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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER ASSIST WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RED ROCK FORD OF DICKINSON (2585 I-94BL, DICKINSON, ND 58601, (701) 225-5175), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

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I HAVE HAD THE EXHAUST RECALL REPAIR BUT STILL I SMELL THE ROTTEN EGG SMELL INSIDE MY CAR. I HAVE MADE SURE TO TEST QUICK ACCELERATION WITH AND WITHOUT AIR RECIRCULATING. IT'S THE SAME RESULT. MY 'REPAIR' IS NOT SAFE OR SATISFACTORY.

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THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED WITHOUT ANY OBJECT COMING INTO CONTACT WITH IT.

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MY WIFE, DAUGHTER AND I WERE DRIVING FORM NYC TO BALTIMORE IN MY 2016 FORD EXPLORER. IN THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF THE TRIP I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. I RECEIVED A WARNING MESSAGE ON MY VEHICLE STATING THAT POWER STEERING HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND TO SERVICE NOW. I SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AND TRAVELED ANOTHER 8 MILES TO MY DESTINATION. AFTER CONSULTING MY OWNER'S MANUAL, I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND GOT THE SAME MESSAGE AS WELL AS ANOTHER ONE SAYING THAT THE LANE DETECTING SENSOR WAS MALFUNCTIONING AS WELL. THE NEXT MORNING I WAS GOING TO TAKE IT TO A NEARBY DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. HOWEVER WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. CURRENTLY THEY ARE ASSESSING THE VEHICLE AND MENTIONED THAT THIS HAPPENS WITH SOME MAKES AND MODELS AND THAT I MAY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS WHICH COULD COST IN THE $2000 DOLLAR RANGE. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE PASSED ME TO 3 DIFFER DEPARTMENTS ALL WHO SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.

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HANKOOK TRIES ARE SHREDDING AND PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 33K MILES. SHREDDED TIRES CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLIP AND SLIDE ON THE ROAD WHILE IN MOTION. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. NOW AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY; AFRAID TO DRIVE IN SNOW.

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WHILE DRIVING, DASHBOARD ALERTS STARTED WITH: ADVANCE TRAC/TERRAIN MANAGEMENT FAULT. STEERING LOSS/STOP SAFELY. POWER STEERING SEIZED UP AND ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE FOR 5 MINUTES BUT COULD FEEL POWER STEERING TIGHTENING UP. PARKED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE; THEN COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL.

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VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THANKFULLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND DOES NOT MOVE .

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STEERING WHEEL NOT MOVING, NOT ABLE TO CONTROL IT.MILAGE ON CAR 42,000. CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY FOUND, THAT THE RACK AND PINION IS COMPLETELY LOCKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ESTIMATE REPAIR AT 2,400. WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT. A CASE WAS OPEN WITH FORD.

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POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING UNCONTROLLED STEERING.

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STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED A STRONG OIL BURNING SMELL AND A RATTLE WHEN I DROVE IT FOUND OUT IT THE TRANSFER CASE WAS BROKEN. OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3K MILES DEALER SAYS THIS IS A FREQUENT ISSUE WITH EXPLORERS GONNA COST ABOUT $2000 TO FIX. JUST BOUGH THE CAR IN OCTOBER.

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NAVIGATION AND RADIO SCREEN KEEPS GOING OUT OR TURNING BLACK REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCK WON'T LOCK OR UNLOCK.

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I HAVE 28,452 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I GET A WARNING WHICH SAYS STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED, TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FAULT, AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC ERRORS UPON STARTING MY VEHICLE. IN RESEARCHING THESE ERRORS, IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD EXPLORERS AND A COSTLY ONE TO FIX. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT, DUE TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND LOW MILEAGE. IN ADDITION, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM IF ONE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH ALSO SEEMS TO HAPPENED.

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STEERING WHEEL LOCKED

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WHEN YOU DRIVES SLOWLY IN BETWEEN 15MPH TO 20MPH 2ND TO 3RD GEAR SHIFTING IT GAVES TUGG WHEN IT WAS IN WARRENTY I BRING TO FORD DELARSHIP BUT THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS OK NEVER RECOMMEND FORD IT WAS MY 1ST EXPERIENCE WITH FORD BUT ALL CRAP CARS AND SUVS

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POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. PRIMARILY WHEN IT IS COLD. NEEDS A STEERING RACK WITH ONLY 50K MI AND 2 YRS OLD. DEALER WOULD NOT LET US DRIVE IT UNTIL PART CAME IN. THEY PUT US IN A RENTAL AT THEIR EXPENSE AND WE HAVE HAD A FULL SIZE QUAD CAB TRUCK. STEERING RACK IS ON BACK ORDER WITH FORD AND WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 16 DAYS AND NOTHING IS IN SIGHT. DEALER IN BEDFORD VA. HAS TAKEN GOOD CARE OF US.

