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 the third -row passenger’s side seat was not properly secured to the floor of the vehicle. The contact indicated that an unknown part used to attach the seat to the floor had fractured and the seat was no longer secured to the floor. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Passenger window trim piece came off while driving down interstate. I have seen a story that stated complaints about this were already being investigated so I felt I should report that it happened to me as well.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a rattling noise was heard underneath the vehicle. Additionally, water was entering the vehicle from the roof rack. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V675000 (Suspension), 21V537000 (Suspension), and 21V316000 (Structure). The contact stated that after taking the vehicle to a local dealer for the recall repairs, he was made aware that there was no mechanic available to complete the needed recall repairs. The contact stated that he was rescheduled on two other occasions. The vehicle was not repaired, and the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Check engine light came on low engine oil pressure light come on made loud knocking noise regular maintenance 147k miles vehicle is at mechanic shop estimate total $1500-$2500 to fix do not have money for repairs
The engine shut off when driving on the highway at 65 and the wrench light came on ... I could not navigate the vehicle...took it to the Legacy Ford dealership and was informed that the Electronic Throttle Body needed to be replaced...I believe ford had that on a recall back in 2017 but not for my VIN....The dealership said that my VIN does not qualify for the recall to my surprise
My 2016 Ford Explorer only has 26,815 miles. Was driving vehicle when suddenly started to have steering issues. One of the message(s) was: Steering Fault Service Now.
My vehicle build date is May 10, 2015 @ Chicago plant. NHTSA put out a recall on my vehicle but it wasn't attached to my VIN # and my vehicle is currently having said recall problems. The recall was NHTSA-20-V-692. Is there a way to get it added to my VIN please
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving and making left and right turns, the contact heard a clunking noise in the steering wheel. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel felt detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was swaying to the left and the right. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
July 28,2022 while driving on the highway at 55mph the power steering began to fail. It didn't fail completely but the steering felt awkward. I slowed up considerably. Fortunately I was less than 2 miles to my home. As I was getting home a power steering warning light illuminated and then went off. Not sure exactly what it said as I was too busy driving. At that point the power steering hadn't failed completely but still felt awkward (I would say the steering alternated between smooth steering and like the steering wheel was starting to lock in place). I managed to get to my driveway. I shut the suv off and called the local Ford dealership. They advised restarting the suv and to see if the power steering returned. It didn't. It was completely locked up at that point and I couldn't even turn the steering wheel. I called a tow truck and had it towed to the closest Ford dealership. Russ Hubler Automotive in Greensburg Indiana. The dealer called on July 29, 2022 and said the power steering had failed. I'm not a mechanic so I don't know the mechanical details but they said it wasn't the electric steering motor or module. It would cost about $2,200.00 to fix. As of today August 1, 2022 it is sitting at the dealership waiting on parts to be repaired. As I did more research I found that MANY other people had reported the same problem. I called Ford Customer Service on August 1, 2002 and spoke to a rep and then finally her supervisor. They refused to help. I was on the phone with them for 46 minutes. The supervisor finally admitted the power steering was a recall issue but it did not as yet include my VIN number even though I had the exact same experience as hundreds of other owners. She advised filing this report with the NHTSA and the BBB. She admitted that Ford was not to going to address this issue until they were required to by the NHTSA. She advised saving my receipts so that if and when the recall included my VIN number I could be reimbursed. Disappointed in Ford.
We own a 2016 Ford Explorer with only 23,000 miles on it. While driving down the road the steering began to make a noise when trying to turn and shortly after it became very hard to keep control of the car (not a power steering issue). We were only a half mile from a dealer when the problem began and we drove it there so they can diagnose the problem. The dealer found that the steering rack needed to be replaced. No warning lights or any messages came on the dashboard prior to issue nor when the issue started.
