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#BS-2016-FOREXP-33C9

2016 Ford Explorer

Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 14 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
1,000
Crashes
18
Fires
10
Recalls
14
TSBs
195
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,000 complaints, 18 crashes, 10 fires, and 14 recalls. Complaint rate is 3.1x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

wrench light on

53 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
2

power steering failure

30 complaints • Severity 8.9/10

$X,XXX
3

transmission failure

22 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
4

steering fault access light comes on

12 complaints • Severity 8.8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SteeringHIGH

203 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 44K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

234
0–30K
199
30–60K
114
60–90K
66
90–120K
23
120–150K
12
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (234 reports) • Median: 44K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering (203 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering203 (20%)
Engine163 (16%)
Other151 (15%)
Structure:body75 (8%)
Drivetrain55 (6%)
Structure53 (5%)
Airbags49 (5%)
Fuel System41 (4%)

2016 Ford Explorer: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 2016 Ford Explorer, with 203 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 44,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 44K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 2016 Ford Explorer, with 163 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body Issues

Structure:body complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2016 Ford Explorer, with 75 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2016 Ford Explorer, with 55 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
15
84
16
130
17
97
18
132
19
90
20
73
21
99
22
151
23
133
24
10
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Ford Explorer. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (14 recalls)

15V464000Sep 2015

PARKING BRAKE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015, Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 21, 2015, and 2015-2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 4, 2015, to May 23, 2015. The affected vehicles have a parking brake that may not fully engage when applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

15V605000Oct 2015

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and 2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured on July 24, 2015. During vehicle production, the fuel tank attachment bolts may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the fuel tank straps may fracture and the fuel tank could separate from the vehicle.

16V183000May 2016

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Lincoln MKC vehicles manufactured November 25, 2013, to January 25, 2016, and 2016 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured October 20, 2014, to January 28, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines and engine block heaters. These engine block heaters have elements that may overheat while plugged in.

16V475000Aug 2016

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

17E048000Jul 2017

WHEELS:HUB

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.

+ 9 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Ford Explorer is the 2006 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2016 Ford Explorer vs. Class Average (Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

1,000

Class avg

325

3.1x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical standard sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 14 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Ford Explorer Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980197919781977
View all Ford Explorer years →

2016 Ford Explorer: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Explorer?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2016 Ford Explorer is related to the steering, with 203 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2016 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2016 Ford Explorer has 1,000 complaints, 18 crash reports, and 10 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 3.1x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Ford Explorer problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2016 Ford Explorer have any recalls?
Yes, the 2016 Ford Explorer has 14 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford Explorer problems start?
Based on 648 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 44,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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