NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Explorer. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission and engine mounts were damaged and needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the transmission and engine mounts; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that a recall for the transmission had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,235.
On two separate occasions, the windshield trim panel blew off my Explorer while I was driving at highway speeds. This was the trim panel on the driver's side in both instances. I had it repaired the first time and then it happened again. I was told by Safelight, who repaired it the first time, that they have done dozens of these repairs. And, it happened to my brother-in-law's Ford Excursion. Just look around while you're driving and you will see many Ford SUVs with missing trim panels. The dealership refuses to fix it even under my extended warranty - even though it's clearly a defect - and it costs hundreds of dollars for the repair. I know Ford is aware of the problem and doesn't seem to care. A recall needs to be issued. The last time the trim blew off I was driving 65 miles an hour on I-10 in traffic - the trim could have easily hit another car - and may have for all I know.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH and making a turn, the vehicle lost power steering and the steering wheel turned all the way to the right inadvertently, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle spun out. The contact depressed the brake pedal, which caused the vehicle to stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle by forcefully steering the steering wheel. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,400. Estimate from the dealer confirming that the problem is rack and pinion, otherwise known as the power steering rack.
The 2016 Ford Explorer has a leaking water pump which Ford knows is an issue and has not issued a recall. The price of the pump is cheap but the labor is making this a $4000 maintenance cost.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the trim around the windshield separated and was striking the door. The contact returned to the residence and attempted to secure the trim back to the windshield however, the trim could not be secured. The vehicle was taken to Expert Glass located at 509 South HWY 51 South Batesville, MI 38606, and the contact was provided an estimate. The vehicle was also taken to the dealer who also was provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.
The trim on the passenger side pillar next to the windshield detached and flew off of the vehicle while driving on the highway. The trim piece was not recovered as it is unknown where it landed. There was traffic on the highway behind the vehicle and it could have hit another vehicle or later been run over by another vehicle if it landed on the road. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a Ford dealership to have the missing part replaced.
I have a 2016 ford explorer and like most of the other complaints on locked up steering. My explorer steering wheel has lock up with now warning lights and no codes. My ford dealership to get my vehicle in the mechanic bay had to call a tow truck. Luckily my vehicle was already at ford for other unrelated issues. After reading all of these incidents. Ford is really lucky no one has been killed or seriously injured.
saludos. deseo reportar mi caso. tengo una guagua Ford Explorer 2016. tendiendo aprox. 4 años con ella. el Rack and Pinon de daña haciendo ruido fuerte. entiendo que es una falla de fabrica y deben incuirlo como re-call. gaste casi $3,000.00 para la reparacion. me encanta mi unidad y cumple con mis necesidades. pero este vehiculo de este año 2016 salieron debiles del tren delantero.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger’s side A-pillar trims were loose, and tape was used to secure the trim pieces. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
In the 2016 Ford Explorer, both the driver and passenger side window trim has blown off while driving. The plastic clips break and cause the trim to fly off. It happened to me, and two other owners with the 2016 Ford Explorer that we bought at the same time. I have also seen it on many other Ford Explorers on the road.
2 pieces of the trim/body have fallen off while driving. One piece fell off and hit a car behind me in the windshield. This is common on these vehicles.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle began to shake and shudder when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that to control the shudder she slowed the vehicle to the point that the motion stopped and then slowly accelerated back to highway speeds. The contact stated that the shuddering occurred any time the contact attempted to accelerate. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power train control module needed to be updated and the transmission torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH and attempting to stop or decelerate, the rear tires were slippery and failed to stop as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer however, no failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
I was driving the vehicle when the steering suddenly locked up. There was virtually no steering except with very heavy struggles. Fortunately I was able to pull over but had to be towed. Vehicle indications showed power steering failure and all-wheel drive failure. Dealership indicated the Rack and Pinion must be replaced at a cost of about $2,300. They indicated it is a huge problem and they don't know where to get replacement parts. I can't find any anywhere. Salvage yards are out and all parts stores can't get them. I need a vehicle to drive.