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STEERING NOISE IS A WHEN TURNING.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE STEERING FAULT SERVICE AND SERVICE ADVANCE TRACK WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTURY FORD OF MT. AIRY (302 CENTURY DR, MT AIRY, MD 21771, (301) 829-2800) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,135.

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AT APPROXIMATELY 35000 THE STEERING STARTED TO SLIP AND BECOME PERIODICALLY UNRESPONSIVE. AT 35975 MILES IT FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING ALMOST LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND QUOTED $3000 FOR THE REPAIR.

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I OWN A 2016 FORD EXPLORER WITH 35,611 MILES. ON 01/01/2019, MY WIFE ARRIVED HOME IN THE EXPLORER AND I GET IN THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICE IT REEKS OF ROTTEN EGG/SULPHUR. THE SMELL WAS MAKING ME FEEL NAUSEOUS AND LIGHT HEADED. MY WIFE EXPLAINS THAT SMELL HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF, AND SHE CHALKED IT UP TO BEING PREGNANT AND HAVING A SENSITIVE SENSE OF SMELL. SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD BEEN GETTING HEADACHES FREQUENTLY AND NAUSEA AS WELL. I OBSERVE THE SMELL IS COMING THROUGH THE AIR CIRCULATION SYSTEM AND THAT IT IS STRONGER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I THEN SHUT THE ENTIRE CLIMATE CONTROL OFF-NO AIR CIRCULATION AT ALL, AND THE SMELL IS STILL COMING IN THE VEHICLE. NOT AS INTENSELY, BUT STILL NOTICEABLE. AND THIS IS WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. AFTER THIS I COMPLETED RESEARCH ON THE TOPIC AND FIND THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2011-2017 EXPLORERS AND THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING CO2 POISONING FROM THIS DEFECT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR IN PARK, AIR ON OR OFF. THERE IS A HEAVIER SULFUR SMELL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND I AM FRUSTRATED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL. I CALLED THE FORD DEALER I BOUGHT THE EXPLORER FROM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 17-N03 REPAIR HAD ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED IN FEBRUARY 2018. CLEARLY THE 17-N03 REPAIR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR ME OR OTHER FOLKS. FORD HAS PUT ANOTHER TSB OUT THAT IS APPARENTLY MORE THOROUGH. MY FORD IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP GETTING THE NEWEST FORD TSB REPAIR FOR THE EXHAUST/C02 ISSUE. MY TRUST IS LOST IN FORD AND FEEL THAT THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR PROFIT AHEAD OF BEING ETHICAL. I AM CONFIDENT THAT NO CONSUMER WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS DEFECT WOULD WANT TO PURCHASE THESE FORD EXPLORERS. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM A LOCAL FORD DEALER WITHOUT BEING TOLD THERE WAS AN OUTSTANDING TSB REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THANKS

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY (RT. 84) IN PA AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A REALLY LOUD "POP" NOISE. I THOUGH THAT I BLEW A TIRE BUT MY GAUGES WERE ALL FINE. THEN I STARTED TO HEAR THE WIND AS IF A WINDOW BROKE. I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION TO FIND OUT THAT MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. IF THE INSIDE SCREEN WASN'T SHUT (ITS NORMALLY OPEN) I WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY COVERED IN GLASS! THE FOLLOWING DAY I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP (WHERE I BOUGHT IT & ALL SERVICING IS DONE). I WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE LACK OF SERVICE THAT I RECEIVED. THE SERVICE MAN TRIED TO TELL ME THAT A ROCK MUST HAVE HIT IT AND IT IS ALSO NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. SO I HAD TO SUBMIT AN INSURANCE CLAIM, WAIT FOR A CALL FROM THE ADJUSTER, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE ADJUSTER, HAVE THE PARTS ORDERED AND WAIT FOR IT TO BE COMPLETE.

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MY POWER STEERING HAS BEEN MAKING A SNAPPING NOISE AND I'M AFRAID OF CATOSTROFIC FAILURE. I NO LONGER TRUST DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES.

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WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES, MY STEERING BEGAN TO BIND WHEN TURNED FULLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS, BUT DUE TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY HAZARDS OF STEERING FAILURES I TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR AN EVALUATION. THEY REPORTED THAT THE STEERING MODULE HAD FAILED AND IT WOULD COST >$2300 TO REPAIR. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED DUE TO TIME (42 MONTHS) SO UNLESS FORD OFFERS A WARRANTY EXTENSION I WILL HAVE TO PAY AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT FOR WHAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL - CERTAINLY NOT WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I NOT BROUGHT THE CAR IN IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING SYSTEM SUGGESTS IT WAS VERY SERIOUS.

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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.

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2016 FORD EXPLORER WITH 44789 MILES STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. DRIVERS PLEASE BEWARE OF THIS ISSUE

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ROTTEN EGG SULFER SMELL DURING ACCELERATION UP HILLS OR FAST ACCELERATION, HAD FORD RECALL UPGRADES AND SMELL STILL THERE

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