2016 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

While driving down the highway the passenger side A pillar windshield trim broke in half and flew backwards impacting passenger window. The broken piece of trim remain attached by a rubber seal. At highway speeds this caused the piece to impact the side window many times. Had to pull off the road and cut the seal to remove the broken trim.

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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the A-pillar trims on the driver’s and passenger’s sides of the vehicle had detached. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Recently noticed a yellow airbag light appearing on the instrument panel. Took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that there was previously a recall for this issue, and that a repair was performed. However, the issue has now resurfaced. We are afraid to continue driving the vehicle in this condition, as we feel that it would put us at risk. Dealer refuses to pay for the repair, claiming that the recall 'expired' in January 2023. Hoping that the NHTSA can assist me in resolving this issue, since there is nothing that I as a consumer could have done differently to prevent this, yet the dealer is demanding that I pay to fix it. Thank you.

On 07/30/2023 The right passenger front windshield trim plus rubber stripping flew off our 2016 Ford Explorer XL. We were travelling 60 mph down a mountain area from San Diego, CA heading into Yuma, AZ. The noise of the trim was so loud hitting the windshield then the windshield panel blew off and the windshield stripping blew off. We made sure no one was behind us as it could have caused damage if the cover would have hit car behind us. Vehicle inspection yearly and no signs of any areas of concern. No warning or signs of this part coming off.

While driving on the freeway, the driver side windshield trim broke and flew off the vehicle. The safety of the vehicle traveling behind us was put at risk due to the flying debris. There were no warning lamps or messages displayed prior to this happening. The vehicle has not been inspected yet.

In July 2023 my airbag light appeared on my instrument panel. I checked seat belts but all was good. I had the ford dealer diagnose and they said that the rear seat belt airbag was out of compliance. I am the original owner of the vehicle and asked if this was under any recall or TSB. They checked and said that it was no longer under any repair order and that it would cost me approx. $1100 to fix. They also said that no air bags would work in my vehicle and that they could not just turn the light off on the instrument panel. My vehicle is available for inspection and repair. I no longer feel safe for myself, my wife or my grandchildren riding in the vehicle. The airbags are critical safety feature and should last the life of the vehicle. My vehicle sits in the garage mostly and only has approx. 67000 miles.

Twice I have been driving down the highway and have had the right front passenger side trim break off of the car. The first time it was caught between the door and the passenger side mirror and I was able to retrieve. Took to the dealer and they repaired. The second time it happened the same piece came off and flew off into freeway. A month ago I heard a loud noise while driving sounding like something struck my car and it was the molding on the passenger side door window that came off while driving down the interstate and was unretrievable. I have taken to repair shop to be replaced and see if any other possible issues with the trim and they have found cracks in the same trim pieces on both side rear windows.

Steering issue with our 2016 Ford Explorer. While driving at 60 mph steering without warning became very difficult to control and lost the ability to easier turn the wheel. We were in a slight curve and it was very difficult to steer back to the middle of the road. We had it looked at by a local Ford dealer and were told the electric power assist had failed and caused other electrical issues. If this would have happened in a new high speed off ramp we frequently are on I strongly believe we would have hit the side barrier due to the loss of steering control.

Ford Dealer reports 3 toe link recalls are for 2013-2017 Ford Explorer are not on my 2016 Ford Explorer Limited but my toe links are out of spec and unable to be adjusted. Private mechanic (independent service center) reports this condition can lead to a crash. Vehicle was purchased and driven in New Jersey. Vehicle is available for inspection. No warning lights or messages.

On 7/26/2023 the vehicle started a little rough in the morning. At start up the engine light came on. The vehicle was driving fine except for rough morning start. I took the vehicle to a Ford Dealer but was told I'd have to schedule appointment. At the time I was told that if the engine message wasn't flashing it wasn't too serious. After I left Ford I made a quick stop at Jiffy Lube just to get confirmation. They put the computer on the vehicle and spark plug #3 was misfiring and just needed a tune up. On 8/04/2023, a tune up was performed by a local mechanic. Vehicle seemed fine for the next day or two. On Monday 8/7/2023 the engine light came back on. The vehicle was taken back to mechanic on 8/8. The mechanic could not determine cause but believed it may be a fuel pump issue since the cold start seems to prompt engine light warning. I picked up the vehicle on 8/9/23, the mechanic told me to take it to a Ford dealer. On 8/10, I called Ford Dealership, they scheduled appointment for Monday 8/14/2023. Dealershiper called me and informed me I needed a new long block, fuel pump and pressure test. I did not approve the $15,000 repair. The dealership informed me coolant was leaking into engine.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH on the interstate, the passenger’s side keypad detached from the vehicle. The driver's side and passenger’s side keypads were loose before the failure occurred. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,539.

