What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford Explorer?

NHTSA has 2,483 complaints, and the largest groups are structure at 596, steering at 534 and engine at 487. In the sample of complaints we read, owners describe sudden loss of power and a power liftgate moving on its own.

How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2016 model year. Check the VIN, because some cover only certain build dates, engines or states.

What MPG does the 2016 Ford Explorer get?

EPA combined ratings run from 18 MPG for the 3.5L turbo with all-wheel drive to 22 MPG for the 2.3L turbo with front-wheel drive.

Is the 2016 Ford Explorer safe?

NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall, with rollover at 4 stars. It also has recalls for seat, suspension and trim issues, so check the VIN.

Is the 2016 Explorer the worst Explorer year?

Only 2002 has more NHTSA complaints, at 3,572 against 2,483 for 2016. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so this is a rough comparison only.

2016 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 2,483 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Ford Explorer^[1], and the page below covers 14 recalls^[2]. Some of those recalls still list the final repair as coming later, so check any car you are considering by VIN.

2,483owner complaints^[1]

14recalls^[2]

18–22MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Owners filed 2,483 complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Explorer^[1]. Of these, 39 mention a crash^[1], 14 a fire^[1] and 59 injuries^[1]. No deaths are reported^[1]. These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name more than one part.

The biggest groups by component:

Component group	Complaints	Median miles at failure
Structure^[5]	596	82,250
Steering^[6]	534	57,300
Engine^[7]	487	27,750
Unknown or other^[8]	443	20,000
Power train^[9]	217	49,000
Electrical system^[10]	131	38,297
Fuel/propulsion system^[11]	105	10,000
Air bags^[12]	99	51,500

We read a small sample of 12 complaint texts for four of these groups. It is not a count of all owners, so treat what follows as examples, not a ranking.

Power train. In 11 of the 12 power train complaints we read^[9], the owner describes the car suddenly losing power or acceleration while driving, often with a wrench light. Several say the dealer named the throttle body^[9].
Engine. In 8 of 12 engine complaints we read, owners describe a sudden loss of power^[7]. In 3 of 12, owners describe a noisy engine cooling fan^[7].
Steering. In several of the steering complaints we read, owners describe power steering going out or the wheel locking up, sometimes with dash warnings^[6]. Several of the steering complaints we read describe the engine losing power, and the steering or brakes then felt heavy or failed^[6].
Structure. In 5 of 12 structure complaints we read, owners describe a power liftgate or tailgate opening or closing on its own, in a few cases hitting a person^[5]. Two of the 12 describe exterior trim coming loose while driving, and two describe an exhaust smell in the cabin^[5].

The median mileage for engine complaints is 27,750 miles^[7], and for fuel/propulsion it is 10,000 miles^[11]. The data does not say why.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2016 model year^[2]. Newest first:

