NHTSA Safety Recalls
2016 Ford Explorer Recalls
The 2016 Ford Explorer has 15 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on July 14, 2026.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2016 Ford Explorer. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 15
- Owner complaints
- 2,463
- Crashes reported
- 39
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
14 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2016 Ford Explorer, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
15 recalls on the 2016 Ford Explorer
Structure: body
- Campaign
- 26V448000
- Reported
- July 14, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 288,314
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2017–2019 Explorer
Equipment: electrical: engine block heater
- Campaign
- 25V685000
- Reported
- October 10, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 59,006
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2017–2018, 2020–2023 Explorer, 8 other models
Structure: body
- Campaign
- 25V347000
- Reported
- May 23, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 492,145
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2017 Explorer
Structure: body: roof and pillars
- Campaign
- 24V031000
- Reported
- January 19, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,889,110
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2011–2015, 2017–2019 Explorer
Suspension: rear
- Campaign
- 21V537000
- Reported
- July 15, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 631,176
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2013–2015, 2017 Explorer
Structure: body
- Campaign
- 21V316000
- Reported
- May 5, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 616,967
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2017–2019 Explorer
Suspension: rear
- Campaign
- 20V675000
- Reported
- March 12, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 454,941
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2013–2015, 2017 Explorer
Power train: axle assembly: axle shaft
- Campaign
- 20V692000
- Reported
- November 10, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 15,587
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2014–2015 Explorer, 2 other models
Suspension: rear
- Campaign
- 19V435000
- Reported
- June 10, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,194,173
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2011–2015, 2017 Explorer
Seats
- Campaign
- 17V767000
- Reported
- November 29, 2017
- Vehicles affected
- up to 177,264
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Seats: front assembly: recliner
- Campaign
- 16V475000
- Reported
- June 28, 2016
- Vehicles affected
- up to 5,280
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 202, head restraints
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- Campaign
- 16V183000
- Reported
- March 31, 2016
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,543
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- Campaign
- 15V605000
- Reported
- September 28, 2015
- Vehicles affected
- up to 203
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2 other models
Parking brake
- Campaign
- 15V464000
- Reported
- July 24, 2015
- Vehicles affected
- up to 7,165
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 135, light vehicle brakes
- Same campaign
- also 2015 Explorer, 4 other models
Wheels: hub
- Campaign
- 17E048000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2011–2015, 2017 Explorer
2016 Ford Explorer complaints by year
NHTSA has received 2,463 owner complaints about the 2016 Ford Explorer, the newest on October 22, 2026. Of these, 39 describe a crash (2%) and 14 a fire; owners reported 59 injuries.
In complaints about the 2016 Ford Explorer, the component group named most often is the structure (24%), followed by the steering (22%) and the engine (16%).
4 of the 2016 Ford Explorer's 15 recalls also concern the structure.
Where 2016 Ford Explorer owners gave the mileage (1,503 complaints), the median was 49,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Structure591
- Steering532
- Unknown Or Other432
- Engine382
- Power Train215
- Electrical System129
Complaints received, by year
| 2015 | 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 213 | |
| 2017 | 260 | |
| 2018 | 182 | |
| 2019 | 229 | |
| 2020 | 167 | |
| 2021 | 158 | |
| 2022 | 197 | |
| 2023 | 313 | |
| 2024 | 270 | |
| 2025 | 345 | |
| 2026 | 125 |
Complaints about the 2016 Ford Explorer peaked in 2025, when NHTSA received 345. 36% arrived between 2015 and 2019, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2016 vehicles, the 2016 Ford Explorer drew 3.4× the complaints of the median Ford Explorer year in the same window: 1st highest of the 23 ranked years.
That makes 2016 one of the Ford Explorer years to avoid by our method.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★★
- Frontal: 5/5
- Side: 5/5
- Rollover: 4/5
The 2,463 complaints about the 2016 Ford Explorer are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Ford Explorer by model year
Other 2016 Ford models
Newest record on this page: October 22, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted