2016 Ford Explorer complaints

Passenger-side A-Pillar Molding Windshield Outer Trim flew off while driving on the highway.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the "PTU Failure" message was displayed before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed due to the faulty "PTU". The contact was informed that the transmission 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 15,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that water was accumulating in the rear driver’s side cupholder. In addition, the contact also stated that water was leaking through the rear speakers as well. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a crack in the driver-side roof rack panel which was repaired out of pocket. The contact was assured by the dealer that water pressure tests were performed on the vehicle which showed that there were no present leaks on the vehicle. Upon return of the vehicle, the contact stated that the passenger’s side of the vehicle had experienced the same failure. The failure was later linked to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V316000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The contact was also referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

1. Component: Electronic throttle body 2. Our vehicle shut down (limp home mode) on the Interstate traveling at high speeds. We narrowly avoided catastrophic accident with other vehicles on the road. 3. The problem was confirmed at the dealership where it is currently being replaced at our expense of roughly $1,000.00 4. Only inspected by dealership (Crain ford little rock, ar) 5. No warning until the part failed. We received airbag light and service light during shut down on the interstate. I have called ford pleading with them for some assistance with this large bill, which is hard to deal with right before Christmas with 2 children. I was told that my VIN# was not effected even after ford posted a notice for 2016 ford explorers Electronic Throttle Body replacement. Ford customer service ended our call after stating that nothing can be done due to this not being a recall item yet. However I do have a 2016 Ford explorer that does have a ETB issue and I hope that my letter will help others before fatalities start adding up due to this unsafe part. I feel that we should have received a letter as soon as ford realized that my 2016 ford explorer could potentially have this issue. I realize that's not what large corporations practice especially when it would hurt profits, however we are dealing with human lives and families. I have included the ford campaign number for 2016 ford explorer ETB replacement for reference, I truly hope you are able to spare the lives of so many family

The automatic tailgate in my Explorer Sport accelerates when closing creating a serious amount of force that could kill a small child or even an adult if striking them in the head or neck. I'm shocked that this hasn't been a recall issue for Ford vehicles because of the amount of speed and force this tailgate is generating. It hit my wife [XXX] ) in the head unexpectedly a couple of months ago when she was unloading groceries from the back of the car. Until then the tailgate functioned normally. I took the car to the dealer in Santa Monica and they said they did not see any safety issues but instead said I'd have to pay a couple of thousand dollars to replace the motor. This makes no sense since the motor is hyper functioning and it's more likely a failed safety sensor or actuator that's causing the motor to accelerate the tailgate closure. The internet has a method to reset the sensor by removing and then replacing the fuse, but I do not believe the dealer attempted that process. This is a severe safety issue that Ford should immediately address and fix. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

When traveling at highway speed the side fins fly off. i have had them replaced 3 times now at dealership. thank God there was not someone behind me - especially on a motor cycle it could of killed them

I [XXX] went with my mom [XXX] to buy a vehicle off of [XXX] . It was a 2016 ford explorer. I payed 13,000. The began to lose control when driving on a bumpy road and while braking I took the car to a Ford dealer and had some repairs, but they didn’t find the problem. I used the car sparingly and within two weeks it got much worse. Very unsafe to drive I brought it to another Ford dealership and I paid for substantial repairs for the suspension. The first time I drove it on a bumpy the car lost control again. I managed to regain control and drive it to the side of the road and had someone pick up the car. I went to trade the car in and learned the vehicle had been in two accidents and was reported as a total loss. Per the Carfax report. We were never told it was a salvaged vehicle or we would never purchased it for our family vehicle. The vehicle is too unsafe to put back on the road. I bought a 2017 Ford Explorer at a dealership and traded in the 2016 Ford Explorer at a significant loss. The vehicle was in my possession for approx. two months where it spent most of the time in different Ford repaid shops 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 approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle was not accelerating as needed with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, then flashed several times and then turned off. The contact stated that the loss of motive power failure was intermittent but had reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump and timing belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.

