10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,065 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2016 Ford Explorer:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #93

Jun 222020

Explorer 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
The entire transmission has to be replaced. The transmission started with a weird noise, slow acceleration despite a racing engine and then total failure. The Explorer only has about 60,000 miles.

- Westfield, NJ, USA

problem #92

Apr 162020

Explorer

  • 63,080 miles
I was driving up a hill when the vehicle lurched forward and then lost power. I was able to just make it to the top of the hill. I pulled over put it park and then put it in drive and was able drive home. However, now the car has no reverse. A transmission rebuild/replacement needed.

- Joplin, MO, USA

problem #91

Nov 152019

Explorer

  • 51,000 miles
My family and I were at a a gas station about to get on the freeway when my Ford Explorer started to stall. I pulled to the side and turned it off and back on. This action seemed to fix the problem; however, after that day (4 months ago) the Ford Explorer has been stalling every time I start it and start to pull out of my drive way. It will lose speed when I try to accelerate and will stall for the first minute or so before resuming back to normals I am now afraid to drive this vehicle with my family as it does not feel safe at all. Additionally, after stalling I will get the wrench symbol on my dash.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #90

Jan 222020

Explorer

  • 63,000 miles
Our 2016 Ford Explorer Sport lost power going up a slight hill right before our house and barely made it home. We immediately called the dealership and arranged to bring it the following morning. The drivetrain is under warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Our vehicle is 4 years old with slightly over 60,000 miles and we also purchased the additional warranty for 100,000 miles. We have been told by the dealership that we will be responsible to pay for the labor of a transmission tear down which takes 18 hrs and $2,000 in labor before we can find out if the warranty will cover the issue. We have also had issues with the heated/cooled seats, the air bags, the parking assist, and steering. We did not spend all this money for a newer vehicle(was 2 yrs old when purchased) just to have several issues that will end up costing us a ridiculous amount of money. This is our family vehicle that we drive our 3 kids around in. We spent the extra money to have something reliable and safe that we wouldn't have to sink money into repairs and also purchased the additional warranty to not have to worry about ay repairs. With the amount of money we have spent on the vehicle, we were not expecting a big out of pocket cost, especially since we have the warranty. We are very disappointed in the vehicle and the customer service we have received and will never purchase another Ford if this is the reputation they allow themselves to have.

- Putnam, CT, USA

problem #89

Sep 012019

Explorer

  • 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. While driving at 20-25 mph, the vehicle was jerked sporadically. The check engine and ignition warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to quirk Ford (540 southern artery, quincy, MA 02169 (617) 770-0070) where the failure was unable to be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted who referred contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

- Newton, MA, USA

problem #88

Jan 022019

Explorer

  • 40,000 miles
My vehicle only has a little over 91,000 miles on it. However, for the last 45,000 miles, I have noticed a jerking in the transmission once I reach above 40mph. My mother has a 2017 Ford Explorer and had the same issues. She had the extended warranty so she was able to have hers fixed but had to pay a deductible. This should not be a warranty fix... this should be a manufacturer fix and recall. My mom was told by the Ford dealership that fixed her car that there was a known issue with this problem with dealing with the transmission. She was also told that if the issue is not fixed on your vehicle, it could cause the transmission to go out at any time. This is a serious safety concern, . I have 4 children in my vehicle at all times, two of them being under the age of 3. I do not feel safe in my vehicle and do not feel that Ford is doing their job to ensure that recalls are being done properly. I saw 7 recalls for Ford explores for year 2016 but when I searched my VIN... nothing came up... why is that?

- Pell City, AL, USA

problem #87

Nov 012019

Explorer

  • 58,120 miles
The vehicle began to overheat when driving at an incline. As soon as the vehicle was level there were no overheating issues. I took the vehicle to the dealership and was advised that the vehicle was overheating due to the grill shutters being stuck closed and as a result the transmission was failing and needed a partial rebuild. The vehicle was still eligible for certain repairs under the warranty, mileage 58,120, so Ford covered the partial transmission rebuild as they determined was fit. The grill shutters malfunctioning and being stuck closed were not covered under warranty but the malfunction was a major contributing factor to the transmission failure and overheating of the vehicle. Repairs were completed in May 2019. In November 2019 and approx. 2K miles out of warranty and just slightly 2K more miles since the transmission rebuild and grill shutter replacement, the vehicle began to overheat again. The overheating would occur consistently when sitting idle or in motion on streets and on highways. The vehicle was taken to the Ford dealership again for diagnosis. It was determined that the head gasket was blown which was causing the vehicle to overheat. Ford advised that due to the grill shutters being stuck closed that ultimately was the cause of the damage to the engine and the head gasket being blown. The malfunctioning grill shutters are a major issue that should be fixed on Ford behalf so that additional engine damage doesn't occur. Ford is now not covering the head gasket being blown/overall engine damage even though this was ultimately caused by the malfunctioning grill shutters. The vehicle is not drivable without overheating and the overheating could cause a fire which could be extremely dangerous and in some cases, fatal.

