2016 FORD EXPLORER Steering Problems

POWER STEERING RACK - The steering wheel turns hard and does not return to straight on corners without heavy assist. The tires or bearings are loud when turning.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while making a right turn, there was a grinding sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 96,500.

I have had a malfunction with what may be the front right break or steering component. Occasional metal on metal/grinding noise made when making a hard right turn or reversing left. Vehicle had been taken in a few times after purchase (Honda dealership), sound was duplicated but no issue detected by mechanics. Vehicle has been taken to ford and no issue detected. No warning lamps have ever come on.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 21V316000 (Structure), 21V537000 (Suspension), and 19V435000 (Suspension). The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was restarted and returned to normal operation. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Vehicle is experiencing a loss of power steering at all speeds. Steering stiffens and loosens erratically. Repair shop reports failure to electronic steering system and state that a replacement of the electronic steering gear assembly is required.

The steering felt stiff as I was pulling out this morning. It was fine yesterday, and today it felt as if the lane assist was trying to be active when it didn't need to be; I can street the car, but it feels like it's constantly trying to correct the course and keep the car going straight forward. I tried turning off the land assist to see if it changed, but didn't really see a difference. Speed did not matter; it was noticeable at all speeds. The car was recently repaired due to a turbocharger failure, and at that time they discovered and also repaired the front drive shaft; it has operated perfectly until today.

While driving on the interstate and set MPH were 55, a series of notifications popped up on my dashboard. One stated “Steering assist fault repair required.” After I hit Ok to clear the screen my steering wheel tightened up and locked and caused me to almost crash into another family. We were able to move it to a safe location.

While driving/turning vehicle becomes hard to steer as if power steering is failing. It will tighten up and loosen consistently. Most noticeable when turning or shifting lanes. Started out being occasional then increased within a couple weeks. On occasion, there is a faint winding noise coming from the steering column. No noises noticeable from the outside as of yet. Mechanics can not figure out the issue. No codes or visible failures.

Power steering gear rack assembly failed. Lost power steering assist when turning at intersection and almost lost control of vehicle to collision and pedestrian injury. Power steering assist recovered after engine shut down and restart and again lost power steering when driving around curve and almost collided with on coming traffic head on. Afterwards the power steering did not recover and it was confirmed defective and replaced by Midas repair shop. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms prior to failure. The messages that appeared on the dash display after failure are: 1. STEERING ASSIST FAULT - SERVICE REQUIRED. 2. HILLS START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE. 3. SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC.

In the past week or two I have noticed the steering in my 2016 Ford Explorer starting to feel "heavy" and that progressed to being really stiff and kind of hard to turn. Called Ford and they advised to have the vehicle examined. Took the car to my preferred repair facility and there were no codes for an issue; they found my battery was bad and suggested changing it to see if that would help the steering. Battery was replaced and still issues with the steering, the mechanic at my facility said "the rack is still bad". I will make contact with Ford again however based on the number of complaints I see from others I am sure that will get me no where. It appears there are hundreds of complaints about this issue I see for the 2016 Explorers, and many others from prior years too. And these are...

The power steering assist failed and malfunctioned. Power steering assist does not work either standing still or driving. Turning engine off and back on corrects the problem but problem comes back without warning when driving. This conditions creates dangerous situation of crash or injury. No inspection has been done yet but will have it repaired tomorrow. Warning message on dash says, "Loss of Steering Power Assist". Also, messages light up, "Service Advance Trac" and "Hills Start Assist Not Available" There were no prior warning lamps or messages of symptoms of problem prior to failure.

We are hearing a loud noise on our '16 Ford Explorer Platinum when turning the steering wheel. It only has about 62,000 miles. The Service department at our local Ford Dealership stated that the noise likely means the Steering Rack could lock up at any time while driving. It could happen soon or never. The cost to repair is about $3000. It is a common & known issue on this Ford model. How can this not be on a safety recall? If the vehicle is in the middle of traffic when the steering locks up, it could be tragic, possibly causing an accident that could take lives. There are no warning lamps or messages warning of any issues. Are we to pay $3000 for the replacement part & labor with just a possible guess of what defect the noise may cause? How is Ford not responsible to repair this known...

