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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
26,902 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Ford Explorer lights problems

lights problem

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2015 Ford Explorer Owner Comments

problem #13

Nov 222021

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Halogen headlights (9005) are extremely dim which is a known safety issue. Customers are upgrading from halogen to led and xenon. I believe newer explorers upgraded headlights to led. I want Ford to recommend Led headlight alternative at my cost or fix this problem with recall. Drivers are flashing their headlights at nighttime because they think my lights are not on? Many hits on the internet concerning Ford Suva/truck halogen headlight issues.

- Hanson , MA, USA

problem #12

Nov 142019

Explorer

  • 54,000 miles
While driving on street or hi way the dash light turn off and on. This is very dangerous at night.

- Las Cruces, NM, USA

problem #11

Oct 262019

Explorer

  • 113,562 miles
It's popping up low engine power and it will shut down everything from lights to blind spot detection. It just started doing this after running through a small water puddle.

- Clinton, KY, USA

problem #10

Jun 012015

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2015 Ford Explorer has poor lighting. When driving at night you feel like the lights are off. Very hard to see some roads. I have mentioned this to the dealer, they said they have heard a few complaints. I also saw an article about poor lighting in some newer vehicles and my Explorer was listed in the article. I also have a 2018 Explorer. Some times the lights look dim. I love the car just think this is dangerous.

- Sterling Heights, MI, USA

problem #9

Aug 022019

Explorer

  • 26,100 miles
Started car and put in reverse and noticed that the steering was not working normally and then noticed the power steering fault assist and service advance trac notification. Also at the same time, the turn signal would not stay engaged. I managed to drive 100 miles home with "manual steering" on the highway and needed to use one hand to change lanes. If this problem happened going 60 miles per hour, an accident or worse, lose of life, as what happened was unexpected and steering was very difficult. This vehicle was bought 1/2/15 and this problem happened at 26,100 miles and the repair cost $2,147.25 at the Ford dealer by my house. Since Ford was able to replace the assembly the same day leads me to believe this is a very common problem and stock the parts and looking at other complaints online, an ongoing issue with Ford vehicles in general. Ford had a 1.1 million recall for this on the 2011-2013 vehicles and they never fixed the issue going forward. A recall needs to be done.

- Niles, IL, USA

problem #8

Mar 092019

Explorer

  • 52,000 miles
Driving 55mph on I-94 last night in a steady rain and check battery message came up in the left ip display. Within a few seconds I lost the power steering, then the center console entertainment/info screen, then the instrument cluster went black with the headlights and windshield wipers which were on highest setting slowed but continued to operate only while in the highest setting. This scenario continued off and on for the next 30 miles with intermittent electronic steering failure, internal ip and console screen failure and exterior lighting failures. We pulled over each time and within a varied amount of time from a few seconds to a few minutes, a sound similar to a squealing belt would be heard and the system would "reboot" and all functioning would be restored for a limited time. We limped the vehicle home over the course of the next hour and a half for 35 miles as I was not leaving the car on the side of the freeway or in detroit if I could safely avoid it. This morning (Sunday) I tested the battery and had the battery and alternator tested under load at an auto parts store and both were within normal parameters. Belt looked good with visual inspection and 1 hour of idle and drive time close to home in damp puddling roads could not get any adverse symptoms to reappear. It will go to the Ford service department at our local dealer tomorrow for a thorough inspection. This is my wife's daily driver and if no issue can be found we will be replacing the car as she would have been in extreme danger without steering, lights and ip, especially on a Saturday night driving through the city of detroit's I-94 expressway.

- Casco, MI, USA

problem #7

Oct 262017

Explorer

  • 21,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Oncoming cars are constantly flashing their lights at me because they think that my headlights are on high beam. I took my Explorer to landmark Ford in tigard Oregon to have them verify that the lights were adjusted properly. I was told that everything meet specifications. The service manager stated the he and the technician had the same extra bright low beam issues with their Ford pickups. I asked if there was another type of lamp that could be used, but they didn't have any recommendations. I don't know what else to do to resolve the issue. I purchased this vehicle in July 2017.

