275 complaints reported

2015 Ford Explorer Steering

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
275
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Nov 2020

STEERING FAILS WHEN MOVING AND REFUSES TO TURN ON ANY STREET. WE HAVE TO STOP, TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESUME DRIVING!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2020
Nov 2020

I HAVE HAD REPLACE THE STEERING RACK IN THIS CAR TWICE. ONCE AT 50K MILES AND THEN AGAIN AT 92K MILES. I HAVE OWNED A LOT OF VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN, LET ALONE 2. RESEARCHING IT ON THE WEB IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON IN THE CAR AND VERY DANGEROUS. IT'S SO COMMON THAT THE DEALER I BROUGHT IT TO STOCKS THE PART. THAT'S SCARY! I HAVE ATTACHED MY 2 INVOICES FOR THE SAME STEERING REPLACEMENT. I'M HOPING TO AT LEAST GET REFUNDED FOR THE SECOND ONE. OR BETTER YEAT BOTH IF YOUY DECIDE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2020
Nov 2020

MAKING RIGHT TURN AND STEERING FAULT ASSIST LIGHT CAME ON AND NO POWER STEERING AND VEHICLE WENT OFF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED AT JONES FORD AND NEW STEERING WAS INSTALLED AND FOUND DEFECTIVE AND NEW PART IS ON ORDER FOR INSTALLATION FOR THE SECOND TIME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Nov 2020

VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT A POPPING NOISE WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHILE STOPPED. INITIALLY BEGAN ONLY WHILE IN REVERSE, SLOWLY PROGRESSED TO FORWARD MOTION AS WELL. GENERALLY OCCURS ONLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL CLOCKWISE. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS FAULTY ELECTRONIC STEERING RACK, HOWEVER DUE TO DESIGN COULD NOT PERFORM FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. ENTIRE RACK REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. MILEAGE OF VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 80,000, ISSUE BEGAN APPROX 78,000 MILES. NO DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, NO FAILURE OR LOSS OF STEERING AT SPEED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2020
Nov 2020

I BOUGHT MY 2015 EXPLORER BACK IN 2018 WITH THE POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING. I WAS TOLD BACK THEN IT WAS NORMAL. AS TIME WENT ON, THE POPPING NOISE HAS BECOME WORSE. I HAVE ADDRESSED IT OVER THE PAST WEEK, AND HAVE DETERMINED TWO THINGS. 1, THE TSB PUT OUT BY FORD FOR THE THRUST WASHERS ON THE AXLES IS A WASTE OF MONEY. 2, THE RACK AN PINION SHOULD BE THE TRUE RECALL ON THE 2011-2015 FORD EXPLORER, AND POSSIBLY NEWER MODELS FROM WHAT I HAVE READ. MINE WAS TROUBLESHOT DOWN TO THE RACK AND PINION TODAY BY MY MECHANIC, AND JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HERE, IT'S GOING TO COST $2300 TO REPLACE. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS OF THE STEERING LOCKING UP OVER PROLONGED SITTING AS WELL. THIS IS ALARMING AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE NHTSA, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2020
Nov 2020

AFTER SITTING FOR 1 MONTH, I WENT TO START AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. AAA GOT CAR RUNNING, AND BATTER WAS RECHARGED. SORT TIME AFTER, POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE AND HAS BEEN FOR 6 WEEKS. STEERING NOW MANUAL AND VERY STIFF. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Oct 2020

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH I RECEIVED A TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT ON THE DASH BOARD AND THEN A POWER STEERING FAULT AND THEN I LOST POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. RESTARTED AND STARTED TO DRIVE HOME HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. RESTARTED A SECOND TIME AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2020
Oct 2020

THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WENT OUT ON OUR 2015 FORD EXPLORER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A WEIRD RUBBING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS. WHEN I GOOGLED THE ISSUE, I FOUND OUT THAT FORD HAD A RECALL FOR 2011-2017 FORD EXPLORERS FOR THE RACK AND PINION STEERING, HOWEVER THEY WERE ONLY FOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN CHICAGO AND APPARENTLY MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. I HAVE ATTACHED REPAID INVOICE. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS OVER $2500 (SEE JOBS 1 & 2 ON THE ATTACHED INVOICE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2020
Sep 2020

