Free Preview
#BS-2015-FOREXP-33C92015 Ford Explorer
Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 9 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 1,000 complaints, 26 crashes, 0 fires, and 9 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.4x the class average.
Top reported problems
power steering stopped working while driving
25 complaints • Severity 8.6/10
popping noise when turning
20 complaints • Severity 7.1/10
exhaust smell in cabin
12 complaints • Severity 9.3/10
Preview: What's in your full report
Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20
Mechanic Inspection Checklist
163 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 44K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (268 reports) • Median: 44K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (163 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2015 Ford Explorer: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 2015 Ford Explorer, with 163 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 43,682 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 44K-mile mark.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2015 Ford Explorer, with 123 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Fuel System Issues
Fuel System complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2015 Ford Explorer, with 66 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Airbags Issues
Airbags complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2015 Ford Explorer, with 49 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2015 Ford Explorer. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (9 recalls)
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
+ 4 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Ford Explorer is the 2006 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2015 Ford Explorer vs. Class Average (Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)
This vehicle
1,000
Class avg
419
2.4x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical standard sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 9 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Ford Explorer Model Years
2015 Ford Explorer: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Ford Explorer?
Is the 2015 Ford Explorer reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2015 Ford Explorer problems?
Does the 2015 Ford Explorer have any recalls?
What mileage do Ford Explorer problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2015 Ford Explorer Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.