FORD knows the PTU on the 2016 Model year has major issues and they should have issued a recall to fix it but they didn't. They modified the PTU in subsequent model years, then actually eliminated it.
2016 Ford Explorer 3.5 Liter (non-turbo) front wheel drive, automatic, 44k miles. Loss of power, the vehicle jerked and stayed in one gear. We limped the car home and let it cool down. After the car cooled down, we went on small test drive and confirmed it was shifting erratically. We took the car to the dealer and they confirmed a component in the transmission had failed, disabling the vehicle. Over $3,000 worth of repairs were made under warranty.
I bought a used 2016 Ford Explorer that had about 81k miles on it. I work from home and maybe drive it 10 miles a day. I had the Explorer for about 3 months and only put 2000 miles on it. The family and I were heading to go get dinner and went to accelerate after stopping at a stop light. Mid-acceleration, I heard a loud noise and then lost the ability to accelerate. I had to have the Explorer towed and then found out that the transmission needed to be rebuilt or replaced.
It is pretty sad that Ford cannot build a better product. This had less than 85k miles on it and the transmission goes out? Having to put more than $2k into a used vehicle that I just bought 3 months ago and barely put any miles on is pretty ridiculous. I am contemplating if I should just sell the vehicle and get a different brand like a Toyota that is more reliable.
Seems to be a common issue with Ford Explorers and transmission issues, yet Ford won't fix the underlying issue.
Honestly, not sure why I chose a Ford vehicle again anyways. My wife has an Escape and they are just junk.
First at 64,000 miles, over warranty, the computer system fried and I had to replace that whole thing. I’ve had weird oil leaks, then my rack and pinion went out so I replaced that.... then just last March at 90,000 miles my whole transmission went and I’m still waiting for that to get fixed. I’m a 45 year old night nurse... I don’t drive recklessly and have never had an accident. This car is a complete lemon and Ford refuses to help in any way... its cost me so much money! And the inconvenience of going months without my car while each of those MAJOR things gets fixed! I'm extremely disgusted!
MY 2013 Ford Escape had the same issue with the transmission, every time I took it to get checked out Ford Service could not replicate the transmission slipping...so it was all in my head!!!! RIGHT? So before the costly repair I traded it in on another FORD??? DUH? what was I thinking? On a used 2016 Explorer bought it in August 2018 with 36,000ish miles on it. By the next year the transmission started slipping, called my dealers service dept and they wanted me to bring it in and leave it with all the others they were repairing, inspecting for at least a week without any vehicle loaner. I had some major family issues with health and needing my vehicle to transport family members to and from chemo treatments and drs and kids to school functions that normally did not require my assistance, so I was unable to get it repaired at the time. Due to all that extra driving I ran out of MILEAGE on my WARRANTY!!! So now I am going to have to pay $5,500 to repair a transmission that the FORD Motor Company already knows are junk when they install them. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A FORD VEHICLE AGAIN!
- Denise T.,
Byron, US
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Initial issues was an issues accelerating. When accelerating to 3000 RPM, the RPMs would suddenly drop back to 2 and the car would lurch. Started experiencing issues when slowly decelerating like gears would not engage correctly. When starting the car and shifting into drive, the car lurched forward with a grind and the wrench dash light came on.
After researching this light could indicate major transmission issues so we had it towed to the dealer. End result was a rebuilt transmission and 30+ days for the repair at the dealership.
4 months later, car is experiencing the same acceleration/deceleration issues and is AGAIN having the transmission removed. Waiting for the verdict on this repair.
Initial issues was an issues accelerating. When accelerating to 3000 RPM, the RPMs would suddenly drop back to 2 and the car would lurch. Started experiencing issues when slowly decelerating like gears would not engage correctly. When starting the car and shifting into drive, the car lurched forward with a grind and the wrench dash light came on.
After researching this light could indicate major transmission issues so we had it towed to the dealer. End result was a rebuilt transmission and 30+ days for the repair at the dealership.
4 months later, car is experiencing the same acceleration/deceleration issues and is AGAIN having the transmission removed. Waiting for the verdict on this repair.