MY STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT. IT DOES NOT TURN AT TIMES. I NEVER GOT A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL ENDING ON AUGUST 19. 2019. IT IS WHEN TURNING WHEN DRIVING--WITHER PULLING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION, MOVING FROM A PARALLEL PARKING POSITION, AND ALSO DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THER3E IS A RECALL AS FOLLOWS:RECALL REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK REPLACEMENT NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 19V435 NHTSA DATE:JUN 10, 2019 FORD RECALL NUMBER: 19S17 STATUS:11 - RECALL INCOMPLETE I DID NOT RECEIVE THE RECALL NOTICE TO HAVE THIS FIXED. IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE AND I FEAR THAT IT WILL CAUSE A CRASH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

POPPING/KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED, GRADUALLY GET GETTING MORE SEVERE OVER TIME. IN ADDITION THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR HAS NOT TURNED AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED. FORD GARAGE HAS DIAGNOSED THIS AS A STEERING RACK AND PINION UNIT PROBLEM. WITH ON 77K THIS SEEMS TO BE AN UNACCEPTABLE EARLY FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Sep 2020

THE STEERING RACK AND PISTON MUST BE FULLY REPLACED. I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT A LITTLE ODD THE DAY BEFORE. I RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY WARNING WHEN I PARKED. WHEN I WAS PARKED I WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO KOONS FORD OF BALTIMORE. NOW KOONS FORD SAYS IT WILL COST ME ROUGHLY $4000+ TO FIX THE VEHICLE, ALIGNMENT AND FEES. I'M UPLOADING AN IMAGE OF THE EMERGENCY ERROR. I'VE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. IF I WERE DRIVING I WOULD HAVE DIED, AND/OR KILLED SOMEBODY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Sep 2020

MY DAUGHTER IN LAW WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT CAME ON THE SCREEN AND STEERING BECAME VERY HARD. SHE WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AROUND 30 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN SHE RESTARTED IT THE FAULT WAS GONE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. I FOUND THAT THERE WERE MANY CASES OF THIS HAPPENING ON THE INTERNET AT SPEEDS FROM SLOW TO FAST. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE STEERING GEAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY FORD EVEN THOUGH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WERE ON THE WEB. THEY ARE ORDERING THE PART FOR IT AND THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE OVER 2000$. WILL FORD WAIT TIL SOMEBODY GETS KILLED BEFORE THEY RECALL THE VEHICLES?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2020
Aug 2020

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST ALERT CAME ON. WE FOLLOWED THE MANUAL SUGGESTION OF PULLING OVER, TURNING OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTING AND IT DID NOT REPEAT. IT ALSO DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN FOR WEEKS. TODAY THAT ALERT AND ANOTHER POWER STEERING WARNING CAME ON AND THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. WE LIVE ON A PLATEAU WITH CURVY ROADS DOWN TO ANY REPAIR CENTER SO ARE FEARFUL OF DRIVING NOW. WHY DOES A VEHICLE WITH UNDER 60,000 MILES EVEN HAVE A SECTION IN THE MANUAL ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT A WARNING THAT WILL MOST LIKELY COST YOU $2500 (PER FORD DEALER IN SPRINGFIELD TN) AND CAUSE A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION? WE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TODAY AND RECEIVED THE WARNING EACH TIME. WE NEVER LEFT THE DRIVEWAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2020
Aug 2020

DRIVING ON MN 61 IN MAPLEWOOD MN. WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT THE LITE CAME ON THAT STEERING NEEDED SERVICING NOW! MANAGED TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE TO STOP THEN DROVE IT TO SIGNAL GARAGE IN WEST ST PAUL, WITHOUT POWER STEERING. IT COST ME $2,789.00 TO HAVE THE STEERING REPAIRED. THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE POWER STEERING AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END. THE VEHICAL HAS ONLY 96,000 MILES. IT APPEARS THE STEERING IS TOO CLOSE TO THE CATILISTIC CONVERTER AND THE TURBO, THERE IS A HEAT SHIELD BUT IT NOT ENOFF TO PREVENT THE ELECTRONICS FROM OVERHEATING. YOU CANNOT REPLACE JUST THE ELECTRONICS YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2020
Aug 2020

POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND WILL COST OVER 2000 TO FIX

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2020
Jul 2020

95K MILES. I STOPPED TO USE RESTROOM AND CANE OUT STARTED CAR TO ALARMS THAT SAID 'STEERING ASSIST FAILURE SERVICE REQUIRED. IT HAD NO POWER STEERING. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THIS WAS RECALLED FROM ONE FACTORY BUT IT SEEMS THE ISSUE IS MUCH WIDE SPREAD. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND RESTART AND IT CLEARED UP ONLY TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

