YearToAvoid

2015 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

87/100

#3 most-complained of 16 Explorer years

The 2015 Ford Explorer has a Complaint Index of 87, ranking 3rd worst of 16 model years, with 1,791 complaints and 8 recalls. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Explorer years, driven mainly by Structure & Body complaints (24% share).

Complaints
1,791
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
37 / 1
Injuries / deaths
98 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19.5
17 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2015 Ford Explorer problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body425 (24%)
  2. Other405 (23%)
  3. Steering345 (19%)
  4. Engine299 (17%)
  5. Collision Avoidance & Cameras138 (8%)
  6. Electrical System105 (6%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires97 (5%)
  8. Fuel System94 (5%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain86 (5%)
  10. Airbags84 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report engine carbon monoxide fumes entering the cabin, in some cases causing the driver to lose consciousness while driving.
  • Some owners describe the steering wheel locking up or becoming impossible to turn, sometimes paired with unresponsive brakes.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in several low-to-moderate speed crashes, including rear-end and frontal impacts.
  • Owners report the right lower control arm breaking in half on the highway, with the ball joint separating from its socket.
  • Seat belt pretensioners reportedly failed to tension or fire during rear-impact and rollover crashes.
  • A blind spot sensor warning reportedly preceded sudden uncontrolled swerving and repeated curb impacts.
2015 Ford Explorer complaints: complaints filed per quarter1382014 Q42016 Q22017 Q42019 Q22020 Q42022 Q22023 Q42025 Q2
2212 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2017 Q3 (138).

2015 Ford Explorer recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V695000Oct 13, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,448,655 vehicles

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    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.

  2. NHTSA 24V031000Jan 19, 2024Structure & Body1,889,110 vehicles

    Structure:body:roof and pillars

    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.

  3. NHTSA 21V537000Jul 15, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires631,176 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    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.

See all 8 recalls for the 2015 Ford Explorer →

2015 Ford Explorer fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
23.5 MPG
Combined
19.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,325
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2015 compared with other Explorer years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Avoid932,2341119.5
2014Caution671,678619.5
2015Avoid871,791819.5
2016Avoid1002,4511420
2017Caution731,6911320

All Ford Explorer years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Ford Explorer reliable?
Relative to other Explorer model years, the 2015 ranks poorly. NHTSA data shows a Complaint Index of 87 and a rank of 3rd worst out of 16 model years, giving it an Avoid verdict compared to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2015 Ford Explorer?
Structure & Body issues are the top problem area, accounting for 425 complaints, or 24% of all complaints, with a median failure mileage of 89,500 miles.
Does the 2015 Ford Explorer have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2015 Explorer, covering areas including Collision Avoidance & Cameras, Structure & Body, Suspension, Wheels & Tires, Transmission & Powertrain, and Brakes.
How does the 2015 Explorer compare to other years?
The 2015 Explorer's Complaint Index of 87 is worse than 2012 (47), 2014 (67), and 2019 (7), but slightly better than 2013 (93) and 2016 (100), which rank as the two worst years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.