2016 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 2,452 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 39 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 59 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Structure, bodyJul 14, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
Campaign 26V448000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, electrical, engine block heaterOct 10, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Campaign 25V685000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, bodyMay 23, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will repair the B-pillar trim, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S53.
Campaign 25V347000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, roof and pillarsJan 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Campaign 24V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJul 15, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Campaign 21V537000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, bodyMay 5, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.
Campaign 21V316000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearMar 12, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
Campaign 20V675000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftNov 10, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.
The failed bracket could result in a loss of park function which can cause unintended vehicle movement, and loss of motive power while driving which increases the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall began February 2, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S63.
Campaign 20V692000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearJun 10, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Campaign 19V435000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsNov 29, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.
In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S40.
Campaign 17V767000 on NHTSA.gov
Wheels, hubAug 28, 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.
A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Campaign 17E048000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, front assembly, reclinerJun 28, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.
Campaign 16V475000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineMar 31, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured November 25, 2013, to January 25, 2016, and 2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured October 20, 2014, to January 28, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines and engine block heaters. These engine block heaters have elements that may overheat while plugged in.
Overheating of the engine block increase the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and replace the electrical cord, as necessary. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S14. Note: Owners should not use the engine block heater until the vehicle has been remedied.
Campaign 16V183000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, mountingSep 28, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and 2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured on July 24, 2015. During vehicle production, the fuel tank attachment bolts may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the fuel tank straps may fracture and the fuel tank could separate from the vehicle.
If the fuel tank separates from the vehicle, a fuel leak may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the fuel tank attachment bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S26.
Campaign 15V605000 on NHTSA.gov
Parking brakeJul 24, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
If the parking brake does not fully engage and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while on a slope, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C07.
Campaign 15V464000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
529 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Electrical system, Dec 21, 2022
Rack and pinion power steering rack stopped working while my wife was driving back home with our two kids that are 4 years old and 9 months old. Thankful she didn't crash because she was unable to steer the vehicle. No warnings or signs of the part going bad. Ford should be held responsible for issues like this. Numerous people are having the same issue.
Steering, Dec 19, 2022
steering on my car failed turning onto off ramp and could not steer the car with out a lot of effort missed the car in front of me and came to a stop on side of over pass missed the bridge called my dealer to have it looked at steering rack motor seized apparently it is a problem with 2015 2016 explorers cant find steering racks any where in north America I have been waiting for parts still no eta can you help with this problem thanks [XXX] email is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Steering, Nov 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the steering column was emitting a grinding noise and the steering wheel suddenly seized without warning. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to maneuver the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the rack and pinion failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 59,900.
Steering, Electrical system, Nov 2, 2022
First problem I had was with the Actuator. I lost the ability of defrost and have the heat/AC go to anything other than direct face mode. Now, the power steering to my 2016 Ford Explorer is gone. It felt like I was grinding concrete when I would make any turn or slight shift. It’s been at the shop for weeks due to a backorder. I’m a single mom of 2 and it’s my only transportation. I’m really struggling without my vehicle. This should be part of a recall ASAP cause from my research this is too common almost this vehicle and good people are really going through it.
Steering, Nov 1, 2022
Grinding noise when turning wheel noticed Mid-August 2022. No warning lights prior to failure. Aug 22, 2022, took to local mechanic. Diagnosed as faulty steering gear. Told 3500 on backorder. Part failure prevented vehicle from safely steering. August 28, 2022, took to Team Ford Dealer in Navasota, TX. Diagnosed as faulty steering gear. Order replacement, installed. Replacement part malfunctioned when installed at dealer. Warning lights went off, according to service manager. Dealer attempted to reorder. Part backordered. Parts ordering suspended while part redesigned, according to service manager at dealer. Nov. 2, 2022. Part still on backorder. Unable to drive vehicle. Steering gear necessary for vehicle to function safely. Part needing redesigning indicates original part faulty. Part malfunction confirmed by independent mechanic and Ford dealership.
Steering, Oct 29, 2022
While driving on a state highway and exiting the roadway the steering wheel locked in the turning direction long enough to drive over the small curb on the opposite side of the roadway. If this was a higher exiting speed a larger incident or crash would have been worse.
Steering, Oct 26, 2022
Clunking and popping noise from steering while steering left or right while slowly traveling forward or reverse. Noise can be heard from steering while front end jacked up off ground. Afraid steering may lock up or fail while driving causing injury or death or stranding. Noise has become more frequent lately, started around 65k miles.
Steering, Oct 23, 2022
While braking off a highway the steering light appeared and the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably. The ford motor co. stated there was no issue and did not address.
Steering, Oct 22, 2022
Steering rack failure causing loud popping inside of the rack and pinion causing trouble steering, also abruptly pulling the vehicle or hard steering several reports of people almost wrecking.
Steering, Oct 18, 2022
With no warning, the steering began to grind with turns and was harder to steer. No warning lights ever appeared. The car was no longer safe to drive. The vehicle is 2016 with low milage, approximately 57,000 miles. The mechanic assessed the vehicle and said the rack and pinion needed replaced. He stated he has begun to see multiple 2016 Ford Explorers coming in with with issues of low milage yet needing the rack and pinion replaced. The car was then taken to a local Ford Dealership. They agreed with the mechanics assessment. The car has now been in the shop for 43 days with no available parts to repair.
Steering, Wheels, Oct 16, 2022
On February 03, 2022 I took my to the Ford dealership in my area, I was told that rear toe link was replaced. After 8 months while I was driving the Explorer 2016, the car starts swerving from side to side, and lost the control. For few seconds I was struggling to stop the car, after I stopped the car I checked the tires, I saw the rear left passenger tire was loosen, and steering wheel wasn’t straight. Me and my friend were terrified and still not feeling alright. I lost the confidence in Ford Explorer.
Steering, Oct 15, 2022
Steering started making grinding noise and when parked steering froze. Restarted and steering unfroze and made grinding noise and slowly drove to repair shop. Checked for recalls and none on this vehicle. Repair shop said no parts are available form Ford for a repair. This has to be a factory defect and could lead to serious injury or death.
Steering, Oct 13, 2022
My wife was driving our kids home from school when she experienced a sudden loss of steering followed by inaccurate control with no type of indication for an issue on the dashboard. Once she was able to (thankfully) make it home, I drove the vehicle around and noticed that there was a considerable lack of power steering when turning and the steering wheel would not return to the center position as typical. We brought it to an auto shop that diagnosed the issue as being the electric power steering rack which appears to be a fairly common issue with these Ford Explorers regardless of mileage. Tried to address the issue but the part if back-ordered for weeks and we are unable to fix our vehicle. Looking online, it appears that this is a common issue with Ford Explorers that could potentially lead to serious complications if experienced driving at higher speeds. Additionally, there are already a couple of recalls related to the steering of this vehicle.
Steering, Oct 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Power Steering Assist Failed" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and became extremely difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
Steering, Suspension, Power train, Oct 5, 2022
I felt a thumping when turning the steering wheel and took it to the dealership who kept it for two days to attempt to replicate the same noise but they were unable to reproduce or replicate. Two or maybe three months later, the thumping noise turned into a clicking noise. Again, I immediately took it to the Ford dealership and fortunately a mechanic was still on duty. They test drove the vehicle and heard the same noise. They ask if I could leave the vehicle for more testing with their suspension specialist and they will contact me the next day. The next day they contacted me and I was told 'this is a common problem and Ford is aware of issue but has not issued a recall'. Concerned about the comment I took it to a second Ford dealership. The second dealership kept it for a day and of course they could not replicate the thumping or clicking sound. They even inspected the steering/wheel components but found nothing. Worried, I did some additional research and found this website with other people complaining about the same issue https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2016/steering/steering-rack_and_pinion.shtml I even found a few YouTube videos addressing the same problem. October is here and winter is about to set in and my vehicle is still thumping and clicking. I am driving the vehicle but concerned I am putting my safety and the safety of others at risk. Based on the information I found, it is clear that I am not the only one with this issue.