Complete steering rack failure out of the blue. No previous steering issues. No causal incident. I got in the car in the morning and all of the warning lights were on and there was no power steering. Repair cost me $2400 of which $1800 was parts. I've seen scores of people having the same problem and my shop said the Ford Dealership told them they were repairing this issue "Very frequently" This is a very well taken care of vehicle with approximately 70,000 miles.

The airbag fault light on the dash of my 2016 Ford Explorer recently illuminated. I took it to Christian Brothers Automotive, who did a complete diagnostics check. They determined that the inflatable seat belt should read 2.2 Ohms but it reading at 5.5 Ohms, which is causing the light to illuminate. They stated that the inflatable seat belt needs to be replaced. This appears to be the same issue with a Ford recall notice issued on January 21, 2022 under Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 related to 2014, 2015, and 2016 Ford Explorers. However, my VIN does not appear on the list of effected vehicles and Ford is refusing to repair it under the recall until it is added to the list.

POWER STEERING RACK - The steering wheel turns hard and does not return to straight on corners without heavy assist. The tires or bearings are loud when turning.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers:24V031000(Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recalls repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the driver's side windshield exterior A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. Additionally, the trim surrounding the windshield came loose. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available

Power steering failure No power steering Only extreme strength can turn wheel and only when vehicle Is moving Brought vehicle to BOB BELL FORD IN GLEN BURNIE MARYLAND Vehicle was at dealer for 2 weeks. They could not find a problem Picked up Explorer. Same problem next day NO POWER STEERING AFRAID TO DRIVE NOW I HAVE READ THAT MANY 2011-2016 Explorers have had same problem BUT NO RECALL. PLEASE ADVISE

May 13 2023 Bought my car at Criswell Auto in Thurmont, MD July 15 2023 Lost steering coming around a turn and was able to pull into a driveway. Thankfully it was clear. Jul 21 2023 I took it to Ford for the recall which I was hoping would fix it Aug 8 2023 Steering assist failed again and I had my 3 year old with me in the car. It was really scary because we were on our towns main road and I had to just go into a restaurant parking lot. Thank goodness no one was there or I would have hit them. I couldn't move my steering wheel at all. When it fails these warning and lights show up and make a lot of noise and steering is totally gone Service AdvanceTrac Hill Start Assist Not Available Stability Control Stability Control off Aug 15 I took my car to Ford dealership in Hagerstown MD They called and advised it was the Steering Gear Assembly and would cost 2100.00 Aug 15 Spoke with Ford to see if they could possibly help me with some of the costs with it being a safety issue. They told me there was absolutely nothing they could do. Case Number: [XXX] 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, the contact became aware that the sunroof had started to detach and had sunken into the interior of the vehicle, creating an opening that allowed water to leak into the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the sunroof motor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 116,000.

While driving on the highway, the passenger side windshield trim flew off hitting my windshield. I've been told by the police that it happens frequently on their vehicles, but never thought it would happen to me. It did. Now. I have to pay for the repair and it could have easily caused an accident, because it scared me so much that I swerved thinking something hit me. Which it did. My own car!

Both A-pillar pieces have blown off while driving. The first time this happened I had them replaced at a local windshield repair. And now they have both blown off again.

The seat belt buckle for the second row passenger-side broke, making it impossible for the seat belt buckle to lock. Ford said the part was back ordered. When the part arrived and the car was being fixed, we received a call from the service manager advising the second row driver-side buckle broke as well. This seems to be a recurring issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while cold starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed to be operating normally; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that after a week with the check engine light remaining illuminated, the vehicle was driven to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to manufacturer Customer Satisfaction Program Number: 21N12 - Short Block Replacement After Coolant Intrusion (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Vehicle is experiencing a loss of power steering at all speeds. Steering stiffens and loosens erratically. Repair shop reports failure to electronic steering system and state that a replacement of the electronic steering gear assembly is required.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while making a right turn, there was a grinding sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 96,500.

The driver side panels on my front windshield flew off while driving on the highway and then the passenger side broke and the lining ripped out slapping the side window. I know at least 4 other people whose Explorers have done the same and see them all the time driving around broken and gone. How is this ok? It could have hit another car or person when it flew off.

The power liftgate stop working. The liftgate light on dashboard shows liftgate open and the power liftgate does not work open nor closes.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21V316000 (Structure), 21V537000 (Suspension), and 19V435000 (Suspension). The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was restarted and returned to normal operation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The steering felt stiff as I was pulling out this morning. It was fine yesterday, and today it felt as if the lane assist was trying to be active when it didn't need to be; I can street the car, but it feels like it's constantly trying to correct the course and keep the car going straight forward. I tried turning off the land assist to see if it changed, but didn't really see a difference. Speed did not matter; it was noticeable at all speeds. The car was recently repaired due to a turbocharger failure, and at that time they discovered and also repaired the front drive shaft; it has operated perfectly until today.

