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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
15 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,407 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2015 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #78

May 052024

Explorer

  • 126,250 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the second-row seat wiring harness had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the failure was related to Ford Campaign Number: 21B11. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 126,250.

- East Sparta, OH, USA

problem #77

Feb 112024

Explorer

  • miles
Extensive leaking from the windshield area that is causing a significant amount of water to flood the passenger floorboard and the middle console where the screen for the radio, ac/heating control, and navigation system is. The lights on the middle console screen have become wet and are now blinking. The radio and the ac/heating screen is not allowing for any adjustments. The airbag light is now on the driver's console screen. The safety concerns due to the leaking of the windshield or the seals around the windshield would be an sudden loss of vehicle power while driving. Another safety concern is the windshield or the parts of the seals will come lose while operating the vehicle. There is also water leakage coming from the interior lights right above the middle console control panel.

- Mcgregor, TX, USA

problem #76

Apr 032023

Explorer

  • 161,645 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the air bag warning light intermittently appeared on the instrument panel while starting the vehicle. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 161,645.

- Lincoln, MO, USA

problem #75

Mar 062024

Explorer

  • 70,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated when the vehicle was powered on, the Air Bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that wiring under the rear passenger seats needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Harrison, OH, USA

problem #74

Oct 162023

Explorer

  • 125,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the second-row driver-??s and passenger's side seat belt buckle covers had detached, causing the air bag warning light to illuminate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21B11 (2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

- Augusta, KS, USA

problem #73

Sep 182022

Explorer

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that he received notification of Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP): 21B11 (Second Row Inflatable Seat Belt); however, the part to do the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The local dealer and two unknown dealers were contacted several times and informed the contact the part was not yet available for Customer Satisfaction Program. The dealer later informed the contact that the Customer Satisfaction Program had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the Customer Satisfaction Program had expired. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

- Corona, CA, USA

problem #72

Jul 302023

Explorer

  • 65,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the seat belt and air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the seat belt wiring harness located in the second-row seat had failed. The wiring harness was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the seat belt wiring harness needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

- Munford, TN, USA

problem #71

May 302023

Explorer

  • miles
The air bag system light came on. Dealer says repair requires splicing into passive restraint system wiring to repair. To me seems unacceptable as a method of repair as the passive restraint system saves lives. As a former highway patrolman for California I see what airbags do to save lives and the fact that ford refuses to help with a passive restraint system on a vehicle I just purchased seems as if they want my family endanger. And they want me to pay for a splice wire job which puts my family at a higher risk of injury or death. Ford has had vehicle for two weeks and their rectification to the issue is splice the wires se attached email from dealership

- Saugus, CA, USA

problem #70

May 232023

Explorer

  • miles
Air bag light comes on intermittently. Current mileage 62,094. Noted 21 prior complaints on your site. Brought to dealer who told me the problem was with a wire harness failure. None of the safety air bags will operate/deploy when this light is on. A faulty harness that had failed will put me and my passengers in serious jeopardy of injury or death in the event of an accident. This diagnosis cost me $149 only to find out it would cost hundreds of dollars more to have the problem fixed. Internet research reveals this problem was addressed in a 2016 technical bulletin 16-0001; Code B141B. We purchased this vehicle as a certified pre-owned vehicle after Ford issued the technical bulletin. No mention of Ford's internal bulletin was made by the dealer at the time of my purchase. Ford has been aware of this problem for years. According to the dealership technician there is no formal recall to have this manufacturing defect corrected by Ford at no cost to the purchaser of the vehicle. Didn't fully functional air bags come as part of my certified pre-owned purchase? I expect the manufacturer's safety equipment to be fully functional. Please review 2015 Explorer Owner's Manual as follows: Child Safety (pages 18-37), Safety Belts (pages 38-48) Personal Safety System (page 49) and Supplementary Restraints System (pages 50-61) with particular attention to page 49 bearing in mind that NONE of these safety features work when the air bag light is on. What good are safety features that are disabled by a manufacturing defect in the wiring harness? Ford has not only disappointed its customers, it has put them in serious jeopardy when using their product. Your rating system notes Crash, Fire, Injuries and Deaths. Do not wait for a positive notation in any of these categories before you act on safety recommendations, including a mandated recall, which is your primary tool for preventing future civil transportation accidents.

- Penn Yan, NY, USA

problem #69

May 152023

Explorer

  • miles
Airbag light on. Caused by fraying wires/bad connector under 2nd row passenger seat. Ford is aware of the incident and has made a solution at the owner-??s expense.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #68

Jan 132023

Explorer

  • 75,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the second-row rear inflatable seat belt connector caused the air bag warning light to illuminate. The contact related the failure to TSB-21B11 (2nd Row Inflatable Seat Belt). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the cable was re-routed under the seat and re-enforced with electrical tape; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- Clayton, NC, USA

problem #67

Dec 152022

Explorer

  • miles
Air Bag system wire harness and components continually fail resulting in inoperable airbag system. Risk of injury to driver and passengers as airbags will not deploy while SRS Error light is occuring.

- Livermore, CA, USA

problem #66

Sep 202022

Explorer

  • 157,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, she was crashed into head-on by another vehicle which sent the vehicle backward into a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact's right shoulder hit the steering wheel and her head hit the pillar on the driver's side door. The contact sought medical treatment after the accident and received an X-ray on her right shoulder; the results showed no broken bones. The other driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance for leg pain. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and she was given a case number; she was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be destroyed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

- Laurelville, OH, USA

problem #65

Oct 032021

Explorer

  • miles
My SRS air bag light came on intermittently and is now on all the time. A internet search showed many years of explorer also have this problem. It appears MANY owners are having this same safety problem and Ford is charging full price for repair. CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN AIR BAGS ARE NOT WORKING. A RECALL IS NEEDED!

- Wadsworth, IL, USA

problem #64

Jul 292021

Explorer

  • miles
Driver side air bag light on.

- Inverness, FL, USA

problem #63

May 062021

Explorer

  • 0 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was referred to an authorized dealer. The local authorized dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Sanford, FL, USA

problem #62

Mar 272021

Explorer

  • 65,237 miles
Our instrument panel airbag light turned on intermittently since 2026. Ford was unable to diagnose an issue until March 27, 2021. The warning light has remained illuminated while in the repair shop. They found a fault code and it is attributed to tsb 16-0001. We are now responsible for an almost $1,000 repair bill ($150 diagnosis charge and $800+ repair). The repair is due to faulty wiring connections. Our airbags are now supposedly inoperable.

- Camden Wyo, DE, USA

problem #61

Mar 082021

Explorer

  • 99,720 miles
Our air bag deployment light stays on all the time. I took the vehicle to gordie boucher Ford in janesville wi for repairs. The entire air bag system will not work if this light is on. Ford knows about this problem, it is well documented if you search the internet. A common problem that requires a wiring harness to be replaced due to a frayed wire. The cost to repair this is $1200. I did have the repair done because without it I would have no working airbags on my vehicle. This is clearly a safety issue that Ford is aware of and should be immediately recalled. I did request the old wiring harness if that is something that you would need to help get this safety recall started. I would like to be reimbursed for my expenses.

- Janesville, WI, USA

problem #60

Mar 012019

Explorer

  • miles
Airbag warning light on 2015 Explorer came on (has been some time). Took to dealer several years ago and was told it was a known issue, would require tracing down wiring costing thousands of dollars and was not worth us doing. I don't understand how a dealer (Ford) can dismiss this safety issue

- Irmo, SC, USA

problem #59

Feb 182021

Explorer

  • miles
Frayed wiring under the passenger side second row seating. This is causing the airbag light to be on and will not allow that airbag to deploy in an accident. Ford is aware of the problem and that it is a common issue that they do not know what causes it. Completely unacceptable for a family vehicle to have this issue and the manufacturer not take care of it. We do not believe this vehicle I safe to Transport or have passengers in the back seat now.

- Rogue River, OR, USA

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