2016 Ford Explorer Complaint Log

Popping noise from rack and pinion

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while turning the steering wheel to the right, the front end of the vehicle made an abnormal popping sound. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was idling and while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion steering gear had failed. The dealer determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided because the vehicle was out of warranty. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side windshield trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The contact stated that due to the failure, there was a gap at the base of the windshield, allowing water to enter the engine compartment. Additionally, the contact stated that the passenger's side windshield trim was fractured. The dealer was made aware of the failure however, the contact was informed that the parts to perform the repair were not yet available. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V03100 (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 and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 109,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The power transfer unit is broken. Symptoms are vehicle shuddering, vehicle sounds like it is going to stall. This could cause a major accident at any moment.

Ford has been unable to repair our vehicle for over a YEAR because they say they can't get parts for recall # 25V347. We have contacted multiple Ford dealerships in a 300 mile radius. The outside noise coming from around the windshield area has increased. This is a major safety issue. I'm fearful that many people will be killed when the windshield and connected components start blowing out while driving. If Ford had been serious about getting manufactured parts out to dealers, they would be available. It appears that Ford has made a calculated decision to attempt to wait out owners. This is a dangerous situation for all concerned. We request repairs or an equitable solution.

trim piece flying off while the vehicle was in motion with traffic around me.

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 while driving approximately 55 MPH, the A-pillar trim on the passenger’s side raised up and blew off the vehicle by the slipstream. The contact was unable to stop to retrieve the part. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or body shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, he was alerted to smoke emanating from underneath the vehicle by another driver. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power transfer unit, after observing that the unit was leaking fluid onto the exhaust, resulting in a brief fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 98,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while making left and right turns on several occasions at various speeds, the parking assist warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 122,312.

My car has 84000 miles on it. The car recently over heated, I checked the coolant level, and it was low. I filled it to the required level and the warning went away. 2 weeks later it came back, I brought it to the mechanic and was told that the engine needs to be replaced. That it is recycling exhaust from the engine back through the coolant system and that cylinder 3 is misfiring. I spent over an hour on the phone with Ford who repeatedly stiff armed me on any sort of assistance with the issue or information on expected or estimated failure rates for these issues. The car is currently at the mechanic where I have an estimate with a $12,000 price tag on it. To make this worse, in October of last year I was driving down [XXX] and when I went to exit the highway, there was a loud clunk and the car revved up real high before it started to move. This put me and all the drivers exiting this very busy off ramp in danger. At 74,000 miles I needed a new transmission because that loud clunk was me losing actual gears in the transmission. That repair cost right around $10,000 and again, Ford does not care. There were no warning lights with this issue, it just happened and left me in a very precarious predicament at a very busy intersection. The transmission has since been replaced for roughly a $10,000 price tag and now I am looking at another $12,000. All I want is Ford to do what is right. I could have been killed in that intersection or my car could have caught on fire recently with the engine issue. The financial strain of having to do 2 major repairs on a car that is relatively new and only had 74,000 for the transmission and 84,000 for the engine is unbelievable and unacceptable. Through research I feel that this transmission issue should be covered under an extension of the Customer Satisfaction Program #20B27 or #20N07 as the transmission issue fits the descriptions nearly perfectly. Built "Ford Tough" is apparently just a sales pitch. 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 indicated that when she took the vehicle in for a routine service at an independent mechanic, the technician became aware that the water pump was leaking, and the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was also taken to a local dealer where the previous diagnosis was confirmed. The contact stated that before taking the vehicle for the routine service, she noticed a burning odor while exiting the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Rackin n pinion safety hazard

component or system failed or malfunctioned unavailable for inspection upon he safety of others put at risk Had the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer representatives or others warning lamps messages other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when didnt first appear What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center component been inspected by the manufacturer,representatives any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear fully report

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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH on the highway, the contact saw something flapping on the windshield. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact merged over to the side of the road and his wife became aware that the trim was raised up and removed the trim. The contact drove to a nearby Auto Zone and bought glue for the windshield. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that parts would be available in two months. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 65-70 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available to complete the recall repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the driver's side A-pillar trim became loosened. The local dealer was not contacted after the most recent failure. 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 57,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the sunroof failed to close. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sunroof motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

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 while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion the passenger’s side A-pillar trim became loosened. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 while driving approximately 65 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration sound coming from the passenger’s side A-pillar. The contact stated that the trim was loose before being blown off the vehicle by the slipstream. The contact did not recover the trim and later noticed that the trim on the B-pillars was loose, and the vehicle was taken to an auto body shop to have the B-pillar trims replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact’s wife owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving out of the driveway, she noticed a loud clanking and grinding noise coming from the steering wheel. The contact’s wife stated that the steering wheel became difficult to operate while driving the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,684.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for service, and the contact was made aware of a failure with the rear upper control arms. The contact stated that both control arms displayed abnormal movements, and the suspension could not be properly aligned. No warning lights were illuminated. After investigating the failure, the independent mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included. 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.

A-pillar trim pieces have both become detached. One detached from the vehicle while traveling on the highway and flew into on-coming traffic. The other detached on the highway and hung on the drivers mirror. Ford advises that even though both parts have detached it is the customer's responsibility to pay for repairs since the recall is still in advanced notice status.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim, detached from the vehicle. 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 and confirmed parts were not yet available. 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 74,151. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 80 MPH, the A-pillar trim detached from both sides of the windshield and flew off from the vehicle into traffic. 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 not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt retractor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the passenger’s side exterior A-pillar trim had detached. Additionally, the contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, she observed a loud flapping noise emanating from the window. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the passenger’s side A-pillar trim needed to be replaced, but parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,095.

While driving on the highway at approximately 80 mph, the driver side A-pillar molding on my 2016 Ford Explorer flew off and struck a vehicle behind me. I am not able to determine if there was any damage to the impacted vehicle. On my vehicle, there are what appear to be scratches or smudges on my door and window due to the rubber molding flapping rapidly. I have attached a picture for reference. I have contacted Ford Motor Co., and all they communicated was they are working on a remedy but could not offer any other resolution to a potentially deadly and catastrophically unsafe situation. The speed at which this is being remedied is unacceptable. my family and the other lives in the impacted vehicle were put in danger. This is not an unserious matter.

Unknown Overall something within while driving my truck i had starting hearing a grinding sound while turning and then the steering started to lock up, very unsafe and while my children were going to school had me in panic mode in which i never experience out of all the vehicle ive had and paid off.

Trim around windshield becomes loose on highway and rattles against windshield and rubber seals have started coming loose

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the contact became aware there was coolant leaking onto the floor. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a water pump malfunction. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 194,000.

When driving my Explorer feels like the gear is stuck making the vehicle jerk. Very loud at start up from fan. I have taken it to get the code read, I think it stated transmission needed to get checked.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 65 MPH, the front A-Pillar trim detached from the windshield almost causing a crash. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repair. 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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact observed pieces of rubber on both the driver’s and passenger’s sides were deteriorating. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the exterior A-Pillar trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Power steering module, which is part of the front steering linkage went out suddenly while driving which resulted in no power assist to steering at 55 mph. From the auto forums, this is not an uncommon issue with the 2016 Ford Explorer yet there has been no recall on it.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was tight while turning. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the rack and pinion. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

After buying this vehicle on 4-10-24 checked with Car fax for any recalls. Found a recall on my vehicle 24S02 for the pillar trim. Inspected my vehicle and noticed passenger side pillar trim of the windshield at the very top is starting to come loose and is a bit separated. Didn't notice it till after hearing about this recall.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when the heater was turned to the on position, it blew out cold air. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the water pump was leaking, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Bill Currie Ford (5815 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614), 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 60,000.

The Steering shaft froze(steering shaft U jionts) making steering hard especially when it cold out.

Vehicle was purchased from carmax, there is a crack on the trim ar the d-pillar around the window on the driver side and passenger side. My wife bought a 2014 Ford Explorer about a week prior to mine from the same place and there is a crack in the same exact spot on the driver and passenger side. Causes water to leak into the interior of the vehicle. In the summer months it's causes a musty smell with the potential for mold to develop.

I own a 2016 Ford Explorer. My Wife and I bought the car In Jan. 2016. On April 20th 2024, I was on my way to work when a warning came on the dash that said "check manual" and displayed an open end wrench. The car hesitated and then continued on. I was not far from the Ford Dealership where I bought the car so I went there. The service writer was working that day so I left the car at the dealership and called for a ride. On 4/23/24, the service writer called me and said the transmission was shot and would need to be replaced. My bill would be approx $5954.81.

I filed a complaint yesterday 5/4/24. The complaint number is #11586924. Yesterday I gave you the details of what happened with my transmission and when it happened. Today I want to give you the Manufacturer Comm. Number. From Ford Motor Co. the service number is SSM46069. It states that Ford knew there could be a problem with some 2015/2016 vehicles equipped with 6F50/6F55 transmissions built on 11/02/2015 and through 2/01 2016 may exhibit no reverse, 3rd and 5th gear. The service bulletin goes on to explain what would cause the transmission to fail and how to repair the damage. This tells me Ford should be responsible to the consumer. My safety concern is this; I was traveling at 30 - 35 mph when the tranny failed and , not knowing at the time, I lost 3rd, 5th and reverse gears. There was a noticeable decrease in my cars speed. At that speed, I was able to control my car and get stopped. Picture if I was on a 5 or 6 lane highway traveling at 60 - 65 mph and the tranny failed. The results could be deadly. I am sure I'm not the only owner that has had this safety issue. Kindly investigate this safety issue asap. Thank you.

Vehicle: 2016 Ford Explorer Sport Mileage: 93,000 Complaint: I am reporting recurring turbocharger failures in my 2016 Ford Explorer Sport. The first failure occurred at 50,000 miles and was covered under warranty. The vehicle is now experiencing the same issue at 93,000 miles. Ford Customer Service has denied assistance, and a Ford dealership quoted a $5,500 repair cost. I believe this premature and repeated turbocharger failure suggests a possible design flaw in the 2016 Ford Explorer Sport's EcoBoost engine. This issue has caused significant financial hardship and raises safety concerns. Request: I urge the NHTSA to investigate potential design defects with the turbocharger system in 2016 Ford Explorer Sport models. I also request that the NHTSA review Ford's handling of customer complaints regarding this issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that oil from the turbo booster had leaked onto the catalytic converter and both the turbo booster and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that previously the power transfer off unit was faulty, causing the vehicle to suddenly lose accelerating power; and the front control arms and ball joints were replaced. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 85,000.

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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side windshield trim panel detached and flew off and almost caused an accident. The contact stated that the failure had previously occurred, and the contact paid out of pocket for the repair. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,884. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Airbags notification is on

Rack and pinion binds. This suddenly started around 70,000 miles. It makes a grinding noise that seems to be in the steering column. While driving it catches and takes effort to move steering wheel past the catch.

I was driving and everything felt and looked normal. Out of the blue a pop noise, car was smoking. Had to have it towed. Mechanic said the transfer case blew like a grenade. It nicked my transmission as well. I was broke down in an intersection. No warning signs.

Steering has become extremely rough and sticks, dangerous to drive because it sticks hard and may not straighten out easy sometimes. Will take to dealer soon, suspect rack and pinion failure.

Driving and randomly the steering wheels loses power steering and gives a power steering fault code. I was with my children and almost crashed. I’m told this is very common and Ford refuses to recall it.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle was stalling because oil was leaking onto the crank case-control sensor. The contact changed the crank case-control sensor. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a front engine compartment, gasket leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 125,900.