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2015 Ford Explorer XLT AWD

The 2015 Ford Explorer XLT AWD is a 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 with a 6-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. It starts at $35,000 MSRP and is rated at 19 mpg combined.

It makes 290 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 255 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway (19 mpg combined).

The Explorer measures 197.1 inches long on a 112.6-inch wheelbase.

Spec Value
Vehicle
Body TypeSUV
PowertrainGas
Price
MSRP$35,000 ($47,996 *)
MSRP with Destination$35,895 ($49,223 *)
Destination Charge$895
Engine
Engine Type3.5L Ti-VCT V6
Displacement3.5 L
Horsepower290 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque255 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
ValvetrainDOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Injection TypeSequential Multiport Fuel Injection
Drivetrain
Drive TypeIntelligent all-wheel drive
Transmission
Transmission6-speed automatic
Fuel Economy
City17 MPG
Highway23 MPG
Combined19 MPG
Recommended FuelRegular Gasoline
Tank Capacity18.6 gal
Suspension
Front SuspensionStrut front suspension with coil springs
Rear SuspensionMulti-link rear suspension with coil springs
Dimensions & Weight
Length197.1 in
Width78.9 in
Height70.4 in
Wheelbase112.6 in
Cargo Volume21 ft³
Interior
Headroom Front41.4 in
Headroom Rear40.5 in
Legroom Front40.6 in
Legroom Rear39.8 in
Shoulder Room Front61.3 in
Shoulder Room Rear61 in
Hip Room Front57.3 in
Hip Room Rear56.7 in
* Amount adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars

Safety & Recalls

NCAP safety ratings

Overall ★★★★★
Frontal crash ★★★★★
Side crash ★★★★★
Rollover ★★★★★ (17.4 % risk)
Tested variant: 2015 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV AWD
Other tested variants (1)
  • 2015 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV FWD: 5 ★ overall

Recalls

9 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford EXPLORER. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Oct 13, 2025 · BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

NHTSA campaign 25V695000

Jan 19, 2024 · STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

Consequence: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.

NHTSA campaign 24V031000

Jul 15, 2021 · SUSPENSION:REAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.

Consequence: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.

NHTSA campaign 21V537000

Mar 12, 2021 · SUSPENSION:REAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.

Consequence: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.

NHTSA campaign 20V675000

Nov 10, 2020 · POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.

Consequence: The failed bracket could result in a loss of park function which can cause unintended vehicle movement, and loss of motive power while driving which increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall began February 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S63.

NHTSA campaign 20V692000

Jun 10, 2019 · SUSPENSION:REAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.

Consequence: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.

NHTSA campaign 19V435000

Aug 28, 2017 · WHEELS:HUB

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.

Consequence: A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

NHTSA campaign 17E048000

Apr 26, 2016 · SUSPENSION:REAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured January 17, 2014 to May 31, 2014. The affected vehicles may have improperly welded rear suspension toe links that may fracture.

Consequence: A fracture of the rear suspension toe link may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S18.

NHTSA campaign 16V245000

Jul 24, 2015 · PARKING BRAKE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence: If the parking brake does not fully engage and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while on a slope, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C07.

NHTSA campaign 15V464000

1,809 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2015 Ford EXPLORER

Owner Complaints

1,809 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Ford EXPLORER (37 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 57 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov

Most-cited areas
Structure410
Unknown Or Other404
Steering347
Engine227
Back Over Prevention145
Electrical System93
A complaint can cite more than one area.
Most recent complaints
Oct 16, 2026 · Back Over Prevention
“The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image. The failure was persistent. The contact received a recall notification…”
Oct 15, 2026 · Engine
“The water pump failed at 117,000 miles. The water pump is internal in the engine causing a extremely high repair bill and weeks of time without the vehicle. If we had not caught it soon enough we…”
Oct 13, 2026 · Back Over Prevention
“The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet…”
Oct 9, 2026 · Unknown Or Other
“I had no idea there was a fix for the recall on my a-pillar on my 2015 Ford Explorer. I can't get into most certified dealers for a fix and one has appointments for next year. And yet again, Ford has…”
Oct 9, 2026 · Back Over Prevention
“The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in reverse, the rear-view camera displayed a blank or distorted screen. The contact received notification of NHTSA…”

Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.

Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 2015 FORD EXPLORER. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.

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