2016 Ford Explorer Steering

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or to the right. The contact stopped and turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice and during the second failure the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

The car had ongoing issues with a warning sensor that stated Steering Fault - Service Now. There was also a clinking noise when driving straight and then turning right. Took car to dealer repair show and they ran a diagnosis report (I assume they did). It was reported that it was an internal fault with strut bearings and installed a bracket that was suppose to remedy the issue. Since then I would get the Steering Fault warning but it would happen and then not show up for several months. Recently 8/2025 the error message showed up again while driving about 30 mph. At that time my steering locked. I turned off the car and started it again and it seemed fine. My husband and I test drove it short distances and there was no issues. Then I drove it down the road that I was on when it happened a couple days earlier (since it was a hilly road I thought it caused something to come loose thence the warning). I stopped at a vegetable stand and when restarting the car I received the steering warning again. I turned the car off and then on and proceeded down the road. Within a few feet the warning flashed on and also warning that said Service Advance Trac and Hill Start Assist Not Available and Terrain warnings. I took the vehicle back to the dealership again 9/4/2025 at this time I had 93,300 miles on it. They ran a diagnosis report on it and said I needed to replace the Steering Rack at a cost of over $4000.00 plus fees for alignment, etc. FIRST OF ALL - I think this should have been diagnosed when the car was in for steering issues in 2022 - Especially since Ford was aware of issue with the Steering Rack and it is a serious safety issue. SECOND - There should have been a safety recall for Steering Racks on these vehicles. I'm only fortunate that this did not happed when driving on a highway higher speed.

Steering gets really hard and jerks acts like the steering isn't working

Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding my 2016 Ford Explorer (VIN: [XXX] .) Build Date: (08/15.), Mileage (115,262.). My vehicle has experienced a steering rack failure, which poses a serious risk of loss of steering control. I am aware of multiple recalls (such as 20v-675 / Ford 20S62 and 21V-537 / Ford 21S32) Addressing rear suspension toe link fractures in 2016 ford explorers. These recalls cover vehicles built in the same timeframe as mine, but my VIN is not included. This exclusion is concerning, as both the steering rack and suspension defect involve loss of steering control and directly impact driver and passenger safety. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate: 1. Why certain VIN's, including mine, were excluded despite being manufactured in the recall window. 2. Whether steering rack failures in the 2016 ford explorer should also be subject to an official safety recall. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety matter. I look forward to hearing from somebody. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering assist functionality, and the steering wheel was stuck while attempting to turn the steering wheel to the left or the right. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact spoke with the dealer and was informed that the power steering assist had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering functionality. The contact stated that the message “Power Steering Failure - Stop Driving Vehicle” was displayed. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal steering gear head failure. The dealer performed the steering gear replacement and realignment. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer later informed the contact that no assistance would be provided. The failure mileage was 65,964.

I was driving the family and about to enter the highway when my steering started to feel like there may be a problem. The steering started to feel like it was sticking. I turned around and headed back home (about 4 miles) by the time I entered my street, steering failure warning lights started on the dashboard. I had to come to an abrupt stop because the steering wheel would not turn to pull in my driveway. We had to dolly the rear of the car over so i can pull straight into my driveway. I can not even imagine what would have happened if I did not turn around to head home. If this happend on the highway or on a ramp, I could have become devestating.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with electronic power steering control module failure. The contact was informed that that the independent mechanic found that the EPS control module was water damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V286000 (Steering), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 135,000.

I was at Apple Ford of Lynchburg, VA when I grabbed the steering wheel to exit the vehicle when the steering wheel came loose and began to wobble up and down, making the car impossible to control safely. The Service Department and I came to the conclusion that this may represent an apparent safety issue that must be addressed.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway at approximately 1-2 MPH, there was a loud, abnormal humming sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was pulling to the side. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the vehicle failed to turn to the left or right, and the steering wheel was stiff. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and pulling into a parking spot, the steering wheel was stiff. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and restarted without the failure recurring. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for maintenance on the brakes, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,500.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while turning the steering to the left or right while driving at various speeds and while the vehicle was idling, the steering wheel seize approximately a quarter way into the turn. The driver had to manually turn the steering wheel to continue the turn or to merge. The failure occurred intermittently but became more persistent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer who confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Vehicles steering is extremely difficult to turn, power steering fluids have been checked and changed out as well. Issue persists in high and low speeds

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 144,337.

When driving the steering would loose power and would not respond. Warning message said power steering failed. Dealer checked and verified that the steering rack and pinion are bad.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The power steering unit failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering rack. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering rack. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 45 -50 MPH and attempting to merge towards the left around a curved road, the power steering was seized. The steering assistance failed and to service the steering assist warning illuminated. The contact continued to drive and the power steering self-corrected as they continued to drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering assist had failed. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who replaced the power steering unit with an aftermarket part. Approximately one year later, while driving approximately 40 MPH when the failure reoccurred. The contact managed to slightly loosen the steering wheel, however, while continuing to drive, the steering wheel would continue to stiffen causing them to have to aggressively maneuver the steering wheel. The same warning lights had illuminated. After the vehicle was driven home, the steering wheel completely seized. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and filed a case. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering failed to function as intended. The contact heard a squeaking sound while steering the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle became undrivable. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with power steering assist assembly failure. The contact was informed that the power steering assist assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were on back order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

Steering has become extremely rough and sticks, dangerous to drive because it sticks hard and may not straighten out easy sometimes. Will take to dealer soon, suspect rack and pinion failure.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became abnormally stiff, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The power steering malfunction warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with steering gear internal failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall for the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Took my 2016 Ford Explorer in to get A/C fixed and investigate "clunking" noise heard when turning. Dealer service rep informed me that the entire rack and pinion steering assembly needed to be replaced at a cost of ~$3200. When I asked if I could just ignore it and not get the work done (as this is quite expensive), I was told that I didn't have to get the work done but, I would be in danger of losing steering control of the vehicle. Upon doing research, online, to see if this was a normal cost, I found that there were many consumers who had the same issue. Some of these dated clear back to 2017 with low mileage. This is only a year after this vehicle was released. Even if that was the 1st complaint made, Ford has had 7 years to investigate this issue and, one would hope, issue a voluntary recall to fix it since it is a major safety issue.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made a loud rattling sound. The contact stated that several unknown messages were displayed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became abnormally stiff, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with rack and pinion failure. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,700.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering had failed, and the steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Power steering started to make creaking sounds when turning the steering wheel right or left. Speed not a factor. I was concerned that something might be seriously wrong so took to local mechanic. Need to replace the rack and pinion steering gear. Took a week to get the parts. Cost 2500.00 to fix. Now it needs to go back for a redo cause there are issues with the electronics. Must wait another week for replacement parts. Must redo rack and pinion and recalibrate computer. Ford has to do it as local mechanics don’t have the the proper calibration computer. Platinum version. Just shy of 52,000 miles.This should be on fords recall list.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel made abnormal grinding sounds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,400.