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Car · Ford problems

2015 Ford Explorer problems

1,813 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford Explorer. The most reported area is body and structure (23% of them). NHTSA also lists 99 service bulletins and 8 recall campaigns.

1,813owner complaints
37say a crash was involved
1say a fire was involved
98injuries and deaths reported

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 98. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 1,813 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

19 smaller areas not shown (381 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 99 repair bulletins from Ford for the 2015 Ford Explorer. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

  1. SSM 54366Received November 19, 2025

    Electrical system

    Some 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022, P0024 and/or P0025.

  2. SSM 53040Received October 16, 2024

    While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.

  3. SSM 52314Received March 20, 2024

    Power train (transmission and drive)

    During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical.

  4. SSM 52335Received March 20, 2024

    Engine and engine cooling

    For 2015-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbocharged engines and customer concern of an engine oil leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 for oil leak inspection and...

  5. SSM 51536Received May 4, 2023

    Body and structure

    For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended.

  6. 21R01Received December 2, 2022

    Suspension

    Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Toe Link Replacement Under Safety Recall 21S32, some of the affected vehicles exposed to a highly corrosive environment where road salt is used...

  7. 22N01Received October 5, 2022

    Wheels

    Certain 2011-2017 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Wheel Knuckle Replacement Ref 21S32 Submitting Owner Letter.

  8. SSM 50861Received June 29, 2022

    Power train (transmission and drive)

    Some 2015-2016 vehicles equipped with 6F50/6F55 transmission and built on 2-Nov-2015 and through 1-Feb-2016 may exhibit no reverse, 3rd and 5th gear with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs)...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2015 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. The 3 to look at first:

  1. 24V031000January 19, 2024

    Structure

    The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

  2. 25V695000October 14, 2025

    Back over prevention

    The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

  3. 21V537000July 15, 2021

    Suspension

    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.

See all 8 recalls for the 2015 Ford Explorer, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Explorer will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

Body and structure 411 complaints · 23%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Steering 348 complaints · 19%

Engine and engine cooling 289 complaints · 16%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Backup camera and sensors 147 complaints · 8%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2015 Ford Explorer: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2015 Ford Explorer?

Of the 1,813 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford Explorer, 411 (23%) name body and structure, and 348 (19%) name steering. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2015 Ford Explorer reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 37 of the 1,813 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 98 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2015 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2015 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at a Ford dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 99 repair bulletins for the 2015 Ford Explorer.

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Sources

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.