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2015 Ford Explorer

Verified July 23, 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
1751 complaints
27 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
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Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
9
Owner complaints
1,751
Complaints citing a crash
36

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised 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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.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.

  • 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.

  • 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."

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Consumer complaints

1,751 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

1,751
Total
36
Crashes
1
Fires
95
Injuries

Most reported components

  • OTHER367
  • STRUCTURE366
  • ENGINE341
  • STEERING318
  • AIR BAGS84

Notable Issues

1751 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 95 reports involve injuries. 36 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

miscellaneous issues367
body/structure issues (rust, door problems, trim)366
engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)341

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