- Tigard, OR, USA

problem #6

Dec 012015

Explorer 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While driving at unknown speeds with the low and high beam headlights activated, the lights failed to illuminate properly. There was an abnormal line through the passenger side headlight. The contact called a local dealer (coconut point Ford, 22400 S tamianmi trl, estero, fl 33928) and was informed that the headlights were not aligned. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified and opened case number: Cas13705636. The contact was referred back to the dealer. The failure mileage was 42,000. Consumter stated the headlights do not illuminate the right or left sides of the road. Updated 9/18/18

- New Hartford, CT, USA

problem #5

Sep 282017

Explorer

  • 29,789 miles
I started with headaches, and always nassau, always. Tired, when I push on the accelerator I smelled fumes coming out of my A/C..I was driving wide awake on 95 North, processing to go home.I was in orangeburg S.C.I had been talking through my radio connected bluetooth, I had a little over a hour to go.a deer.my airbags on the driver side deployed but not the passengers.and they did not stay up to long, a godly smell was coming from my car, .everything looked hazy, I got out of my car, called 911, I did not go to hospitol til next day, all I did was sleep waiting in the waiting room to be seen.I had X rays all kinds of tests done.I was hurting pretty bad.I still get headaches til this day.my lungs hurt too.I'm sure I have been positioned by carbon monoxide..everytime I drive my car, I would get a headache nassau and very very sleepy tired.my memory was not good then eiether, I still forget things til this day..

- Stmarys, GA, USA

problem #4

May 312017

Explorer

  • 11,000 miles
Headlights are suppose to be sealed units but when I'm driving in the rain the water gets in. Ford denied warranty replacement of them calling it condensation and that is normal. The water stays in for a day or two but when driving at night it obscures my vision from the light being defused. This is a known problem by Ford and they don't seem to want to own up to it. I sent pictures to them but have since deleted them I will take more the next time it rains when I'm traveling.

- Pendleton, IN, USA

problem #3

Oct 102015

Explorer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 150 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We have had continual failures with our 2015 and 2016 Ford Explorer with the police package. The body control modules, wiring harnesses, restraint control modules that are either preventing new units being placed into service or fail once they have been placed into service. We currently have two of these units that we purchased off of our state contract in Washington state that are still at the dealer. We purchased and received these units in November of 2015. I have provided the VIN numbers to these two units that are effected along with the rest of the VIN numbers for all 5 units we have purchased within the last year and a half. Please let us know what else you would require to possibly assist us in our current situation. Besides the VIN number first attached to this form, here are the other four numbers. [xxx], [xxx], [xxx], [xxx]. thanks so very much for any assistance you may be able to provide. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Tacoma, WA, USA

problem #2

Aug 252014

Explorer

  • 0 miles
This is just a formal complaint to hopefully avoid accidents: Headlights on most new vehicles are dangerous. They do not project, if you face a garage, there is a distinct line where above this line there is no extra light and below the line is where the headlights shine. When going up and down hills you can see about 3 feet in front of you and no further. It is just as dangerous around curves. You can't read street signs and it would be hard to see deere standing on the side of the road. I had my headlights adjusted up by the dealership and everyone flashed their brights at me so I had to have them turned back down. Miy husband has a new Hyundai, everyone is flashing their brights at him and they are not on. My daughter-in-law who has a Chevy said the same thing and she drives with her brights on as much as she possibly can since the low beam is so horrible. Take a test drive in the country on hills and curves at night you'll see just how dangerous these light truly are

- Millington, IL, USA

problem #1

Aug 142014

Explorer

  • 125 miles
The exterior lights don't work that great it looks like some painted a black line in the windshield and we can't see above that line. Very dangerous. I am very disappointed in the lights. I had an edge before and we could see so much better.

- St. Agatha, ME, USA

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