Steering freezes or goes stiff through turns as if power steering is failing. Grinding noise while turning wheel at lower speeds. Online research points to rack and pinion failure. Steering issue has gotten progressively worse over months. Started as a slight hesitation while going through turns at a reduced speed but has progressed to more frequent steering issues at all speeds.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Lane Keep Assist warning light illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that this was a common failure with the year, make, and model vehicle. The dealer was able to duplicate the failure, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

Steering wheel started to make noises and becoming stiff when turning left or right. No warning or indicator lights are showing. Next day Steering wheel was locked & wouldn't move. Ford dealership serviced the vehicle & said it was the lower steering shaft. I paid to have it fixed. Then the dealership said the steering rack needs replaced & there was no way of knowing it until the lower steering shaft was replaced. The steering rack was recalled on other 2016 Ford Explorers & I don't understand why it wasn't recalled on mine since it's having the same symptoms. Ford said I'll know when to replace it because the power steering will go out. There's no way this car is safe to drive. Let alone to be advised to drive it until the power steering goes out.

The rack and pinion has gone up with only 60,000 miles on the car. Steering control was lost The problem has been confirmed by the dealer No warning lights went on the steering wheel started grinding and steering control was limited.

Vehicle is undriveable due to the steering system locking up as so many others have reported. Started as just being stiff during turns and is not completely locked, and the dealer claims they cannot get parts to repair and there is no recall.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that extra effort was needed while steering the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

I had my ford explorer 2016 for only 2 years and the rack and pinion already failed. Luckily I wasn’t on the free way when it failed on me and it would be a safety hazard. I heard clanking noise whenever I steer the steering wheel. My Dealership can’t replace it due to a extended warranty not valid anymore

After turning left at a stop sign I lost the ability to turn the wheels right. The steering wheel turns all the way to the right however the wheels stop in the straight position. I am however able to turn the all the way to the left.

The vehicle became very difficult to steer while on the freeway and then the steering system completely failed. I was able to safely get off the freeway, but I was lucky. This could have been devastating. There were no warning lights until the system shut down. The system issues match exactly the complaints of those who experienced issues with the rear toe link. I live in California, in the Sierra Nevadas in an area with high snow and brine (corrosive) used daily in the winter. The recall is not showing in my area because Ford has deemed all of California as a non corrosive area. This is an extremely dangerous, recognized safety issue which I was not given notice of the recall because Ford mis-catergorized all of California as a non-snow area.

The power steering has a tendency to go out at random, the wheel goes stiff mid-turn.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power of steering assist, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to her face. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the parts to do the repair were not available. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V435000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The electronic Power Steering randomly goes out. It has caused the need to make immediate stops. It comes and goes, but strangely seems to work just fine when it is raining. Otherwise, it goes from power assist, to choppy assist, to no assist. This causes loss of steering control (dangerous). There are various similar complaints online via forums for the 2016 Ford Explorer, which seems to be common danger that these vehicles have. This started mid-December 2022 and has continued.

Ford has a recall active until July 2023 involving steering components. The recall was repaired, however the same part failed within 8 months. Ford has informed me that there was a "customer satisfaction program" associated with the recall, that could have the parts replaced AGAIN within six months of repair. I am curious how they can replace parts with what they clearly know to be defective parts, and give a six month limit on replacement. This is poor business as well as potentially harmful or fatal. Recall 21S32 is the original recall notice.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while turning in either direction, the steering wheel jerked with a rubbing sound coming from the steering column. The vehicle was taken to the local service center to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be replaced; however, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were on backorder. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 114,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70-75 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and then seized. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 88,740.

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the steering rack when steering left. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Traveling at approximately 65mph on the highway, while beginning to enter a slight turn in the highway, the steering wheel "froze" as if the vehicle was off. It stayed locked ,about 15 degrees to the right, and would not free up. I tried applying brakes, which instantly began pulling me further left and into a ditch. Within 5 seconds I lost control of the vehicle, at around 50mph, impacted a guard rail, then went airborne, nose diving onto the service road below the highway. No lights were present at the time of the failure, a Ford dealership had done an inspection on my Steering Rack back on 10/29/2021 that found no issues present. The way the crash happened, I'm lucky to be alive, but how is this not a recall? How is there not a safety feature to allow for manual control of the steering if the electrical system dies?...