The rear toe suspension link failed on my Ford 2016 Explorer Sport for the 4th time on 10/20/2023 while I was driving. I heard a pop and lost total control of my vehicle. My vehicle immediately veered right going down an embankment. Thankfully trees where there to stop the vehicle from going into a roll. My safety was put at risk. I could of died. I have sustained injuries physically and mentally fromt he crash. My children were just in that car, I had just dropped them off at school an hour prior. No warning lamps. The police only did an accident report. My insurance has been contacting me about the noise I heard right before loosing all control. The rear suspension toe link has been recalled and fixed three times prior to this happening. This is the forth time this part has broke on me. This time I am lucky to walk away.

I was stopped at a major intersection (very busy) at a red light when my car quit. I tried to restart the car but nothing happened. I was at the bottom of a hill, which has a turn not long before you reach this intersection, the speed limit is 45 mph but its normal for cars to average 50-60 mph. I put my flashers on and called AAA. Cars were piling up behind me trying to get in the other lane, horns were blowing, it was a dangerous situation! I had to remain in my car as it was not safe to get out and try to get to the side of the road. After about 15 minutes I tried to start the car again, I was able to get it going and remove myself from an unsafe situation. The car was not running properly, it was "bucking" and trying to stall, fortunately I was able to get to a safe area to pull over and get it towed. The above was written by my wife, I was not there. I am a retired Staff Engineer for a major OE and have authored many Recalls over my 35 years. This issue is a dangerous pattern failure that Ford issued a Stop Sale for. The failed part, the ETB located on the Throttle body is used on multible models with exactly the same failure. How this hasn't been recalled is amazing. This is a known safety problem, pattern failure of the ETB across madels lines that use that engine (3.5). My car is safe now but what about the ones that will failure tomorrow?

I was driving on the highway and heard a loud noise didn’t know what it was until I got home and realized my windshield trim on passenger side was not on there anymore. It had flown off while driving down the highway.

My side pillar on the passenger side of my 2016 Ford Explorer door came off and I had to buy a new one. Now my A-Pillar on the drivers windshield has come off as I was on the freeway. This is safety issue for me and other drivers who may be struck. I read that this is a known issue with the 5th generation Explorers. I wanted to see if Ford has acknowledged this and has a fix in place for this issue. Thanks

My Explorer engine blew a head gasket while I was driving and I had to maneuver quite a bit to avoid having multiple accidents. I had it towed to a shop and they said the engine was bad and caused by a known problem with Ford Ecoboost engines.

The steering rack failed while operating the vehicle at approximately 40 mph resulting in a near total loss of steering. It required extreme force to turn the steering wheel to avoid oncoming traffic on a bend in the road before finally moving out of the roadway. The warning message displayed at the time of the fault was "Steering Assist Fault Service Required." The component had to be replaced when it was evaluated by the Ford dealer

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.

Passenger Side windshield molding Trim flew off on the highway speed.

All of the moulding, seals & rubber windshield trim/gasket around the windshield has failed. It has cracked, broken off and much is now missing off the vehicle. Now when I drive the vehicle it makes scary noises due to the cracked/missing moulding/seals. This has created some scary driving situations that almost caused accidents while on highways. Now I worry my windshield will leak and damage the interior. This does not seem to be something that should be happening to my Ford Explorer and why isn't this a recall issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle, and the vehicle was shifting hard. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the gear position sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 12,000.

Back up camera went out and later came on. Today we have been driving the last hour with airbag indicator on. Camera incident was 10-29-2023.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was pulled over on the side of the road, the steering wheel became firm. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the electronic steering unit was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage 30,476.

Middle row, passenger side seat belt buckle is broken & will not latch. This is where my 9yr old sits & there is no reason or cause for this to break. My vehicle has the inflatable airbag seatbelts on this row.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that there was an unknown fluid leaking from the engine compartment. 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. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 68,480.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and independently shut off while on the freeway. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floorboard during the failure. The contact pulled to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle after 45 minutes. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the canister purge valve needed to be changed. The vehicle was repaired. After a several months, the failure had reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure could be due to a faulty throttle body. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving uphill, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the torque converter was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall or warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

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.

I was driving my 2016 Ford Explorer on I-65 October 19, 2023, in the afternoon. I thought something flew off of one of the two semis in front of me and hit my windshield on two separate times, within a few seconds of each other. When I arrived home, I checked to see if I had any damages, and I was surprised to see pieces missing from the passenger side of my windshield. This morning, October 20, 2023, I went to a local Ford Dealership and was informed there is no recall regarding the upper and lower pillars (windshield trim pieces). I called Ford Headquarters and was told they hadn't heard of this issue before, and I filed a claim. I researched and found two articles: January 31, 2023, USA Today and Carscoops, February 03, 2023, regarding NHTSA investigating these same pieces flying off of Ford Explorers, and I found pictures on the internet that look exactly like my vehicle when these pieces flew off.

Sudden deceleration due to P2112 code, electronic throttle body stuck closed.

The vehicle starting making a clunking noise while doing turns. While making a right hand turn, the steering wheel stuck and I had to yank it back (left) which caused a loud popping noise. Took it straight to the auto shop and next day was notified it was the steering rack and pinion.

The windshield trim on the passenger side of my 2016 Ford Explorer came flying off my car while I was traveling at about 70mph. The piece flew upwards and backwards. I was not able to see if it hit any of the cars behind me. I was not able to stop to retrieve the piece. I've included a picture below. My car is available for inspection upon request. The safety of the drivers behind me was obviously put at risk having to dodge the flying part. I have not brought the car in for the repair yet, so they have not inspected it, nor has the police or insurance company. I just wanted you to know about it. There were no symptoms before the incident occurred.

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.

Both Front windshield trims flew off while driving. Each side different days. On highway driving when saw something fly on side of my vehicle and almost hit vehicle beside me. I was forced to pull over check my vehicle and noticed windshield trim missing.

Leaking coolant. Water pump failure.

Water pump failure, engine coolant leakage from water pump

Last night check engine light turned on. I called the dealer to get an appointment first thing next morning to get it checked. In next 2 minutes engine coolant over temperature sign turned on. i got scared and stopped the car immediately and got it towed to the dealer right away. got a call from the dealer saying that the engine blew up and needs to be replaced. to my question how this could be the case for the engine to blow up within 2 ninutes of the furst check engine sign turning on, i was told by the dealer representative that the engine damage was done before even warning lights got on. This is unacceptable and extremely dangerous! Car failed to provide proper warnings which caused very dangerous to the safety and ireversable damage to the car. Ford denied any liability although the car mileage is still under 50,000 miles. This is clearely Ford liability and very serious question of safety. This needs to be addressed on a very urgent basis. I am not even talking about the high quote of $12000 repair quote for the engine replacement that i have to face at the dealer for the defective vehicle manufactured by Ford! This is unacceptable!

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle accelerator pedal was stiff. The contact pulled over and noticed abnormal noises coming from the engine. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a defect in the motor. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

My check engine light came on and began blinking. I had the car towed to a local shop to avoid any additional damage to the engine. The shop determined the car had significantly overheated due to a faulty water pump and the engine would have to be replaced. Leading up to this my check engine light never came on and the temperature gauge never spiked; there was no indication it was over heating. After being quoted $9k to replace the engine, I called the dealership looking for help. They are aware of the extensive issues I’ve had with my vehicle but were unable to help me because I’m over 100k miles (I opted for the extended service plan) and suggested I call the Ford Customer Service line in hopes they could assist. I was denied a claim due to my mileage and instructed to write a letter to the Ford Customer Relationship Center to escalate my case. I was told my Case would remain on file and I would be notified if a recall was issued at a later date. I asked if a recall was issued would I still have to be in possession of the vehicle to receive any monetary reimbursement, she advised that I would need to have my original receipt from the purchase of the vehicle AND the recall would have to specifically state that they would reimburse those who paid out of pocket to get their vehicles repaired. I am without a car until I figure out how to pay for the repairs or buy a new vehicle; I was not expecting my trade-in value to be $0 and Ford couldn’t care less.

Car has inflatable seatbelt in the second row bucket seats. I am unable to find any car seats that are safe to use in this vehicle once you move from tether position Have visited local dealership and called Ford for assistance. None of which are able to assist with this which puts children in great harm as no car seat can be safely used

November 1, 2022 my car went to the dealership because the check engine light came on. We had it towed to our local repair shop and they suggested it go to the dealership as it appeared that there was a crack leaking fluid into the engine. It was at that time I was notified that I was going to need a new engine and it was suggested that I go through Ford Motor Company for assistance to cover the replacement. They agreed to covering 60% of the repair. I waited until July for an engine to be available. I picked up my car on 7/16/23 and on 8/15/23 it was towed back to the dealership and determined that the new engine had failed. Another new engine ordered and we are still waiting to get my car back. Possibly it will be back next week.

2016 Ford Explorer V6 Ecoboost with only 63,000 miles, the water pump is leaking. This is a well known failure with hundreds if not thousands of complaints. The repair is extensive and costly for a $70 part that is known to fail. A water pump seal and/or rubber gasket failure will result in water leaking into the engine and the engine either going into limp mode or shutting down. The occupants of the vehicle can be put in an unsafe situation anytime there is an engine failure, for example, an engine failing in an intersection, or on a long drive in adverse weather in the middle of nowhere, or in the dark on an unlit highway. Ford is VERY AWARE of this problem and this water pump design should be on a recall list. I expect NHTSA to require Ford to fix this major problem. I haven't taken it to the shop as I know exactly what is wrong, and I want Ford to fix this problem before I am put in an unsafe situation. There were no warning signs other than the coolant under my vehicle, the vehicle heated up, and I had to add coolant. I was almost that victim with a catastrophic engine failure.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after it had rained, water entered the vehicle through the sunroof and would accumulate inside the roof of the vehicle. While coming to a stop while driving, the water would flow to the front of the vehicle and leak inside the cabin through the ceiling light console. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer on multiple occasions where they replaced the flooring and the sunroof; however, the failure returned after each repair. The vehicle was also taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the drain tube inside the sunroof had become clogged which resulted in water accumulation inside the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

On December 17th of 2022, I was driving my car when it abruptly became sluggish and felt like it wasn’t shifting gears correctly. After coming to a stop, when I resumed driving, it sounded like the engine was getting gas, racing, but the car was hardly moving at all. Then it seemed like it would shift into gear suddenly and lurch forward. A warning light came on the dashboard stating there was a “powertrain fault.” I was less than a mile from my home at the time, so I limped home, parked in my garage, and then looked up the issue in my owner’s manual. It said to quit driving it and to get it to a Ford dealership. The car was not driven thereafter. I had it towed to the Ford dealership, who did not honor my extended warranty because it wasn't towed in until 4 days after its expiration, despite having the failure occur while it was under the extended warranty. According to them, they couldn't tell from any "black box" that it happened while under warranty. So I was stuck for $6,031.55 for the repair. I implored the dealership to at least help me out with the price, but they would not. I wrote to Ford and explained in detail the event, and I sent that letter to every department I could find within Ford that may be able to help me or pass my letter to someone who could help me. No one ever even bothered to reply. The $6,000 expenditure was hugely hurtful. I had to leave it with the dealer for almost 3 months before I could pay. And this was a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle with 53,0

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and the brake pedal was released; however, the vehicle started shuddering and jerking significantly. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to shift into the intended gear while driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The check engine and the power train warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the insurance company later informed her of Ford Campaign Number: 20B27, which she related to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the Campaign. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

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.

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.

The roof rail cover blew off going down the highway on saturday 9/23/23. I'm not sure if it hit any cars. I saw it fly off in my rearview mirror but there was nothing I could do.

Tires damaged due to a rear toe link not having proper alignment adjustments. I was told to buy aftermarket products because the two ASE certified shops could not align my rear suspension. I've chewed through two pairs of brand new tires in less than 4 months.

Hello, I have a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited with VIN [XXX] . I have 90k miles on it and my water pump failed like it did for many many people for this model. This is a systemic issue at this point and I don't understand how there is not a recall for this issue with Ford. The cost to repair this issue is at more than $4k. This is a basic design issue that must be addressed by Ford. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Faulty power steering making noise while turning, difficult while driving because power steering seems to be failing. Making it hazardous to drive because it is difficult to keep straightforward in the road. Day before occurrence the back hatch (lift gate is ajar) would not open and shows light on dashboard and not sure if it's electrical or related to power steering. Only open manually through back of vehicle.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormal sound. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the driveshaft was fractured at the PTU connecting point. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V692000 (Power Train) and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

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