10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,983 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2015 Ford Explorer:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #54

Nov 102020

Explorer

  • 48,000 miles
While driving on the highway and towing a trailer the vehicle suddenly lost power and dramatically slowed down. It was almost like slamming on the brakes. The information window showed "terrain management fault". the engine was barely running and was running erratically. I was able to get pulled over and stopped the engine. When I tried to restart it the "terrain management fault". appeared again and the engine was again barely running. After a few stops and starts the message cleared and the engine began to run normally. The Ford dealer found a bad throttle body assembly was faulty. The repair was not covered under warranty.

- Blaine, MN, USA

problem #53

Aug 102020

Explorer

  • 82,000 miles
Wife drove to grocery store parked went in store came out to truck started it put in reverse in there was no power steering. Traction control light is O ABS light is on and brake light is also on. Vehicle is no longer under warranty. Looked up the problem on internet and lots of same problems with this.

- Largo, FL, USA

problem #52

Jan 012020

Explorer

  • 0 miles
The car does not go in to park. It is an automatic trans. You have to play with the shifter for the car to go into park and secure the vehicle.

- Lake Havasu City, AZ, USA

problem #51

Jun 012019

Explorer

  • 61,150 miles
Purchased used card March 2019.after a few months started noticing when parking car even and uneven terrain cannot get parking brake to engage and the gear would not set to the P of park and be able to stop the car. It was a situation that happened occasionally, but now it has become more frequent.

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #50

Jul 032020

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 22,395 miles
Ptu leaking with 22395 miles and 5 years and 3 days in service. Out of warranty by 3 days

- Bellingham, MA, USA

problem #49

Jul 042020

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 1 miles
While driving, Ford Explorer dash wrench light indicator turns on then suddenly you loose power and control and braking, technical disabled. You have to come to a rolling stop. Then turn on car again to remove wrench light.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #48

Jun 012020

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 108,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was fluid leaking from the power take off unit. The vehicle was taken to jim tidwell Ford (2205 barrett lakes blvd, kennesaw, ga 30144), to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the power take off unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

- Powder Springs, GA, USA

problem #47

Apr 082020

Explorer

  • 96,000 miles
My wife pulled out of the driveway into traffic going to work one day. When she pulled out the car shifted hard then went into neutral. My wife's quick thinking to pull of the side of the rd saved her from getting rear ended. She put car in park then shifted to go again. At that moment is when the car started hopping as she drove down the rd. She pulled over to call me. I instructed her to go home and not to work. I got home hours later from work I then drove our 2015 Ford Explorer. It shifted hard then started to hop I took it home and did a visual inspection on the fluid level tires and shocks. I didn't see anything abnormal. The next day I took it to Ford dealer they drove it at 96000 miles said they couldn't duplicate it. Fast forward we have 105000 miles on it problem persistently getting worse we took it back to village Ford. They drove it and suspected the transmission. The next day they called saying it was the transmission and it would be $5500 $ to fix it. They couldn't put it on a diagnostic machine before warranty was out but they could when out of warranty. Now I find myself spending $4500 dollar auto repair that could've been detected if they would've diagnosed it prior to now. Reggie the service manager and the service team at village Ford failed

- Summerfield, FL, USA

problem #46

Oct 142019

Explorer

  • 125,000 miles
The ptu, an unserviceable part went out in my car. This is a common failure. It's due to an inability to change the fluid, as it's sealed. This cause a very expensive repair. Ford has this issue in all of their AWD vehicles. They need to replace or refund customers that are affected. They need to update the part with a service interval, dipstick, filler tube and drain.

- Clinton, UT, USA

problem #45

Sep 192019

Explorer

  • 64,999 miles
The contact works for a company that owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While the vehicle was parked, the contact reached inside the vehicle to remove the key from the ignition and the vehicle started to roll backwards. The contact became caught between the door and the driver's seat when the vehicle started to roll backwards. The contact was dragged for approximately 4-5 feet before a teenager in the vicinity was able to enter the vehicle, place the gear into park, and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that she might have inadvertently shifted the gear shifter into reverse while attempting to remove the key from the ignition. The contact sustained a fracture to the pelvic bone, lacerations, and possible torn ligaments in the hip and shoulder. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The contact was unaware as to what happened to the vehicle since the incident. The cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,999.

