Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My camera failed and I backed into a very pole causing over $5,000 worth of damage and time I didn't have to have it fixed. I had this fixed at the dealership I purchased the vehicle from. My exhaust always had a nasty smell to it which I addressed when I received the customer satisfaction program 17N03 notice about it and I have had it addressed many times throughout the years when I go to the dealership (where I purchased the vehicle) for maintenance and repairs. My son will not ride in my vehicle because the smell gives him a headache and makes him feel nauseous. I purchased a carbon monoxide detector to test the levels myself after I recently saw a family passed away in the same vehicle I have due to that. I will be doing this soon! It's frustrating I had to pay for repairs on my vehicle because my camera malfunction and I backed into a pole. …
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 parked or while driving during inclement weather, water would enter the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the rain caused an electrical failure in the vehicle that caused the radio, windows, and other electrical equipment to not function properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the roof rack needed to be replaced. The contact stated that she was concerned about the electrical failure that was caused by the soft roof rack. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was towed to a local Pep Boys where the battery was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that she noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground in the driveway. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the rear-view camera had started to flicker and eventually had stopped functioning. The contact called a dealer and was informed that parts were not available to repair the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact stated that the instrument cluster had started to fail and was intermittently displaying one or two gauges at a time. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was restarted on the third attempt; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the body control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the second-row rear inflatable seat belt connector caused the air bag warning light to illuminate. The contact related the failure to TSB-21B11 (2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the cable was re-routed under the seat and re-enforced with electrical tape; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The back up camera works sometimes. If we move the shifter from reverse to N or P back to reverse the camera mostly came back on & stayed on until neutral or drive was chosen. It occasionally has the image upside down which is very dangerous. My wife [redacted] & [redacted] have problems turning our head to view mirrors with difficulty & pain. That's why we chose the Explorer. It is dangerous as we can't see traffic traveling either way behind the car, almost causing accidents as we are blind to see vehicles behind & beside the cars moving from the right or left. Our friends also having Ford cars are experiencing the same problems as the 2020 & newer reported camera problems that seem to be under recall soon. The problem exists from earlier models beside the Explorer. We asked our local Ford dealer on a recall but we were told no. …
For a few weeks, I thought I had developed an air bubble in my power steering system, as occasionally, steering would have a very slight resistance that I could pull through with minimal effort. I went to check my power steering fluid and upon inspection and research, discovered that my vehicle (a Police Intercepter Utility, equal to a base model Explorer) has electric power steering, not hydraulic. I figured the issue was just a minor quirk of the electrical power steering motor kicking in. A few days ago, my power steering failed completely failed while driving at about 35mph. Only once did the dashboard light up with a warning about servicing advanced stabili-trac and something else closely related. The alert lights went out on their own after about 5 seconds and steering returned to normal. …
My 2015 Ford Explorer is subject to an open rearview camera safety recall (Ford recall 25SA9 / NHTSA recall 25V695), and the recalled rearview camera has now failed. The camera is no longer functioning properly, leaving me without the rearview camera image when backing up. Despite the failure of the recalled component, I have been unable to have the vehicle repaired because Ford has not made the recall remedy/part available for my 2015 Explorer. I have been waiting for the recall repair for an extended period of time. This is an active safety issue, not simply a notice for a component that might fail in the future. The recalled component in my vehicle has already failed, yet I am still being required to operate the vehicle without the safety feature because the manufacturer has not made the recall repair available. …
Electrical complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2015 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 93 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 Ford Explorer, 5% of the model year's 1,809 complaints. The component named most often is body control module/bcm (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Ford Explorer electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2015 Ford Explorer, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Ford Explorer electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.