Front passenger seat safety and airbag system. Problem was diagnosed several times at the service Dept of my Ford Dealer. The final diagnosis indicated that a part in the seat called a bladder is not working properly and needs to be replaced for the PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG TO WORK. This issue deserves further review for several reasons. There is a dash light that indicates when the front passenger airbag is ON vs OFF. I rarely have a passenger except when we go on trips my wife occupies the seat. She happened to notice that the OFF light was lit. She weights 125 lbs. When I sit in the seat (150lbs) the ON light comes on. Obviously this is a safety issue that must be repaired. The repair estimate is $2527.20. Unfortunately the problem was not discovered during my warranty period. I reported the problem to FORD Motor Co. I found numerous posts on the internet from people complaining about this issue. I think this problem should come under the guides of a safety recall. In the event it is useful, following is my most recent FORD Motor Co. Customer Service case No. [XXX] My contact info: [XXX] emaddr: [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). Consumer recently had his Ford Explorer reported, had the safety problem repaired. The dealer gave the consumer failed component and explained what was found in the repair.
While driving would shudder when getting to approx. 60-65mph. No check engine light. Dealer stated could not diagnose if no check engine light on. This went on for 1.5 years. I kept taking back but still no light. March 2022 it started running really rough while sitting at a stop light, no power at take off. Took to the dealer who said it was covered , diagnosed it as Torque Converter, and pump waited 4 weeks to get parts after being told twice covered 100% but then found out not covered as when it was there previously they did not do the Customer Satisfaction Program 20N07 where PCM reflash was required. Now Ford corp and dealer say they are not covering this. Why did the dealer not advise of this while there before this program expired.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was making a left turn and then attempting to straighten the steering wheel, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The driver stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to her destination. The driver stated she experience the failure multiple times. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on backorder. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the front driver’s and passenger’s side pillar covers detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V316000 (Structure) and stated that the pillar covers were not a part of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
My rack and pinion steering column and power steering pump went out causing a hefty cost to replace and it is starting to fail again creating hazardous conditions while driving. I do believe there is a steering issue in these models. Also my power lift gate in the back closes without stopping automatically while I’m loading the rear or unloading. There is NO STOPPING SAFETY SENSOR, I HAD THE BACK CLOSE ON ME MULTIPLE TIMES AND ALMOST CRUSH ME. there is no safety sensor to stop the power lift gate from closing on you, I have had to crawl in my rear end to avoid being crushed by my liftgate! This is not safe!
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle began to emit white smoke from the tailpipe. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the head gasket replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Fuel pump fail
My wife was driving to work and the steering wheel just locked up on her and almost caused a serious accident out of nowhere
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was starting the vehicle, the “Steering Assist Fault-Service Required” and “Service Advance Tract” and “Hill Start Assist Not Available” warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering assist functionality. The contact’s father met his wife at the scene and was able to drive the vehicle to the residence driving the vehicle in manual steering mode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the driver’s side second-row seat belt mechanism had malfunctioned and remained locked. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that a plastic piece inside the receiving latch assembly fractured and the entire latch needed to be replaced. The latch was replaced and the failure was fixed. The contact stated that later the same failure recurred on the second-row passenger’s side seat belt. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the water pump was recently replaced. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the engine seized. The vehicle was coasted off the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the main bearing had caused damage to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon the start of her vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact then took the vehicle to a dealer where they linked her failure to a customer satisfaction program; however, her vehicle was not included. The program stated that due to a faulty wiring connection in the rear second-row seat, the air bag warning light may illuminate. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer but received no assistance; the manufacturer then referred her to NHTSA. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
rear suspension issue, causes both rear tires to wear abnormally on outside edge. causes unstable handling. had the vehicle realighned twice, 4000 miles between alighnments. the vehicle has now worn out two sets of new back tires and continues to exhibit unstable handling.
On January 4, 2022, while driving my children to school at 55pmh, my steering rack failed. I was able to get the vehicle parked before the steering wheel completely froze up. Multiple messages showed up on the dashboard, including a steering failure message. The vehicle was towed to my local mechanic, and he has determined that the steering rack needs to be replaced, at an estimate of $2200.00. The repair is scheduled to be done on 2/10/22.