To whom it may concern the rack and pinion in my 2016 Ford Explorer fail 3 times one before I bought my truck from the dealer the person who trade it in was because of the rack and pinion. the rack and pinion on my truck that I purchased from the dealer. gave out two three years later. after I purchased my truck, I replace. the rack and pinion it cost me 1300 dollars. and now it fails again. I don't have another 1300 dollars to purchase. another rack and pinion I believe that it's an electoral problem from the manufacture. of the Ford explorer.

Steering creaks loudly while turning the wheels, accompanied by loose steering and steering lock intermittently. The problem occurs at all speeds. Without great care at low speeds, we would have had an accident already. There have been no warning lights. This problem started after shipping our vehicle overseas.

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel seized. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel seized. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving, the steering became difficult to maneuver the vehicle and veered to one side. The contact then stated that he heard a grinding sound while making left or right turns. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a steering module panel that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

Rack and pinion making crackling noises My safety still at risk if I continue driving Yes the dealer ordered the part but is unavailable due to back order. The vehicle has not been inspected besides the dealer.

As I was driving my electronic power steering system went out causing me to be unable to steer my vehicle. I was luckily able to get it off the road but had I been going any rate of speed it could have caused a major crash as you cannot steer.

Left for work steering locked up with no warning luckily not at a bad part of my morning commute I was doing 55mph was able to come to safe stop tried steering wheel back and fourth after a few attempts it started to tun but was very hard to turn so I turned around and on my way back home numerous lights came on on dash hill assist unavailable terrain management system fault loss of steering and I can't remember the other 1 but I was able to make it home

I was driving my 2016 Ford Explorer to the end of my driveway when the steering system locked up. The wheel would not move to either side, and I was forced to stop the vehicle before entering the roadway since this posed a serious safety risk. Fortunately, this issue was identified before entering the public roadway where an accident could have easily occurred. No warning light or safety message was displayed by the vehicle when the issue occurred. 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. This steering issue developed on a particularly cold day in December (less than 20 degrees out), however, it is unclear if this issue was related to the colder weather. The steering did not free up for...

I went into the store, came out 10 minutes later started the vehicle and it said service electric power steering, this also affected the stabilitrac, hill climb assist, 4wd, and traction control. If this would've happened while I was driving I would've caused an accident as the roads were icy. I brought it to a Ford dealership and the parts needed are on backorder with no lead time! You can't even get aftermarket parts! So now I have a vehicle with only 70k miles on it that I've had for less than a year that I cannot drive and have to continue making payments on because it's not worth anything to trade in. The repairs are going to cost just shy of $3000! Ford needs to recall this now!

"Steering Assist Fault" and Lane Keeping Sys. Malfunction" faults appeared on my dash display. The vehicle is available for inspection if requested. When the faults lit up, I was unable to steer the vehicle. It was as if the steering was completely locked up. Fortunately I was driving down the driveway at the time and was able to stop before entering the roadway. If this would have faulted while on the road at any speed I'm sure an accident or death would have resulted from not being able to steer the vehicle. I took it in to a repair shop where they said to fix it would require the rack to be replaced and programmed. They recommended taking it to a dealership to be repaired. This appears to be a known problem to the vehicle manufacture but no recalls have been put out. Parts alone I was quoted $2,500 not...

The power steering on my 2016 Ford Explorer completely stopped working while driving with two children in the vehicle. This is completely unacceptable for a 6 year old car with just over 100,000 miles. Ford Corporate refuses to honor this as a safety recall or safety issue despite the substantial complaints filed with the NHSTA. Are they really going to wait until there is a loss of life or severe injury to address this? On top of Corporate's unwillingness to acknowledge this is a manufacturers defect for which the safety of their customers and their families is at risk, they will not even consider a financial assistance program to partially fund the approximately $2,500-$3,000 price tag of rectifying; not to mention the backorder on the part needed. How many complaints regarding the very same issue have to be filed before NHSTA forces Ford to do something to prevent severe injury...

