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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
24 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,318 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Ford Explorer miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 2 of 19)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #342

Aug 182023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on the freeway at about 65mph, the driver side windshield Trim and Rubber Seal detached. The trim moulding flew off completely and the rubber trim began flapping against my driver window. Now I need to look into getting this replaced/repaired. Apparently this is a common issue with these model and year Ford Explorers. This is a serious issue that should be recalled and repaired by Ford immediately.

- West Bloomfield, MI, USA

problem #341

Aug 052023

Explorer

  • miles
The mouldings on the side of the windshield have detached multiple times. There is no warning lights, and I have been told by the dealership and outside repair shops that it is a common problem. Detachment of these parts puts other motorists at risk of injury. July 2021 driver side flew off on the highway - parts on backorder from dealership so they never repaired it. May 2022 had both sides replaced for $160 since they were done at time of windshield replacement. June 2022 passenger side flew off on the highway (no cost replacement since so soon after last replacement). August 2023 passenger side flew off on the highway and hit a semi, $100 repair quote.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #340

Jul 302023

Explorer

  • miles
On 07/30/2023 The right passenger front windshield trim plus rubber stripping flew off our 2016 Ford Explorer XL. We were travelling 60 mph down a mountain area from San Diego, CA heading into Yuma, AZ. The noise of the trim was so loud hitting the windshield then the windshield panel blew off and the windshield stripping blew off. We made sure no one was behind us as it could have caused damage if the cover would have hit car behind us. Vehicle inspection yearly and no signs of any areas of concern. No warning or signs of this part coming off.

- New Braunfels, TX, USA

problem #339

Jul 122023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on the highway, the passenger side windshield trim flew off hitting my windshield. I've been told by the police that it happens frequently on their vehicles, but never thought it would happen to me. It did. Now. I have to pay for the repair and it could have easily caused an accident, because it scared me so much that I swerved thinking something hit me. Which it did. My own car!

- North Bend, OR, USA

problem #338

Jun 302023

Explorer

  • miles
I was driving down Highway 90 in Houston Tx, doing roughly 60 mph when all of a sudden the drivers side window trim, I believe it's called a pillar, just detached and flew behind the car causing the cars behind me to swerve almost crashing into each other. When it detached, the car besides me abruptly swerved to the right almost hitting a car which caused them to swerve back towards me, almost hitting me which caused me to swerve towards the right almost hitting a concrete barrier. I drove maybe a block up, pulled over and had a panic attack. This could have been a horrific outcome and would have had to carry the responsibility, that's if I didn't get injured by the wall, things could have been very bad maybe deadly if EVERYONE wasn't paying attention. I'm actually mentally disturbed by this. There was no reason for the part to fly off, it just popped off on its own. This needs to be fixed immediately before someone dies.

- Missouri City , TX, USA

problem #337

Jun 142023

Explorer

  • miles
In the past week or two I have noticed the steering in my 2016 Ford Explorer starting to feel "heavy" and that progressed to being really stiff and kind of hard to turn. Called Ford and they advised to have the vehicle examined. Took the car to my preferred repair facility and there were no codes for an issue; they found my battery was bad and suggested changing it to see if that would help the steering. Battery was replaced and still issues with the steering, the mechanic at my facility said "the rack is still bad". I will make contact with Ford again however based on the number of complaints I see from others I am sure that will get me no where. It appears there are hundreds of complaints about this issue I see for the 2016 Explorers, and many others from prior years too. And these are just the people who have taken the time to complain. This clearly can turn into a large safety issue if people aren't able to control their vehicles while operating. I have no issue with making repairs to my cars, things break. I do have an issue with having to go into my own pocket to fix issues that are a known problem. While not safety issues I also have two other seemingly "known" issues with my car. The rear air conditioning line is leaking so my air is out; and the paint on my hood is bubbling and chipping away, apparently an issue with manufacture of the hood.

- Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, USA

problem #336

Jun 222023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving on Freeway 10 on June 23, 2023 around the Palm Springs area the passenger windshield side panel flew off. There were considerable wind gusts while driving at average traffic speed around 70 mph. The driver windshield side panel flew off on June 2020 on the same freeway also during wind gusts. I fixed the driver side panel by ordering a replacement part and used additional epoxy reinforcement which proved more effective than just original affixing as the part still remains affixed in place.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #335

Jun 192023

Explorer

  • miles
The windshield trim panel on passenger side suddenly flew off while I was driving on the highway. Apparently this is a focus of investigation already (Investigation: PE 23-001).

- Santa Cruz, CA, USA

problem #334

May 272023

Explorer

  • miles
My Ford Explorer 2016 windshield outer trim fell off while driving causing major danger on the highway.

- Canton, NY, USA

problem #333

Jun 142023

Explorer

  • miles
While driving at highway speed, about 70 mph, passenger side window pillar trim separated and flew off of a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited. Do not know if part hit other vehicles. Vehicle has approx 78,000 miles.

- Livermore , CA, USA

problem #332

Jun 102023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The gear will not go into Park. I put the gear in Park and the car started to roll. I looked at the dashboard and it said it was in Reverse. With the car in the Reverse position, it will not start.

- Pleasant Grove, AL, USA

problem #331

Jun 072023

Explorer

  • miles
The window trim/window pillars keep flying off on the interstate/highway!!! I-??ve replaced them multiple times and yet continue to fly off !!!! PLEASE RECALL AND REPLACE THESE ON THE EXPLORERS ITS SAD !!!!

- Port Charlotte , FL, USA

problem #330

Jun 052023

Explorer

  • miles
We were driving on the freeway and out of nowhere, the trim next to the windshield completely flew off on the passenger side of the car and then the driver side trim broke in half.

- Chino Hills, CA, USA

problem #329

Dec 012022

Explorer

  • miles
My check engine light keeps reading a evap code. I have replaced the evap throttle 3x-??s. My car smells of a gas leak coming from somewhere. I have taken it to Ford, and to two other mechanics. They claim that the check engine code is wrong and they cannot find where the fuel smell is coming from without the proper code. My check engine light turns on and off with the same error everytime. The evap code is not the problem. I have made a complaint months ago, and still nothing. Not sure what else I can do.

- Youngstown , OH, USA

problem #328

May 142023

Explorer

  • miles
A piece of the windsheild pillar trim flew off at highway speed on the passenger side

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #327

Apr 182023

Explorer

  • miles
I was traveling on I 95 at around 55 to 60 mph when all of a sudden, the plastic trim on the side of the windshield the passenger side flew off cracked and started dangling over my passenger side window and mirror. The piece blocked my view of my mirror while I was traveling in the left lane approaching a left exit. I had to pull to the left shoulder because I was blinded by the piece on my right and could not see if the lanes were clear for me to go right. I put my hazards on and had to get out on I-95 and remove the hanging trim so I could see through my passenger mirror again. The piece probably would have become a flying object at highway speed endangering any motorist behind or beside me.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #326

Sep 242022

Explorer

  • miles
Driving on bridge Tampa Florida when I heard a loud noise and briefly felt like I ran over something. Once at destination, discovered the driver's side panel between windshield and door was missing.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

problem #325

Apr 092023

Explorer

  • miles
Pillar Trim piece next to windshield on the passenger side flew off my car while driving the speed limit of 70 MPH on I-95 in Florida. The part flew off and hit the trailer of a tractor trailer in the neighboring lane. No one was hurt, but it's ridiculous that a trim piece that displayed no signs of damage would just fly off of the vehicle.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #324

Jul 152022

Explorer

  • miles
When I was driving at 55 mph with a 25 mph crosswind my windshield trim broke apart and got thrown into the on coming lane of traffic because the white retaining tabs holding the trim in broke and then some of trim held because of the attachment of rubber the rubber was torn a bit because of the trim ultimately failing.

- Grand Forks, ND, USA

problem #323

Apr 122023

Explorer

  • miles
Right windshield trim panel flew off on the ighway.

- Buena Vista, VA, USA

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