I was driving on the interstate and the power steering stopped work. No signs or anything till it stopped working. I had to pull over asap and it was very hard to turn. Now there is no way of getting the part for my car to fix it because of national back order
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the rear seat passenger noticed that a black material had detached from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the plastic trim from the windshield had detached. The contact called and notified the dealer about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Water pump broken. Causing engine to overheat. Please recall
Vehicle (2016 Ford Explorer) returned from the dealer following standard maintenance and a recall repair for the rear toe link. Operator noted the vehicle’s steering seemed somewhat stiff. Vehicle sat parked for two days and when driven again the steering was incredibly stiff require a great deal of effort to turn the wheel in either direction. Steering continues to be stiff and difficult whenever the vehicle is operated. Dealer was contacted and vehicle was brought back in for assessment. Dealer diagnosed the problem as the Steering Rack and advised it would need to be replaced. Per dealer the part is on national backorder and no time frame is available for when the part may be available. Dealer was unwilling to provide alternate transportation because the vehicle is no longer under warranty and part is on national backorder.
Out of nowhere, my engine starting running hot and did not give me any warning. I had to take it to a local repair shop, where they stated that the air compressor quit working and blew the head gasket, resulting in a purchase of a new air compressor and a used engine. I have two daughters and our safety was put at risk because I had no indication that anything was low, I check the gauges all the time and nothing ever showed low. My car got really hot and when it was basically too late, a light came on to tell me that my car was hot. There were not messages or anything that came up prior to that. The problem has already been corrected, out of my own pocket. I can send in any paperwork needed to confirm there was a problem. The vehicle was not inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance representative. The Ford Dealership would not be able to look at it until 3 to 4 weeks after it happening and I needed it seen right then.
Both of my roof side rails have come off while driving down the road. This could have seriously harmed another driver behind me. There were no warnings of this. Nobody can inspect them because they are in pieces now as they were ran over.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to a dealer for an oil change, the contact was informed that there was a leak in the water pump. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The contact also stated that the parking brake had failed to operate as needed. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the parking brake was replaced; upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V464000 (Parking Brake). The manufacturer had yet to be notified about the failure. The water pump had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V692000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 180.000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, a ticking noise was present within the steering column while turning in either direction. The contact stated that eventually the noise became louder. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and turning the steering wheel to the right, the steering wheel seized causing the driver to forcefully turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction to avoid losing control of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 102,000.
While braking off a highway the steering light appeared and the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably. The ford motor co. stated there was no issue and did not address.
2016 Ford Explorer water pump malfunction. Car runs hot and could cause engine failure.
Air bag dashboard light turned in January 2022 until now part is back order. Secondly over heating problems at 60 mph on July 16, 2022 I was told it was the cooling fans and was fixed and didn’t fixed the problem now I was told is the active grilled shutters malfunctioning
My pregnant girlfriend was driving our Explorer on the highway (70mph) with her father in the passenger's seat when the driver's side A-pillar trim came off. She said it came loose and stuck the window, scaring them both, before it detached completely. They weren't sure if there was a vehicle close behind them when this happened. This seems like this is a big safety issue worthy of a recall. I purchased replacement parts from a local Ford dealer, and they said they sell a lot of those trim pieces.
When I was driving at 55 mph with a 25 mph crosswind my windshield trim broke apart and got thrown into the on coming lane of traffic because the white retaining tabs holding the trim in broke and then some of trim held because of the attachment of rubber the rubber was torn a bit because of the trim ultimately failing.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel, causing the deactivation of all the other air bags. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the seat belt wiring harness and seat belt pretensioner on the second row. The vehicle was repaired three times for the same failure, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, a low coolant warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective water pump. The dealer was then notified of the failure where they acknowledge that the failure was common with her model vehicle. The contact was then provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
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 contact stated that the driver's side and the passenger's side windshield exterior A-Pillar trims were loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected, and the contact was provided an estimated fee for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The vehicle had previously been serviced by an independent mechanic who replaced the engine and two engine cylinders. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter was unable to shift to the intended gear. Additionally, the vehicle jerked and hesitated during acceleration. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,600. The consumer stated this is the 2nd engine and still having problems with the engine stalling.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. Additionally, while attempting to accelerate the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with failure with the torque converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to Manufacturer Communication Number: 20N07-S2. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while at a stop, the steering wheel seized with the "Power Steering Failure - Drive Slowly" message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was unable to notify a dealer due to the national holiday. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not towed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
When driving my vehicle my steering wheel sticks to the right and left when making a turn and also making a slight turn. I have to pull the wheel back into place hard. I have tried to call the manufacturer but they stated that there is no recall and I could bring it in for 170 dollars to get it looked out. I have read online that the same year, make, and model of the vehicle has had the same recall. It scares me to drive it but unfortunately I don’t have a choice I have too.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved a fault code for the second-row seat air bag sensor. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
I was driving down the Interstate in my 2016 Ford Explorer at approximately 80-85 MPH when a long piece of the windshield trim panel flew off of the car. I didn't realize what had happened until I saw the trim piece missing. Once I saw how big the piece was, I was immediately concerned that the trim piece could have hit another car and seriously injured someone. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership service center to have the trim piece replaced. The vehicle was not inspected by anyone other than the Ford service center. There was no warning at all prior to the panel flying off. It didn't appear loose or flap in the wind, it literally just flew off.
