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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,480 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 6 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #114

Oct 042018

Explorer

  • 44,000 miles

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

Loss of power: While driving my 2015 Ford Explorer XLT with 3.5L V-6 engine on the highway (10/04/18), the wrench light came on and the car started to shudder and lose speed. Pushing down on the accelerator had no affect and the car rapidly decelerated. The engine was running very rough with heavy vibration. This was a terrifying and nearly fatal experience as faster moving traffic started passing me on both sides as I tried to move off the highway. I was able to move the car to the side of the highway and limped off the nearest exit. Once off the exit I shut the car off and sat for 20 minutes while I re-gained my composure and called my husband. When he arrived he started the Explorer and the wrench light was cleared. My husband drive the car home using only back roads while I followed in his car. We called our local Ford dealer and scheduled an appointment. We started researching this issue and found this to be a well known problem with the throttle body on Ford's V6 engines which are used on multiple SUV's, crossovers and sedans. The research I've seen shows this issue has affected more than 10,000 owners. However, it's not clear if the throttle body is faulty due to a manufacturing or design defect. It's also not clear if replacing the throttle body is a permanent fix. I'm terrified to drive the car on the highway and since this happened we've only used it for shorter trips around town. The Ford dealer checked the car today (10/08/18) but since the wrench light was cleared they found nothing wrong. I pleaded with the service advisor to no avail. We've been a Ford family for more than 15 years but this fault and even worse the Ford service advisor's response is completely unacceptable. This is a serious and dangerous problem and only a matter of time before someone and their family are killed. Please investigate and force Ford to issue a recall.

- Cary, NC, USA

problem #113

Sep 032018

Explorer

  • 57,209 miles
I was driving on the interstate at 70 mph and I heard a loud clunk and my engine lost acceleration. I could not increase my speed and the car would not go. I had to pull off the road and the car was running rough and when I pushed on the accelerator pedal the car barely moved. I was almost rear end by a truck but luckily I was able to pull over safely. The wrench icon came on my dash and said to take to dealer. When I got home I took it to the Ford dealer and they did a diagnostic test and it showed a P2111 fault code. The throttle body was faulty and had to be replaced. This malfunction put me in a very dangerous position.

- Saint Cloud, FL, USA

problem #112

May 252015

Explorer

  • 100 miles
The exhaust leaking into the car it terrible, it's giving me headaches and making me feel sick. It has been going on since I purchased the car in 2015 but I can't take it anymore. The problem occurs when excelerating at any speed. Taking off from a stop light or entering a highway.

- Kingsville, MO, USA

problem #111

Apr 102017

Explorer

  • 34,000 miles

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

Have had 2015 Explorer in local Ford dealer 6 times to have exhaust fumes in cabin resolved. They have perform repairs to current tsb's. still having exhaust fumes in cabin after normal acceleration. Starting to smell fumes when entering cabin after remote start. Currently vechile in shop again!

- Burton, TX, USA

problem #110

Jun 152018

Explorer

  • 48,000 miles
Car loses power. This happened on my 2011 Ford mustang V6 that had the throttle body replaced. Car loses power several times a day now.

- Valdosta, GA, USA

problem #109

Jun 072018

Explorer

  • 49,000 miles
2015 Ford Explorer Sport exhaust in the cabin I began smelling raw exhaust when I would first start my car, the air blowing though my vents. I would roll my windows down because it made me immediately nauseous, as I drove the smell would go away and roll my windows back up. The smell only went away for a few minutes as the cabin resaturated with exhaust smell. I started troubleshooting and found when I turned on recirculation while driving the smell subsided. This only worked while driving and using less than half throttle. I would smell a rotten egg smell when I would use part to full throttle anywhere I was traveling. I contacted my dealer and they performed the exhaust complaint repair. After driving the car the last few days from getting it back there has been no difference. As the weather heats up I am using air conditioning more and have been starting to get headaches, nauseous and lose of energy. My coworker rode with me today and complained within the first minute of driving that exhaust smell was present in the car and was getting a headache. I rolled down the windows and have not used the climate control. I will not be using the climate control until this is fixed, I do not want to be another victim of a serious injury accident or death.

- Elk, WA, USA

problem #108

Mar 242018

Explorer

  • 69,000 miles

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

Cabin is filling with extremely intense smell of carbon monoxide. It is impossible to drive as you can not stay in it for more than a few minutes. It doesn't matter if your just driving around town (5-10 miles per hour) or if you try to go on a highway (40-60 mph). It just gets worse. After a brief time you get lightheaded and nauseated. I had the vehicle to a Ford dealer a few months ago to supposedly fix the problem. Whatever they did certainly didn't work as it has now gotten to this point.

- Frackville, PA, USA

problem #107

Mar 232018

Explorer

  • miles
Within the first, original, 2000 miles of driving my new 2015 Ford Explorer my family and I have been subjected to an oder that is similar to melting plastic, burning hair or engine exhaust fumes in row passenger cabin while driving. This is especially noticeable after high RPM acceleration or during highway driving. In relation to this smell is are symptoms of headache, tiredness, and or nausea. I have brought vehicle to multiple Ford dealerships, the last time the dealership had the car for over 4 weeks! we have been told that necessary repairs have been made. But the vehicle and my family are still experiencing the same problems. Vehicle now has just over 23000 miles on it. Since buying vehicle I have had a number emergency room visits that were not conclusive and after reading findings by this Agency and others now believe that there is a connection to my Ford Explorer, and we are suffering from prolonged carbon monoxide poisoning!

- Burbank, CA, USA

problem #106

Jan 262018

Explorer

  • 56,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle lost acceleration while driving various speeds. The vehicle also jerked and the wrench warning icon illuminated. The failure was experienced several times. On one occasion, the vehicle lost acceleration while driving approximately 70 mph. After the contact pulled the vehicle over, turned off and restarted the engine, the vehicle regained normal function. However, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to marshal mize Ford (5348 highway 153, hixson, Tennessee 37343, phone 888-633-5038). The dealer test drove the vehicle, but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 56,000.

- Ooltewah, TN, USA

problem #105

Aug 052017

Explorer

  • 40,000 miles
Carbon monoxide in cab. Experienced headaches and extreme fatigue. Had co detector in car and spiked to 18 ppm and remained continuously. The vehicle is a squad car. Took vehicle to dealer and they found bad factory welds on exhaust manifold along firewall.

- Fergus Falls, MN, USA

problem #104

Dec 122017

Explorer

  • 28,706 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While driving various speeds, the contact felt nauseous, sleepy, and had headaches. There were no warning indicators illuminated in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to future Ford Lincoln (650 automall dr, roseville, ca 95661, (888) 656-7577) and was serviced per Ford reference number: 17N03 regarding the carbon monoxide concern. The dealer repaired the plugs and rear hatch seals, used foiled patches on the plugs above the muffler, replaced the drain valve, and reprogrammed the HVAC system. Upon driving the vehicle several days later, the contact still felt ill in the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 28,706.

- Fair Oaks, CA, USA

problem #103

Dec 172017

Explorer

  • 37,900 miles
There is a strong smell of what I could only at first describe as natural gas or propane (rotten eggs) entering the cabin. It was compounded when I put turned the cabin heat on. With winter upon us the smell enters the heating ducts making it nearly unbearable. Furthermore while driving under normal acceleration on a minor road there was an audible pop (as if a hose beneath the engine came off) and a fluttering noise with loss of power. I am assuming a turbo or waste gate hose came off on its own. Once the hose popped off the smell was undeniably singed motor oil. After 30 years of doing oil changes I can assure you it is the smell of burning motor oil. I have seen many such odor complaints on the 3.5 litre eco boost turbo. There is definitely a problem affecting many if not all turbo eco boost engines. Please investigate this dangerous noxious singed oil odor. I purchased this vehicle in May 2017 as a certified used car, it is currently in the dealership for repair. I am available to assist in any way to help with the investigation. I am an owner of a vehicle with the takata recall, this condition and nauseating smell is far far worse. Please help.

