2016 Ford Explorer Interior & seats Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH the drivers side B- piller had detached. The contact indicated that the B-piller trim stayed connected to the vehicle by a wire. After the failure the contact discovered that the rear hatch door would not longer open. The B-piller trim was reattached to the vehicle using duct tape. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

NHTSA ID

11741591

Incident

May 28, 2026

Mileage

119,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and occupied, while attempting to open the driver’s side door with the door handle, the door failed to respond as needed. However, when the button was pushed to unlock the vehicle, the door responded as intended. The contact stated that the driver’s side window failed to operate as needed. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,331.

NHTSA ID

11718484

Incident

Nov 17, 2025

Mileage

98,331 mi

Driver seat moves all the way forward on its own and the side view mirror moves out of range. This has happened while in the seat and car running. It happens intermittently. It scares the heck out of you and pushes you all the way into the steering wheel which makes it impossible to steer. You have to be quick in order to stop it and because it startles you when it happens the reaction time is not immediate. Very scary indeed!

NHTSA ID

11651232

Incident

Mar 26, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the second-row seat wiring harness plugs were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.

NHTSA ID

11582070

Incident

Sep 1, 2023

Mileage

109,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the driver’s side front door panel became loosened due to failed adhesive exposing wiring in the door. The front door lights remained illuminated while the door was closed. The contact stated that the rear door failed to open however, the door ajar light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and tape was placed on the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the Keyless entry door panel and actuary for the rear door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.

NHTSA ID

11574255

Incident

Dec 4, 2023

Mileage

195,000 mi

The heated seats went out. Took to mechanic shop, the wires burned out and also melted the fuse box. All that has to be replaced. Ford Dealership only sells the whole wiring harness which is over $1,000. With the wires burning out and then melting fuse box, lucky my car didn't burn.

NHTSA ID

11567847

Incident

Jan 8, 2024

The automatic tailgate in my Explorer Sport accelerates when closing creating a serious amount of force that could kill a small child or even an adult if striking them in the head or neck. I'm shocked that this hasn't been a recall issue for Ford vehicles because of the amount of speed and force this tailgate is generating. It hit my wife [XXX] ) in the head unexpectedly a couple of months ago when she was unloading groceries from the back of the car. Until then the tailgate functioned normally. I took the car to the dealer in Santa Monica and they said they did not see any safety issues but instead said I'd have to pay a couple of thousand dollars to replace the motor. This makes no sense since the motor is hyper functioning and it's more likely a failed safety sensor or actuator that's causing the motor to accelerate the tailgate closure. The internet has a method to reset the sensor by removing and then replacing the fuse, but I do not believe the dealer attempted that process. This is a severe safety issue that Ford should immediately address and fix. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11557013

Incident

Sep 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the door locks failed to open. The contact stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side doors failed to unlock as needed. The contact used the key fob remote to attempt to unlock the doors, but the doors failed to unlock. Additionally, the contact stated that she attempted to manually unlock the doors, but the doors failed to unlock from the inside or the outside. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the door lock mechanism had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the front driver’s side door failed to unlock, and the lock was stuck in the locked position. The contact attempted to manually unlock the front driver’s side door, but the door failed to unlock. The contact stated that she was concerned that during an emergency, she would be stuck inside or outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it remained. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

NHTSA ID

11541836

Incident

Aug 29, 2023

Mileage

141,000 mi

The airbag fault light on the dash of my 2016 Ford Explorer recently illuminated. I took it to Christian Brothers Automotive, who did a complete diagnostics check. They determined that the inflatable seat belt should read 2.2 Ohms but it reading at 5.5 Ohms, which is causing the light to illuminate. They stated that the inflatable seat belt needs to be replaced. This appears to be the same issue with a Ford recall notice issued on January 21, 2022 under Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 related to 2014, 2015, and 2016 Ford Explorers. However, my VIN does not appear on the list of effected vehicles and Ford is refusing to repair it under the recall until it is added to the list.

