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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
28,710 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2015 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 8 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #64

May 272017

Explorer

  • 13,500 miles

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

Engine was shaking vibrantly at idle. It was not moving unless you stepped more into the acceleration and that made it dangerous to judge. It does not have the acceleration needed to drive uphill even you step down on it. Car doesn't auto start with key fob.

- Leesburg, VA, USA

problem #63

Apr 282017

Explorer

  • 31,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle lost power and slowed down independently. The contact stated that an unknown warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle stalled and was able to be restarted. The failure recurred three more times. The vehicle was taken to autonation Ford (St. Petersburg 2525 34th St N, St. Petersburg, fl 33713) where the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle or replicate the failure; however, the alternator and battery were replaced. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and mentioned that they would call back to inform the contact of whether the vehicle's warranty would be extended. The contact also called a lemon law hotline and was informed that the law did not apply to the case. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.

- St Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #62

May 012016

Explorer

  • 20,000 miles
Exhaust fumes in the cockpit. After purchasing the vehicle (2nd owner) we started smelling exhaust smells when accelerating on to the interstate. This would happen with moderate or higher acceleration with 1 or 2 occupants or moderate with full tank of gas and 4 occupants and luggage. Dealer performed technical bulletin - no fix. Dealer then updated computer software - no fix. Dealer then replaced entire exhaust system - no fix. Service manager advised he was out of options and I should call Ford customer service at 800-392-3673. Finally talked to samantha who eventually told me there was nothing Ford could do because the NHTSA did not consider this a safety issue.

- Somerville, TN, USA

problem #61

Jan 012016

Explorer

  • 10,000 miles

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

I own a 2015 Ford Explorer. When I start the vehicle it has a foul odor that come from the ac. It has a rotten smell. I bought numerous air freshener products to hide the odor but the odor was very bad. When I am driving and I accelerate I can smell a burning odor coming from the ac. When I am stopped the rotten odor start to come out of the A/C. on many different occasion I have gotten light headed when driving this vehicle. I am very afraid to drive the vehicle with the ac on and the windows closed. I have to drive the vehicle with the ac off and all the windows down. I have brought the vehicle to the Ford dealership where I bought the vehicle to have them check on the issued. A manager checked the car and he stated that he did smell the odor. Instead of trying to fix the issued they offered to sell me a new 2017 Ford Explorer. If I gave them my vehicle they wanted to give me nothing for it I would be basically get like a 5 grand discount on a new vehicle and they get my vehicle. I would lose everything that I paid on my vehicle because of a defect that is caused by them.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #60

Apr 032017

Explorer

  • 48,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While driving the vehicle on several occasions, there was a strong odor of exhaust fumes in the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor was more prevalent when the air conditioner was in use. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed of an exhaust leak emitting from the engine compartment. The vehicle was not repaired. A child in the vehicle had to be rushed to the emergency room to seek medical treatment for nausea and migraines due to the exhaust fumes. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000. The VIN was not available.

- Canyon Country, CA, USA

problem #59

Mar 302017

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 10 miles
When I drive my Explorer and the engine revs up above 2800 RPM while merging onto a highway, a strong exhaust odor comes in the cab of my vehicle. The smell is bad enough that all my family has become very dizzy to the point of almost passing out and we have had headaches immediately after. I have a 2 year old daughter and I worry that the exhaust odor can harm her and the rest of our family. Before filing this complaint I did research and I found that a police officer in California sustained serious injuries due to a crash that was caused by the same exhaust smell on his Explorer which made him faint. Additionally, the austin police department has now installed carbon monoxide detectors in their police vehicles due to a police officer experiencing the same symptoms after his vehicle had exhaust enter the cabin of his Explorer. I believe that this issue needs immediate attention because lives are at risk and it has not been resolved. This issue that has happened in my personal Explorer is not random. It happens every single time that the engine exceeds 2800 RPM. This happens whether I have the air conditioner/heater on or not. I am honestly considering stopping using my vehicle until this matter is resolved. I have taken my vehicle to the local Ford dealership and they wanted to charge me 1,800 dollars to fix the issue, but they advised that it is not 100% guaranteed that the issue would be resolved. I strongly disagree with this and therefore I will sincerely hope that our NHTSA can help us Ford Explorer owners to fix the problem.