In 2021, driving down the highway, our driver side windshield trim partially broke free and started smacking against the driver side window before breaking off and flying behind the vehicle. Then in July 2023, the passenger side windshield trim broke free on the highway. Appears the rubber seal disintegrates allowing the wind to grab it and rip the plastic trim piece off the vehicle. Currently, the rubber seal on the engine cowl windshield trim is disintegrating also.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 - 65 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim became loosened. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at 50 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at 50 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact's wife was able to push the piece back down. 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 failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

Windshield trim blew off going down the interstate. I replaced it and it blew off again! Now I have extra wind noise and I’m scared it’s going to leak. I would try to glue another one down but do not want to affect my windshield integrity.

I was driving down Highway 90 in Houston Tx, doing roughly 60 mph when all of a sudden the drivers side window trim, I believe it's called a pillar, just detached and flew behind the car causing the cars behind me to swerve almost crashing into each other. When it detached, the car besides me abruptly swerved to the right almost hitting a car which caused them to swerve back towards me, almost hitting me which caused me to swerve towards the right almost hitting a concrete barrier. I drove maybe a block up, pulled over and had a panic attack. This could have been a horrific outcome and would have had to carry the responsibility, that's if I didn't get injured by the wall, things could have been very bad maybe deadly if EVERYONE wasn't paying attention. I'm actually mentally disturbed by this. There was no reason for the part to fly off, it just popped off on its own. This needs to be fixed immediately before someone dies.

While driving on the interstate and set MPH were 55, a series of notifications popped up on my dashboard. One stated “Steering assist fault repair required.” After I hit Ok to clear the screen my steering wheel tightened up and locked and caused me to almost crash into another family. We were able to move it to a safe location.

I was Driven down in Orlando FL while on vacation and 3 notifications popped up on the screen back to back. I pressed Ok to clear the notifications off the screen because I was Unsure what they meant. I soon lost control of my vehicle and was unable to steer. I ended Up veering into another lane and almost hit another vehicle. My boyfriend grabbed the wheel from the passenger side to help straighten it up. I was Thankful that incident did not harm my family or the other family. I get It towed to PepBoys and they inform me I need A new rack and pinion installed and that was going to run me up to $4500. I was Also told in the same sentence that the part I needed Was out of stock or unavailable pretty much everywhere. I contact Another shop and receive a cheaper quote but still no part is available. I contact Ford and speak to an agent. Not very helpful at all. I mentioned I was looking up the part online and read there are recalls on that. The representative asks for my VIN and she tells me there is a recall however not for my VIN. I’m livid. Here it is going into August and still no parts are available. Ford never will I ever Buy another vehicle with that name on it. Found On Road Dead is basically coming to light.

Power steering gear rack assembly failed. Lost power steering assist when turning at intersection and almost lost control of vehicle to collision and pedestrian injury. Power steering assist recovered after engine shut down and restart and again lost power steering when driving around curve and almost collided with on coming traffic head on. Afterwards the power steering did not recover and it was confirmed defective and replaced by Midas repair shop. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms prior to failure. The messages that appeared on the dash display after failure are: 1. STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED. 2. HILLS START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE. 3. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC.

The rear suspension toe link fractured while driving. The vehicle became uncontrollable and we nearly had a crash. When I ordered a new suspension toe link, it was different from the original one. I became suspicious and went to investigate, because the local dealer had no information and kept saying that I have ordered a wrong part. I saw this recall from Ford: [XXX] When I search on your website based on my VIN number [XXX] I don't find recalls related to the rear suspension toe link for my vehicle. That's strange because it's a Ford Explorer 2016 and based on the recall info "Affected vehicles were built at Chicago Assembly Plant from Sept. 4, 2012, to Jan. 25, 2017" the car falls complies. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The passenger A-pillar applique trim detached from my vehicle while driving down the freeway. The piece that broke off is not available for inspection. The piece flew off while traveling at a higher rate of speed at night. It hit the front passenger window. I had no idea what it was until we stopped at a safe place and inspected it. The dealer told me they could fix it for $820 as this was before the recall was issued. I declined the repair as I didn’t want to pay that much to fix it. There were no warnings before the piece snapped off. Since the recall has been issued, the Ford dealership is not returning my calls to have my vehicle repaired and I did inform them that the piece has already detached.