Passenger side windshield trim came loose on the freeway and flopped around violently then broke off and went flying behind us. Thankfully it did not hit vehicles behind us as it weighs several pounds and has pointy ends. We purchased this Ford Explorer brand new and it always had some wind noise at freeway speeds on that side. @ 46K miles and the trim replacement was not covered by warranty. The dealer said it is quite common and they see it regularly (and will happily take your $500 to fix it). I have seen several other Explorers (including one Police Ford Explorer) with this missing trim panel and you can find many aftermarket replacement brands selling them online and in auto parts stores. This must be a very common issue to justify several companies making replacements. This issue could be deadly if you are following behind a Ford Explorer when it comes off at speed. Ford has sold millions of these SUV's. Looking at the damage it appears the bottom plastic clip that hold the large trim piece fails then wind gets under the trim and breaks the other clips ultimately sending the part flying.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front seat inadvertently moved back and forth. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The Duratec V6 engine in many models of Ford including Explorer 2011-2019 has a major design flaw in that the water pump is INSIDE the engine and fails frequently and abruptly. When it fails, the coolant immediately floods the engine and mixes with motor oil and the engine seizes immediately it could be in traffic in an intersection or anywhere. This should have been recalled. There is a class action already for this issue in Canada, same engine and manufacturer, moving thru the courts and certified as a class action there. The US seems to be behind. The NTSB should pressure Ford to recall all of these and repair them with a water pump assembly which is stronger. In my case, on a routine service visit to the dealer I was told that I had the beginning of a coolant leak on my 2016 Ford Explorer Limited, with only 65K miles on it. They required me to bring it back another day for diagnosis then shocked me by saying the water pump is about to fail and should be replaced but because of this design the entire engine must be removed in order to replace it. They also said it is a common failure and can recur. The repair costs $4000 almost all labor to replace a $200 water pump. But the problem is it can be replaced and within a month fail again with consequences of being stalled in traffic or the middle of an intersection. It is well documented online. They changed their design to correct the problem starting after 2019. A useful description of the issue is at: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/all-about-the-ford-explorer-water-pump-recalls but there has been no recall in the US.
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 50 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact stated that on a separate occasion that before the recall notification was received, the front passenger’s side A-pillar trim had detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was repaired after the most recent failure. 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 issue. The failure mileage was 85,932. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Steering wheel locked up going 40mph.Received warning for steering fault and for lane keeping system. Restarting vehicle did not help.
Power steering tends to go out at random. When car is turned off and then restarted, power steering goes back to functioning normal until it goes out at random again. Rack and pinion unavailable for replacement.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, he heard an abnormal vibration coming from the passenger’s side front door. The contact stated that a plastic panel had partially detached from the windshield pillar. The contact stated that the plastic trim was held on by glue. The contact pulled over and removed the trim. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the passenger’s side and driver's side windshield pillar trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Water pump failure no warning car over heats and water pump cost over $2000 to repair no option but to take to a dealer
Steering gear asy replaced.
- Molding piece and underlying bracket located between the windshield and side passenger window. Molding piece is long and over 24 inches long. - Became loose and detached completely during driving. -The issue first appeared when the vehicle had under 36000 miles- at that time a Ford service technician glued it to the underlying mounting bracket to remedy the problem. The issue happened to the same piece again within the last three months. A Ford service tech again glued the piece into place to secure. Four days ago the piece completely came off, while driving. The clips on the mounting bracket were completely broken. I have since had the bracket and piece replaced. -According to the service advisor at a Ford dealership, Ford released a notice to service depts advising them of the issue. According to the service advisor is a problem for 2015 and 2016 Ford Explorers This bracket was in stock at the dealership I went to.
