Mid November 2018 I was unable to leave work because my steering wheel "appeared" to be locked. Cold weather really makes it act up. Upon restarting the car the steering returned to normal. Troubleshooting an electrical fault isnt always simple. The check engine light comes on after the vehicle drastically loses acceleration while driving. After this second instance we took the car to the dealership for servicing. Ford just kept it for almost three months because they couldn't determine what was wrong with it and now my 3 y' old car has a new engine. Bulky to drive, gets very bad gas mileage, has several blinds spots when looking back, the backup camera is a joke. You dont want to drive with these problems. Instead, an electric pump is used to pressurize the fluid, so steering is made easier. If you cannot find that information, it is okay to use an automatic transmission fluid type atf+4. If you have your owners OBD2 scanner, you can check the steering angle values from the sensor. red flags to look out for when buying a used car. I initially tried to identify if the steering wheel locking mechanism was to blame, but this was ruled out since the vehicle was actively in "drive" and no other issues were noted with the steering wheel. Extended warranty is the only way to go buying a newer vehicle these days. Given the lower mileage of my vehicle, this significant repair both from a safety and monetary standpoint would indicate this is a defect of the 2016 Ford Explorer, and it is unclear why this isn't the subject of a manufacturer recall based on other owner experiences found online. We love it so far but glad we bought it 2yrs old and almost half the price with 48k mi.on it. The Explorer recall is for a steering issue. He pulled to the side of the road. This is an expensive fix that owners claim happens at relatively low mileage. Had the power steering replaced FOUR times, twice due to recalls and twice they refused to admit were recalls so had to pay over $5,000 each time. But worse then all the issues I had with the car, was the Ford dealership. Please recall this dangerous defect! Its imperative that you run that vehicle through every single scenario that it would go through on a daily basis. Todays advanced safety features run off of the power steering, which is why the system is so important. The vehicle would always go into drive but had no steering. My 2016 Explorer has been the biggest POS I've ever owned. I was driving my 2016 Ford Explorer to the end of my driveway when the steering system locked up. Steering rack failed and I was unable to steer the vehicle. Usually, a fuse should not blow if there is nothing wrong, but it could simply be the result of a sudden voltage spike. My 2016 Ford Explorer turns fine while sitting at an idle, but when driving it becomes very hard to turn. However, its important to get a scanner compatible with the power steering assist system in your car model. Everyone I know who has this year has at least one or both of these issues. Also, the front seats are abnormally short with regards to their depth and the driver and passenger side windows are uncomfortably high and further away so its impossible to rest an arm. The contact stated that the electrical service light illuminated. Your final line of defense is to have the vehicle checked out by a mechanic in your area. If the light is on the dashboard, you can use your code scanner for hunting down the problem. So, when it came time for our summer vacation we actually considered renting a car because we still didnt think it was right. The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. If the power steering assist fault message appears on your dashboard, there is a fault code stored that tells why the light is on. First three months it had to have the throttle body replaced and sensors replaced in the bumper. 2016 Ford Explorer problems: most common reliability issues. Ford just announced two recalls involving almost 775,000 Explorer SUVs and another for 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator SUVs. You should also inspect the wiring and connectors making up the steering system. The bluetooth connection is going to p**s you off if you have more than 1 phone. Steve represents consumers, employees, and whistleblowers harmed by corporate misconduct in a variety of complex litigation cases. First instance was in mid December 2020. I was unable to move the steering wheel at all! Unreliable, service department is horrible to work with. If you are noticing a drop in fluid, you want to fill it back up and figure out whats causing the sudden drop. One small mistake can quickly create larger problems that will cause the repair bill to skyrocket. While driving approximately 70 mph, the power steering failed. Without strong upper body strength, you can easily have an accident. How to avoid: This issue is actually related to the power and throttle body issue noted above. and now it fails again. nearly-new cars at significant discounts off MSRP, Here Are The Chevy Avalanche Years To Avoid, The Top 3 Least and Most Reliable Car Brands, The Most Common Problems with Used Ford Explorers (And Which Year Models to Avoid), Nissan Frontier Towing Capacity: What To Know. Looking for your perfect car? After wrestling the car to a safe site I shut if off. Why are so many Explorers experiencing this problem, but it's not listed as a Safety recall? But once I started researching online, it was obvious to me that this should be a recall. It was quickly diagnosed over the phone but still took it to get looked at, at Ford . Drivers of 2017 Explorers have reported coolant leak, with repairs costing in the area of $500. "Steering Assist Fault" and Lane Keeping Sys. Ford dealership acknowledged that it was a very common issue and was easy to diagnosed . HA! It's not so much a noise and a sensation, and a slight grinding feeling on the underside of the vehicle. 2013 Explorers are not worth the money. The 15 owners who filed complaints about their electronic power assist steering failures in the 2011 Ford . Lets take a closer look at the system. Do not buy 2015 Ford Explorer! A cross-axis ball joint can potentially cause a fractured rear suspension toe link. We don't sell/share your email. 6 months later, it had to go back to Ford several times, because the backup camera would turn on when driving. Power steering is a modern marvel that many of us take for granted. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel seized. Now, I get that at least they have enough integrity to have recalls! Several messages appeared on the display such as driver assist failed, traction control on light enabled, traction control off light enabled, uphill assist message, and several others. While traveling the back roads of Connecticut, 3 alarms sounded and warning lights for 'Stability Control' and 'Hill Start Assist' appeared on the dashboard of my 2016 Ford Explorer. A mechanic will place the vehicle on a lift, run it through a battery of tests and perform a thorough visual inspection. Needless to say I replaced all four with Michelin's because the 2 tires I replaced at 12,500 miles were showing significant wear. The vehicle is available for inspection if requested. The repair cost to fix your power steering assist fault could be anywhere from $5 to $550 or more, depending on what the diagnosis shows. Power Steering Failure Causes. When you shop for a new or used car, CoPilot helps you know more. Its really silly. Ford just announced two recalls involving almost 775,000 Explorer SUVs and another for 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator SUVs. Can you drive with a power steering fault? Buyer please beware. And now theyre trying to determine the extent of it, and whether its actually a safety concern. If there was a problem, it was covered by the awesome warranty or it was a recall. 5. Download the CoPilot app and compare vehicles in your area, get notified about great deals, set alerts for new listings, and chat with experts for real-time advice. I have since done my research and this is a known problem with 2016 Ford Explorers, and Ford has yet to recall it or even acknowledge it. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2016 Ford Explorer based on all problems reported for the 2016 Explorer. Needs radiator replacement, headlight reassembled, body damage fixed, oil changed, suspension fixed, brakes and brake pads need done, need new tires soon, overheats, catalytic converter needs replacement, fuse number 43 needs replaced. CoPilot searches every car at every dealer, every day, and ranks them based on what matters to you. The problem with the engine, drive terrain, throttle body, and steering system, including pinions and racks, make this terrain management system bad. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. Handles horrible on water or ice. The auto defect attorneys at Gibbs Law Group are investigating reports of power steering problems in 2016-2018 Ford Explorers. Plus, there seem to be no recalls on the way for the 2017s coolant leak. Car Complaints reported at least four crashes due to this steering issue with the Explorer. There is so much maintenance to be done on it. After turning the car off and restarting it was I able to drive it. If you arent sure what you are doing, its best to visit a professional before anything else gets messed up. Dealer couldn't find the problem. There was a recall in 2014 for nearly 200,000 Ford Explorers from 2011 to 2013. Older systems have a belt that connects to the engine to draw energy. I am being forced to pay $2,381.50 for something that they know is a safety problem but they refuse to acknowledge. I had my car in for service 9 days earlier and they swear they couldn't detect the issue because it wasn't visible until they opened the assembly and saw the corrosion. Both the traditional and electrical power steering systems have pumps, even though they operate differently. Ford should be held responsible for issues like this. I was told this part is on back-order and it took approximately a week for the replacement steering rack to arrive. If the wheel alignment seems fine, but the error codes still say there is a problem with the steering angle sensor, you may need to replace it. Check the owners manual to figure out how often this should be. While it still has a hydraulic pump to push fluid, it doesnt absorb the energy created by the engine as the older types did. Long story short: they figured out something was probably wrong. I also had it aligned after putting new tires on it. The contact stated that the vehicle steering wheel failed when reversing out of the garage, the contact was unable to turn the steering wheel. Recall on door trim. Weve always been foreign car people. See the Back button blue bar at the very top of the page to explore more. No warning light was illuminated. They are not worth the money. My husband and I both started calling around, not trusting what we'd been told by the dealership, and we learned that this part was on back order and Ford Parts was in the process of shipping 250 nationwide but most were already claimed. The problem has to do with an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear. Late the following morning I got a call saying they found the problem, failed "Power Steering Rack". Apparently this is a problem because parts are not available. Maybe they have it sort then. It does not replace safe driving. There was no advanced warning. This problem started after shipping our vehicle overseas. I was a loyal customer- bought my vehicles at the dealer, had them all serviced at the dealer- just to be completely taken advantage of. I have a 2016 Ford Explorer and while driving on a highway, I had several alerts come on the . This involves Explorer SUVs built from 2013 to 2017. To avoid this, listen closely for any grinding of popping noises while test driving and ensure that the steering is able to fully lock in each direction easily as well. Also radio screen tends to go blank and have to restart car to fix. It was as if the steering was completely locked up. This time the errors showed up upon startup, and did not resolve upon restarting the vehicle. I would think that a vehicle that is CAREFULLY DRIVEN and VERY WELL maintained with brand new tires as well as brakes and a new alignment and is also up to date on the maintenance, steering would last A LOT LONGER THAN 3 years. 2017 Ford Explorer, gas terrible, tank very small, fill up lots. The company also announced two smaller recalls Friday of other models. What I hate is the ford sync. The 2016 Ford Explorer isn't all you think it is. A number of drivers have described their experiences online: The auto defect attorneys at Gibbs Law Group have over 20 years of experience representing drivers against major vehicle manufacturers such asHonda,General Motors,Hyundai,Toyota,Kia, andFord. 100% should be a recall at such a low mileage, just thought since police use them in their fleet they had to be reliable . The dealer called me later that day and informed me that the entire steering rack must be replaced and will cost $1750.00. Making up 323 complaints out of 1,214 total, steering issues are the leading cause of concern for 2016 Ford Explorer drivers.Reading through the complaints you'll find the same story over and over again: the owner is driving on the highway when suddenly the wheel becomes very stiff. The warranties on these vehicles are CRAP and to charge another arm and leg for the extended warranty is LUDICROUS! It costs me so much money to have it fixed by the dealer. 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