2015 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 2138 complaints
2138
Total Complaints
54,600mi
Median Mileage
Unknown Or Other
Top Issue
52
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

27,325 25th Percentile
54,600 Median Mileage
90,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Unknown Or Other
390
Steering
329
Structure
246
Engine
225
Body
125
Fuel/Propulsion System
86
Electrical System
85
Air Bags
83
Power Train
81
Suspension
80

Severity Assessment

52
Crashes
1
Fires
140
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER (VIN #[XXX]), WHICH HAS LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT, JERKED VIOLENTLY AND STALLED AT 70 MPH ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014 WHEN MY PARTNER [XXX] WAS DRIVING IT. AFTER THE SUDDEN JERK EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT UP WITH WARNING LIGHT INDICATORS. THE CAR STARTED ROUGHLY THREE MINU..."
"THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK THAT GREAT IT LOOKS LIKE SOME PAINTED A BLACK LINE IN THE WINDSHIELD AND WE CAN'T SEE ABOVE THAT LINE. VERY DANGEROUS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE LIGHTS. I HAD AN EDGE BEFORE AND WE COULD SEE SO MUCH BETTER. *JS"
"I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY AND A MESSAGE POPPED UP "TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAULT" AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, A CHECK BRAKES MESSAGE SHOWED, LEAVING THE BRAKE INDICATOR, ABS MESSAGE SAYING IT IS OFF AND AN "AWD OFF" MESSAGE. THIS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY EVEN AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF FOR HOURS AND RESTART..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Unknown Or Other 390 complaints
25th: 5,000 mi Median: 29,000 mi 75th: 50,000 mi
Steering 329 complaints
25th: 41,316 mi Median: 59,550 mi 75th: 90,000 mi
Structure 246 complaints
25th: 76,000 mi Median: 100,000 mi 75th: 133,000 mi
Engine 225 complaints
25th: 6,500 mi Median: 30,156 mi 75th: 60,000 mi
Body 125 complaints
25th: 29,789 mi Median: 52,000 mi 75th: 75,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 230 FL: 187 CA: 181 MI: 99 GA: 94 VA: 90 NY: 90 OH: 72 NC: 72 IL: 67

Who Files Complaints?

1%
Original Owners
99%
Second+ Owners

Ford Explorer — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
199176470
199284854
1993115198
19941531124
19951048107
19961818248
19972149180
19982374219
19991737143
20001203115
200150082
20024095178
2003136870
2004164769
200560430
200678818
200727114
20082158
2009498
201015513
2011148148
2012101314
2013275761
2014201148
2016294056
2017192753
201881923
20193062
2020154450
202149221
202230825
202312611
2024210
202511111

Active Recalls (9)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Rear
Campaign 19V435000 | 10/06/2019
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
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
Hub
Campaign 17E048000 | 28/08/2017
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Parking Brake
Campaign 15V464000 | 24/07/2015
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.
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 i
Rear
Campaign 16V245000 | 26/04/2016
A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Axle Shaft
Campaign 20V692000 | 10/11/2020
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.
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
Rear
Campaign 21V537000 | 15/07/2021
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 f
Rear
Campaign 20V675000 | 12/03/2021
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 r
Roof And Pillars
Campaign 24V031000 | 19/01/2024
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Camera
Campaign 25V695000 | 13/10/2025
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.
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. 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

General Vehicle Maintenance

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual
  • Don't ignore warning lights — early diagnosis prevents expensive repairs
  • Keep records of all maintenance and repairs
  • Use OEM or equivalent-quality parts for repairs
  • Address unusual noises, vibrations, or smells promptly

Compare Ford Explorer

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Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28