than one group, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
37 complaints say a crash happened and 1 mention a fire; together the complaints report 98 injuries and 0 deaths.
Among Ford Explorer model years 2010–2020 in NHTSA's data, 2015 has the 3rd-most complaints (1,814, against a median of 1,222 for the other years).
The newest recall is 25V695000, received October 14, 2025, for back over prevention.
1,814owner complaints
9recall campaigns
37complaints reporting a crash
1complaints reporting a fire
98injuries reported
0deaths reported
Complaints by component
Owners pick one or more component groups when they file. Share is the percent of the 1,814 complaints that name the group.
Component group (NHTSA label)
Complaints
Share
Structurebody and frame: hood, doors, rust, mounts
411
23%
Unknown or Otherowner did not pick a component group
406
22%
Steeringsteering column, rack and power steering: loss of assist, wander
Forward Collision Avoidanceautomatic emergency braking and collision warnings, including false braking
6
<1%
Service Brakes, Hydraulicthe main hydraulic brakes: pedal feel, ABS, brake lines
4
<1%
Parking Brakeparking brake
3
<1%
Tirestires
3
<1%
Traction Control Systemtraction control
2
<1%
Child Seata child car seat used in the vehicle
1
<1%
Equipmentadd-on equipment
1
<1%
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
1
<1%
Lane Departurelane-keeping assist and lane departure warning
1
<1%
Latches/Locks/Linkagesdoor and hood latches, locks
1
<1%
Recalls (9)
Newest first. Summary, risk and remedy are NHTSA's own recall text (a U.S. government record), shown as published. A recall applies only to the vehicles its notice names; your VIN lookup is the final word.
NHTSA campaign 25V695000
Received October 14, 2025 · Back Over Prevention ( sensing system: camera)
What's wrong: 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.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 24V031000
Received January 19, 2024 · Structure (body: roof and pillars)
What's wrong: 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.
Risk: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 21V537000
Received July 15, 2021 · Suspension (rear)
What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 20V675000
Received March 12, 2021 · Suspension (rear)
What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 20V692000
Received November 10, 2020 · Power Train (axle assembly: axle shaft)
What's wrong: 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.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 19V435000
Received June 10, 2019 · Suspension (rear)
What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 17E048000
Received August 28, 2017 · Wheels (hub)
What's wrong: 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.
Risk: A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 16V245000
Received April 26, 2016 · Suspension (rear)
What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign 15V464000
Received July 24, 2015 · Parking Brake
What's wrong: 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."
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
When the complaints were filed
By the year the complaint reached NHTSA. A late rise often means a part wearing out with age or a problem drawing attention after a recall.
How many complaints has NHTSA received about the 2015 Ford Explorer?
1,814 owner complaints as of October 31, 2026, per NHTSA's complaints API.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2015 Ford Explorer?
Structure is named in 411 of 1,814 complaints (23%); NHTSA's group covers body and frame: hood, doors, rust, mounts.
How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Explorer have?
9 recall campaigns in NHTSA's recall database, most recently 25V695000 (October 14, 2025). Check a specific car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is 2015 a bad year for the Ford Explorer?
By complaint count, 2015 ranks 3rd of 11 Explorer model years 2010–2020 in NHTSA's data. Raw counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how old they are.
How to read these numbers
Complaints are reports owners file with NHTSA. NHTSA does not confirm each one, and one problem can be reported more than once.
Counts are not adjusted for sales: a model that sold twice as many cars can collect twice the complaints without being worse per car.
Older model years have had more time to collect complaints.
A recall listed here may not cover every car of this model year. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.