NHTSA ID

11536541

Incident

Jul 18, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after noticing that the seat heaters were inoperable, he saw that the heated seat module connector had melted. The contact also stated that the front passenger’s side seat controls were inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11517131

Incident

Mar 24, 2023

Mileage

120,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the third -row passenger’s side seat was not properly secured to the floor of the vehicle. The contact indicated that an unknown part used to attach the seat to the floor had fractured and the seat was no longer secured to the floor. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11501500

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

Mileage

50,000 mi

Vehicle right passenger area receives no heat, either from front heat vent nor does the seat heater function. Dealer replaced seat heat mechanism(s) that required software update. Update failed to resolve the problem. Outside temp is now -13°F. Dealer states they are awaiting dealer engineers to determine how to repair the problem.

NHTSA ID

11496894

Incident

Sep 27, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front seat inadvertently moved back and forth. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ID

11471604

Incident

Jun 29, 2022

Mileage

105,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the side panels on the rear passenger’s and driver’s side doors were cracked. The contact indicated that the failed body parts were attached to the vehicle by glue. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and agreed to cover half the cost of repair. The contact was then referred to NHTSA for further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11446905

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

Mileage

50,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact indicated that the rear power-folding third-row passenger’s side and driver’s side seats would not properly fold down and remain secured. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was also contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11446572

Incident

Jan 7, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

The driver seat advanced forward after hitting the preset button but did not stop. I was crushed between the steering wheel and the dash. There was only 3 inches between the seat and the dash for my knees. This is a major safety issue that caused bodily injury. It happened twice. I have video showing this issue but can’t seem to upload it to this site.

NHTSA ID

11437330

Incident

Sep 14, 2021

Plastic drivers seat mounting components have failed causing drivers seat to rock back & forth. Concerned that remainder of seat mounting system will fail and I will go through the windshield during a hard brake stop or cause me to swerve and hit or kill someone else.

NHTSA ID

11432410

Incident

Sep 7, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START-UP, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT INDEPENDENTLY ADJUSTED, TRAPPING THE CONTACT UP AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER WALKER FORD (17556 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL 33764, (727) 265-3992) BUT WAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS STILL AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 23,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER INADVERTENTLY CHANGED THE SEAT SETTINGS. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE AND DENIED CHANGING THE SETTINGS.

NHTSA ID

11406703

Incident

Mar 15, 2021

Mileage

23,000 mi

MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON MY DASH I HAVE PLUGGED IN AND UNPLUGGED ALL OF THE SEATBELTS RESET THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND IT STAYS OFF FOR A WHILE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE I UNDERSTAND IT IS EITHER A SENSOR OR THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WARMER/COOLER DOES NOT WORK, NOT SURE IF THAT ISSUE IS PART OF THE AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11390470

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

ON AUGUST 20, 2020, MY VEHICLE HAD LAST BEEN DRIVEN AROUND 12 NOON. IT SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH ALL OF US HOME. MY SON WENT TO GET IN THE VEHICLE AROUND 6:30 PM. SMOKE POURED OUT, THE SEAT WAS SMOLDERING AND FLAMES CAME UP. WE COULDN'T PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH EXTINGUISHER. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT HOSE ON SEAT. FIREMEN STATED THEY SEE THIS OFTEN WITH HEATED/AIRCONDITIONED SEATS THAT MALFUNCTION AND BURN UP OR CAUSE FIRE. FIREMEN STATED THEY COULD TELL THE WAY IT LOOKED "LIKE ALL THE OTHER HEATED /AIR CONDITIONED SEATS THAT IGNITE THAT THEY SEE OFTEN". INSURANCE COMPANY SAYS CAR IS TOTALED SINCE HOSE WAS PUT ON IT. FORD WILL NOT WORK WITH ME. NO ONE LEFT ANYTHING BURNING IN THE SEAT OR SMOKED IN THE CAR. I BELIEVE THE CAR HEATED/AIR CONDITIONED SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND FORD SHOULD HELP. I HAD PURCHASED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY FROM DEALERSHIP. WARRANTY COMPANY SAYS IF A CAR CATCHES FIRE, WARRANTY IS VOIDED, EVEN IF CAR MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE FIRE. INSURANCE COMPANY IS TRYING TO PAY AS LEAST AMOUNT AS POSSIBLE. THIS WAS A WELL CARED FOR, VERY NICE CAR. I BELIEVE IT MALFUNCTIONED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SENT ME A LETTER SAYING THEY HAD THE DEALERSHIP TAKE PICTURES, AND THEY FEEL IT HAD SOMETHING LEFT BURNING ON THE SEAT. NO ONE LEFT ANYTHING BURNING ON THE SEAT. IN THE LETTER FORD MOTOR COMPANY SENT ME BY EMAIL, THEY STATE THEY INSPECTED THE CAR. THEY NEVER CAME TO SEE THE CAR IN PERSON. THEY ONLY HAD THE SERVICE STAFF TAKE PICTURES. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL AFTERNOON. I ALSO BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY IN MY SUBARU AT 5:00 PM AND DID NOT SMELL OR SEE SMOKE AS I LEFT.. THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT IGNITED ITSELF HAD A STACK OF BUSINESS PAPERS AND SOME SOCCER GEAR THAT COULD HAVE OVERHEATED IF THE SEAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING TOO. THE SEAT IGNITED BY ITSELF. AS A CONSUMER I DESERVE TO BE ASSISTED. I WOULD LIKE THE CAR REPAIRED OR REPLACED W/SIMILAR CAR.*DT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND SETTLEMENT WAS OFFERED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

