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Model-year warranty research

Is an Extended Warranty Worth It for a 2016 Ford Explorer?

Review estimated repair costs, owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications for this model year. The records describe submitted cases; they do not tell you how likely a failure is.

Run the worth-it calculator for this car →
2,464complaint reports
15recall campaigns
211manufacturer communications
6leading reported components
Animated diagnostic view representing the 2016 Ford Explorer

Model-year records

What the 2016 record can and cannot say

Owners submitted 2,464 complaints for the 2016 Ford Explorer in this database. That count lands about 2,109 reports above the median complaint count in these records, without adjusting for sales or time on the road.

Steering is the most common tag, attached to 504 reports, or 20.5% of this year's submitted complaints. Check that component's coverage terms; the share does not predict its chance of failure.

The largest applicable parts midpoint belongs to Engine replacement or major internal repair at $7,000. Coverage has value only if the administrator accepts both the component and the cause.

Problem research and repair guidance

2016 Ford Explorer: symptoms, affected vehicles and documented fixes

Match the symptom and the exact vehicle scope before arranging work. These files preserve the FixCatalogue research, with the manufacturer position, safe checks and original evidence available here.

1documented issue file
1vehicle system

1 recall file · 0 other manufacturer files. These are editorial file counts, not distinct campaign totals, failure rates or a complete recall history.

Body & structure

Official safety recall2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019Campaign 24V031000

Body or structural component may fail

The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

NHTSA campaign 24V031000 includes certain 2015 to 2019 Ford Explorer vehicles. 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. A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

Symptoms to compare
  • A body or structural part may feel loose, make noise or detach, although warning signs are not guaranteed
  • An open campaign appears when the complete VIN is checked
  • Some recalled vehicles may show no advance warning before the component fails

Other ways owners describe it: body panel feels loose; part hanging under car; rattle from body; roof part coming loose; body component detached; structure recall.

Which vehicles the source covers
  • 2015 to 2019 Ford Explorer
  • NHTSA campaign 24V031000
  • The manufacturer filing lists 1,889,110 potentially affected units across the complete campaign.
  • VIN eligibility determines whether this recall applies to an individual vehicle

Safety recall eligibility is based on the VIN and campaign scope, not ordinary warranty mileage. Check the complete VIN even when the vehicle is outside its original warranty.

Component in the source: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Published recall remedy

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.

Use the official recall remedyAuthorised dealer · Confirm with VIN

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.

Limit: Do not buy parts from the campaign description alone. VIN scope, superseded remedies and parts availability can change.

Check the complete VIN before arranging workBasic check · 5 minutes

Enter the 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup and ask the manufacturer or an authorised dealer to confirm whether the campaign is open for this vehicle.

Limit: A year, make and model match does not prove that every vehicle is included. The VIN result controls eligibility.

Evidence for this issue
  • 24V031000: Official campaign record for Ford Explorer

    NHTSA safety recall · Jan 19, 2024

    NHTSA campaign data lists the defect, safety consequence and manufacturer remedy. The manufacturer filing lists 1,889,110 potentially affected units across the complete campaign.

Open this problem file →

Source review: August 3, 2026

Confirm who pays before authorizing work

A recall remedy follows the campaign and VIN eligibility. A service bulletin provides diagnosis or repair instructions; it does not by itself promise payment. Manufacturer warranty extensions and support programs have their own conditions.

Compare recalls, bulletins and warranty extensions →

Keep a current problem separate from future coverage

These files do not supply a shop quote. Ask for a diagnosis and written estimate, then check recall remedies or existing coverage. A new vehicle service contract generally excludes pre-existing conditions.

Prepare a useful description for the mechanic →

Each file retains its original source review date. Historical remedy wording can change; check the current manufacturer notice and NHTSA VIN lookup for your vehicle. The separately dated NHTSA counts elsewhere on this page use a different dataset and scope.

Read the evidence for this vehicle

What can the data tell you about 2016 Ford Explorer?

No model-specific individual-repair price keys are retained for Ford Explorer in this library. Generic parts and labor estimates, public records and separate annual cost references may still be available.

Individual-repair price scopeGeneric inputs

Model-level range presence is a source-coverage check. It does not confirm that a repair fits every engine or model year.

EPA configuration match7 source rows

This model year can include different equipment. Use the VIN and original specifications to identify the actual configuration.

Documented repair pathsCheck the source

Recall and communication counts describe records. They cannot establish a breakdown probability or current VIN status.

Price-key audit reviewed October 12, 2026; EPA source snapshot 2026-08-07. Individual-repair ranges and annual repair-budget references are different datasets.

Cost-library audit

The evidence behind a repair estimate

In our 44-category library, 24 categories have attached published benchmarks and 20 use planning assumptions. The audit separates the appearance of a precise total from the strength and scope of its inputs.

44 repair categories in our current library; a content audit, not a market survey

See the analysis, charts and method →

Campaign-reference audit

One campaign can create many entries

In the selected collection, 1,186 files with extractable identifiers refer to 771 distinct campaign IDs. The difference is a counting-unit issue, not evidence of additional unique recalls or a vehicle's failure risk.

1,200 selected recall files; campaign references extracted from their evidence fields

See the analysis, charts and method →

Sources and methods

What each source tells you

NHTSA records: 2,464 submitted complaints, 15 recalls and 211 manufacturer communications. These are report counts, not failure probabilities.

EPA vehicle details: 7 matched fuel-economy configurations help us leave out repairs for equipment this model year does not have.

Repair-cost estimates: We model 32 applicable repairs beyond normal wear items, using published benchmarks where available plus parts and independent-shop labor assumptions. These ranges are not dealer quotes, repair-shop quotes or invoices.

Read the full research and repair-cost methodology.

Vehicle configuration

2016 EPA specification range

The official dataset contains 7 matched configurations for this model year. The range reflects trim and drivetrain choices, not changes to the complaint count.

Vehicle classStandard SUV
Fuel choicesGasoline and Gasoline or E85
Drive layoutsAll-wheel drive and Front-wheel drive
Engine range2.3 to 3.5 L; 4 to 6 cylinders
EPA efficiency18 to 22 mpg
Transmission typesAutomatic

EPA figures vary by configuration. Confirm the exact engine, drive layout and fuel system from the VIN or original window sticker. Source: FuelEconomy.gov vehicle data, updated 2026-08-07.

Estimated repair bills

Major repair cost range

These ranges combine parts and labor benchmarks with modeled independent-shop rates for Dallas, TX. We adjust supported repairs using published estimates for this model and leave out repairs that do not fit its model-year specifications.

RepairSystemEstimated range
Engine replacement or major internal repairEngine$5,860-$16,847
Transmission replacementTransmission$3,492-$11,122
Transfer case replacementDriveline$2,044-$8,129
Turbocharger replacementTurbo and Supercharger$1,520-$6,465
Head gasket replacementEngine$2,286-$3,619
Timing chain replacementEngine$1,895-$2,968
Catalytic converter replacementExhaust and emissions$2,241-$2,517
Steering rack replacementSteering$2,164-$2,584
Strut and control arm repairSuspension$946-$4,495
Fuel injector set replacementFuel System$772-$4,607

Compare years

Other Ford Explorer model years

202629 reports · 14 recalls202596 reports · 22 recalls202419 reports · 10 recalls2023107 reports · 15 recalls2022259 reports · 25 recalls2021419 reports · 27 recalls20201,205 reports · 35 recalls2019291 reports · 6 recalls2018726 reports · 7 recalls20171,688 reports · 15 recalls20162,464 reports · 15 recalls20151,779 reports · 9 recalls
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