- Laguna Niguel, CA, USA

problem #86

Oct 032019

Explorer

  • 50,250 miles
Heading home after work on the turnpike in my Ford Explorer 2016 with 50,250 miles. Approximately two / three weeks ago. Out no were felt like a jolting; sudden stalling; sudden deceleration; sudden loss of power without any warning. I pull to the side of the road. Put the SUV in park. Attempted a restart, it work. During this incident, the dashboard was displaying and message "see manuals, with a big wrench". the manuals tells you to take it to a dealer for service. This has continue to happen several times after the incident in the turnpike. I bought this car new, an has always being service in the Ford dealer. Call the Ford dealer an I was informed to make an appointment so they can put the vehicle in the computer to diagnostic. But since the warranty already expired that I may have to pay for the repairs. Did some research on th issue, an it seen that this has happen to many owner of a Ford Explorer 2016. This is a very serious issue that Ford needs to correct the problem with a recall.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #85

Oct 062019

Explorer

  • 43,600 miles
The accelerator becomes unresponsive and my vehicle's RPM drops, regardless if I am pressing on the gas pedal. Most notably occurs when driving on the freeway, but has happened driving within city limits. I have to press down on the gas pedal and wait for the vehicle to eventually pick up speed or shift gear to neutral to drive to be able to accelerate when pressing on gas pedal. This is a safety concern due to the vehicle going limp mode, especially on a freeway. This happens approximately 2-3 times in a 1 hour driving period. The last time this happened the vehicle wrench light when on and my vehicle was jolting when I pressed on the gas pedal. When I took it to the dealership the wrench light went away. It is currently being seen by a technician; however, the technician is having a hard time duplicating this problem. This problem is intermittent. I tried to take it to another dealership previously for the same issue, however they turned me down due to it being an intermittent issue.

- Fort Bragg, NC, USA

problem #84

Jun 012019

Explorer

  • 80,100 miles
Can of vehicle has a propane or natural gas odor in it causing nausea and headaches

- Ridgefield, WA, USA

problem #83

Oct 022019

Explorer

  • 385,387 miles
Ford exploer 2016 at low speed excelarator stick and engine reves up transmission in drive. Must put transmission in nutral to stop auto from moving fwd. Happened 3 times seperate days. Had to put transmission in nutural to get auto under control.

- Grain Valley, MO, USA

problem #82

Sep 072019

Explorer

  • 72,000 miles
While the vehicle was parked, in a parking lot, turned completely off, and the gear selector was in the "park" position, the vehicle rolled forward (slightly downhill). The vehicle rolled approximately 8 inches until the front tires met with the parking curb. The emergency brake had not been applied at the time. The grade of slope was approximately 3-6degrees. The rear hatch was open, and two adults were sitting in the back with their feet on the ground when the vehicle rolled. It was apparent, that the transmission "slipped", while in park, when it should not "slip".

- Fairfield, OH, USA

problem #81

Sep 222019

Explorer

  • 106,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. While driving down a hill at 65 mph, the vehicle stalled and the rpms increased. The contact mentioned that the gear shifted into low gear. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.

- Birch Tree, MO, USA

problem #80

Mar 152019

Explorer

  • 80,000 miles
Required a new transmission. Reported initial problem at 58,000 miles the dealer could not find a problem while car was still under warranty. Car was experiencing a hesitation during acceleration. At 80,000 miles the transmission had to be replace (out of warranty). Require new battery and cables after batter "exploded" corroding the battery cables. (68,000 miles). Required a new water pump at 86,000 miles.

- Rocky River, OH, USA

problem #79

Aug 062019

Explorer

  • 78,597 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. While driving various speeds, the vehicle made a grinding noise. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 78,597.