I was driving through a residential area with my 3 kids in the backseat when the steering wheel stopped working and I was unable to turn it past 1/2in at either direction and my tires were not turning either. I had to use strong incredible force to get it to turn. We were stopped in the middle of the road. The steering wheel stopped turning while I was driving WITHOUT any warnings or signs indicating this was going to happen. It just completely locked, all I could do was go forward or back. Now I am getting on my dash board “Steering Assist Fault-Service Required” “Terrain management system fault” “Service Advance Tract” and “Hill Start Assist Not Available” warning lights illuminated. All ford dealerships are booked out until 2-3 months out so now I’m left without a car or transportation. Clearly this is an issue with a lot of Ford vehicles and what a shame they are not doing anything about it!
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle unintentionally downshifted without warning. The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that his vehicle was included in a customer satisfaction program; the contact scheduled an appointment at a local dealer for service. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where she was informed that the transmission was defective and that the recall did not apply to the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 72,000.
On 6/16/22 my vehicle was put in the shop for overheating. It was a water pump leak. It is a timing chain run water pump. The water pump is located in the engine. It was a very expensive repair. Due to the amount of labor this took to fix I was out of a vehicle for almost a month. I paid for the repair. Less that a week after I got it back my AC stopped working. Back to the shop it went. More money later... Mechanic explained to us that the water pump is located on top of the compressor. When it leaked it got all over everything destroying it. Now I must get a new compressor. No telling what else it ruined under there. This is a huge problem with this year model of Ford. Matter of fact in Canada it has already been recalled. Why is this problem not getting recalled in the US? Many people have gone after Ford with no luck and one judge threw of the case.
A leak developed due to a faulty water pump. When I first noticed the leak in my garage I took the truck to a mechanic who told me there was evidence the leak had been going on for some time and that he could not do the repair due to the embedded location of the pump. After some research I see this is a big issue with explorers (especially 2016 models) and that the leak can mix with the engine oil causing permanent damage. I took this to Ford to be repaired at a cost of over $3K. Not sure how long I was driving with this leaking and what damage was done to the engine. This has been a known issue with many Ford vehicles and should be a recall
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 contact stated that upon further inspection, the front windshield A-pillar trim seals were deteriorating. The local dealer was contacted. 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 failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Upon driving the steering locked up and was stiff to turn and maneuver. It locks up and fault steering sign comes on .It happened on freeway . I am attempting to try and get it fixed but having difficulty with company going back and forth with my extended warranty. It is used for my wife to transport my grandkid. Unfortunately no resolution yet and this seems to be a continuous issue for this vehicle this year 2022. Ford should as previous years take care of this dangerous issue. This is my 3rd and last Ford car.
The side panel behind the front passenger and driver side windows detached while driving. Specifically, the passenger side window panel detached while driving approximately 60 mph on the highway, which caused flying debris that could have harmed other drivers. Three days later the driver side panel detached while driving on the freeway at approximately 60 mph; however, this panel stayed hanging from the car due to wires for the keyless entry. When the panel detached at 60 mph, the tailgate open indicator light turned on inside the car. To ensure our tailgate was secure and we would not lose items out the back causing more of a hazard, we navigate to the side of the highway. This placed my family at risk while other cars passed by at 60 mph. The tailgate was shut; however, we were unable to open the tailgate. The car indicted the tailgate is open; however, there was no way to open the tailgate from inside the car, outside the car, or from the key. This reduced our exit pathways if there was an emergency in the car and caused an uncertainty if the tailgate would at some point open on our three hour trip home. Since we were three hours from our home, we found a means to attach the hanging panel to our car and proceeded driving. About five minutes into the driving, the panel split in half. The top portion detached from the car causing a debris hazard. The half with wires remained hanging from the car. Prior to reaching to NHTSA, we reached to Ford to report the safety issue. They stated this is not a recall, took no information, and offered to provide NHTSA information for reporting any concerns we had.