What 2,429 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Explorer

we were driving on the 58 freeway in CA and when we went to stop for gas we noticed that the passenger side windshield trim panel had broken off somewhere on the freeway.

NHTSA ODI 11505461

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver’s and passenger’s side window trims detached from the window and struck the side mirror. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11505110

Every since I bought this vehicle back in December 2016. I've had major problems that consist of the battery lasting a year an half. In 2018, Ford had it for two weeks due to a major problem that they repaired but never told me what the issue was. Still, to this day, I don't know what they repaired. In 2021, My water pump went out, something is wrong with he fuel injection that may be causing the engine light to be on. Every year since 2016 there's been something going wrong with my Explorer, including the radio panel/cameras monitor. Last year, 2022, I was driving down the highway when my windshield trim panels flew off! I thought it was something from another car until I stopped and realized, my windshield didn't have a cover on the driver side. I'm hoping I didn't caused harm or almost caused harm to any drivers behind me! Nonetheless, since my incident, I have noticed other Explorers missing a windshield cover.

NHTSA ODI 11505134

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on two separate occasions; the windshield trim panels on the passenger’s and driver’s side detached from the vehicle. The contact replaced the parts himself; however, the failure returned less than a year after the initial failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

NHTSA ODI 11505143

The plastic piece on the drivers' side of the windshield was loose and flapping. Before I could get it looked at and fixed, while driving down the highway one morning I heard a noise and in my rearview mirror saw black plastic shattering all over the road. If I didn't realize quickly what the noise was, I could have reacted and caused myself harm in an accident and if there were cars close to me, or a motorcycle or even worse a pedestrian, they could have been damaged or hurt. The missing piece has not been replaced or inspected so it is still missing. I had noticed the flapping plastic piece a couple weeks prior to the incident, a month tops.

NHTSA ODI 11505215

Trim piece on driver-side windshield flew off while driving. To the best of my knowledge it did not hit any surrounding vehicles. There was no warning prior to this happening...I just realized it was missing when I returned to my vehicle after work. I had just heard on the news about window trim pieces flying off Ford Explorers the same day this happened to mine.

NHTSA ODI 11505251

I have had to replaced two separate times my windshield trim pieces that cover the hardware on windshield. Every time I have lost them it has occurred on the highway where I was going a speed of 65-70mph. When I have had a professional reinstall new parts it has cost me almost $350.00 The parts are coming directly from ford nothing aftermarket and they are being reinstalled by a professional. I should not have keep paying for the same parts. All due to the fact they don’t stay adhered to the vehicle properly and they’re the parts coming directly from Ford manufacturer. I know no accidents have been reported but we shouldn’t wait until one happens either. Ford needs to correct this issue and stop costing the consumer so much to replace and deal with same problem.

NHTSA ODI 11505275

While driving 60mph on the highway my windshield molding on the passenger side flew off.

NHTSA ODI 11504839

Our trim around our windshield came off while driving on a highway. Tried to fix it ourselves but trim replacement would not fit on it properly.

NHTSA ODI 11504870

My windshield panel trim came off while i was driving

NHTSA ODI 11504886

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front window detached. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the thread was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11504889

The trim on the passenger side pillar next to the windshield detached and flew off of the vehicle while driving on the highway. The trim piece was not recovered as it is unknown where it landed. There was traffic on the highway behind the vehicle and it could have hit another vehicle or later been run over by another vehicle if it landed on the road. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a Ford dealership to have the missing part replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11504898

While driving normal speed on the freeway, the passenger windshield molding flew off. Also, the driver side side window meeting has flown off. Both replaced at my cost. Both of these objects flying off the car could impact or hit other motorists causing damage or potential injusry.

NHTSA ODI 11504912

The plastic windshield trim on the passenger side of the vehicle broke and flew off while driving down the interstate. The piece was then run over by another vehicle. Luckily it did not hit another vehicle or someone on a motorcycle . When I called the dealership near us they said that they were aware of the problem. The dealer said it has happened to several explorers that the were aware of but there was no recall. They gave me a quote of 400 dollars to replace it. The vehicle has not been repaired and is still being driven. Hopefully the piece that is still remaining does not come off and hit someone. There needs to be a recall to fix this problem.

NHTSA ODI 11504913

I was driving down the road 50 mph The driver side, plastic piece that goes around.the outside of the windshield blew off.Upon further inspection the passenger side is also loose and ready to fall off. The rubber that goes around the whole windshield is dry rotted and all broke off .

NHTSA ODI 11504943

The windshield trim panel blew off. It was repaired at Camargo Cadillac where the Explorer was purchased. It blew off on the way home. Camargo replaced the panel again. It blew off 2 days after the second repair. We were reimbursed and it was suggested we go to a Ford dealer. I called Beechmont Ford and I have waited 5 months plus for an appointment for recalls that have not been done. I always felt it was very dangerous when the metal part blew off. In today’s paper I noticed NHTSA is investigating complaints that the windshield panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while traveling at highway speeds.We certainly know this to be true. Please add this to your recalls with instructions on how to correctly fix it. To our knowledge we were never notified about serious issue with the rear suspension toe links either.

NHTSA ODI 11504979

On August 20, 2022, the left side pillar molding unexpectedly came loose while driving and began flapping about. On August 24-25, 2022, we replaced both exterior a-pillar moldings and brackets at our own expense.

NHTSA ODI 11505023

The passenger side windshield trim flew off while driving on the interstate with no warning. Other than it hitting the side of our car when flying off, no other incident occured. Nobody inspected the windshield trim as we installed a new trim piece we got on Amazon ourselves.

NHTSA ODI 11505044

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.

NHTSA ODI 11504642

10/23/22 While driving at highway speeds - Interstate 39 - a large piece of the driver's side windshield trim flew off. We had no impact with anything that would have made it fall off - it simply came apart and landed on the road behind us. We have had the piece fixed since. Body shop could have photos still - if needed. No warning signs were present in the car.

NHTSA ODI 11504652

My window pillars flew off both last week. driver and passenger side windshield trim panels flew off in like to caused a wreck.

NHTSA ODI 11504672

The driver windshield trim flew off my 2016 Ford Explorer as I was going down the highway. I saw where this has made the news and wanted my report included in it. Nobody was hurt and I was unable to retrieve the trim.

NHTSA ODI 11504742

Pieces of my windshield seals are flying off my car endangering other drivers.

NHTSA ODI 11504769

The windshield outer trim on the passenger side has detached two separate times (I replaced it each time at my cost), and it could be a hazard when it happens while I am driving on the highway.

NHTSA ODI 11504787

Body trim pieces on the b pillar of the vehicle became loose and flew off on the highway, secondary replacement from Ford is now loose and about to come off on both sides, waiting on the warranty from Ford to send another new one.

NHTSA ODI 11504826