- Lagrange, GA, USA

problem #78

May 122019

Explorer

  • 51,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact took the vehicle to star Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram (5101 S 1st St, abilene, tx 79605, (325) 698-2222) to have the vla emission computer update completed. After a few days, the vehicle began to exhibit a delayed response when the accelerator pedal was depressed. In addition, the vehicle downshifted on its own suddenly, especially while driving uphill. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was affected by the vla emission update. After the update, the vehicle tended to overheat and the fuel gauge did not accurately display the correct reading. The vehicle was taken to star Dodge a third time where it was diagnosed that the egr was throwing coolant into the turbo. The contact reached out to the manufacturer and was proivdecase number: 407224. The dealer stated that the case would be closed because they could not remedy the failure. Prior to updating the vla, the contact was informed by the eco system hotline that the vehicle would not be affected. The failure mileage was 51,000.

- Ludder, TX, USA

problem #77

Aug 012019

Explorer

  • 49,000 miles
As I was driving my 2016 Ford Explorer on the highway on 08/01/2019 I experienced the vehicle start to stutter just before I was going on to the on ramp merging on the highway and after I was on the high way the vehicle started smoking from under the hood and would no longer accelerate and I could smell oil burning and pulled over and shut the car off looked under the car and saw the pile of oil underneath but the vehicle did not have the any check engine light or warnings once we towed the vehicle home I looked under the car and saw that the transmission casing was cracked pretty much in half I could actually see the gears inside the casing of the transmission I also rememberd in the past year or so the vehicle would shift very hard after braking and then getting back on the gas it happened every once in a while.

- Bakersfiel, CA, USA

problem #76

Jul 272019

Explorer

  • 40,000 miles
With no warning - experienced sudden loss of power while driving. Engine light came on. Also the wrench light came on with a message that said "see manual." I was able to get out of traffice and pull over. After ten minutes, I restarted the car. The car started back up with no problem and the engine light was back off. From there it drove beautifully like it never happened - except that it did ! four days later, I take it to the dealorship. They determined that this happened due to a defective throttle body. I have to have it replaced and it's going to cost me $380. I find it hard to believe that with the significant number of complaints on this issue all over the internet that they didn't know about this at the dealorship when they sold me the car. And also that Ford has not recalled this yet considering the number of complaints. I have to have this fixed, I have no choice. I would definitly like to reumbersed for this repair. But in addition to the out of pocket cost, the power going out on the car while driving is a major safety issue. With the significant number of complaints on this issue with this specific vehicle model / year, I hope that somebody doesn't have to die before they place a recall on this issue.

- Lansing, MI, USA

problem #75

Jun 032016

Explorer

  • 10,000 miles
Problem first appeared on June 3, 2016 with about 10,000 miles. I was driving on interstate 95 past philadelphia airport about 9:30 am at about 60 mph. The vehicle had been driven from a cold start for about 20 minutes. It was raining moderately. The backup camera suddenly appeared on the screen in the center console and the transmission shuddered slightly. I also noticed that the dashboard drive indicator, which normally is lit red when in drive, was white, as were all the other indicators (R, N, etc). I jiggled the shifter without pressing the shifter button but that did not fix the problem. The transmission appeared to be still in drive since the car still had power and was not slowing down. It lasted for about 15 seconds and then the display returned to normal and the D indicator returned to its normal red mode. About 30 seconds later the problem returned and stayed for 10 to 15 seconds and then again reverted back to normal. This behavior repeated one or two more times in the next couple of minutes. After this series of events the car seemed to be normal for the rest of my 1.5 hour trip and has been fine until Aug 13, 2016 when the same behavior happened again. This could be a serious safety problem if it gets worse if for nothing else than it is certainly a distraction and may result in transmission damage and loss of control. I did talk to the service manager at my Ford dealer (sheridan Ford, rt 2 kirkwood highway, wilmington de) on July 21, 2016 when I was getting an oil change and I described the first incident. He did not seem very concerned. He said that they had never heard of that happening but did not have me write anything down. I told him that if it happened again, I would contact Ford and the dealer. The problem has occurred 12 more times. I have told the dealer about it every time. I have further text documentation.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

problem #74

May 272019

Explorer

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 75 mph, the check engine warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle went into limp mode. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who retrieved diagnostic trouble code: P2111 (throttle actuator control system stuck open). The vehicle was not repaired. Autonation Ford marietta (located at 869 cobb pkwy SE, marietta, ga 30060, (770) 674-6077) was infomred of the failure via phone. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

- Smyrna, GA, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »