Model year record

2015 Ford Explorer

8 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 2,715 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 25V695000

Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

Component: Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 1,448,655
Reported to NHTSA: 2025-10-13
Owners notified: 2026-01-02

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 24V031000

Structure: body: roof and pillars

Component: Structure: body: roof and pillars
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 1,889,110
Reported to NHTSA: 2024-01-19
Owners notified: 2024-07-18

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V537000

Suspension: rear

Component: Suspension: rear
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 631,176
Reported to NHTSA: 2021-07-15
Owners notified: 2022-03-16

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 20V675000

Suspension: rear

Component: Suspension: rear
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 454,941
Reported to NHTSA: 2021-03-12
Owners notified: 2020-11-27

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 20V692000

Power train: axle assembly: axle shaft

Component: Power train: axle assembly: axle shaft
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 15,587
Reported to NHTSA: 2020-11-10
Owners notified: 2021-02-02

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 19V435000

Suspension: rear

Component: Suspension: rear
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 1,194,173
Reported to NHTSA: 2019-06-10
Owners notified: 2019-06-26

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 16V245000

Suspension: rear

Component: Suspension: rear
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 75,364
Reported to NHTSA: 2016-04-26
Owners notified: 2016-11-18

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 15V464000

Parking brake

Component: Parking brake
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected: 7,165
Reported to NHTSA: 2015-07-24
Owners notified: 2015-09-04

Defect description

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."

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer 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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

Component	Complaints	Median mileage
Unknown or other	453	29,000 mi
Structure	431	99,000 mi
Steering	370	60,980 mi
Engine	238	30,000 mi
Back over prevention	199	100,000 mi
Structure: body	152	52,000 mi
Electrical system	116	54,000 mi
Power train	89	48,000 mi
Suspension	89	80,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	88	28,000 mi
Air bags	84	65,000 mi
Seat belts	41	68,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system	38	33,710 mi
Visibility/wiper	33	42,500 mi
Service brakes	30	24,120 mi
Engine and engine cooling	29	110,000 mi
Seats	19	61,902 mi
Vehicle speed control	19	85,200 mi
Exterior lighting	18	29,789 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)	17	50,000 mi
Wheels	16	47,752 mi
Back over prevention: rearview system braking	13	—
Back over prevention: warnings	11	192,260 mi
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera	10	—
Structure: interior panels: door	9	60,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline	7	27,100 mi
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly	7	88,000 mi
Visibility: windshield: critical fasteners	7	45,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: warnings	6	130,334 mi
Steering: electric power assist system	5	60,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control	4	99,000 mi
Steering: rack and pinion	4	78,000 mi
Structure: body: roof and pillars	4	3,354 mi
Parking brake	3	46,382 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic	3	158,443 mi
Visibility: windshield	3	50,000 mi
Carry handle, shell, base	2	—
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel	2	115,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: pump	2	126,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control	2	13,700 mi
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking	2	—
Lane departure: blind spot detection	2	—
Latches/locks/linkages	2	122,000 mi
Other/i am not sure	2	—
Structure: body: door	2	47,000 mi
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems	2	500 mi
Traction control system	2	—
Visibility	2	85,000 mi
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system	2	10,000 mi
Air bags: SRS malfunction warning lamp/light	1	—
Back over prevention: display function	1	—
Electrical system: body control module/BCM	1	100,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine	1	83,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger	1	155,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe	1	92,000 mi
Equipment adaptive/mobility	1	4,514 mi
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner	1	10,000 mi
Exterior lighting: headlights	1	500 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: injectors	1	10,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: throttlebody/manifold	1	96,000 mi
Power train: automatic transmission: torque converter	1	127,000 mi
Power train: driveline: chain/belt	1	139,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module	1	105,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: electric	1	125,000 mi
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)	1	80,000 mi
Steering: steering control module	1	88,000 mi
Structure: body: door: handle: exterior	1	73,000 mi
Structure: body: hatchback/liftgate	1	36,000 mi
Structure: critical fasteners	1	110,000 mi
Structure: interior panels: sun visor	1	100,000 mi
Suspension: rear	1	—
Tires	1	—
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs	1	—

The 2014 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2016 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.