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

First instance was in mid December 2020. While driving down the highway the power steering suddenly went out, showing errors "Steering Assist Fault, Service Required" , "Hill Start Assist Not Available" , and "Service AdvanceTrac". Pulled over and turned off the car for a few minutes, when restarted it appeared to work fine. Second instance was in mid May 2021. Similar circumstances to the first instance: happened while driving, same errors, started working after restarting the car. After this second instance we took the car to the dealership for servicing. They replaced the Hub Bearings, but said there were no additional errors for the vehicle. The third instance was June 24th 2021. This time the errors showed up upon startup, and did not resolve upon restarting the vehicle. Took the vehicle to the dealer, and they determined that we would need to replace the entire steering gear assembly, at a significant cost.

NHTSA ODI 11422343

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle steering wheel failed when reversing out of the garage, the contact was unable to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that the electrical service light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to have a diagnostic performed. The failure code for the steering power assist module was detected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11421841

The trim to the lining of my window on the right side flew off on the highway

NHTSA ODI 11421226

The electric power steering went out. On the way to get my 3 month old son from daycare, I was merging onto the highway next to a semi and a warning came on letting me know there was a steering issue. After picking my son up from daycare, I started my vehicle again and it said power steering failure. I could hardly drive the vehicle and did not feel comfortable since my son was with me. I have since taken it to our local Ford dealer and the module must be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11421144

Air bag light came on randomly one day, diagnostics indicated it was an issue with the wiring harness under the rear passenger second-row seating. This area is inaccessible so accidental disconnection is unlikely. I was told that the airbags will not deploy in the event of an accident when the airbag light is on. This certainly was the case for me as the airbag light was on at the time I was in an accident with contact to my driver's side front bumper and the airbag did not deploy. My grievance is that this is a common issue that Ford is aware of and no recall has been put in place to fix it. It is unacceptable for a manufacturer to be aware of a problem and not fix it especially as it is costly to the consumer. Quoted $1,000+ for repair. Most importantly, it is a safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11421004

Driving down Interstate and steering started to get sticky. Steering wheel would grab, be difficult to turn, then release. Suddenly the 'traction control' light on the dashboard flashed and then within 2-3 minutes the 'Loss of Steering' dashboard message flashed and the steering wheel froze. Fortunately we were on a flat/straight stretch of highway or this could have been catastrophic. This could easily result in a fatal crash. We had the vehicle towed to nearest Ford dealership and they diagnosed that the 'Steering gear seized internally' and the vehicle was repaired at a cost exceeding $2000.00. Tow Truck Operator communicated they have never seen a steering column completely freeze like this one did. I have the service invoice on file.

NHTSA ODI 11420567

The rack and pinion steering had to be replaced in my 2016 Ford Explorer Limited. I had a difficult time controlling the steering and was fearful with my 4 kids in the car but made it home. I had it replaced and had to take a loan out to cover the $2500 price tag. The car has mainly highway miles on at 109,000. I am hoping to have this reimbursed by Ford because what I am looking up this is a MAJOR problem with many Ford vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11420235

I have a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited. It has 109,000 miles, mostly highway miles on it. The rack and pinion steering needed to be replaced and it was a $2500 bill. It has happened in countless Ford Explorers from my research. This should be a recall bc it not only is a HUGE expense on cars that are not that old but what a scary safety concern. Thankfully I was able to control my car and park it before an accident happened. Please consider issuing a recall so this HUGE expense isn't the burden of a Ford customer when this should not happen to such a new model. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11420239

The contact's girlfriend owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated after placing groceries inside the vehicle, the contact heard a chime as the liftgate independently started closing, almost striking him on the head. The contact also stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall or surge upon depression of the accelerator pedal, with the service engine warning light illuminated. The contact also mentioned that the side-view mirrors would independently adjust while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that he manually adjusted the mirrors to correct his driving visibility. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was then transferred to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11419950

As I was driving in the highway the steer assist fault warning came on and the steering wheel locked. I was not able to turn the wheel without force. I pulled over and turned vehicle off to see if it was a malfunction, but the stabilitrack and steer assist light remained on and steering wheel was still very hard to move.

NHTSA ODI 11420042

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, various warning lights illuminated as the steering became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle collided with the curb and then stalled. The vehicle was restarted with all warning lights and audio warnings. The contact was able to drive without the power steering to a friend's residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic for diagnosis or repairs. The contact called the dealer who told him that the failure was related to the rack and pinion and a diagnosis appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was notified and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11419161

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V435000 (SUSPENSION) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was notified about the recall however, the contact was informed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact to NHTSA. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11417943

Our Ford Explorer lost power in the rear gear position. It also had trouble shifting from certain gears to the next. We took it into the shop when we lost full reverse. The transmission transfer case had blew out a piece of the casing. This left a gaping hole in the case, exposing a gear in the transfer case. This also allowed fluid to drain from transmission. The mechanic said this should never happen on a 76,803 mile car, let alone on a part such as the transmission. This was the second one her did in a two week period. This not only put our family out of a car, it posed a huge safety concerning not being able to move the vehicle. I would hate for this to happen to any owner who is not automotive educated. I was luck I was driving and could get us to move.

NHTSA ODI 11417665

The recall has been put out and the dealership is claiming that the fix of gluing the roof rack covers back on is not sufficient and that a new fix needs to be made. The fix is not available to me and I cannot use the vehicle for work with an open recall. I understand that recalls happen, but the fix should be available immediately upon publishing them.

NHTSA ODI 11417428

The transmission is constantly slipping. While driving up or down any steeper grades, the RPMs are so high we have to adjust speed to get the transmission to shift properly as to not blow the engine. The suv surges and shifts hard while going only 15 to 20 mph on regular pavement. This has all been happening since we purchased the vehicle (in 2018 @ 27,000 miles). We took in right away and they did replace the transfer case. Since then we’ve taken it to two different Ford dealerships in the area and they state there is nothing wrong. We were told ‘sorry it’s not like we can drive it up a hill to see what the issue is and it’s just not bad enough to warrant replacing the transmission at this time’ We’ve had to swerve to the side of the highway to avoid rear end collisions due to poor shifting and reduced speeds. It’s not trustworthy to travel and at our first chance we’re dumping it for a Chevy. Ford knows there’s an issue with their transmissions, but they push you off until you’re outside of your warranty to tell you to replace the transmission. We helped our elderly mom purchase a Ford and her transmission went out with the same issues and she had to purchase another vehicle as well due to being put off outside of her warranty (by three days - WOW Ford!). ‘It’s not bad enough’ - we’ll it’s not going to get better!!

NHTSA ODI 11417369

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2020 AND SO FAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE A PILLAR TRIM 3 TIMES.ONCE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND TWICE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. COSTING OVER $100 EACH TIME JUST FOR THE PARTS.THE TRIM HAS COME OFF TWICE WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, 60 MPH, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE AND FLYING DEBRIS. THE THIRD TIME THE TRIM CAME OFF AT A SLOW SPEED OFF 35 MPH AND ACTUALLY BROKE IN HALF. I ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE TRIM PIECE. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE MAY BE THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE TRIM IN PLACE.

NHTSA ODI 11416460

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND LOST DRIVE POWER AND THE UNDERNEATH OF THE SUV WAS ON FIRE, MY HUSBAND PULLED OVER AD CALLED 911. THE DEALER STATED THE PTU CRACKED FROM PRESSURE LEAKING ALL THE OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST. ALSO STATED ALL OF MY TIRES WERE GOOD .. SO WE ARE UNSURE WHERE THE PRESSURE CAME FROM>

NHTSA ODI 11415784

VEHICLE DISPLAYS AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT. DEALERSHIP STATED IT IS DUE TO ELECTRICAL CONNECTION UNDER REAR SEAT. COST TO REPAIR $700-1000. WHILE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. A INTERNET SEARCH YIELDED OVER 250 REPORTED CASES OF THIS EXACT ISSUE. DUE TO THE AIR BAGS NOT FUNCTIONING, THE COST OF THE REPAIR, AND THE FREQUENCY OF THIS VERY SPECIFIC BREAK, AND THE QUANTITY OF REPORTS,I QUESTION WHY FORD HAS NOT RECALLED THIS SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11415602

HEARD NOISES WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL. I WAS TOLD I NEED TO HAVE MY RACK AND PINION STEERING REPLACE-EST COST MID 2K. STARTING TO RESEARCH ONLINE AND I SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH POTENTIAL SEVERE CONSEQUENCES IF NOT FIXED. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED??? ALSO WE HAD TO REPLACE THE STRUTS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE 50K MILES YET. I DO HAVE THE REPAIR FOR THE STRUTS. HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE RACK AND PINION YET.

NHTSA ODI 11415231

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD SIDE TRIM MOLDING DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS MOLDING IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND BECAME FOD ON THE HIGHWAY. IN REVIEW, ONLY HALF OF THE MOLDING DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, WITH HALF REMAINING IN PLACE.

NHTSA ODI 11414142

RADIO SPARKING AND SMOKING PLUS PEELING AND BUBBLES INSIDE THE HOOD PAINT

NHTSA ODI 11408573

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH. CAUSED BY DTC B141B. FOUND TSB RELATED TO CONNECTORS UNDER REAR SEAT MP 130. CAR WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11408288

THE 2ND ROW AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND FORD TOLD ME IT WAS A SHORTAGE IN THE WIRES AND IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. THEY STATED THAT SINCE THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, THE SHORT IN THE WIRING WOULD STOP THE AIRBAG FROM DEPLOYING, WHICH IN TURN IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11407970

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING WHICH LED TO AN EVENTUAL COMPLETE FAILURE. EXPLORER WAS ON CA HIGHWAY 76 GOING WESTBOUND WHEN TRANSMISSION FAILED. DRIVER WA FORCED TO DODGE TRAFFIC AND COAST TO AN EMERGENCY STOP AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. EXPLORER HAD TO BE TOWED.

NHTSA ODI 11407741

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE FORD DEALER WARNED ME THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY UNTIL I GOT THE ISSUE FIXED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY FORD, AS THEY HAVE ISSUED TSB IT. MY EXPLORER SPORT IS 4 MONTHS OVER THE 5 YEAR/60,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, SO I CONTACTED ASSURANT SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I BOUGHT A 72 MONTH/75,000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH USAA ON 1/6/2016. THIS WAS MY FIRST CLAIM AND THEY DENIED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT 'SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS' WAS AN 'EXCLUDED ITEM'! WHAT'S INFURIATING IS THAT THEY COVER ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY, INTERIOR ELECTRONICS AND POWER TRAIN ELECTRONICS, BUT NOT 'SAFETY' ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS!! I RAISED CANE WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY WENT BACK TO FORD FOR A 'GOODWILL' WARRANTY COVERAGE AND THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR ALL BUT $261 OF THE REPAIR. WHILE I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE GOODWILL OFFER, FORD LOST ANY FUTURE BUSINESS FROM ME FOR NOT PROACTIVELY OFFERING THE GOODWILL COVERAGE FROM THE START BEFORE I HAD TO PURSUE OTHER OPTIONS. SHAME ON FORD!! IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A FULL RECALL, BUT IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH A CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURE, SO THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED IT FROM THE START WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON! *TR

NHTSA ODI 11407222