no report yet
Structure: body
NewRisk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
2016 Ford ExplorerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 2,467 owner complaints about the 2016 Ford Explorer, most often about the structure. It is covered by 14 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-031 the manufacturer reports only 21% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 9, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2016 Ford Explorer has problems
2,467 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
594Structure10 crash/fire/injury
532Steering11 crash/fire/injury
382Engine11 crash/fire/injury
215Power train10 crash/fire/injury
130Electrical system
114Engine and engine cooling
104Fuel/propulsion system
99Air bags
76Vehicle speed control
35921 other systems23 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 594 | 10 |
| Steering | 532 | 11 |
| Engine | 382 | 11 |
| Power train | 215 | 10 |
| Electrical system | 130 | 9 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 114 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 104 | 4 |
| Air bags | 99 | 8 |
| Vehicle speed control | 76 | 1 |
| 21 other systems | 359 | 23 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
14 recalls
2016 Ford Explorer recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Electrical: engine block heater
Risk. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
no report yet
Structure: body
Risk. Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2026 Q2
Body: roof and pillars
Risk. A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 10 more recalls
repaired · 2023 Q4
Suspension: rear
Risk. A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2023 Q3
Structure: body
Risk. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2022 Q4
Axle assembly: axle shaft
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2020 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q2
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: recliner
Risk. The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2017 Q3
Engine and engine cooling: engine
Risk. Overheating of the engine block increase the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Tank assembly: mounting
Risk. If the fuel tank separates from the vehicle, a fuel leak may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2016 Q4
Parking brake
Risk. 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…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do structure problems start?
83kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 291 structure complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.
32under 30k miles189under 100k miles102100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
107 owners mentioned a cost$2,300median
Middle half: $2,100 – $2,650
Engine
28 owners mentioned a cost$3,350median
Middle half: $2,425 – $4,250
Air bags
23 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $630 – $1,150
Structure
14 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $339 – $975
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2016 vs. every other Explorer year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Explorer median. How we score
6096339391,2078431,4501,7311,9591,3489523753,2951,1311,304497630208148331151,1988312,2391,6841,8202,4671,7067363031,25345627611321111440
'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2016 Ford Explorer safety ratings
2016 Ford Explorer 4 DR SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2016 Ford Explorer, and the recalls they led to.
- Exhaust Odor in Passenger CabNo recall
- Windshield trim molding Item detachmentLed to recall 24V-031
In owners' words
What Explorer owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The B pillar, that has a recall for it for almost 2yrs while waiting for the part to be available, fell off while driving on the freeway. The piece was barely holding on when we pulled over on the freeway. With that piece falling off it has tripped the electrical with the rear lift door now not…
On approximately June 13, 2025, while driving my 2016 Ford Explorer Sport on the highway, the driver's-side exterior B-pillar trim appliqué came loose. There were no warning lights, messages, or other symptoms before the failure. The trim did not completely detach because it remained connected by…
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the front windshield trim detached and flapped across the front windshield. In addition, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair…
Own a 2016 Explorer?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.