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

Description of Incident: The driver, [XXX] , was idling on a road near Lake Murray when her vehicle was rear-ended. Despite the force of the impact requiring Ms. [XXX] to be rushed to the hospital, the vehicle’s airbags failed to deploy. Post-Accident Concerns: Following the collision, the CEO of RideCare had the vehicle moved immediately to avoid public scrutiny. I have reason to believe the company is intentionally withholding the vehicle from inspection to prevent the XXX Highway Patrol or safety investigators from accessing the "black box" (Event Data Recorder). The vehicle is currently being stored inside the garage at the RideCare facility off [XXX] . Given that this company is responsible for the safe transport of vulnerable mental health patients, the failure of critical safety equipment and the subsequent attempt to hide evidence is a matter of urgent public safety. I request a formal investigation into the maintenance standards of this fleet and the specific safety failure INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11738165

The passenger side knee airbag went off in an accident causing my dad to have severe lacerations to both legs and a sprained ankle. Those were his only injuries from the accident. All caused by one airbag. There is a good chance he will need a skin graft on one of his legs. The emt and firefighters all said that they have never seen an airbag down there and loon like that. What it did to his legs is horrible. And should have never of happened.

NHTSA ODI 11617797

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while crossing an intersection at 35 MPH, another driver crashed on the driver's side of the vehicle resulting in a T-bone collision. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. Both driver-side doors failed to open after the accident and special equipment was used by the authorities to extract the contact from the vehicle. The contact was taken to the hospital and was treated for minor scrapes, bruises, and soreness. The other driver sustained lacerations to the abdomen from the seat belt and also sought medical treatment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ODI 11543829

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

ON AUGUST 20, 2020, MY VEHICLE HAD LAST BEEN DRIVEN AROUND 12 NOON. IT SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH ALL OF US HOME. MY SON WENT TO GET IN THE VEHICLE AROUND 6:30 PM. SMOKE POURED OUT, THE SEAT WAS SMOLDERING AND FLAMES CAME UP. WE COULDN'T PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH EXTINGUISHER. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT HOSE ON SEAT. FIREMEN STATED THEY SEE THIS OFTEN WITH HEATED/AIRCONDITIONED SEATS THAT MALFUNCTION AND BURN UP OR CAUSE FIRE. FIREMEN STATED THEY COULD TELL THE WAY IT LOOKED "LIKE ALL THE OTHER HEATED /AIR CONDITIONED SEATS THAT IGNITE THAT THEY SEE OFTEN". INSURANCE COMPANY SAYS CAR IS TOTALED SINCE HOSE WAS PUT ON IT. FORD WILL NOT WORK WITH ME. NO ONE LEFT ANYTHING BURNING IN THE SEAT OR SMOKED IN THE CAR. I BELIEVE THE CAR HEATED/AIR CONDITIONED SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND FORD SHOULD HELP. I HAD PURCHASED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY FROM DEALERSHIP. WARRANTY COMPANY SAYS IF A CAR CATCHES FIRE, WARRANTY IS VOIDED, EVEN IF CAR MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE FIRE. INSURANCE COMPANY IS TRYING TO PAY AS LEAST AMOUNT AS POSSIBLE. THIS WAS A WELL CARED FOR, VERY NICE CAR. I BELIEVE IT MALFUNCTIONED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SENT ME A LETTER SAYING THEY HAD THE DEALERSHIP TAKE PICTURES, AND THEY FEEL IT HAD SOMETHING LEFT BURNING ON THE SEAT. NO ONE LEFT ANYTHING BURNING ON THE SEAT. IN THE LETTER FORD MOTOR COMPANY SENT ME BY EMAIL, THEY STATE THEY INSPECTED THE CAR. THEY NEVER CAME TO SEE THE CAR IN PERSON. THEY ONLY HAD THE SERVICE STAFF TAKE PICTURES. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL AFTERNOON. I ALSO BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN MY SUBARU AT 5:00 PM AND DID NOT SMELL OR SEE SMOKE AS I LEFT.. THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT IGNITED ITSELF HAD A STACK OF BUSINESS PAPERS AND SOME SOCCER GEAR THAT COULD HAVE OVERHEATED IF THE SEAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING TOO. THE SEAT IGNITED BY ITSELF. AS A CONSUMER I DESERVE TO BE ASSISTED. I WOULD LIKE THE CAR REPAIRED OR REPLACED W/SIMILAR CAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND SETTLEMENT WAS OFFERED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

NHTSA ODI 11374212

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.

NHTSA ODI 11143821

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND CHEST, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BATTLEFIELD SERVICE CENTER IN MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11093679

I WAS DRIVING ON I-94 EAST IN HARRISON TWP, MI ON 3/9/18. I WAS TRAVELING A 70 MPH. I HEARD SOMETHING AND SUDDENLY I AM SAW WHITE ALL AROUND ME LIKE A TUNNEL. AT THAT MOMENT I WAS STILL IN MY LANE. WITHIN SECONDS THE I HAD NO CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AS THOUGH I HAD NO BRAKES OR STEERING. MY CAR VEERED LEFT HITTING THE CEMENT MEDIAN. THE CAR ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE AND EVENTUALLY FLIPPED BACK UPRIGHT. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN THE ACCIDENT. MY DAUGHTER, 14, AND I WERE IN THE VEHICLE AND WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR MINOR INJURIES. ON 3/8/18 MY VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT THE FORD DEALER TO REPLACE A WHEEL BEARING. THE SERVICE MAN MADE A COMMENT ABOUT OUR TIRES WEARING QUICKLY AND SHREDDING. WE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THEM AT 22,500 MILES. CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE HAD 58,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I TRULY THINK THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE CAR. I CALLED FORD TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND THEY REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE AND WOULDN'T EVEN SEND BE A LETTER STATING THEY WOULD NOT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY WILL NOT INVESTIGATE THE CAR BECAUSE I WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE SO IT WAS OBVIOUSLY MY FAULT. BOTH COMPANIES REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE. MY INJURIES WERE NOT SUBSTANSIAL ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO TAKE NOTICE. I THOUGHT THAT IS WHY VEHICLES HAVE BLACK BOXES WERE INSTALLED. I AM FEARFUL 2016 EXPLORER OWNERS OR THE INNOCCENT BYSTANDERS ARE GOING BE HURT OR WORSE IF FORD DOESN'T TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. I TRULY BELIEVE THE WHITE TUNNEL WAS THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 11085166