Remedy pending
Roof rail covers (26V448). Filed July 14, 2026^[13]. Roof rail covers may come loose and fall off, creating a road hazard. The repair is a dealer inspection and, as needed, new push-pins, clips or covers. Remedy not yet available. Ford anticipated it in January 2027 and sent interim letters in August 2026^[13].
Engine block heater (25V685). Filed October 10, 2025^[14]. The block heater can crack, leak coolant and short circuit when plugged in, which raises fire risk. Owners are advised not to plug it in until the car is repaired. Ford planned to replace the heater or swap it for a plug. The final remedy was anticipated for September 2026, so ask a dealer whether it is available now^[14].
Remedy pending
B-pillar door trim (25V347). Filed May 23, 2025^[15]. Door trim at the driver and front passenger B-pillar may detach while driving and become a road hazard. Remedy not yet available. Ford anticipated it in November 2026, and interim letters went out in June 2025^[15].
A-pillar trim (24V031). Filed January 19, 2024^[16]. Trim clips may not be properly engaged, so the trim can fall off. Dealers inspect and replace the trim as needed. The repair is a phased campaign, available at different times by model year^[16].
Rear toe link, expanded (21V537). Filed July 15, 2021^[17]. Road salt can corrode a rear suspension ball joint and cause the toe link to break, which can cause loss of steering control. It covers vehicles originally sold or ever registered in certain states listed in the recall. Dealers replace the knuckle and toe links. Some cars repaired earlier need to come back for the new repair^[17].
Roof rail covers (21V316). Filed May 5, 2021^[18]. Loose retention pins let roof rail covers come off, creating a road hazard. Dealers install push-pins and replace damaged clips or covers. The repair was available from October 2021^[18].
Rear toe link (20V675). Filed March 12, 2021^[19]. It covers cars in certain states that were already repaired under earlier recalls. The toe link may break, which can cause loss of steering control. Dealers inspect the knuckle and replace it as needed^[19].
Front axle bracket (20V692). Filed November 10, 2020^[20]. It covers cars with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive^[20]. The halfshaft bracket may fail, which can mean loss of park function or loss of power while driving. Dealers replace the bracket. The recall began February 2, 2021^[20].
Rear toe link (19V435). Filed June 10, 2019^[21]. The toe link may break, which causes a sudden change in handling. Dealers replace the toe links and inspect the ball joints. The recall began June 26, 2019^[21].
Power seat bolts (17V767). Filed November 29, 2017^[22]. Loose pivot bolts may let the front seat cushion detach, so an occupant is not properly restrained in a crash. Dealers check the bolt and apply threadlocker or replace parts. The fact lists a second notice for when the remedy becomes available, so confirm status with a dealer^[22].
Manual recline seat back (16V475). Filed June 28, 2016^[23]. Some manual recline driver seat back frames have insufficient welds and may not hold an occupant in a crash. Dealers inspect and replace the frame if needed. Ford counted 5,280 potentially affected vehicles, including some F-150 trucks^[23].
Engine block heater (16V183). Filed March 31, 2016^[24]. On 2.3L engines built October 20, 2014 to January 28, 2016^[24], the block heater element may overheat while plugged in, raising fire risk. Dealers replace the heater and check the cord. Ford counted 1,543 potentially affected vehicles, including some Lincoln MKC models^[24].
Fuel tank bolts (15V605). Filed September 28, 2015^[25]. On cars built July 24, 2015^[25], the tank bolts may not be tight enough, so the tank straps could break and the tank could separate, risking a fuel leak and fire. Dealers tighten the bolts. Ford counted 203 potentially affected vehicles, including some Taurus and Lincoln MKS models^[25].
Parking brake (15V464). Filed July 24, 2015^[26]. On cars built May 4 to May 23, 2015^[26], the parking brake may not fully engage. If the car is left out of Park on a slope, it may roll away. Dealers test the brake and replace the control if needed. Ford counted 7,165 potentially affected vehicles, including several other models^[26].

Some of these cover only certain build dates, engines or states. Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see which apply to a specific car.

Fuel economy

EPA lists several versions of the 2016 Explorer. All use an automatic called S6^[27].

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
2.3L 4-cyl turbo, front-wheel drive^[3]	19 / 27 / 22	$3,050
2.3L 4-cyl turbo, all-wheel drive^[28]	18 / 26 / 21	$3,200
3.5L 6-cyl, front-wheel drive^[29]	17 / 24 / 20	$3,350
3.5L 6-cyl, all-wheel drive^[30]	16 / 23 / 19	$3,550
3.5L 6-cyl turbo, all-wheel drive^[31]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700

The 3.5L 6-cyl is also listed in flex-fuel versions that run on gasoline or E85. Those show the same MPG as the regular versions, at 17 / 24 / 20 for front-wheel drive^[27] and 16 / 23 / 19 for all-wheel drive^[32].

EPA's annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new.

Safety ratings

NHTSA gives the all-wheel-drive Explorer 5 stars overall, 5 for frontal, 5 for side and 4 for rollover, with a rollover risk of 17.4%^[4]. The front-wheel-drive version has the same star ratings, with a rollover risk of 16.4%^[33].

Engine and size

EPA's test car list shows two engines. The 2.3L 4-cylinder is rated 275 hp^[34]. The 3.5L 6-cylinder is rated 290 to 355 hp, depending on the version^[35].

Dimensions come from Transport Canada specifications, so they are Canadian-market numbers and can differ slightly from US models^[36].

Measure	All-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive
Length^[36]^[37]	198 in	198 in
Width^[36]^[37]	79 in	79 in
Height^[36]^[37]	70 in	70 in
Wheelbase^[36]^[37]	113 in	113 in
Curb weight^[36]^[37]	4,731 lb	4,557 lb

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Explorer model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	843	5
1996	1,450	6
1997	1,773	7
1998	2,085	9
1999	1,441	9
2000	1,026	10
2001	730	8
2002	3,572	7
2003	1,274	2
2004	1,408	0
2005	568	0
2006	635	1
2007	308	1
2008	171	1
2009	39	0
2010	146	1
2011	1,197	6
2012	829	5
2013	2,237	11
2014	1,682	6
2015	1,815	8
2016	2,483	14
2017	1,712	14
2018	737	7
2019	299	6
2020	1,245	35
2021	455	27
2022	272	25
2023	113	15
2024	21	10
2025	108	22
2026	42	15

Among all Explorer model years on file, 2016 has the second most complaints at 2,483^[2]. Only 2002 has more, at 3,572^[2]. The next highest are 2013 at 2,237 and 1998 at 2,085^[2]. The 2017 model year has 1,712 complaints^[2].