NHTSA ID

11374212

Incident

Aug 20, 2020

Mileage

58,000 mi

POWER LOCKS GET STUCK ON EITHER LOCK OR UNLOCKED NOT ALLOWING ME TO EITHER LOCK OR UNLOCK THE CAR DOOR ON DRIVER AND BACK PASSENGER DOOR. PLASTIC STRIPPING PANELS ON FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS ARE COMING OFF AND THE PANELS CONNECTED TO THE WINDSHIELD ON BOTH SIDES. POWER SEATS DO NOT HOLD THE MEMORY OF WHERE IT WAS LEFT. THE SEAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MEMORY BUTTONS ARE PRESSED OR IF THE KEYLESS CODE ON THE DOOR IS USED TO UNLOCKED THE CAR. KEYLESS ENTRY WILL UNLOCK WITHOUT TO CODE BEING TYPED IN CORRECTLY. USING THE FIRST THREE NUMBERS CAN UNLOCK THE DOOR. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN WILL THE CAR IS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11359957

Incident

Apr 16, 2020

DRIVERS SEAT ROCKS LIKE IT IS LOOSE

NHTSA ID

11319394

Incident

Mar 15, 2020

Mileage

45,000 mi

SEAT HEAT UNDER DRIVER SEAT KEEPS GOING BAD. ONLY THE SEAT BOTTOM, NOT THE TOP. I NOTICED AS THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS, THAT WHEN I HAVE THE SEAT IN THE FARTHEST BACK POSITION IT WORKS, BUT WHEN THE SEAT IS MOVED FURTHER IT PULLS ON THE WIRES. I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE CAUSING A SHORT IN THE WIRING, WHICH POTENTIAL COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD.

NHTSA ID

11309763

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

3RD ROW SEATS STOPPED WORKING, SEATS STUCK IN STOWED POSITION (SO I CAN'T GET TO MY SPARE TIRE.) NO MOTOR SOUNDS, REAR INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO STOPPED WORKING. WE HAVEN'T USED THE STOW FEATURE SO MUCH THAT IT SHOULD CEASE TO FUNCTION. WE HAVE REPLACED THE FUSE, NO CHANGE. BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO OPERATE THE 3RD ROW SEATS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, ALL OF THE OPERATION AND TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE THIRD ROW SEATS HAVE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND IN PARK.

NHTSA ID

11268806

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE LOCATION OF THE CONTROLS FOR THE THIRD ROW SEATS IS A PROBLEM. WHEN THE SEATS ARE DOWN, THE BUTTONS FACE THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND CAN BE BUMPED BY CARGO. ONCE THE SEATS START TO MOVE, THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THEM. THIRD, THE LAST TIME WE PUT THE THIRD ROW DOWN, THEY WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE SEAT POSITION WHEN WE PUSHED THE BUTTON. I LOOKED THROUGH THE CAR GUIDE FOR A MANUAL OVERRIDE, BUT THE STRAP THAT IS ON SOME CAR SEATS, IS NOT ON THE 3RD ROW SEATS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN PARK, AND THE ENGINE OFF, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND WHEN WE TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. BOSCH FORD IN TEMECULA HAD NO SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE, OR ANY PRICE RANGES FOR POSSIBLE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

11217090

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

56,000 mi