2016 Ford Explorer · symptom sheet
Engine overheats or leaks coolant
- 160owner reports
- 84,000median miles
- $3,400median quote
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 8, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
483 of the 2,455 complaints on this car are about the engine. 160 of those describe overheating.
Tick what matches of 160 reports
Overheating on other Explorer years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Most owners in this group notice the coolant before they notice the heat: a reservoir that keeps dropping, a sweet smell, or a bright puddle under the front of the car. Across the vehicles on this site, about four in five of these complaints mention coolant, a leak or a puddle, and roughly two in five mention the temperature gauge or overheating.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the water pump (124 reports), the coolant hose or reservoir (13 reports), the head gasket (11 reports) and the radiator (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the engine cover the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The affected vehicles are equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines and engine block heaters. These engine block heaters have elements that may overheat while plugged in.
All 15 recalls on the 2016 Ford Explorer, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Explorer
Loss of motive power. Closed oct 31, 2024, led to recall 24V-635.
Exhaust odor in passenger cab. Closed jan 17, 2023.
Ford explorer exhaust odor. Closed sep 12, 2017.
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head. Closed jan 4, 2006.
Engine cooling fan cracks. Closed aug 31, 1994.
What owners paid
35 of the 160 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,400 to $5,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 60,000 and 109,000 miles, from the 99 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“water pump blew up at 120k miles, motor locked up leaving me in the middle of the road”
Filed Sep 9, 2023 · 120,000 miles
“Water pump failed at 80,000 miles and cause the car to stall mid intersection putting out life at risk. This is a known issue that should be recalled . Not to mention the repair is $4,000-$6,000 mostly labor to fix. Whole motor has to be taken out to replace the water pump.”
Filed Dec 28, 2022 · 80,000 miles
“This vehicle has 70000 miles and the water pump went bad already. Read hundreds of complaints and still no recall. This part is definitely faulty and Ford should have recalled it long ago.”
Filed Dec 3, 2022 · 70,000 miles
“The water pump has failed causing me to breakdown going down the road. The car has less than 100k miles and did not alert me to any kind of mechanical issue before hand.”
Filed Nov 25, 2022 · 100,000 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 160 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Which lights mean pull over now? Warning lights by color and urgency
Other problems on this car
- Trim or a body panel comes off while driving 375 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 249 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 248 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 142 reports
- Steering wheel clicks, clunks or grinds when I turn 140 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 110 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 99 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 81 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 73 reports
- Seat belt or seat problems 72 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 65 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 54 reports
- Water leaks into the cabin 53 reports
- Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks 50 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 48 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 45 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 36 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 27 reports