For recalls, 2016 has 14, the same as 2017^[2]. Several later years list more, including 35 for 2020, 27 for 2021, 25 for 2022 and 22 for 2025^[2]. The 2015 year has 8^[2].

Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold^[2].. Use these numbers as a rough comparison within the Explorer line only.

Should you buy a used 2016 Ford Explorer?

The 2016 Explorer has a high complaint count for its own model line^[2] and a long recall list^[2]. In the complaints we sampled, owners often describe sudden loss of power, so ask any seller whether it has happened and how it was repaired^[9]. On the plus side, NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall^[4]^[33]. Before buying, run the VIN for open recalls, especially the ones where the final remedy was still anticipated^[13]^[14]^[15]. Get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic, and check service records for the rear suspension and block heater recalls^[17]^[21]^[14]..

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Ford Explorer?: NHTSA has 2,483 complaints, and the largest groups are structure at 596, steering at 534 and engine at 487^[1]^[5]^[6]^[7]. In the sample of complaints we read, owners describe sudden loss of power and a power liftgate moving on its own^[7]^[9]^[5].
How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Explorer have?: NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2016 model year^[2]. Check the VIN, because some cover only certain build dates, engines or states^[17]^[24]^[26].
What MPG does the 2016 Ford Explorer get?: EPA combined ratings run from 18 MPG for the 3.5L turbo with all-wheel drive^[31] to 22 MPG for the 2.3L turbo with front-wheel drive^[3].
Is the 2016 Ford Explorer safe?: NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall, with rollover at 4 stars^[4]^[33]. It also has recalls for seat, suspension and trim issues, so check the VIN^[22]^[21]^[15].
Is the 2016 Explorer the worst Explorer year?: Only 2002 has more NHTSA complaints, at 3,572 against 2,483 for 2016^[2]. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so this is a rough comparison only^[2].

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 2,483 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Ford Explorer (39 mention a crash, 14 a fire, 59 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Ford Explorer model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Explorer FWD, 2.3L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
596 complaints name the structure component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 82,250). NHTSA vehicle records
534 complaints name the steering component group (10 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, median mileage at failure 57,300). NHTSA vehicle records
487 complaints name the engine component group (3 crashes, 3 fires, 13 injuries, median mileage at failure 27,750). NHTSA vehicle records
443 complaints name the unknown or other component group (10 crashes, 2 fires, 26 injuries, median mileage at failure 20,000). NHTSA vehicle records
217 complaints name the power train component group (6 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,000). NHTSA vehicle records
131 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 38,297). NHTSA vehicle records
105 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 10,000). NHTSA vehicle records
99 complaints name the air bags component group (7 crashes, 1 fires, 8 injuries, median mileage at failure 51,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 26V448, filed July 14, 2026: Structure › Body. NHTSA recall database
Recall 25V685, filed October 10, 2025: Equipment › Electrical › Engine Block Heater. NHTSA recall database
Recall 25V347, filed May 23, 2025: Structure › Body. NHTSA recall database
Recall 24V031, filed January 19, 2024: Structure › Body › Roof And Pillars. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V537, filed July 15, 2021: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V316, filed May 5, 2021: Structure › Body. NHTSA recall database
Recall 20V675, filed March 12, 2021: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
Recall 20V692, filed November 10, 2020: Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V435, filed June 10, 2019: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V767, filed November 29, 2017: Seats. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V475, filed June 28, 2016: Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V183, filed March 31, 2016: Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V605, filed September 28, 2015: Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V464, filed July 24, 2015: Parking Brake. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Explorer 2WD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 24 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Explorer AWD, 2.3L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Explorer FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 24 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Explorer AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Explorer AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Explorer AWD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Ford Explorer with 2.3L 4-cylinder: rated 275 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Ford Explorer with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 290 to 355 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EXPLORER 4DR SUV AWD: length 198 in, width 79 in, height 70 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,731 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EXPLORER 4DR SUV FWD: length 198 in, width 79 in, height 70 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,557 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 Ford Explorer: problems, recalls and fuel economy