The power steering assist failed and malfunctioned. Power steering assist does not work either standing still or driving. Turning engine off and back on corrects the problem but problem comes back without warning when driving. This conditions creates dangerous situation of crash or injury. No inspection has been done yet but will have it repaired tomorrow. Warning message on dash says, "Loss of Steering Power Assist". Also, messages light up, "Service Advance Trac" and "Hills Start Assist Not Available" There were no prior warning lamps or messages of symptoms of problem prior to failure.

Steering locks up at high way speeds, cannot turn wheel on any direction. I have had a close call to a head on collision on the road way because I could not turn my wheel. Previous years of this model and have the reported issues, multiple online threads of this same model or newer with this issue also. I pay monthly for a car I can’t safely drive, it will get me or someone else killed. It’s a $3000+ repair and ford refused any financial assistance for something they know is a common issue! This car is going to kill someone!!!!

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, coolant leaked into the engine. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty water pump that needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired due to parts not being available. The contact stated that the dealer had the vehicle for a month because of the part being on back order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were on back order. The failure mileage was unknown.

While driving on Freeway 10 on June 23, 2023 around the Palm Springs area the passenger windshield side panel flew off. There were considerable wind gusts while driving at average traffic speed around 70 mph. The driver windshield side panel flew off on June 2020 on the same freeway also during wind gusts. I fixed the driver side panel by ordering a replacement part and used additional epoxy reinforcement which proved more effective than just original affixing as the part still remains affixed in place.

Windshield trim piece came loose and broke off while driving on the highway. I had to tape down the part that was still on there two times before I could have it repaired so that I did not lose the rest of it on the highway and cause an accident. The driver's side failed first and now my passenger side has split apart and is rattling while on the highway, so I have to have both sides repaired out of safety concerns!

As I was driving over a bridge at approximately 45 mph, the A-pillar trim on the driver's side of the windshield broke and flew off of my car and hit the car behind me. Then, a few days later, as I was getting my car washed, the luggage rack cover blew off while going through the dryer at the end. Coincidentally, I received notice of a recall on the luggage rack system in the mail about 2 months after it happened and that has been replaced but my A-pillars have not.....seems to me they are related issues. Luckily, no one was hurt and no accident was caused.

The windshield trim panel on passenger side suddenly flew off while I was driving on the highway. Apparently this is a focus of investigation already (Investigation: PE 23-001).

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side windshield trim clips detached and flew off. In addition, the contact was concerned that the driver's side windshield trim clips would detach and cause a crash. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that an appointment was scheduled for the recall repair; however, the contact received a text and was informed that the parts were not yet available. 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 made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Driver A pillar molding flew off and hit the driver's mirror and driver's side window doing 70 mph. Amost resulting in a accident.

We are hearing a loud noise on our '16 Ford Explorer Platinum when turning the steering wheel. It only has about 62,000 miles. The Service department at our local Ford Dealership stated that the noise likely means the Steering Rack could lock up at any time while driving. It could happen soon or never. The cost to repair is about $3000. It is a common & known issue on this Ford model. How can this not be on a safety recall? If the vehicle is in the middle of traffic when the steering locks up, it could be tragic, possibly causing an accident that could take lives. There are no warning lamps or messages warning of any issues. Are we to pay $3000 for the replacement part & labor with just a possible guess of what defect the noise may cause? How is Ford not responsible to repair this known defect?

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the roof of the vehicle. After a visual inspection, the contact became aware that the passenger’s side roof rack rail had detached from the roof. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that parts for the repair were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V316000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,000.

While driving at highway speed, about 70 mph, passenger side window pillar trim separated and flew off of a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited. Do not know if part hit other vehicles. Vehicle has approx 78,000 miles.

In the past week or two I have noticed the steering in my 2016 Ford Explorer starting to feel "heavy" and that progressed to being really stiff and kind of hard to turn. Called Ford and they advised to have the vehicle examined. Took the car to my preferred repair facility and there were no codes for an issue; they found my battery was bad and suggested changing it to see if that would help the steering. Battery was replaced and still issues with the steering, the mechanic at my facility said "the rack is still bad". I will make contact with Ford again however based on the number of complaints I see from others I am sure that will get me no where. It appears there are hundreds of complaints about this issue I see for the 2016 Explorers, and many others from prior years too. And these are just the people who have taken the time to complain. This clearly can turn into a large safety issue if people aren't able to control their vehicles while operating. I have no issue with making repairs to my cars, things break. I do have an issue with having to go into my own pocket to fix issues that are a known problem. While not safety issues I also have two other seemingly "known" issues with my car. The rear air conditioning line is leaking so my air is out; and the paint on my hood is bubbling and chipping away, apparently an issue with manufacture of the hood.