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

COMPLETE VEHICLE POWER FAILURE (LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITIES, ETC)WHILE IN MOTION MAKING LEFT HAND TURN ONTO MAJOR SURFACE STREET THAT CONNECTS TO FREEWAY ENTRANCE.

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STEERING MAKING NOISES AND HARD TO STEER GOING DOWN THE ROAD

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THE VACUUM TUBE ASSEMBLY/ HOSES CORRODED TO THE POINT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS COMPROMISED. THE DEALERSHIP'S ASSESSMENT STATES THAT BATTERY ACID SPILLED ONTO THE HOSE AND THE ACID ATE THOUGH IT. WHEN I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE HOSE, THE ONLY PART OF THE HOSE THAT WAS CORRODED WHERE BOTH ENDS WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE MANIFOLD AND OTHER END. I FIND IT VERY ODD THAT BATTER ACID WILL ONLY SPILL ON 2 OPPOSITE ENDS OF A HOSE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE WHERE THE CONNECTIONS ARE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AFTER THE ORIGINAL BATTERY'S CORE EXPLODED.

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

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2016 FORD EXPLORER LIMITED 40K MILES, IDENTIFIED MY STEERING WAS LOCKED UP 3 WEEKS AGO, I ATTRIBUTED IT TO SEVERE COLD TEMPERATURES. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED THEY CANNOT TROUBLESHOOT UNTIL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. FRIDAY NIGHT 12/7/18 WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON A ONE WAY SLUSH COVERED ROAD, I LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO MANUALLY STEER MY VEHICLE TO SAFETY, IT WAS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND SCARY.I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT ONTO A SIDE STREET AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM THANKFUL I WAS NOT GOING ANY FASTER THAN 30MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE FOUND 71 REPORTED INCIDENTS WITH FORD EXPLORERS OF THIS YEAR LOSING STEERING AMONG OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS. I AM WAITING A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND CONTACTING FORD IN THE INTERUM.

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PLASTIC CASING IN SEAT BELT HOUSING FOR 2ND ROW CAPTAIN CHAIR BROKE AND SEAT BELT WILL NOT SNAP INTO HOUSING. NO ACCIDENTS OR MISUSE; 11 YR-OLD SON WENT TO BUCKLE SEAT BELT AND WAS UNABLE TO BUCKLE. PLASTIC CASING HAD FALLEN INTO SPACE WHERE BUCKLE UNIT HOUSED; WE REMOVED THE BROKEN PIECE WITH NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS. OTHER 2ND ROW CAPTAIN CHAIR'S HOUSING IS NOT BROKEN. WE WERE IN KS FOR THE HOLIDAY AND RETURNING TO CO THAT DAY. SOONEST APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER WAS 12/6/18. CALLED DEALER TO VERIFY THAT THE HOUSING REPLACEMENT HAD BEEN ORDERED, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE. HAD TO TALK TO SEVERAL 'SUPERVISORS' TO FINALLY GET PART ORDERED BEFORE APPOINTMENT, SO THAT IT COULD BE REPAIRED WITHOUT HAVING TO COME BACK A SECOND TIME.

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FOR THE LAST 5 DAYS THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG EXSAUST SMELL IN THE CABIN BAD ENOUGH YOU HAVE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN AND GET A HEADACHE ! YOU SMELL IT DRIVING AND A STRING SMELL WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AND TURN THE CAR OFF

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THE SIDE WALL OF MY HANKOOK 255/50 R /20 VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRE BLEW OUT. I HAVE A 2" HOLE IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. I WAS AT A STOP SIGN ON A CITY STREET, AND JUST STARTED MOVING WHEN THE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT. IT SOUNDED LIKE A LARGE BALLOON EXPLOSION AND THE TIRE WENT FLAT INSTANTLY. SOME HANKOOK TIRES HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TOLD ME NOT THIS ONE. THESE HANKOOK TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED.

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INTERIOR OF CAR BEGAN TO SMELL OF BURNING OIL, WARNING MESSAGE "4WD TEMPORARILY DISABLED". LEAK FROM VENT HOSE INTO PTU SYSTEM. FORD (SANTA ROSA, CA) SAYS PTU MUST BE REPLACED. 37K MILES ON CAR.

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VEHICLE WAS "REPAIRED' TO PREVENT SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES, WHICH ARE CAUSING HEADACHES AND FEELING LIGHT HEADED, BUT THE ISSUE IS STILL PERSISTENT. IT OCCURS ABOUT 10 SECONDS AFTER ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD AS WHOMEVER IS DRIVING THE CAR CAN POTENTIALLY PASS OUT FROM THE FUMES AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATHS AND INJURIES. FORD HAS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM AFFECTING MANY OWNERS.

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WE ARE NOTICING VERY BAD EXHAUST LEAKAGE INTO THE CABIN. MY WIFE STARTED COMPLAINING OF HEADACHES AFTER DRIVING. I DROVE IT 60 MILES AND WAS DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS AND HAD A HEAD ACHE. DROVE WITH SOME FAMILY FRIENDS ONE IS A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE IS DEFINETLY A PROBLEM AS WELL AND THEY WERE FEELING SICK AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH EXPLORERS AFTER DOING SOME QUICK RESEARCH AND I'M VERY DISTURBED THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL. RIGHT NOW IT'S USELESS SITTING IN THE GARAGE AS WE ARE GETTING HEADACHES JUST ON SHORT TRIPS THRU TOWN.

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BEGAN HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. ONLY HAVE 38K MILES (2K OUT OF WARRANTY) AND IT IS GOING TO COST ME $2,000 TO FIX THIS STEERING PROBLEM.. THIS IS TOTALLY DISAPPOINTING ON A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE.

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9/29/18: REMOTE START STOPPED WORKING AND CAR SPUTTERED WHEN STARTING. 10/14/18: AFTER MANUALLY STARTING WITH PUSH-BUTTON, WHITE SMOKE FILLED MY GARAGE AND CAR WITH 3 CHILDREN. EXPLORER TOWED TO BRANDON FORD DEALERSHIP THAT DAY WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A SUNDAY. AS OF TODAY, I STILL DON'T HAVE MY EXPLORER BACK. I WAS INFORMED THAT FLUID GOT INTO THE CYLINDER AND THE CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A BACKLOG ON THIS PARTICULAR PART. AS I APPROACH THE 5TH WEEK WITH THIS LOANER VEHICLE, I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS MORE TO THE PROBLEM OR IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT ANYONE CAN DO TO HELP ME GET RESOLUTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2 TIRES, SIZE: 255/50R20. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING AND SHEDDING ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS MORE PREVALENT ON THE TWO FRONT TIRES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE LOCAL DEALER (MOSSY FORD, 4570 MISSION BAY DR, SAN DIEGO, CA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

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I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH ABOUT 19,000 MILES ON IT IN FEBRUARY, 2018. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT I NOTICED THE SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES IN THE CABIN AT TIMES, SOMETIMES WHILE AT IDLE, OTHER TIMES WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON MAY 11, 2018 FOR SERVICE OF SEVERAL ISSUES INCLUDING THIS ONE. THEY PERFORMED THE WORK OF A RECALL (#17N03). I'VE CONTINUED TO NOTICE EXHAUST SMELLS IN THE CABIN FROM TIME TO TIME BOTH WHEN IDLING AND WHEN DRIVING, AND SO PURCHASED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR FOR CARS. AT TIMES IT ALARMS INDICATING THERE IS CO IN THE CABIN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER ON NOVEMBER 6, 2018 WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND VERIFIED THAT THE OTHER DEALER INDEED PERFORMED THE RECALL AND IT WAS DONE PROPERLY. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAN CAN BE DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.

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WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING STARTED TO MAKE NOISES WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL, THERE WAS A COMPLETE DIFFERENT FEELING WITH A SMALL LIKE BUMP AND THEN THE WHEEL WOULD TURN VERY FREELY WITH THE CAR WHEELS NOT TURNING. DROVE STRAIGHT TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID I CANNOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE THE STEERING SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED FROM FAILURE. THEY DETERMINED THIS WITH A VERY SHORT TEST DRIVE IN THEIR OWN PARKING LOT.

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CARBON MONOXIDE POISIONING. LEVEL WAS 7.2 WHEN I WENT TO ER.

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2016 FORD EXPLORER KNEE AIRBAG INJURY-ON 7/13/2018 WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, A LOW SPEED/LOW IMPACT COLLISION OCCURRED (<10 MPH), IMPACT TO THE RIGHT FRONT TRIGGERING PASSENGER KNEE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY CAUSING SERIOUS LEG INJURIES TO PROPERLY BELTED 72 YEAR OLD FEMALE PASSENGER. THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG BLEW THE SKIN AND TISSUE OFF THE PASSENGER'S LEGS RESULTING IN FLESH WOUNDS AND MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT. PASSENGER WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN INJURED IN THE CRASH. BLACKBOX DATA WAS RETRIEVED AND VEHICLE INSPECTED BY EXPERTS, INCLUDING FORD. FORD CLAIMS THE AIRBAG OPERATED AS DESIGNED. FORD REFUSED TO PRODUCE ANY SAFETY TESTING RESULTS FOR THIS TYPE OF AIRBAG AND INJURY. INJURED PARTY REMAINS IN WOUND CARE (PIGSKIN HAS BEEN APPLIED) AND PHYSICAL THERAPY. SHE SUFFERS PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE AND SCARRING.

