What 1,747 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Explorer

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he previously received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. They stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the contact heard a squealing sound when the rear driver’s side wheel started to wobble. As a result, the vehicle steered to the left then swerved and crashed into a guardrail. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The contact stated that he was able to drive the vehicle at approximately 5 MPH to the nearest dealer where it was diagnosed that the toe link had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact opened a case however, the case was dismissed and no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 127,644. UPDATE 06/05/2023: Consumer contacted NHTSA to inquire whether a federal agency had precedence over sate statutes. Consumer was told that NHTSA doesn't offer legal advice, but may be interested in the file information. Notes to flash drive content and flash drive included.

NHTSA ODI 11519416

The toe-link on the rear-passenger side wheel broke and caused the vehicle to fish-tail uncontrollably before going into the ditch and rolling. My wife was driving with our two sons, 3 & 1 at the time, luckily no one was physically injured apart from some minor bumps and bruises. After the fact, we found out there was a recall on this specific part and it was repaired but, again, there was a recall on the replacement part. We were never notified, we have friends with the same vehicle that were never notified and are still trying to get the part repaired. Since this part failed and subsequently our vehicle totaled we were forced to buy an older, higher mileage vehicle at an inflated cost. Does Ford bear any responsibility to make this right or does it not matter until there are fatalities?

NHTSA ODI 11500489

REAR TOW LINK SNAPPED WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH, LOST CONTROL, FISHTAILED ACROSS TRAFFIC LANES BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL AND PULLING OVER. WIFE WAS SCARED TO DEATH. HAD TOWED TO FORD SERVICE CENTER. TOLD IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE, REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRED AND PICKED UP THE CAR. TWO DAYS AFTER REPAIR, 7 YEAR OLD GRANDSON AND I WERE DRIVING 65 MPH ON HWY WHEN REAR TOW LINK SNAPPED AGAIN, LOST CONTROL, FISHTAILED ACROSS TRAFFIC LANES BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL AND PULLING TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY. GRANDSON AND I WERE TERRIFIED. TOWED TO FORD SERVICE CENTER, REPAIRED TOE LINK AND REPLACED REAR TIE RODS. TOLD THE TIE RODS WHERE SO WORE OUT THAT VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NO MENTION OF TIE ROD ISSUE FROM PREVIOUS SERVICE CENTER. PICKED UP CAR AFTER ALL REPAIRS COMPLETED. FOUR DAYS AFTER PICKING UP VEHICLE, REAR TOE LINK SNAPPED, WHILE SAME 7 YR OLD GRANDSON AND I WERE DRIVING NORTH ON INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH. LOST CONTROL, FISHTAILED ACROSS BUSY TRAFFIC LANES, CROSSED THE MEDIAN AND HIT REFLECTOR POST ON THE EDGE OF THE SOUTHBOUND LANE BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL NARROWLY MISSING ON COMING TRAFFIC. REFLECTOR POST HIT AN ONCOMING CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE DRIVERS DOOR AND SIDE MIRROR. GRANDSON AND I ARE IN SHOCK, SCARED TO DEATH AS WE ALMOST HIT A CAR HEAD ON. CAR TOWED TO SAME FORD SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIR. WHEN WE WENT CHECK ON CAR WAS TOLD BY THE STAFF THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME THE KEYS VERY HESITANTLY BECAUSE HE FELT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DID NOT TAKE CAR BECAUSE WE ARE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT AS WE HAVE ALMOST DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ALL WITHIN 400 MILES OF DRIVING. HAVE YET TO TAKE POSSESSION OF VEHICLE. WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE, AND A LOAN, THAT WE ARE TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE. I'VE HAD TO SEE MY THERAPIST TO DISCUSS THE LEVEL OF STRESS, ANXIETY AND FEAR. GRANDSON WILL NOT GET IN A CAR ALONE WITH ME AS HE IS TO AFRAID.

NHTSA ODI 11351047

DRIVING AT 20MPH OVER A BRIDGE, MY TOE LINK SNAPPED, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND VEER OFF THE ROAD LOSING CONTROL. I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OVER MY STEERING AND TIRES REMAINED TURNED, LOSING ALL CONTROL AND ABILITY TO DRIVE. THE TOE LINK WAS SERVICED BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE TOE LINK WAS FIXED ON THIS VEHICLE. NOW, ONLY MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE, THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE REGARDING THE TOE LINK AND BUSHINGS. FORD AND DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO COVER THE CHARGES BECAUSE RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN SERVICED. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED TEMPORARILY FOR A FOURTH TIME AND WILL SNAP AS I AM GOING FASTER SPEEDS THAN THE 20 MPH I INITIALLY LOST CONTROL AT. THERE NEEDS TO BE ANOTHER RECALL ON MY ALREADY RECALLED PART, OTHERWISE THERE WILL NEVER BE ANY SAFE DRIVING DISTANCE IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330293

THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER FOR THE TOE LINK SUSPENSION REPLACEMENT. I HAD OT FIXED ON 1/7/20 AND ON 2/14/20 I WAS DRIVING ON 106 IN SPRINGFIELD VERMONT DOING 50 MILES PER HOUR AND THE TOE LINK SUSPENSION THEY REPLACED BROKE AND I LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF MY SUV. ALL MOST HAD HEAD ON COLLISION I WAS ALMOST KILLED. I HAD IT TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOOK IT APART AGAIN AND STATED THAT THE REASON THE TOE LINK SUSPENSION CONTINUES TO BREAK IS DUE TO THE NUCKLE AND BUSHINGS. AND FORD CORPORATION SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED AND THERE FOR I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS AND TOTAL COST. WHICH IS $2,411 I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. MY SUV IS STILL AT FORD DEALERSHIP. NEED HELP RESOLVING THIS ISSUE AND GET MY SUV FIXED AS IT IS THERE CAUSE OF THE BREAKAGE. PLEASE TELL PEOPLE NOT TO DRIVE THERE VEHICLE IF THERE TOE LINK SUSPENSION IS BAD CAUSE WHEN IT GOES YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OF YOUR STEERING. AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN ITS GONA HAPPEN. IT'S LIKE SLIDING ON ICE SIDE WAYS. VERY SCARY. NEVER WANT TO GO THOUGH THIS EVER AGAIN. THIS HAPPEN ON A BUSY STREET WITH ON COMING VEHICLES THAT SOME HOW I DIDNT HAVE HEAD ON COLLISION. I DO NOT HAVE PICS AS MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP. HIDE TIRE ON PASSENGER SIDE POINTED OUT AND WOULD DRIVE SIDE WAYS AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. NOT A GOOD FEELING

NHTSA ODI 11309437

AFTER LEAVING MY COMMUNITY PROPERTY WITH MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER, I TURNED LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 5-15 MILES PER HOUR AND SUDDENLY I HEARD A CLANK/SCRAPE AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE (IMAGE 1). SEE SCRAP ON CEMENT WHERE VEHICLE CONTROL WAS LOST IN THE STREET. VEHICLE STOPPED AT END OF SKID MARKS (IMAGE 2). AFTER TURNING LEFT (EAST) , I IMMEDIATELY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHERE ORANGE VAN IS LOCATED, WHICH IS BELIEVED DUE TO AXLE BREAK (IMAGE 2). AFTER LOSING CONTROL, VEHICLE VEERED LEFT TOWARDS CURVE. I CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR CONTROL AND VEHICLE HIT THE CURVE WHILE VEHICLE WAS HEADED BETWEEN TWO TREES TOWARDS HOMES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO MOMENTARILY GAIN CONTROL BEFORE VEHICLE WENT DOWN EMBANKMENT AND RETURN VEHICLE TO MAIN ROAD. SEE SKID MARKS. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD 75,038 MILES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THAT MY CONTROL ARM BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11254273

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE DRIVER SIDE COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE CONCRETE BARRIER, BOUNCED AND HIT THE RIGHT CONCRETE BARRIER. NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS ISSUED. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE, TREATED AND RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY LABELED THE VEHICLE AS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11219741

A BLIND SPOT SENSOR WARNING CAME ON SUNDAY 10-29 AT 10:30AM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SENSOR WHILE AT A RED LIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES LATER, THE CAR BEGAN SWERVING AND VEERED SUDDENLY TO THE RIGHT HITTING A CURB. WE CONTINUED SWERVING AND HIT THE CURB ANOTHER 3 TIMES AND CAME TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WE WERE IN 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE CAR IS AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN REAR SUSPENSION TOW LINK. A RECAL WAS ISSUED 4/26/16 STATING THE TOW LINK MAY FRACTURE AND ACCORDING TO FORD, MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IN JANUARY 2017, MY REAR HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY WENT OUT AND AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS SINCE BEEN ANNOUNCED AS A RECALL ON 8/28/17

NHTSA ODI 11041727

AUGUST 24, 2015 I WAS DRIVING TO A 7:00 PM EXERCISE CLASS .I WAS TALKING TO MY MOTHER VIA BLUETOOTH WHEN I SUDDENLY BLACKED OUT AND DROVE ACROSS THE SERVICE ROAD AND ALL 4 LANES BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF 287 . I WAKE TO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS PULLING ME FROM THE CAR AND PUTTING ME INTO A AMBULANCE , MY MOTHER COULD HEAR ALL OF THIS. I WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND HAD MULTIPLE TESTS RUN BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND . AFTER I WAS DISCHARGED I HAD SEVERAL MORE TESTS RUN AND AGAIN NOTHING WAS FOUND. $18,000 DAMAGE TO CAR , MEDICAL BILLS , MISSED WORK AND I HAD TO RETEST TO KEEP MY DRIVERS LICENSE BUT I NEVER COULD FIND A CAUSE. SPRING 2017 A FRIEND SENT ME A ARTICLE ABOUT FORD EXPLORERS LEAKING CARBON MONOXIDE INTO THE CABINS . THIS MADE COMPLETE SENSE. I PURCHASED A DETECTOR AND HAVE HAD IT TO GO OFF TWICE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE . THEY HAVE SAID THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN MODIFIED POLICE VEHICLES BUT I CAN TELL YOU BY MY EXPERIENCE THAT IS NOT TRUE.

NHTSA ODI 11018665

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY, LOST CONTROL AND WAS BARLEY ABLE TO STOP TRUCK AFTER RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF. BALL JOINT WAS ALSO COMPLETELY OUT OF SOCKET. I DON'T SEE HOW SOMETHING THIS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 10991908