I took my car to our local dealership, due to a sound, like a grind of sorts, that was happening. They tried twice to find the issue, but said they could not. The car did not stop making the sound. I just continued to drive so I wouldn't sound like an idiot for being the one that could "feel" it change and hear the grinding. This was at 58,500 miles.
Fast forward to December 15, 2018 and the car, in the morning, when it was cold, started to "miss"... it would jerk, and act like it didn't want to go into gear. I took it to a local shop, and they said "you need to get this to the dealer - It's got black oil". So I took it to the dealer, and had to leave it there and wait until December 19, for it to be looked at.
They got it in on the 19th, and called to say the transmission was shot. That I needed to decide whether to replace the whole thing or repair it. Over $5000 to replace. $3580 to repair. I chose a repair, after calling The Ford Motor Co 1-800 to see if they would cover it. They said no "We dont have a program for that"... That meaning I am at 61,900 miles. 1900 out of warranty. I chose to have the car repaired, and they said they would order the parts. Waited a week. Car isn't even started. Called them back, and she said the gasket I need is on back order. Until January 29th! That is over a month since the drop off...
January 29th comes, and the dealership says that the back order date was removed. That they don't know when the part will come in. She said the supplier STOPPED making the part... What???? And they didn't have a back up company. They are trying to locate someone who can make the part! In the meantime, I find out that there is not just my car waiting for this part. There are now SIX Explorers waiting for the same part, and only ONE dealership! Are you kidding me???
While all this is going on I am paying for a rental car. I think I will have it a week maybe, but we are now going into two weeks of February!
I agreed to start covering the cost of the rental car on January 24th. at $35 a day! That's insane, and there is no end in sight!
I called back FORD motor company and they created a work ticket number, and said they can not help with the cost of the repair, or the rental car, but they can try to get the part to the dealership faster by calling the Parts Manager at the dealership... I've been there done that. They said last Wednesday, that they will call me on THIS Wednesday with an update. Yea a whole week to pass before they even plan to call me back!
I'm so incredibly disappointed. I have always had an American vehicle. But I am seriously considering going foreign for the first time.
Has anyone else had this issue? What the heck am I supposed to do with this mess.....
2016 Explorer Platinum. 72k miles. Engine surging on every warm start. Dealer not able to repair. Not sure what it is. Front windshield trim almost blew off, had to stop and pull it off then glue it back on when I got back home. Side lower trim on drivers door was falling off, plastic connectors broke. Infotainment system was extremely laggy and the GPS didn’t work at times. Even after dealer update it still didn’t work properly. Rear roof seal around back door hinges was cracking causing water to leak inside. Hood is aluminum and the paint will bubble on pretty much all Explorers and come off. Transfer case is a sealed unit not allowing for any servicing or fluid changes. Transmission did not shift smoothly and would probably need to be rebuilt, dealer checked software and said it was up to date.
I bought this car used and only kept it for a few months before trading it back in for a VW Atlas. Much better built vehicle and super roomy.
I’m very disappointed in the lack of quality from the Explorer and am ashamed that Ford would make a car with this many known issues and not covet under a recall. I’m so happy to be done with this car.
Huge bang then loss of transmission function at 16,000 mi in traffic. Dealership was terrible. Had to get regional customer service involved twice! Needless to say, once lease was up, I’ve gone elsewhere.
I have had my 2016 Explorer at the Ford dealer for transmission problems 4 times in in the past few months. The transmission was completly re built. Within weeks it started to slip. 2nd time they tried to send it home and the shifter would not engage or register on the dash. They told my husband it was due to the uneven pavement. Third time they again tried to send it home with the same shifter problems and now they have had it for weeks and cannot figure out how to fix it.
My 2016 Explorer Limited starting accelerating while driving. Called dealership to make appt. Taken in on 12/26/17, went on test drive with technician, and the Explorer didn't accelerate. Told that dealership will order device to capture whats going on and that I had to pay $2000 for this device. I quickly disagreed. Finally after gong back and forth with dealership, my Explorer was finally accepted at dealership on 1/30/18. Received call about a week and half later stating that they have observed the acceleration that is happening while driving and that they now have to drop my transmission, however, the transmission department is behind. As of 2/13/18, I am still in a loaner vehicle......
