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2015 Ford Explorer

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
9
on record
MPG
27
combined

Heavily recalled

9 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.

Vehicle Summary

2015 Ford Explorer

9 recalls
1755 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 9 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 36 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 1,755 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
9
Owner complaints
1,755
Complaints citing a crash
36

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

9 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

9 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 19V435000high

    Suspension issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 17E048000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    WHEELS:HUB

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 15V464000high

    Brake system issue

    PARKING BRAKE

    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."

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 16V245000high

    Suspension issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V692000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V537000high

    Suspension issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V675000high

    Suspension issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V031000high

    Body/structure issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V695000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2015 Ford Explorer.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    4 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    17.4%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Optional
Lane departure warning
Optional

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2015 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 17.4% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2015 Ford Explorer Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2015 Ford Explorer Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2015 Ford Explorer Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2015 Ford Explorer, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$1,944
Tailpipe CO₂
329 g/mi

How this compares

The EPA holds too few vehicles in this class and model year to rank the 2015 Ford Explorer against its peers.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 329 grams per mile — about 4.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

1,755 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

1,755
Total
36
Crashes
1
Fires
95
Injuries

Most reported components

  • OTHER370
  • STRUCTURE366
  • ENGINE341
  • STEERING318
  • AIR BAGS84

Notable Issues

1755 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 95 reports involve injuries. 36 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

miscellaneous issues370
body/structure issues (rust, door problems, trim)366
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)341

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2015 Ford Explorer, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 25V695000

    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.

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE23001

    Windshield trim molding Item detachment

  3. Recall

    Recall 24V031000

    A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE23001

    Windshield trim molding Item detachment

  5. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation EA17002

    Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab

  6. Recall

    Recall 21V537000

    A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 20V675000

    A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  8. Recall

    Recall 20V692000

    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.

  9. Recall

    Recall 19V435000

    A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

  10. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation EA15005

    Front Brake Hose Failure

  11. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE16008

    Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor

  12. Recall

    Recall 17E048000

    A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.

  13. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA17002

    Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab

  14. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE16008

    Ford Explorer Exhaust Odor

  15. Recall

    Recall 16V245000

    A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  16. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA15005

    Front Brake Hose Failure

  17. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE15017

    Front brake hose failure

  18. Recall

    Recall 15V464000

    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.

  19. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE15017

    Front brake hose failure

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

22

City

34

Hwy

27

Comb

Annual cost
$1,944
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 25V695000

    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.

  2. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE23001

    Windshield trim molding Item detachment

  3. Recall

    Recall 24V031000

    A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

  4. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE23001

    Windshield trim molding Item detachment

  5. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation EA17002

    Exhaust Odor in Passenger Cab