VEHICLE IN MOTION ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHICH WAS BEING RESURFACED. UPON THE TRANSITION FROM SMOOTH PAVEMENT TO PAVEMENT WHICH WAS BEING SCRAPED FOR RESURFACING, THE "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE" AND "SERVICE ADVANCETRAC" MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE AND THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS ONLY WORK BY HOLDING THE STALK IN THE PROPER POSITION MANUALLY. THIS OCCURRED TWICE DURING A TRIP FROM CHARLOTTE, NC TO FORT WORTH, TX. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE THE SAME - TRANSITION FROM SMOOTH TO UNDULATING PAVEMENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2020
Jul 2020

TURNED ON VEHICLE, BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, CAR MAKING A STRANGE SOUND AS I TRIED TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. COULD NOT TURN WHEELS, CAR WOULD NOT TURN. I MANAGED TO FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL AND PULLED BACK INTO DRIVEWAY. I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS SITUATION. UPON RESEARCH I UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CONSUMERS, FORD MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2020
Jun 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS AGGRESSIVELY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WORLD FORD PENSACOLA (6397 PENSACOLA BOULEVARD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505) TO BE DIAGNOSED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 107,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

STEERING ASSIST FAULT LIKE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS HURT. BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY FOR MYSELF, GRANDDAUGHTER AND ANYONE ELSE AROUND. THERE WAS NO WARNING. NO SOUNDS NOTHING. I SEE FORD HAD RECALLS FOR UP UNTIL 2013 FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY FOR 2015. AND FROM READING INFORMATION IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS INJURING PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CARRIAGE FORD INC (908 E. LEWIS AND CLARK PKWY, CLARKSVILLE, IN 47129, (612)284-4444) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE STRUT BEARINGS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, AFTER TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $2,300. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2020
Jun 2020

POWER STEERING STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL POWER STEERING PUMP, IT IS ELECTRONIC. WHEN A NORMAL ONE FAILS, YOU CAN STILL STEER EASILY WHEN MOVING. IT ONLY BECOMES HARD WHEN STOPPED OR MOVING SLOW. THE ELECTRONIC ONE GETS EXTREMELY HARD EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH DIAGNOSED IT AS THE RACK AND PINION. I HAVE SEEN ONLINE THAT THERE ARE MANY THAT HAVE FAILED WITH THE SAME ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS FROM AROUND 2011 ON WHICH TELLS ME IT IS FAIRLY COMMON EVEN ON VEHICLES WITH LOW MILEAGE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

FRONT END POPPING NOISE WAS NOTICED AFTER 50,000 MILES. WAS TOLD TO DISREGARD, IT WAS NORMAL. AT 67,000 NOISE BECAME LOUDER, SENSATION IN STEERING WHEEL FELT, LOSS OF STEERING MOMENTARILY. THIS HAPPENS WHEN SITTING STILL, WHILE DRIVING AND ESPECIALLY WHILE MAKING SHARP TURNS. FORD JUST QUOTED $2100 TO REPLACE. I'VE SEEN MANY MORE COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THIS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND A RISK FOR ANYONE WHO DRIVES THE VEHICLE. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL ISSUED YET? *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE THEN OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE BURCH FORD BLACKSHEAR (304 WARE ST, BLACKSHEAR, GA 3151) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2020
May 2020

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 45 IN ILLINOIS IN MY 2015 FORD EXPLORER AND WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND A WARNING CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE INFORMATION DISPLAY STATING "STEERING ASSIST FAULT " SERVICE REQUIRED. I WAS THREE BLOCKS FROM THE FORD DEALER AND DROVE THERE. STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE SO CLOSE TO THE DEALER. A TECH DID A PIN POINT INSPECTION ON THE VEHICLE AND THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS CORROSION IN THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE TERMINAL CONTACTS. GREASE WAS APPLIED AND I WAS CHARGED $323.00 . I WAS ADVISED THAT IF THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THAT I MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE ON THE VEHICLE AND THIS WOULD COST $2300.00. THIS VEHICLE HAS 33500 MILES ON IT AND IS GARAGE KEPT WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE . I ASKED WHY THE TERMINAL CONTACTS WEREN'T CHECKED DURING REGULAR MAINTENANCE WHICH WAS DONE THREE MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD IT IS NOT PART OF THE INSPECTION .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2015 FORD EXPLORER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2020

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Ford Explorer has 275 Steering complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.