Why it cuts both ways
The 2015 Explorer is part of the fifth generation (2011–2019). It's a spacious three-row SUV with a comfortable ride and a strong following, offered with a 3.5-liter V6, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four, and a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. It's a lot of usable SUV for the money — but a few known issues can turn a cheap Explorer into an expensive one, so the specific car matters a great deal.
The issues that decide it
- Internal water pump On the V6, the water pump is driven inside the engine. When it fails it can leak coolant internally, and because the engine has to be opened to reach it, the repair is expensive — commonly in the several-thousand-dollar range, often seen around 100,000 miles. Check coolant condition and history closely.
- AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) On all-wheel-drive Explorers, the PTU sits near the exhaust and runs hot; Ford treated it as a sealed "lifetime" unit, and it can wear or seize — producing a burnt smell, grinding, or shudder, and risking transmission damage if it fails. On an AWD car, this is a key check.
- Exhaust odor in the cabin These Explorers were the subject of a long federal investigation into exhaust fumes entering the cabin. Regulators closed it without ordering a recall, and Ford ran a service campaign (HVAC reprogramming, liftgate drain valves, sealing). Confirm the campaign work was done and that you smell no exhaust on a test drive.
Open recalls and campaigns — check the VIN
Recall and service-campaign status is VIN-specific and cannot be assumed from the model year. Look up any 2015 Explorer's open recalls free by VIN at NHTSA; a Ford dealer completes any open recall at no charge. Note the water-pump and exhaust-odor issues were handled outside a formal recall, so they may not appear in a recall search — ask about them directly.
What a history report tells you — and what it doesn't
On a car like this, the individual car's history is most of the decision. A history report is a record of what got reported — title brands, reported accidents and damage, odometer readings over time, and service records where they exist. That is what separates a clean, maintained example from a salvage-title or flood car wearing the same badge.
What a history report is not is a forecast, and an absence of records is not proof of a clean past — plenty happens to a car that never gets reported. That is why the honest answer is always the pair: the documented history and an in-person inspection by a mechanic you trust, on the specific car.
The things to check before you buy
- Coolant and water pump Check coolant level and condition, look for any history of internal leaks, and ask whether the water pump has been done.
- AWD PTU On an AWD car, check for a burnt smell, grinding, or shudder, and any fluid-service history on the unit.
- Exhaust odor Smell for exhaust in the cabin on a test drive; confirm the exhaust-odor service campaign was completed.
- Recall status Confirm any open recalls are completed on this VIN.
- Maintenance history Consistent service records, especially cooling-system work.
What would make you walk
- Signs of internal coolant loss Overheating history or coolant in the wrong places on a V6.
- A worn AWD PTU Burnt smell, grinding, or shudder from the driveline with no repair history.
- Exhaust smell in the cabin If you smell fumes and the service campaign was never done.
- Structural damage or rust The usual deal-breakers.