2015 Ford Explorer Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2015 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 65,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (44% of reports).
- 84air bags complaints
- 65,000median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 37 of 84 complaints (44%)
- Second row: mentioned in 14 of 84 complaints (17%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 10 of 84 complaints (12%)
- Inflatable seat: mentioned in 7 of 84 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2015 Ford Explorer at $1,150, and half of them between $1,050 and $1,300.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 60 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 84 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 7 an injury.
Ford Explorer air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 5 | 5% | 23,977 |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2023 Explorer | 4 | 4% | 43,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 7 | 3% | 36,000 |
| 2021 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 6,500 |
| 2020 Explorer | 5 | 0% | — |
| 2019 Explorer | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Explorer | 11 | 2% | 1,200 |
| 2017 Explorer | 34 | 2% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 99 | 4% | 51,500 |
| 2015 Explorer | 84 | 5% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 18 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 44 | 4% | 66,500 |
| 2010 Explorer | 6 | 5% | 32,800 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 118,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 12 | 6% | 81,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 101,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 63,500 |
| 2004 Explorer | 39 | 3% | 109,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 50 | 4% | 102,517 |
| 2002 Explorer | 162 | 5% | 73,650 |
| 2001 Explorer | 28 | 7% | 58,740 |
| 2000 Explorer | 62 | 7% | 58,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 97 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 40 | 2% | 87,087 |
| 1997 Explorer | 27 | 2% | 105,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 139,928 |
| 1995 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 115,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists air bags for the 2015 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the wiring underneath the second-row seats had failed. The dealer spliced new pigtail…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the rubber around the front windshield had disintegrated. There was water entering the vehicle from the front windshield. The contact added a caulk to the vehicle to stop the water leaking in on the dashboard. The engine and air bag…
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop where it was diagnosed that the rear driver-side and passenger-side air bag retractors were inoperable and needed…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 Ford Explorers have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 84 owner complaints about air bags for the 2015 Ford Explorer (5% of the 1,808 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Ford Explorer air bags?
No recall currently lists air bags for this vehicle.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 65,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2015 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,150 (half paid between $1,050 and $1,300), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2015 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 37 of 84 complaints, followed by “second row” (14).
Other 2015 Ford Explorer problems
- Structure problems (410)
- Steering problems (347)
- Engine problems (227)
- Back Over Prevention problems (144)
- Electrical System problems (93)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (86)
- Power Train problems (86)
- Suspension problems (83)
See all 2015 Ford Explorer problems or air bags problems across all Explorer years.