2015 Ford Explorer Body Problems

Which parts fail

• Body
  132
• Interior panels › Door
  8
• Body › Roof and pillars
  4
• Body › Door
  2
• Body › Door › Handle › Exterior
  1
• Body › Hatchback/liftgate
  1

Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  146%
• 25k–50k
  2812%
• 50k–75k
  4219%
• 75k–100k
  5223%
• 100k–150k
  6629%
• 150k+
  2511%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal, roaring sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact's husband discovered that the steel belts on the driver's and passenger's rear tires were prematurely worn. The contact then became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension); which the contact associated with the failure. An appointment was scheduled with a local dealer for the recall repair. Upon arriving for the appointment, the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the issue, and the contact was informed that the recall repair was performed prior to and was a one-time repair. The contact provided an estimate for an out-of-pocket repair. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted and replaced the A-pillar trim. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the driver's side A-pillar trim was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear-view Camera Inoperable" was displayed on the instrument panel. …

When driving the vehicle, I can smell gas fumes which caused nausea. I didn't know it was worse in the back of the cabin where my children sit until I sat back there for a 3 hour trip. The smell was stronger there which led to headache, nausea and fatigue. It doesn't seem to come from the vent, it seems from the entire body of the vehicle. This puts my children's health at risk. And all of our lives because if we travel far enough breathing this in, it can lead to exhaustion which can cause a crash and put others' safety at risk. I'm surprised to see there is no recall, yet, it's been reported that there have been 1.5 million complaints. We are having the issue fixed next Wednesday, but we will be without a car (ford is not providing a loan vehicle) and the bill is extremely expensive. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the contact observed a vibration noise emanating from the top of the windshield. The contact stated that the vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected, where he observed that the driver's side exterior A-pillar trim was sticking out. The contact stated that after a month, the passenger's side exterior A-pillar trim was also sticking out. The contact used tape to reduce the flapping noises while driving at speeds over 65 MPH. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed; however, the contact was advised that parts were not available for the recall repair. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the exterior A-pillar trim clips on the passenger's and driver's side became loose and were flapping. The passenger's side A-pillar eventually flew off the vehicle while driving. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where an inspection confirmed the failure; however, the contact was informed that since parts were not available, no repairs could be performed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and the contact inquired about reimbursement if the A-pillar trims were replaced out of pocket. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the trim on the passenger's side A-pillar was cracked in the middle and was very loose. The contact stated that water entered the vehicle, raining and soaking the passenger's side floor mat. The contact called several dealers and was informed that parts to repair the vehicle were not available. The contact attempted to stop the water by using silicon caulk on the trim; however the temporary fix still allowed water into the vehicle. The contact recently became aware that the driver's side trim was separating at the top of the trim, and water was entering on the driver's side. Additionally, the contact stated that the windshield gasket was crumbling along the top of the windshield. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. While driving approximately 70 MPH, the front passenger's side A-pillar trim detached and struck another vehicle. In reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a clear image behind the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to parts not being available. The vehicle was taken to a local Auto-Glass shop, where the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred and was temporarily repaired using tape. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's and passenger's side A-pillar trims detached and flew off the windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that parts were not available. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, parts were not available. In addition, the contact stated that the driver's side exterior trim had detached approximately two years ago, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was repaired, and the contact paid out of pocket for the repair. The contact stated that the dealer had gone out of business. The failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the concern was that the vehicle would be repaired. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that there was water leaking into the interior of the vehicle through the windshield exterior A-pillar trims. The contact then became aware that both A-pillar trims had detached. The contact stated that the water entry had caused extensive damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof and the infotainment system were no longer operable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who did not provide the contact with a diagnosis. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact also stated that he had received medical treatment for symptoms related to mold exposure. …

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, one of the windshield exterior A-pillar trims detached and was flapping against the driver's side window before separating from the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure), and the dealer was contacted for the recall repair. The dealer sent a mobile technician to the residence, and the vehicle was inspected. The technician informed the contact that the windshield exterior A-pillar trims were missing. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available, and the vehicle was not repaired; however, after contacting the NHTSA Hotline for recall information, the contact was informed that the VIN was no longer included in the recall. The contact confirmed that the recall repair had not been completed. …

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Body complaints in other Explorer years