Steering rack failed and I was unable to steer the vehicle. The safety of me and my family could have been put at risk if the steering failed on the highway. Upon research, I found this issue with Ford Explorers is a very common one. My mechanic was required to have the vehicle towed to him. I was unable to move the steering wheel at all! There was a light which stated the advance steering or something failed. There was no advanced warning. We are lucky the family was not traveling fast on a highway.

Went out to leave in Explorer. Placed Explorer in reverse and steering wheel wouldn’t turn. 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. Basically the car had no power steering.

2016 ford explorer, our family vehicle, my spouse was driving back home with kids in the back, approximately 20/25 miles per hrs, the steering all the sudden seized up, and no power steering assistant, since the steering system all electric rack and pinion, the dash board gave a message, no traction control, all terrain system not available, service steering assist. Luckily it happened in residential area, no body got hurt, as well as my familly, I was Able to tow it to the ford dealer in Illinois, diagnosed it a week after as electric power steering failure, cost is around $3000 to repair, and part is on national.back order, This has been a common safety issue for part failure for the 2016 Ford explorer and up , but ford refuses to open an recall , its all over the internet same part issue and same model cars people have been...

My power steering, traction control, and terrain management all stopped working in my 2016 Ford Explorer due to a faulty steering gear. This is a known design flaw, which has impacted several hundreds 2016 - 2018 Ford Explorer owner/operators. Losing power steering capability while the vehicle is being operated is a major safety concern, which could lead to a motor vehicle collision, especially if being driven at highway speeds. Ford is aware of this issue but still fails to recall this problem. NTSB can rectify this problem by forcing Ford to do the right thing and permanently repair this issue. I am being forced to pay $2,381.50 for something that they know is a safety problem but they refuse to acknowledge. Gibbs Law Group is opening a class action lawsuit in this matter so clearly there are red flags that are being ignored. Please force Ford to do the right...

Rack and pinion power steering rack stopped working while my wife was driving back home with our two kids that are 4 years old and 9 months old. Thankful she didn't crash because she was unable to steer the vehicle. No warnings or signs of the part going bad. Ford should be held responsible for issues like this. Numerous people are having the same issue.

steering on my car failed turning onto off ramp and could not steer the car with out a lot of effort missed the car in front of me and came to a stop on side of over pass missed the bridge called my dealer to have it looked at steering rack motor seized apparently it is a problem with 2015 2016 explorers cant find steering racks any where in north America I have been waiting for parts still no eta can you help with this problem thanks [XXX] email is [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

First problem I had was with the Actuator. I lost the ability of defrost and have the heat/AC go to anything other than direct face mode. Now, the power steering to my 2016 Ford Explorer is gone. It felt like I was grinding concrete when I would make any turn or slight shift. It’s been at the shop for weeks due to a backorder. I’m a single mom of 2 and it’s my only transportation. I’m really struggling without my vehicle. This should be part of a recall ASAP cause from my research this is too common almost this vehicle and good people are really going through it.

Grinding noise when turning wheel noticed Mid-August 2022. No warning lights prior to failure. Aug 22, 2022, took to local mechanic. Diagnosed as faulty steering gear. Told 3500 on backorder. Part failure prevented vehicle from safely steering. August 28, 2022, took to Team Ford Dealer in Navasota, TX. Diagnosed as faulty steering gear. Order replacement, installed. Replacement part malfunctioned when installed at dealer. Warning lights went off, according to service manager. Dealer attempted to reorder. Part backordered. Parts ordering suspended while part redesigned, according to service manager at dealer. Nov. 2, 2022. Part still on backorder. Unable to drive vehicle. Steering gear necessary for vehicle to function safely. Part needing redesigning indicates original part faulty. Part malfunction confirmed by independent mechanic and Ford dealership.

While driving on a state highway and exiting the roadway the steering wheel locked in the turning direction long enough to drive over the small curb on the opposite side of the roadway. If this was a higher exiting speed a larger incident or crash would have been worse.

Clunking and popping noise from steering while steering left or right while slowly traveling forward or reverse. Noise can be heard from steering while front end jacked up off ground. Afraid steering may lock up or fail while driving causing injury or death or stranding. Noise has become more frequent lately, started around 65k miles.

While braking off a highway the steering light appeared and the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably. The ford motor co. stated there was no issue and did not address.