Home · 2015 Ford Explorer Gas · Complaints

What 1,751 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Explorer Gas

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,751)Crash / fire / injury (73)Body & structure (401)Steering (342)Engine (225)Backup camera & sensors (116)Fuel system (94)Electrical system (88)Airbags (84)Transmission & drivetrain (84)Suspension (82)Engine & cooling (65)

65 of 1,751 complaints match · Engine & cooling · clear filters · page 1 of 3

Mar 5, 2026Engine & coolingBody & structure

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there were exhaust fumes inside the vehicle while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Action Number: EA17002 (Structure, Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted and informed that there was a fee for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11722194

Feb 20, 2026Engine & coolingBody & structure2 injuries

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of exhaust fumes was present inside the cabin of the vehicle, causing the driver and the passenger to experience nausea and dizziness. No medical assistance was required. The contact was concerned that there was possibly carbon monoxide hazard inside the vehicle while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were contacted regarding ethe failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed of NHTSA Action Number: EA17002 (STRUCTURE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the investigation. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11719301

Oct 17, 2025Engine & coolingTransmission & drivetrainEngine

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon placing the gear shifter in park(P) and turning off the vehicle, the message "Transmission Not in Park" was flashing on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after several attempts. The contact called an independent mechanic, and the vehicle was towed to the shop. The mechanic discovered that the water pump inside the engine was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 11694118

Mar 12, 2025Engine & cooling1 injury

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, there was an abnormally strong odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact was experiencing reoccurring headaches from the odor. No medical attention was needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the failure could not be replicated. The contact stated that shortly after a visit to the mechanic, the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.

NHTSA ODI 11647833

Oct 18, 2024Engine & coolingEngine

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35-40 MPH, the rear turbo failed. There were no warning lights. There was smoke emerging from the rear exhaust. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, while test driving the vehicle determined that the front turbo blew out and an engine replacement was needed. Additionally, the fan was moved by the turbo failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

NHTSA ODI 11620518

Sep 24, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the water pump was leaking. The contact added coolant. There was cool air being distributed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined there was a water pump leak and that the water pump needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11616216

Aug 22, 2024Engine & cooling

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11610136

Aug 21, 2024Engine & coolingBody & structure

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while operating the vehicle the odor of exhaust fumes was present inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the cabin of the vehicle needed to be resealed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle did not qualify for the manufacturer’s Extended Warranty coverage to repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 114,000.

NHTSA ODI 11609880

Jul 18, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the engine overheated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with water pump failure. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

NHTSA ODI 11603173

Jun 7, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was condensation underneath the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the water pump, timing chain, and belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11592993

May 6, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. The message "Engine Coolant Overtemperature" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the water pump had failed and was leaking. The mechanic informed the contact that the water pump was built into the engine, which required the engine to be disassembled for the water pump replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11587118

May 3, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, she noticed the coolant fluid was low and the engine overheating warning light was illuminated, but there were no visible coolant leaks. The contact was able to drive a short distance to the residence. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir, but the coolant level was low the following day. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,418.

NHTSA ODI 11586842

May 1, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the contact noticed a gasoline odor coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed. The mechanic stated that it was a known failure associated with the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance since the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 11586378

Mar 21, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the warning message "Engine Overheating" had been displayed. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the engine coolant reservoir was low and coolant had leaked from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11578634

Mar 4, 2024Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the coolant had leaked from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump was leaking. The engine had to be removed before accessing the water pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 86,500.

NHTSA ODI 11575363

Mar 9, 2023Engine & cooling

Component failure- Water Pump , causing extensive repairs. Car shut down while driving . I have estimate from independent service center. No inspection by manufacture on my particular vehicle, but a class action lawsuit was filed in February 2022 for another individual. Warnings didn’t appear until vehicle started to shut down.

NHTSA ODI 11510932

Jan 26, 2023Engine & coolingVisibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to use the HVAC system, the heater was inoperable. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The mechanic stated that the water pump had been leaking coolant into the oil pan and could have caused the vehicle to stall. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11503826

Dec 1, 2022Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue 3.8. The contact stated that he smelled a fuel odor throughout the vehicle. The oil warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front valve cover and the front valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The contact refenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V116000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000. Th VIN was unavailable

NHTSA ODI 11495694

Nov 30, 2022Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly, and the contact heard abnormally loud sounds coming from the engine. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the water pump was replaced due to the water pump seal being burned; however, the failure persisted. The dealer diagnosed that the motor pin fixers had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11495456

Nov 17, 2022Engine & cooling

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11493911*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA ODI 11493912

Nov 17, 2022Engine & cooling

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11493911*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA ODI 11493913

Nov 17, 2022Engine & cooling

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11493911*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA ODI 11493914

Nov 17, 2022Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the vents. The oil pressure warning light was displayed before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the water pump had failed causing coolant to leak into the engine oil, causing the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,000.

NHTSA ODI 11493911

Aug 12, 2022Engine & coolingTransmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the water pump was leaking coolant. The mechanic informed the contact that the water pump and timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

NHTSA ODI 11479062

Aug 8, 2022Electrical systemEngine & cooling

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.

NHTSA ODI 11478145

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Working with the data? Download all 1,751 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Ford Explorer Gas verdict →