- Bayside, NY, USA

problem #102

Dec 142017

Explorer

  • 51,000 miles
There is a bad exhaust smell inside the cabin of the vehicle. Mostly when the HVAC is on defrost. Upon inspection, there seems to be a cracked exhaust manifold. This smell happens the strongest when it's colder out, at idle, and while driving.

- Osceola, IN, USA

problem #101

Aug 012017

Explorer

  • 40,000 miles
Purchased my vehicle in July 2017. Due to an unrelated power issue that occurred under full throttle, I had to drive my car on a lot of full throttle runs at highway speed to help the dealership diagnose the issue. This went on for weeks, trying to get the dealership to duplicate the problem. After they allegedly finally fixed the problem. I continued to drive my Explorer vigorously on the highway to make sure the power issue was corrected, (that issue is not my complaint as it appears to be fixed). However during all these weeks of frequently driving at high rpms, I had headaches almost every time I got to my destination. I seldom get headaches and certainly not almost daily. During certain times, depending on how long my trip was, I also smelled what seemed to be strong fumes, even when there were no vehicles nearby or in front of me. I recently learned that there were other Explorer owners having issues. To my shock, I saw that a lot of owners were stating that they were noticing the fumes when the car was driven hard, which is the kind of driving I had been doing when I noticed the fumes, and normally would not have. I have gotten to where I have to feather the pedal during driving to minimize the odor of fumes. I also have a pregnant wife who I won't allow in the vehicle anymore and surely will not be able to place my newborn child in this Explorer to be exposed to fumes of this amount. This is the most money I ever spent on a vehicle and I'm at a complete loss. I am very fearful of putting my family in this vehicle, especially a newborn.

- Hamilton, OH, USA

problem #100

Jan 172015

Explorer

  • 1,000 miles
I just have become aware the growing concern about Ford Explorer exhaust/rotten egg smell. My 2015 experiences this condition on a daily basis. I have asked the Ford dealerships on numerous occasions to look into this but they have always told me "no problem found". my son came home tonight and told us a neighbor having the same complaints and now that I have researched it on the internet it appears to be a wide spread problem. It does get so bad that I have to roll windows down because of headaches.

- Franktown, CO, USA

problem #99

Feb 272016

Explorer

  • 19,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. While driving unknown speeds, the contact noticed exhaust fumes in the cabin. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (brondes Ford Lincoln, 1511 reynolds rd, maunee, oh 43537) where it was diagnosed that the vents and bumper shield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 19,000.

- Wauseon, OH, USA

problem #98

Nov 012017

Explorer

  • 38,000 miles
Smelling exhaust inside the cab at random times on random days. Mainly happens during acceleration and highway driving. It's slowly getting worse every other week

- Des Moines, IA, USA

problem #97

May 012017

Explorer

  • 40,000 miles
Very strong exhaust smell, has made my wife I'll, causing sick to the stomach and headaches

- Venus, TX, USA

problem #96

Nov 102017

Explorer

  • 57,000 miles
While I was driving on the highway there was a strong smell gof exhaust fumes in the car. Opened the windows to check. It was not an outside smell. Had to drive with windows down as it was giving me a headache and nausea. When the engine was turned off and we cane out of the car there was strong exhaust smell all around the car

- Hayward, CA, USA

problem #95

Oct 302017

Explorer

  • 28,000 miles
Ford Explorer carbon monoxide issue. The cabin of my 2015 Ford Explorer fills with carbon monoxide anytime I have the windows open and I accelerate. I have a co monitor in the car and can watch it as it goes up within seconds of acceleration. I have had the car into two different Ford dealers and had the current tsb performed as well as the latest reprogramming of the HVAC system which did reduce the co from inside the cabin while the windows are up, however as soon as a window is cracked the carbon monoxide levels rise. With any amount of acceleration they tend to range between 21- 33ppm in the cabin.

- Ramona, CA, USA

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