- Stephens City, VA, USA

problem #44

Sep 012019

Explorer

  • 36,580 miles
While driving at 65 mph on berkshire spur of the nys thruway where the roadway was straight with a slight incline, the bracket that holds the front axle carrier bearing broke. This allowed the axle to pull from the transmission causing the vehicle to lose all drive power. Luckily it was early and there was limited traffic, we were able to move over to the slow lane and then coast to a stop on the shoulder of the road

- Ravena, NY, USA

problem #43

Aug 112019

Explorer

  • 67,000 miles
Warning 'transmission not in park' has been popping up for approximately 6 months. Noticed a leak on garage floor that dealership stated is a leak from the ptu. Dealership stated the rear drive train needs replaced due to this leak. Vehicle has 67, xxx miles and is 7, xxx miles out of power train warranty.

- Lithopolis, OH, USA

problem #42

Aug 092019

Explorer

  • 68,033 miles
In December 2018 I told my local Ford service manager of my vehicle giving me a warning that my transmission was not in park occasionally, this even when it was. At times I would have to re-start the vehicle, or play with the gear shift itself to get it to stop the warning and return my steering wheel and seat to original positions. Over the past several months this has become more of an issue as it was happening on a daily basis. When I took it in recently for a recall on another issue the service manager did inform me there is a tsb #17-2219 for this particular issue. After further review I found that the tsb covers five particular Ford models and three Lincoln models spanning the years 2011-2017. Because this was now a problem I was dealing with on a daily basis I had them replace the shifter as suggested at 68,033 miles. What is upsetting is that this is not being covered under any type of recall. This is not a part that should fail at 62,000 miles when I first reported the issue, and it is not something that should cover as many models as it does for a six year period of time. How could vehicles start to have these issues in 2011, but the manufacturer still continue to use these relays or shifters for an additional six years" if they are negligent in not correcting the problem, why should the consumer be on the hook for Ford using defective components"

- Chesaning, MI, USA

problem #41

Jun 282019

Explorer

  • 81,500 miles
Noise when turning or backing up on drivers side. New shocks/struts have recently been put on the front.

- Channelview, TX, USA

problem #40

May 242019

Explorer

  • 64,000 miles
Two months ago I had this weird smell in the cabin of my Explorer when accelerating, , take it to the shop, two days after the dealer told me it was carbon monoxide it started making a weird noise, take it in again and the ptu is completely shredded. Was told all the fluid leaked out and caused this damage. Complete replacement of the ptu over $2500 on a vehicle 2015 Ford Explorer with only 64,000 miles on it.

- Marquette Heights, IL, USA

problem #39

Jun 012018

Explorer

  • miles
80,000 mileage starting with steering noisy and click noisy sometime. Powertrain looses when parking and hard to shut off the engine.

- Jersey City, NJ, USA

problem #38

Mar 272019

Explorer

  • 1 miles
Our 2015 Explorer Sport with 60550 miles had the check engine light come on for one day, then turned off. We had it diagnosed immediately and were told the car needed a timing chain ($3200). The light came on during normal driving conditions and the next day was not lit. The light came on right after the warranty period expired, and Ford would not help with repairs. For such an issue to occur so early and right after the warranty is extremely disappointing.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #37

Mar 172019

Explorer

  • 82,600 miles
Car was in motion in New York city, van wyck expressway service road. The car just shut off on 3/17/2019, 4:30 pm the dash board signaled powertrain, dealer states timing chain issue. Vehicle purchase used with 59,000 miles on February 2018. Check engine light was on since March 2018. Currently 82,600 miles. Been to the dealer several times for additional problems. I had to replace the battery headlights, heartng motor, there are leaks into the car that have not been repairs. The car is low falling apart :(.and had to pay out of pocket since extended warranty did not cover everything.. not getting straight answers from Ford or the dealer. Thank god I was on the service road and going 25 mph stopped at a light. The car never started and had to be towed to the dealer.

- Springfield Gardens, NY, USA

problem #36

Jan 012019

Explorer

  • 50,000 miles
Exhaust smell coming through cabin when idling and in motion. With ac/heat on and off. Most significantly when accelerating. It has caused me to have major headaches and nausea. It has went to the dealership to be 'fixed' but problem is still occurring.

- Lusby, MD, USA

problem #35

Feb 172019

Explorer

  • 50,000 miles
For the past several weeks when I put the vehicle in park and turn off the engine I get an error message "transmission not in park" with audible warning. I've had start the vehicle up again and sometimes move it and try again to clear the warning. Has been happening more consistently. Happened to my husband as well. I am primary driver and have owned the vehicle from new. I'm worried to park on an incline/decline. Planning to make service appointment today, but doubt they'll be able to reproduce since it is intermittent. This is a clear safety defect that needs to be addressed.

- Smyrna, DE, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »