What 2,428 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Explorer Gas

THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING ALONG THE FRONT EDGE. IT STARTED WITH A SMALL AREA AT FIRST A YEAR AGO BY BUBBLING UP FROM UNDERNEATH. NOW THERE ARE SEVERAL VISIBLE AREAS ALONG THE FRONT EDGE OF THE HOOD DOING THE SAME. IT'S A MATTER OF TIME TIL THE RUST BREAKS THRU THE PAINT. 5 YEARS OLD AND I LIVE IN MD. MILD WINTERS. SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI 11397268

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD PILLAR MOLDING DEPARTED THE VEHICLE. WHILE RESEARCHING PART NUMBERS AND REPAIRS ONLINE I HAVE NOTICED THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR EXPLORERS FROM 2011- 2018. ALSO SEEMS SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE CURRENT RECALL FOR EXPLORER ROOF RACKS THAT USE SOME OF THE SAME MOUNTING HARDWARE. PARTS SEPARATING FROM VEHICLES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CREATES HIGH RISK OF INCIDENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11397294

PAINT BUBBLING AND PEELING AROUND FRONT EDGE OF HOOD SHOWING RUST UNDERNEATH. VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT AND CLEANED REGULARLY.

NHTSA ODI 11391154

POWER LOCKS GET STUCK ON EITHER LOCK OR UNLOCKED NOT ALLOWING ME TO EITHER LOCK OR UNLOCK THE CAR DOOR ON DRIVER AND BACK PASSENGER DOOR. PLASTIC STRIPPING PANELS ON FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS ARE COMING OFF AND THE PANELS CONNECTED TO THE WINDSHIELD ON BOTH SIDES. POWER SEATS DO NOT HOLD THE MEMORY OF WHERE IT WAS LEFT. THE SEAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MEMORY BUTTONS ARE PRESSED OR IF THE KEYLESS CODE ON THE DOOR IS USED TO UNLOCKED THE CAR. KEYLESS ENTRY WILL UNLOCK WITHOUT TO CODE BEING TYPED IN CORRECTLY. USING THE FIRST THREE NUMBERS CAN UNLOCK THE DOOR. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN WILL THE CAR IS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11359957

NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE FROM A DEALERSHIP I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY WHEN THE DRIVER WINDSHIELD PILLAR MOLD FLYS OFF MY VEHICLE AND INTO TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. A FEW WEEKS OR SO LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS LOOKING ONLINE FOR PARTS AND NOTICED MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11352540

PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD TRIM MOLDING FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER SIDE DOOR TRIM PANEL LOOSE.

NHTSA ODI 11344084

PLASTIC ROOF RACK TOP CAPS ARE POORLY AFFIXED AND CAME LOOSE ON HIGHWAY AND BLEW OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS PRESENTS HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS FOR DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THIS GENERATION OF FORD EXPLORER.

NHTSA ODI 11341876

THE RECALLED TOE LINK ON THE REAR SUSPENSION BROKE 3 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS REPLACED AND CAUSE A CRASH WHILE DIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, SLOWING FOR A SPEED ZONE FOR A TOWN. INVOLVING BODY DAMAGE. AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND 1 WEEK AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM THE DEALER THE LINK BROKE FOR A SECOND TIME, WHILE ON A CURVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY BOTH TIMES.WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 6 WEEKS TOTAL AND HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE FOR 2 OF THEM.

NHTSA ODI 11315894

PLASTIC MOLDINGS ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE WINDSHIELD FLY OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE WEATHERSTRIPPING SPLITS AND BANGS AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ODI 11307349

OBEYING SPEED LIMIT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON N127 TOWARDS JACKSON MICHIGAN, GOING PAST AN ON RAMP AND MY PASSENGERS WINDSHIELDS OUTER PILLAR COVER FLEW OFF OUT OF NO WHERE, NO REASON, VERY UNEXPECTED. ALMOST HIT A CAR THAT WAS COMING ONTO THE HIGHWAY ON A ON RAMP. I HAVE FOUND 5 OTHER REPORTS OF EXACTLY SAME THING. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 37K MILES ON IT, HAVE ONLY DROVE IT BARELY 3 MONTHS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED OR BE HAPPENING TO VEHICLES. OTHER COMPLAINTS I FOUND VEHICLES WERE AT 40K MILES OR 41K MILES. TIMING OF ALL 6 INCIDENTS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. ALL 2016 FORD EXPLORERS ALL WITHIN LAST 6 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI 11306603

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROOF RACK RAIL CLIPS FAILED. THE CLIPS CONSTANTLY DETACHED FROM THE RAILS WHEN DRIVING OR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT A CAR WASH. THE ROOF RAIL CLIPS WERE REPLACED TWICE PER THE WARRANTY, BUT THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TWICE TO MONTROSE FORD OF FAIRLAWN (3960 MEDINA ROAD, FAIRLAWN, OHIO 44333, (330) 666-0711) FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE ROOF RACK RAIL CLIPS CONTINUED TO DETACH WHEN DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: CAS25022197K8H8N2. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 11287176

THE OEM ROOF RACKS WILL NOT STAY MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. FORD RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE IT TO TRUCKING THUNDER AND SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TRUCKING THUNDER AND THEY SAID I SHOULD FOLLOW UP WITH CORPORATE AT FORD BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING FORD NEEDED TO CORRECT. I PURCHASED NEW RETAINER CLIPS (THIS IS WHAT HOLDS THE RACKS DOWN) AND REPLACED THEM BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM (PART #FB5Z-7851050-A). THE ROOF RACKS WILL NOT STAY MOUNTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. LAST WEEK I SUPER GLUED THEM DOWN AND THIS HAS HELP SO FAR. THE RACKS WERE POPPING OFF WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I MAKE IT A POINT TO INSPECT OTHER EXPLORER ROOF RACKS WHEN I SEE THEM AND I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE THAT WAS NOT HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME.

NHTSA ODI 11287255

BOTH PIECES THAT HOLD THE WINDSHIELD TO THE CAR ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD HAVE FLOWN OFF ON MY CAR AND SEVERAL OTHERS I KNOW WHO ALSO OWN A 2016 FORD EXPLORER.

NHTSA ODI 11282607

THE KEY PAD ON THE DRIVER DOOR FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. THEN AN HOUR LATER, ALSO WHILE DRIVING, THE LIFT GATE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE LIFT GATE BY ANY MEANS. FORD CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $450 FOR THE DOOR PANEL. IT WAS $900 TO REPAIR BOTH. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT CAUSED BOTH PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 11266071

2016 FORD EXPLORER XLT - WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON STRAIGHT HIGHWAY, THE PLASTIC OUTER PILLAR WINDSHIELD TRIM ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE WINDOW SHIELD DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS ~38,000.

NHTSA ODI 11242265

ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY VEHICLE'S DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD PILLAR/MOLDING TRIM FLEW OFF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PLASTIC WHICH THE PANEL IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11232732

2016 FORD EXPLORER WINDSHIELD PILLAR TRIM FALLING OFF. IVE READ NUMEROUS POST ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. FLYING OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. DANGER OF HITTING THE CAR BEHIND OR CAUSING THEM TO SWERVE AND WRECK. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ALMOST $1000 TO FIX THIS, THATS OUTRAGEOUS AND FORD SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 11228435

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE COWL GRILLE PANEL ON THE WINDSHIELD. IT BECOMES VERY DISTRACTING AND HARD TO HEAR ANY AUDIO.

NHTSA ODI 11206193

ONE MORNING, I BEGAN TO SMELL A SULFUR OR GAS-LIKE SMELL INSIDE THE CAR. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT BUT IT PERSISTED FROM 5:00 A.M. -9:00 A.M. MY 7 YEAR OLD SON EVEN SMELLED IT WHEN ENTERING THE CAR. AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF AT SCHOOL I DROVE TO DEALERSHIP TO GET IT INSPECTED. DURING THAT DRIVE, WITH THE WINDOWS CRACKED, I BEGAN TO FEEL A DULL HEADACHE, DIZZINESS AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS. ONCE I DROPPED MY CAR OFF FOR INSPECTION AND WAS OUT OF THE CAR I DIDN'T FEEL ANY BETTER AND MY HEADACHE AND WEAKNESS GOT WORSE. MY WIFE TOOK ME TO THE ER OUT OF PRECAUTION AND AFTER BLOODWORK WAS TAKEN, I WAS CONFIRMED TO HAVE HAD CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. I AM A NON-SMOKER AND MY COHB LEVELS WERE TWICE THAT OF A NON-SMOKER : 3.8% IT WAS RAINING OUT SO I COULD NOT UNROLLI WINDOWS AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO. I WAS NOT DRIVING WITH THE A/C ON, WAS NOT SITTING IDLE. MINIMUM SPEED WAS 5-10 MPH AND MAX SPEED WAS 70 MPH FORD IDENTIFIED THE SMELL AS A FAILING PTU BUT CLAIMED THERE WAS NO CO PRESENT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A CO SENSOR INSIDE THE CAB. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 32 MONTHS WITH NO ISSUE BUT I CANNOT IGNORE THAT I DID IN FACT HAVE CARBON MONOXIDE EXPOSURE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EXISTENCE OF THE STRONG SULFUR SMELL SHOWING UP. I AM NOT CONVINCED CARBON MONOXIDE GETTING INSIDE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11196870

WHISTLE OR BUZZ-TYPE NOISE FROM FRONT COWL PANEL GRILLE COVER. FORD DEALERSHIP CONFIRMS THIS "BODY DEFECT ISSUE" BUT WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER ANY WARRANTY. WANT $1,300 TO FIX. THIS IS THE ISSUE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VWC3-PTT3L0&T=49S

NHTSA ODI 11192841

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH. HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THOUGHT I HAD SCRAPED A TREE AS WAS IN AN AREA WITH ALOT TREES. THE NEXT DAY NOTICED THAT THE PILLAR TRIM ON MY PASSENGER DOOR WAS GONE. CHECKED THE REST OF MY CAR AND THE PILLAR TRIM ON THE WINDSHIELD IS LOOSE ALSO. RESEARCHED THIS ON THE WEB AND IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS TRIM FLYING OFF AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED AND STRIKING EITHER MY OWN WINDSHIELD OR ANOTHER VEHICLE BEHIND ME. CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THANK YOU FOR CONCERN BUT NO SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE. I AM PRETTY SURE PIECES FLYING OFF A VEHICLE GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED SHOULD BE OF CONCERN. I NOW KNOW WHAT THAT WHISTLING SOUND WAS THAT I WOULD HEAR WHEN DRIVING. IT WAS THE LOOSE TRIM CATCHING THE WIND.

NHTSA ODI 11193098

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE AUTOMATIC HATCHBACK DOOR SLAMMED ONTO THE BACK OF THE CONTACT'S HEAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER (ADAMS FORD COMPANY, 2002 MAIN ST, LOGANSPORT, LA 71049, (318) 697-5561) DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAUSED THE DOOR TO SLAM ON THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,734.

NHTSA ODI 11163482

PAINT ON THE HOOD IS BUBBLING UP AND CHIPPING OFF, CAUSING CORROSION WHERE THE PAINT HAS CHIPPED OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11161279

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING BECAME LOOSE AND STARTING VIBRATING. AFTER PULLING OVER AND ATTEMPTING TO SECURE, IT THEN BECAME PARTIALLY DETACHED AND WAS BENT BACKWARDS. IT OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. IT THEN FLEW OFF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, IT LANDED ON THE SHOULDER AND DID NOT HIT ANOTHER CAR/CAUSE A WRECK ON THE INTERSTATE. THE DRIVER SIDE IS ALSO PARTIALLY COMING OFF ACCORDING TO REPAIR QUOTE FROM DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11133449

STRONG EXHAUST AND VERY HIGH LEVELS OF CO ENTERING CABIN AT NORMAL ACCELERATION, VERY BAD AT HARD ACCELERATION I HAVE MULTIPLE PICTURES OF MY CO SENSOR I HAD IN THE VEHICLE FOR SOME TIME NOW WITH LETHAL CO LEVELS. I BELIEVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS HAVE BIG ENOUGH CRACKS TO FLOOD IN CO INTO THE CABIN THROUGH OPENINGS. MINE HAS HAD THE 'DEALER ITSB' TO RESOLVE, NO CHANGE AND IT REGISTERED HIGHER AFTER. REPLACE THIS MANIFOLD AND SEAL THIS TRUCK OR BUY IT BACK FROM ME FORD. IF PUTTING MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN DANGER DAILY DOESN'T SCARE YOU, THE PICTURES AND PROOF I HAVE ARE ENOUGH FOR ANOTHER LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU FOR THIS! I NEED TO BE CONTACTED BY A FORD REP (NOT A DEALERSHIP) TO RESOLVE OR MY LAWYERS WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI 11128353