- Owasso, OK, USA

problem #58

Oct 122016

Explorer

  • 34,448 miles

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

July 29, 2016 we bought a used 2015 Ford Explorer Sport 4X4. Somewhere around Oct 2016 we noticed exhaust fumes smell inside the cabin of the car. It S me to be more noticeable when vehicle was under high acceleration. Took it to Ford dealer 10-12-16 where they found tailgate seal leaking and it was replaced. Couple weeks went by and smelled the same odor again, took it back to Ford dealer on 10-31-16, they say could find anything. Crazy because when I let and accelerated on it you could smell it. When you take off from a stop sign getting up to speed, pulling out onto freeway or passing traffic you can smell it. My husband got a gas monitor that they use for manholes and I drove with it for a few days and the CO2 monitor went off and we have a video. We called Ford dealer and sent video and they say we need to call Ford direct. I have been researching this issue on the internet and Ford does not want to do anything about this problem. I can tell you on 3 different occasions that I have gotten dizzy from the fumes and had to roll windows down and it has given my daughter severe headache. I bought this used car as I can't afford a new one and this is my only means of transportation. I am making a good size car payment and it is very frustrating that this vehicle has this issue and Ford can't fix it. It is now March 2017 and still having exhaust smell issue.

- Lake Placid, FL, USA

problem #57

Jul 252015

Explorer

  • 300 miles
We own a 2015 Ford Explorer that we bought new. Since we bought it it has been serviced at the dealership and we have had them look at it many times. I finally convinced them to do a repair on it after I told them about a tech bulletin. They kept it a few days and done something to it (not sure what) and told us it was repaired. We resumed driving it and since the repair we have told them we can still smell the same thing as before. The dealership has looked at it many times since then and has also drove it and continue to tell us they can't smell it and nothing is wrong. Now my wife and I can smell it everytime we cross over the mountains to go to town and have told them that you have put this vehicle under a load to get it to smell. They still continue to say they have done everything we have asked and they can't smell. Now that I have researched this issue I'm now concerned about the health of my family driving and riding in this Explorer. Someone please help all of those who are having this issue before someone get hurt or killed. The dealership has documents concerning this issue on our vehicle and I have documentation on it as well. However I do not have it scanned into my computer to send to you. If you need a copy of this please contact me and I will mail it to you.

- Dunlap, TN, USA

problem #56

Mar 242016

Explorer

  • 10,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor in the vehicle while the air condition was in operation. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, after several months the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was informed that no further assistance would be offered. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

- Astoria, NY, USA

problem #55

May 152015

Explorer

  • 4,500 miles
Vehicle cabin is filled with a rotten egg/sulfur smell upon acceleration with the air conditioning running. The heating/ac system is normally in the "auto" mode. Not noticed much in the winter because I live in Michigan, but the rest of the year it is noticed every time I pass a vehicle or enter the freeway. Had it to the dealer and my concern was verified, but I was told there is no fix yet. Seems they are waiting for a recall. I have real concerns about my health and the health of those that ride with me. I sent a complaint to Ford and received a "thank you", thats all. I hope you can move them into some type of action for a fix to this situation. Thank you for your time.

- Reese, MI, USA

problem #54

Dec 152015

Explorer

  • 23,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact noticed an abnormal odor in the vehicle. After an exhaustive investigation, the contact deduced that the odor stemmed from an exhaust leak. The contact stated that the odor emitted from the heating/air conditioning vents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions for diagnostic testing. The contact was not given a prognosis for the odor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000.

- Grand Ridge, FL, USA

problem #53

Feb 022017

Explorer

  • 28,000 miles
Exhaust odor, carbon monoxide present in cabin. Check engine light.

- Cape Coral, FL, USA

problem #52

Jul 202016

Explorer

  • 27,857 miles
Exhaust fumes entering inside car when air condition is on. Had car serviced told Ford dealer of problem, they changed air filter still have problem.now it is all over news there is no fix for this problem. Dosnt matter whether car is in motion or not.

- Waterbury, CT, USA

problem #51

Feb 172017

Explorer

  • 35,000 miles
Every time I am getting on the interstate and have to give it gas, I can smell exhaust in the cabin. And then while trying to pass another vehicle I can also smell the exhaust in the cabin. I reported this to the local dealer back in September of 2016 and they said that there was no recall or reported issues with my complaint.

