2016 Ford Explorer Fuel/propulsion System Problems
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2016 Ford Explorer, 4% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 10,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “throttle body” (15% of reports).
- 104fuel/propulsion system complaints
- 10,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 52%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Throttle body: mentioned in 16 of 104 complaints (15%)
- Carbon monoxide: mentioned in 12 of 104 complaints (12%)
- Limp mode: mentioned in 6 of 104 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems happen?
Based on 79 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 104 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Explorer fuel/propulsion system complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel/propulsion System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Explorer | 22 | 8% | — |
| 2021 Explorer | 19 | 4% | — |
| 2020 Explorer | 40 | 3% | 3,844 |
| 2019 Explorer | 14 | 5% | 3,150 |
| 2018 Explorer | 19 | 3% | 11,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 44 | 3% | 19,063 |
| 2016 Explorer | 104 | 4% | 10,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 86 | 5% | 30,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 62 | 4% | 27,700 |
| 2013 Explorer | 120 | 5% | 50,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 55,128 |
| 2011 Explorer | 35 | 3% | 53,067 |
| 2010 Explorer | 8 | 7% | 61,355 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2007 Explorer | 3 | 1% | 45,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 94,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 17 | 3% | 86,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 89,500 |
| 2003 Explorer | 3 | 0% | 85,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 18 | 1% | 107,204 |
| 2001 Explorer | 1 | 0% | 87,372 |
| 2000 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 85,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 2 | 0% | 220,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 3 | 0% | 85,001 |
| 1996 Explorer | 1 | 0% | 5,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 2 | 0% | 56,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists fuel/propulsion system for the 2016 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Truck turns off
Gas filler neck is loose, making it difficult to fill the gas tank without spillage. I don't recall how long this has been an issue, but it has been a problem for multiple years. There have been no incidents that preceded this problem.
On June 14, we drove our 2016 Ford Explorer from Tallahassee, FL to Boone, NC without issue. However, on [XXX], upon starting the vehicle, we noticed a gasoline smell. Concerned for our safety, we checked the car before leaving the neighborhood and discovered fuel pouring from the front. We parked…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Ford Explorers have fuel/propulsion system problems?
No. NHTSA has 104 owner complaints about fuel/propulsion system for the 2016 Ford Explorer (4% of the 2,461 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Ford Explorer fuel/propulsion system?
No recall currently lists fuel/propulsion system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do fuel/propulsion system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 10,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about fuel/propulsion system problems on the 2016 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “throttle body”, in 16 of 104 complaints, followed by “carbon monoxide” (12).
Other 2016 Ford Explorer problems
- Structure problems (591)
- Steering problems (532)
- Engine problems (382)
- Power Train problems (215)
- Electrical System problems (128)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (114)
- Air Bags problems (99)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (76)
See all 2016 Ford Explorer problems or fuel/propulsion system problems across all Explorer years.