2016 Ford EXPLORER
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2016 Ford EXPLORER has 3000 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.9x the segment average of 1024. The most common issue is body/structure problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2016 ford explorer. while the vehicle was parked, the liftgate automatically closed independently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact stated that the failure recurred several times. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. . ⚠️ 18 fire reports filed.
3000
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
5/5
Safety Stars
2.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
BODY/STRUCTURE
572 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE LIFTGATE AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.
- • THE AUTOMATIC LIFTGATE FUNCTIONED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY OPERATOR INPUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. ALSO ONE INSTANCE OF LIFTGATE CLOSING ON HEAD. FORD CLAIMS THEY ARE AWARE OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND IS WORKING ON A FIX.??? IF THE OPERATOR WERE NOT AWARE T
- • WINDOW TRIM CAME FLYING OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. AT 300 MILES ON THE VEHICLE THIS WAS VERY SCARY. NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE TRYING TO GET TO THE SHOULDER CARS BEHIND HAD TO DEAL WITH THE FLYING PIECE OF TRIM THAT FLEW OFF OF OUR CAR HIGHWAY NO TURNPICK IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE LIFTGATE AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2016 Ford EXPLORER
Based on 1,881 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 47K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
ENGINE
OTHER
TRANSMISSION
ELECTRICAL
FUEL SYSTEM
SPEED CONTROL
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Charging Cost Calculator for 2016 Ford EXPLORER
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Ford EXPLORER
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Ford EXPLORER Service Intervals
IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2016 EXPLORER, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
EV Incentives for 2016 Ford EXPLORER
Updated 2026-07Federal Tax Credit (Section 30D) — Expired 2025-09-30
Section 30D new clean vehicle credit ($7,500 max) expired for vehicles acquired after Sept 30, 2025 per Public Law (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). Vehicles acquired on or before that date remain eligible on the buyer's 2025 return. No federal purchase credit exists for post-9/30/2025 acquisitions.
State-Level Incentives (Still Active in 14 States)
Source: US Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center + state DOR / DEQ program pages. Program details and eligibility limits change frequently — always verify with the linked source before purchase.
Videos About the 2016 Ford EXPLORER
Videos hosted on YouTube — embedded via official playerVideos are hosted on YouTube and embedded here via YouTube's official player. BestCarRank does not host or produce these videos. Watch counts and channel information are pulled from YouTube's public Data API.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 3000 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE LIFTGATE AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: WHILE MAKING A TURN ON A LOCAL STREET POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAITED A MINUTE AND RESTARTED NO FURTHER ISSUES. I HAVE OWNED MANY EXPLORERS INCLUDING 11-13 AND NOW 16. THE 16 HAS 12K MILES ON IT.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: RADIATOR COOLING FAN SQUEALS LOUDLY WHEN CAR IS IDLE OR DRIVING SLOWLY. CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE SHOP TO REPLACE THE FAN ONCE. NEW FAN BEGAN SQUEALING AGAIN WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING AFTER REPAIR. CAR ONLY HAS 4000 MILES ON IT. HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS OF FAULTY COOLING FAN BEARINGS. AF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: SEPT 31ST - WITH 358 MILES AND LESS THAN OWNED FOR 24 HOURS ALL ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT FAILED, FLASHING ABS FAILURE LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL. OCT 1ST CAR TAKEN TO JCLEWIS FORD IN SAVANAH,GA, WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS LATER AND WAS TOLD TO PICK THE CAR AND THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS TO REAL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford EXPLORER — Year Comparison
How does 2016 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 3000
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 18
- Crash reports
- 41
- Injury reports
- 71
- Segment avg
- 1024
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2016 Ford EXPLORER