2015 Ford Explorer · symptom sheet
Engine stalls or loses power while driving
- 59owner reports
- 72,000median miles
- $1,067median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
490 of the 1,791 complaints on this car are about the engine. 59 of those describe stalling.
Tick what matches of 59 reports
Stalling on other Explorer years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Stalling reports are some of the most alarming on the site. The engine quits while the car is moving, sometimes on a highway and sometimes at a stop. Many owners say it restarted right away and the dealer found no stored code, which is part of why these complaints pile up before anything gets fixed.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the throttle body (9 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the engine covers the 2015 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.
All 9 recalls on the 2015 Ford Explorer, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Explorer
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Rear axle bolt failure. Closed feb 15, 2024, led to recall 23V-675.
Exhaust odor in passenger cab. Closed jan 17, 2023.
Ford explorer exhaust odor. Closed sep 12, 2017.
Vehicle rollaway allegations. Closed feb 12, 2013.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Engine compartment fires. Closed aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V-388.
Accelerator pedal. Closed mar 9, 2000.
Vehicle hesitation/stalling. Closed feb 22, 2000.
Fuel line damage from jump starting. Closed nov 15, 2000, led to recall 98V-060.
Parking pawl. Closed apr 1, 1999, led to recall 91V-189.
Electrical fire in center console. Closed sep 4, 1997.
Driver door electrical fire. Closed may 15, 1997, led to recall 97V-083.
Engine cooling fan cracks. Closed aug 31, 1994.
Auto trans prndl misalign. Closed jul 29, 1994.
Auto trans.prndl misalign. Closed jan 29, 1993.
Park pawl bending. Closed nov 8, 1991, led to recall 91V-189.
What owners paid
8 of the 59 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $582 to $1,916.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 35,000 and 91,273 miles, from the 40 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2015 Ford Explorer that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
SOME 2015-2016 F-150, C-MAX, EDGE, MKS, TAURUS, AND FLEX AND 2016 EXPEDITION, EXPLORER, ESCAPE, FUSION, MUSTANG, MKZ, MKX, NAVIGATOR, TRANSIT AND TRANSIT CONNECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L, 2.5L, 3.5L OR 3.7L GASOLINE ENGINE AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE ...
What owners wrote
“Intermittent locking of steering wheel while driving for about 8 months. Now it has complete loss of power steering. [XXX] says service advance trac and complete steering loss pull over safely. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
Filed Sep 29, 2026
“Vehicle shuts off at random various speeds. Takes about 3 minutes to get it to restart.”
Filed Oct 16, 2025
“While driving at 40 mph the car suddenly lost power. The accelerator would not respond. We were luckily able to coast downhill and get on the shoulder. This has happened four times in six months. The car is not safe for highway driving.”
Filed Oct 16, 2023
“Component failure- Water Pump , causing extensive repairs. Car shut down while driving . I have estimate from independent service center. No inspection by manufacture on my particular vehicle, but a class action lawsuit was filed in February 2022 for another individual. Warnings didnât appear until vehicle started to shut down.”
Filed Mar 9, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 59 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Trim or a body panel comes off while driving 210 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 204 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 196 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 146 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 109 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 84 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 83 reports
- Steering wheel clicks, clunks or grinds when I turn 54 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 53 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 49 reports
- Water leaks into the cabin 35 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 30 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 26 reports