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ON A CITY STREET EXPERIENCE LOSS OF ACCELERATING POWER WHILE COMING TO STOP AND CROSSING AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE WILL STAR AT A SNAIL PACE BRINGING UP THE SPEED TO 40 MPH ON LIMP MODE SINCE THE VEHICLE SERVICE WRENCH TOOL AND AIR BAG LIGHT UP ON THE DASH BOARD VEHICLE WILL NOT RESPOND PUSHING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL.

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TIRES ARE THE HANCOCK VENTUS S1 NOBLE 2. 24,412 MILES. TREAD IS WORN BADLY AND RUBBER IS PEELING OFF IN LAYERS AND CHUNKS. DEALER THROUGH HANCOCK GAVE $125 OFF NEW TIRE AS LONG AS REPLACED WITH NEW HANCOCK TIRE.

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2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE THERE IS A LOUD THUD THEN WHEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE ANOTHER LOUD THUD THAT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE I HIT SOMETHING. THEN WHEN TRYING TO GIVE IT GAS IT WILL ACT AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THE GAS IS PRESSED BUT WON'T GO AND ENGINE WILL JUST REV. THEN IT WILL START CUTTING OUT AS IF IT IS GOING TO DIE. I CAN ONLY GET UP TO ABOUT 30 MPH DURING THIS TIME. AFTER DRIVING FOR A SHORT TIME IT'S LIKE IT WARMS UP AND WILL QUIT. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND I CAN GO A WEEK OR TWO WITHOUT IT HAPPENING AT ALL. AND WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IN THE MORNING AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING ALL NIGHT. I STARTED PRESSING ON THE GAS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STARTING (PUSH BUTTON) AND THEN BEFORE PUTTING IN GEAR WILL PRESS ON THE GAS SEVERAL TIMES AND REV THE ENGINE AND THE CUTTING OUT SYMPTOMS WILL NOT HAPPEN HOWEVER THE THUD NOISE HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY STILL.

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TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 18,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE NUMEROUS CUTS AND GOUGES THROUGHOUT. TIRES ARE SKIDDING ON WET ROADS CAUSING FOR UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. FORD AND HANKOOK ARE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT A SAFETY CONCERN AND THAT MY TIRES COULD BE PRO-RATED. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM OTHER FORD OWNERS. TIRES DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHEN THE CONTACT FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PERFORMED A CARBON MONOXIDE TEST INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IT READ 141 PPM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION FORD EAST (28825 EUCLID AVE, WICKLIFFE, OH 44092, (440) 296-3020) WHERE THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,600.

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AT STARTUP A WARNING APPEARED ON THE DASH READING "STEERING LOSS- STOP SAFELY" ALONG WITH OTHERS CONCERNING ADVANCE TRAC, TERRAIN MANAGEMENT, AND HILL ASSIST. UPON TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT WAS LOCKED COMPLETELY. NOT JUST HARD TO STEER LIKE THE POWER STEERING QUIT - IT WAS LOCKED TIGHT. IT WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND THE TECH THOUGHT HE WOULD DRIVE IT INTO THE SHOP, BUT COULD NOT BECAUSE HE AGREED THE STEERING WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. THE TECH TELLS ME HE WAS ABLE TO RESTORE STEERING BY CLEARING OUT SOME ABS CODES THAT WERE STORED. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE IT SEEMS THERE IS A COMPUTER FAULT CONDITION WHICH LOCKS UP THE STEERING COMPLETELY. THE TECH NOW SAYS THE RACK AND PINION MODULE IS MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THEY PLAN TO REPLACE IT. THANKFULLY THE VEHICLE HAD THIS PROBLEM AT STARTUP AND NOT WHILE IN MOTION AS THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE DIRECTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING, AN EXHAUST ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO BECOME ILL AND DIZZY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE MAINLY OCCURRED WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACCELERATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND SUGGESTED TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GENTILINI FORD (555 JON S. PENN BLVD, WOODBINE, NJ) AND THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS REPROGRAMMED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,800.

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