Model year guide

2016 Ford Explorer

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2016 Ford Explorer is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 105 on record.

2016 Ford Explorer — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2016 Ford Explorer at a glance

Safety recalls15
Owner complaints2,431
Combined20 mpg
Typical price$22,050

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2016 Ford Explorer recalls 15

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #19V435000 · 10/06/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numbe…

Wheels:hub NHTSA Campaign #17E048000 · 28/08/2017

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.

Fix: Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Seats:front Assembly:recliner NHTSA Campaign #16V475000 · 28/06/2016

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."

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.

Seats NHTSA Campaign #17V767000 · 29/11/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when th…

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting NHTSA Campaign #15V605000 · 28/09/2015

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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the fuel tank attachment bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S26.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine NHTSA Campaign #16V183000 · 31/03/2016

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.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine block heater, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and replace the electrical cord, as necessary. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S1…

Parking Brake NHTSA Campaign #15V464000 · 24/07/2015

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 comp…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the operation of the parking brake system, and if necessary, replace the parking brake control assembly, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall …

Structure:body NHTSA Campaign #21V316000 · 05/05/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.

Fix: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer …

Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft NHTSA Campaign #20V692000 · 10/11/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Explorer, 2014-2015 Taurus and 2014 Edge vehicles equipped with 2.0L or 2.3L engines and front wheel drive. The support bracket for the front drive axle halfshaft may fail.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the link shaft bracket, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners received an interim notification detailing safety risk December 8, 2020. A second letter will be mailed when parts become available in January 2021. The recall bega…

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #21V537000 · 15/07/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the …

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return …

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #20V675000 · 12/03/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired unde…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this …

Structure:body:roof And Pillars NHTSA Campaign #24V031000 · 19/01/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford c…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2016 Ford Explorer common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 2,431 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Steering
Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Wheels
Inspect wheels for bends, cracks and curb rash, and feel for vibration at highway speed.

2016 Ford Explorer MPG & running costs

Combined20 mpg
City17 mpg
Highway24 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,121

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2016 Ford Explorer worth?

Low
$16,450
Typical price
$22,050
High
$29,699

From 83 comparable 2016 Ford Explorer listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2016 Ford Explorer costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,605
Depreciation (5 yrs)$3,150
Total$18,755
Per mile$0.25

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($22,050) with the same model 5 model-years older ($18,878), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2016 Ford Explorer trims & engines on record

Trims
XLT · Limited · Sport · Base · Platinum · Police
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl 290 hp · 3.5L 6-cyl 365 hp · 2.3L 4-cyl 280 hp · 3.7L 6-cyl 304 hp

2016 Ford Explorer vehicles on record

Other Ford Explorer model years

2016 Ford Explorer — frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Ford Explorer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 15 safety recalls for the 2016 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

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

Based on 2,431 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are structure, power train, engine and engine cooling.

What gas mileage does the 2016 Ford Explorer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2016 Ford Explorer at about 20 mpg combined (17 city / 24 highway).

How much is a 2016 Ford Explorer worth?

Comparable 2016 Ford Explorer listings run roughly $16,450–$29,699, typically around $22,050 (from 83 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.