- Green Valley, AZ, USA

problem #50

Feb 152017

Explorer

  • 27,000 miles
I've been dealing with exhaust fumes entering my vehicle upon a hard acceleration. I'V taken my 2015 Explorer to the dealership 5 times to get this correct, with no positive resolution. I'm also experiencing a knocking noise when making a hard left hand turn. I've brought to the dealership twice to fix it, with no resolution.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #49

Dec 192016

Explorer

  • 30,000 miles
Purchased new 12/2014 and have had an exhaust smell inside the car when driving. Exhaust odor is very strong when going up hills and when engine is under a load such as acceleration. Even with the A/C on re-circulation mode, the odor is quite strong to the point of having to roll down the windows. We also experience headaches while driving from all the fumes. We have had it to the dealer for this issue at least twice, the fist time they said nothing was wrong. The most recent visit in December 2016 they replaced some body seals on the back of the vehicle which has helped some, but we still have fumes getting into the vehicle and we still get the headaches. It is to the point that my wife is afraid to drive the car. We are also now aware there has been a service bulletin on this very issue since 2012 and Ford has been aware of the problem on the Explorer. So they have been selling these with a known defect that is a real safety issue with carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, our dealer (team Ford) did not address it until we really pushed the issue on the most recent visit this past December after 2 years of dealing with it, but its still not solved even after having the vehicle for 10 days. We are very concerned about this and very unhappy with the initial deal response as well as Ford selling us the vehicle with a known issue that is quite dangerous.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #48

Jan 202016

Explorer

  • 17,727 miles
2015 Explorer Sport 3.5L V6 ecoboost, car shudders while trying to maintain highway speeds while barely touch the gas. Engine misfires, hesitates when trying to accelerate quickly. Ford nor dealer will do anything about it saying its "normal". purchased the extended warranty but still no resolution. Has been on going for about a year. At one point the car went into "limp mode" and would only allow me to drive 20 mph on the highway while the rpms' where maxed out. Thankfully I was close to a dealership to have it looked at. Said "pipe hose clamp came lose". something is wrong with this ecoboost engine. There have been lawsuites over it. I have taken it to the dealer several times, had several techs, supervisors drive it and nothing.

- Canton, GA, USA

problem #47

Aug 102015

Explorer

  • 18,000 miles
After a hard acceleration, on the highway or when accelerating on a freeway entrance ramp, we smelled a burnt hair odor in the passenger compartment of our 2015 Ford Explorer. After smelling this, I did some research and found other Ford Explorer owners with the same complaint and the smell was accompanied with carbon monxide. 9-28-15 dealership sealed rear underbody. 5-2-16 dealership installed new downturned muffler assembly. After this fix the smell went from a few seconds to a minute plus. Caused watering eyes, headache and coughing. 7-26-2016 dealership replaced the muffler system that had "bad welds", and reprogrammed electronic modules. Sept. 3, 2016 left on a trip, and the smell came back while paasssing on the freeway. Also on a trip, the burnt hair smell came into the vehicle through second row, passengers, lowered window. The smell appeared again while going up a hill on freeway, this time through the drivers lowered window. Watering eye, headaches and coughing accompanied the odor. 10-3-2016 dealership resealed all of the back of the vehicle and improved tailgate gasket. District engineer did an onsite inspection. 11-30-2016 picked the repaired vehicle up. 12-4-2016 exhaust fumes again while accelerating up freeway on ramp. 12-9-2016 Ford denied a buy back claim. The odor never happens around town. I need to get rid of this 2015 Ford Explorer for one we can take on the highway.

- Cheyenne, WY, USA

problem #46

Nov 012016

Explorer

  • 19,000 miles
Strong exhaust odor in passenger cabin when operating the vehicle with full throttle applications (e.g., passing, climbing steep grades or merging onto freeway ramps)

- Centerburg, OH, USA

problem #45

Apr 012015

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
I purchased the 2015 Ford Explorer in late March 2015. Although the smell was there from the beginning it was progressively getting worse. It seems to happen whenever it feels like it. It occurs with the A/C off, while driving at a steady speed, and upon acceleration. I have taken it to brandon Ford for several attempts to fix the problem, which they had no idea it even existed. After several attempts to fix the exhaust/carbon monoxide Ford is telling me they have a report that a field engineer has deemed the fumes/poison entering the cab "a normal occurrence" and they will no longer put it in service.

- Lithia, FL, USA

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