I was driving home from work in traffic and went to push the gas, all of a sudden the truck bucked, a transmission message popped up and everything shut down in traffic on a busy road. I turn on the flashers, put it into park, waited a few seconds and prayed it would restart unlike the last time when the throttle body went and I couldn't get out of the way. Luckily, it did restart and I got home. I was scared the rest of my 40 minute ride praying that it didn't happen again.
When I called the dealer who fixed the throttle body, I got the 'well have to bring it in and take a look at it' speech. OK great when, next week.......These 2 problems happened almost exactly 1 year apart. I love the truck, the way it drives but these 2 issues are super scary to have the vehicle just stop DEAD in traffic like it does. All I can do is shake my damn head.................
I paid over $50,000.00 for a Ford Explorer Sport. My husband wanted another Volvo, I opted for an American product. Without warning the transmission completely failed. I was driving through a busy intersection when it started to buck, I assumed it was related to snow on one of the many sensors. Approaching a notoriously dangerous merge of RT 95 & RT 395 in Connecticut, the car barely responded when I stepped on the gas, and I am fortunate it was a holiday with limited traffic. I parked the car to clear off all of the snow, when I got in to back it out of the spot, it would not move. No indicators of a problem were lit up, the car just would not move.
It was towed to a local dealership, where it has sat for the past two weeks. They say it is a "transmission issue", and they are awaiting parts.
Total Transmission Failure on 2016 Ford Explorer Limited with 17k miles.. Unreal.. Very poor customer service from the dealer and FORD.. No loaner.. Transmission still seems like something is wrong but have had no advice from dealer or FORD..
Update from Jul 9, 2017: Transmission Failed Again @ 26k miles after complete overhaul @ 17k miles.. What is wrong with this car???
Ford is an absolute joke. First the throttle body fails at around 4000 miles. Now the transmission failed at 10000 miles. I was lucky to not have it break down on the Parkway and instead 3 minutes away from my home. Got it towed to Ford, and they can't even provide me with a loaner car. No ETA on the repair either. Disgraceful!
Car died [again on a freeway on ramp], stumbled and would only work in higher gears. Limped into dealer where car sits now. They say there's a TSB out on this issue but can't find it. If there's one more major failure on this new vehicle it's going to the dump, it's not reliable.
The throttle body was replaced at 3400 miles. My transmission went out at 9700 miles and several parts were replaced. Looking back at past problems with Ford and their transmissions, they have been having MAJOR problems with their transmissions since 2002. Come on Ford, get your crap together. I have retained a Lemon Law Lawyer and am currently waiting on the status for that, for which we are asking for a complete refund, then I will be looking for a GM vehicle once again.
My 5 month old 2016 Explorer XLT stopped moving while in drive. It hesitated and would only go about 1mph forward while in D and I tried S. I turned the car off thinking may the computer lost it's mind as that used to happen in my Escape. I waited a minute or so and turned the car on and the same problem, the car will not move in Drive when pressing the gas. It had the wrench dummy picture showing in the message area. I called the tow truck and had it towed to the dealer. Waiting to see their assessment. I lease new cars just so I don't get stuck on the side of the road. Damn it!
Update from Aug 22, 2016: They ended up replacing the Electronic Throttle Body (ETB) which thankfully was in stock and covered under my warranty. Just got it back and I'm hoping it's a new part and I won't be stranded again after another 6K miles.....
Bought a 2016 Ford Explorer Sport. Really nice ride until transmission went ou at exactly 4000 miles.
Ford customer service was horrible. No loaner, no expedient repair. I am in my 2nd week of waiting.
Take a lesson from BMW , Lexus or others that know how to handle customer service. I was told " t happens a lot but FORD know how to fix it. They have a kit for it!" It happens alot?? 4000 miles and a transmission blows up? No loaner car at 4000 miles either!. I cana pay my lease amount and also pay Enterprise for a rental.
Really disappointed. Will move to a German made vehicle next time.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
FORD knows the PTU on the 2016 Model year has major issues and they should have issued a recall to fix it but they didn't. They modified the PTU in subsequent model years, then actually eliminated it.
- Bradley H., Dublin, US