Steering, Sep 23, 2022
Initially the steering on the vehicle appeared to be "notchy". It was holding the last steering wheel correction rather than returning to centered position. It appeared as if something lost lubrication. While driving the traction control and advance trac lights lit. Messages "Steering fault service now", "Service advance trac", "Hillstart assist not available", "Steering loss stop safely" appeared. After shutsown and restart "No steering" message appeared. There was no steering at this point. Code P07AE "Friction element" showed on code reader. If the vehicle was not stopped safely there could have been a serious accident of any variety. The vehicle is currently waiting for repair. This has been the case for over one month. The steering gear is on backorder. There has been no further inspection at this time.
Steering, Sep 15, 2022
A ticking/grinding noise coming from the steering column while turning at low speeds. When turning the steering wheel to the right or left, the steering wheel will not center and must be forced back to center/straight. If not manually forced back to center/straight the car would continue in the direction of the turn being performed. The force needed to center the steering wheel is unpredictable and varied. The vehicle was taken to two local mechanics who diagnosed that the rack and pinion is faulty and needed to be replaced.
Steering, Sep 12, 2022
Approximately 2 weeks ago, I received a warning for power assist fault- service soon. Once I turned my truck off and restarted it the warning went away and the truck drove fine. Then about 1 week ago, the warning came back and did not go off. The truck became extremely hard to turn almost locking up while I was driving in traffic. I took the truck to Ford dealership to learn that steering assembly had failed and it would cost $3,000 to fix! I’ve read where this has happened to several others with this same male truck. Luckily, I was not on the highway or this could have resulted in an accident possibly a fatality. This needs to be addressed as this is a very serious issue.
Steering, Sep 8, 2022
Issue with the power steering in the vehicle. Loud grinding when turning vehicle.
Steering, Sep 7, 2022
We own a 2016 Ford Explorer with only 23,000 miles on it. While driving down the road the steering began to make a noise when trying to turn and shortly after it became very hard to keep control of the car (not a power steering issue). We were only a half mile from a dealer when the problem began and we drove it there so they can diagnose the problem. The dealer found that the steering rack needed to be replaced. No warning lights or any messages came on the dashboard prior to issue nor when the issue started.
Steering, Sep 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that his while his son was driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The driver was unable to control the vehicle and the vehicle went across two lanes of traffic to the right. The contact stated that numerous unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact's son was able to steer the vehicle to the residence however, excessive force was needed while steering the vehicle. The contact stated that the steering wheel then seized and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the power steering rack needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Steering, Aug 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving and making left and right turns, the contact heard a clunking noise in the steering wheel. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel felt detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was swaying to the left and the right. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was transferred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Steering, Aug 28, 2022
Steering wheel started making a rubbing sound. Then it started loud grinding/scraping noise. Steering wheel ‘catches’, hard to turn, or locks up. No warning light/s for service were presented. 2 weeks for an appointment by Ford Co. I have had Ford mechanic inspect, & diagnosis is a Electronic Steering Box, Steering Rack. The vehicle has 60, 005 miles. The Ford service rep did not say anything about not driving it. I parked it, afraid of an accident! Waiting on parts. I have read there have been 2,000 complaints filed. How many have not been officially filed?
Steering, Aug 24, 2022
I was driving on the interstate and the power steering stopped work. No signs or anything till it stopped working. I had to pull over asap and it was very hard to turn. Now there is no way of getting the part for my car to fix it because of national back order
Steering, Aug 12, 2022
Steering makes occasional clunking/popping noises at very slow speeds backing out and turning form my driveway. It also occurs occasionally making slow speed turns like on a roundabout or U-turn. On one occasion we had a loss of power steering mid corner and jerking sensation. I had it towed to my local Ford dealer as it is a safety concern and they said they could find no noise and no codes stored. There were no warning lamps indicated. I demonstrated it to t he technician and they said it was "normal". No way is this normal and it is a safety issue as I can feel the clunking and my steering wheel fighting me when it happens. I have read others have experienced similar issues. We purchased the Explorer new and have had no accidents.