YearToAvoid

2015 Ford Explorer Suspension, Wheels & Tires Problems

NHTSA lists 97 suspension, wheels & tires complaints for the 2015 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for the year, tied to 10 crashes and 3 injuries. Four related recalls cover rear toe link and cross-axis ball joint failures, with median failure mileage at 74,000.

Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints
97
5% of 1,791
Crashes reported
10
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
74,000 mi
Related recalls
4

Typical suspension symptoms owners report

  • Rear suspension toe links snap or fracture during normal driving, causing sudden loss of steering control, sometimes shortly after the recall repair was performed.
  • Front lower control arms and ball joints break or separate from the vehicle, leading to loss of steering at highway speed.
  • Front suspension components have detached or dropped to the ground while driving at low to moderate speeds, sometimes preceded by a swerving or veering sensation.
  • Owners report the vehicle suddenly veering or fishtailing before hitting a curb, ditch, or barrier after a suspension component failed.
  • Some owners state dealers delayed recall parts availability while the affected toe link or cross-axis ball joint remained unrepaired.

When 2015 Ford Explorer suspension complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 26, 2015, latest Sep 20, 2026.

2015 Ford Explorer suspension, wheels & tires complaints: complaints filed per quarter92015 Q12016 Q42018 Q42020 Q22021 Q32023 Q12024 Q22026 Q1
97 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (9).

Suspension, Wheels & Tires recalls for the 2015 Ford Explorer

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 20V675000Mar 12, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires454,941 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    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.

  3. NHTSA 19V435000Jun 10, 2019Suspension, Wheels & Tires1,194,173 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    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.

  4. NHTSA 16V245000Apr 26, 2016Suspension, Wheels & Tires75,364 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    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.

Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200539 (8%)
  2. 200615 (2%)
  3. 200731 (15%)
  4. 200813 (9%)
  5. 20095 (15%)
  6. 20108 (7%)
  7. 201135 (3%)
  8. 201227 (3%)
  9. 201393 (4%)
  10. 2014127 (8%)
  11. 201597 (5%)
  12. 2016130 (5%)
  13. 2017127 (8%)
  14. 201840 (5%)
  15. 201916 (5%)
  16. 202051 (4%)
  17. 202120 (5%)
  18. 202216 (6%)
  19. 202313 (12%)
  20. 20243 (14%)
  21. 20254 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2015 Ford Explorer have a suspension recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists four related recalls covering the rear suspension toe links and cross-axis ball joint knuckle, campaigns 16V245000, 19V435000, 20V675000, and 21V537000.
How many suspension complaints does the 2015 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 97 suspension, wheels & tires complaints for the 2015 Explorer, which is 5% of the 1,791 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do 2015 Explorer suspension problems usually happen?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 74,000 miles.
Are the suspension failures dangerous?
NHTSA data shows 10 crashes and 3 injuries linked to suspension, wheels & tires complaints on the 2015 Explorer, with owners describing sudden loss of steering control.

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.