3 weeks ago my vehicle has had an exhaust smell in the cabin, the car has been in the shop since. I started googling to see what the issue could potentially be and found your lawsuit. My vehicle is currently at Blake Utter Ford in Dennison TX getting diagnostics ran. My concern is my son and I have experienced nausea, dizziness, vomiting(my son), fatigue, and bloody noses after we exit the vehicle. Ford has known about this issue under Field service actions 17N03 and 19N05. If Ford has known of the issue why will they not make the issue an active recall? This is a health and safety concern, and could potentially be fatal. I have called Ford and filed an official complaint, there is nothing they will do since there are no active recalls on my vehicle, so we have to foot the bill?? They asked if I had a warranty, which I do, but if I didn't? This is would be a large expense. When I called [XXX] in McKinney, TX they didn't seem to care or know anything about the exhaust leak, they had a 10 day wait for diagnostics, with no rental vehicles. I called Blake Utter Ford where we purchased the vehicle, they have a 2-day wait for diagnostics, and same no rental vehicles. I have 3 children and two jobs I cannot be without a car. Who knows how long the repairs will take? I have never received any correspondence regarding the Class action suit, how can I be included? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the vehicle failed to exceed 3000 RPM. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a general failure with the transmission. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The dealer informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 93,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally strong odor coming into the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle and rolled the windows down. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that Carbon Monoxide was leaking into the vehicle. After researching, the contact became aware that there were similar vehicles that were experiencing the same failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance; the contact was instead referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
The airbag light came on. We took it to a dealer to diagnose. They found that the fault was in the 2nd row seat inflator. The following is from the dealer repair invoice: "Checked DTC's: B141C is present for 2nd row inflator fault. Followed PPT. found needs C3133 & C3134 replaced both due to pin fittment. Will require to replace both. Removed and replaced connector and eight air bag wires. Spliced in new harnesses. Re-route harness on seat bottom." Everything seemed fine after that but you can't really 'test' whether the airbags will go off or not. Is this related to all of the other airbag problems? The car is not that old (2016) with only 67931 miles at the time so seems strange that this type of issue should occur. I felt that it was worth reporting.
There has not yet been an incident, however, the Ford dealer is not returning any calls or service schedule requests to have the RECALL repairs done, and I am concerned the problems may become worse to the point that there is an incident. Can NHTSA force Ford to get their dealers to prioritize recall repairs?
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that starting the vehicle, he noticed the airbag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact called the local dealer to schedule an appointment to have the vehicle inspected however, the dealer would not be able to inspect the vehicle for several weeks due to a staffing shortage. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was notified of an error message with the driver’s side rear airbags. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Approximately, a year and half later the failure reoccurred; however, the vehicle had not been repaired a second time. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
My wife has been reporting experiencing nausea, dizziness, sleepiness and headaches during and after her drive home from work throughout October/November 2021and into December 2021. Our vehicle was involved in a high speed collision on December 24, 2021 while traveling EB on I-90 at approximately MP 101. I was driving at the time. It was at about 3:29pm. I couldn't quite recall what had happened and I was disoriented and confused for some time after the collision though I hadn't hit my head. Everyone else in the car had fallen asleep despite being well rested and it being the middle of the afternoon. My symptoms and condition were the same as oxygen deprivation. I believe exhaust has been getting into the cabin of our vehicle and causing my wife's symptoms and caused the accident. The vehicle is totalled.
The Power transfer unit is leaking fluid onto the exhaust and it caught on fire as I pulled into my driveway. I was able to extinguish the fire before any damage was done. There is also a nauseous odor in the cabin of the vehicle that makes me sick, burns my eyes every time I drive my vehicle. I was told by a mechanic that this was the fluid from the PTU burning Did some research and discovered this is a common problem with these PTU's leaking fluid. Very concerned now that it will catch on fire again and cause damage or even a wreak if it locks up. I fear that this could harm me or someone else if this problem is not fixed ASAP. I have no other vehicle and not sure how to even get it fixed. The dealership said it would cost around $2000 to have it fixed. I would like someone to look at this issue, Ford advised that is not there problem and its not covered by any recalls. There is no way of knowing if it catches on fire going down the road until its actually on fire.
1. 2016 Ford Explorer transmission. shifting delays, grinding or jumping during acceleration, the car shaking on the road, or whistling noises or a burning smell coming from beneath the hood. 2. Ford Explorer carbon monoxide. There is a smell in the cabin. 3. Weather strip and trim on both sides of the windshield are coming off. This is a major safety issues if those trims come off and hit another car.
Steering gear assembly completely failed, causing a total lock up of the steering wheel and loss of control. Happened at highway speeds, could barely pull off to side of road. Nearly crashed as there was no warning or indication of total steering loss. Ford dealer replacement cost of $3000. I was told this is a common issue with the Explorer, but there was no remedy offered by Ford.
I was driving down the highway at approximately 60mph when my steering wheel became extremely stiff and hard to turn. The vehicle became very hard to handle. The steering wheel ended up locking up completely and I had to have it towed to the dealership. After diagnostics it was determined that the entire steering gear had failed. The cost to fix is $2200.00. Keep in mind that there is only 26,000 miles on the odometer! There were also no warning lights on the dash. No recall or warranty coverage.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer equipt with Bridgestone Dueler Alenza Plus tires size P245/60/18 N/A, and DOT: RBVDRIM0916. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, a rotational noise was present coming from the front driver side of the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the front driver side and passenger side tires had experienced cracking located above the tire bead area on the inside wall of the tire. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.
Transmission failure, not shifting consistently, multiple times would not shift out of second gear after down shifting during driving. This is dangerous when merging into higher speeds where acceleration is needed, such as on highway. Took Vehicle to Ford dealership twice while under power train warranty and they stated they could not replicate the concern. They reset adaptive learning transmission, because they said shifting was likely due to different driving styles between husband and wife. Now 6 months later, issue continues and they admit it is a faulty transmission, but is no longer under warranty.
Hello, this is a issue with the heating and air conditioning. when i turn on the heat i have it set to anything about 75 degrees, the suv is blowing out cold air. and sometimes the AC turns on blowing air but the light for the AC is not turned on.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while making a turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the steering gear replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
in 2021 my check engine light came on. My Vehicle was just 5 years old, but 14K miles out of the manufacture warranty. My Engine failed and I had pay out of pocket to get another one. It's all documented by my mechanic and in Ford's system. I know there is an investigation of a possible recall for the engine failures and FORD is saying one is not needed because all the engines were fixed under warranty. Well, mine was not. My vehicle hardly drove and had no power. I had to come out of the pocket $6,000 dollars and at the time Ford would not cover it or help in any way financially. I believe the #4 in the engine failed. Coming up with the money was very difficult and I am still paying the engine cost off on top of my car note.
About 2 weeks ago I heard a noise and from that point it sounded like my steering wheel was grinding. Steering is tight at slower speeds and it is making that same grinding noise. I took it to a dealership to get checked out and was told the steering gear had failed and that it needs to be repaired however the parts are on back order with no foreseeable ship date, but that it was ok to drive, just may be a little hard to steer at low speeds. This morning my steering wheel was totally locked up and could not turn in either direction. There are no warning lights or other indication of an issue. My concern is could this have happened while driving? What caused it to break in the first place and why did it ultimately seize up completely after being told it could be driven?
We purchased this vehicle through CarMax and there were several items that required repair/replacement. One of which is the front passenger seat belt. There is a small tear in the seat belt. We are told that it is too small for replacement. We have not been injured since the purchase of the vehicle, though this is a major safety concern for my family. I would like to know the safety data and recommendations for seat belt tears/defects.
The vehicle surges when drive at low speeds, I have to keep my foot on the brake so it don't take off or hit something in front of me. About a month ago the surging almost made me hit a child in the roadway in front of my house. I am really uncomfortable driving the vehicle and don't feel its safe to drive due to this problem. Ford dealership is not giving any info on what tis problem could be. I found several problems on here related to this issue.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle constantly smelled of gasoline. The contact stated that the odor occurred when the vehicle was in motion but was stronger when the vehicle was idle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was not able to properly diagnose the vehicle. The mechanic sealed several locations where the odor might have been coming from. The vehicle was taken to the dealer because the gasoline odor was stronger on the outside of the vehicle. The dealer was not able to determine the cause of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The contact stated that the failure had gotten progressively worse. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000
Steering rack failure on 2016 and 17 Explorers at 55,000 mile, haven't had the vehicle in a month due to acquiring parts because there are so many of these parts failing and was told by ford they can't release the vehicle until its repaired because the steering could lock up and it is also a $3000.00 dollar repair. Wouldn't this be a recall due to the low mileage, amount of failures and and result of the failure