FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT · model year

2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT

29 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016FORDEXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT carries 29 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT is unknown or other with 12 filings, followed by structure:body (5) and engine (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2016 EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

29
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

29 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER12
STRUCTURE:BODY5
ENGINE4
POWER TRAIN2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
STEERING2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
SEATS1

Recent Complaints

20240326STEERING

The contact stated that the Police Department owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while a Police Officer was attempting to drive the vehicle; however, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the Government mechanic who previously diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the steering rack had failed. The contact stated that two other Police Department vehicles had recently experienced the same failure with the steering rack. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated there was no recall on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

Mileage: 49,000

20200910POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPTOR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE RPMS INCREASING RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS UNAWARE IF THERE WAS ANY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED ON AUGUST 25, 2020, WHILE SHIFTING GEAR TO REVERSE HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATE HE SHIFTED GEARS TO DRIVE AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER MARK MCLARTY FORD LOCATED AT 4400 LANDERS RD, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 72117, (501) 945-1200, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT INFORMED THAT A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WAS NEEDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSFER CASE ALSO N

Mileage: 99,603

20190412STRUCTURE:BODY

THE PLASTIC PIECES ON THE "A" AND "B" PILLAR, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE COMING OFF.

Mileage: 38,944

20190412STRUCTURE:BODY

THE PLASTIC PIECES ON THE "A" PILLAR ARE COMING OFF

Mileage: 35,257

20190412STRUCTURE:BODY

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER "A" AND "B" PILLARS ARE COMING OFF.

Mileage: 38,944

20190112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND PUT IN DRIVE MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN ONE POSITION I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT I STARTED GETTING SEVERAL LIGHTS ON MY DASH FROM HILL START ASSIST, SERVICE ADVANCETRAC, STEERING ASSIST FAULT. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN MY VEHICLE & HAD TO BACK IN THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BACK INTO A SPOT, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF TURNING VEHICLE ON AND OFF I WAS ABLE TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER AND VEHICLE WAS OPERATING LIKE AN OLDER VEHICLE WITH NO POWER STEERING, IT TOOK A LOT OF MUSCLE TO GET THE WHEEL TO TURN AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS WERE COMING ON VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL WAS DISCONNECTED TO TRY AND RESET SYSTEM AND STEERING IS STILL LOCKED IN PLACE FORD DEALERSHIPS ADVISED THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE EXPLORERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND THE COST IS AROUND $3,000 AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY VEHICLE HAS 26000 MILES AND HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED.

Mileage: 26,406

20190112STEERING

I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND PUT IN DRIVE MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN ONE POSITION I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT I STARTED GETTING SEVERAL LIGHTS ON MY DASH FROM HILL START ASSIST, SERVICE ADVANCETRAC, STEERING ASSIST FAULT. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN MY VEHICLE & HAD TO BACK IN THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BACK INTO A SPOT, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF TURNING VEHICLE ON AND OFF I WAS ABLE TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN TO RELEASE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER AND VEHICLE WAS OPERATING LIKE AN OLDER VEHICLE WITH NO POWER STEERING, IT TOOK A LOT OF MUSCLE TO GET THE WHEEL TO TURN AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS WERE COMING ON VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL WAS DISCONNECTED TO TRY AND RESET SYSTEM AND STEERING IS STILL LOCKED IN PLACE FORD DEALERSHIPS ADVISED THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE EXPLORERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND THE COST IS AROUND $3,000 AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY VEHICLE HAS 26000 MILES AND HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED.

Mileage: 26,406

20181016SEATS

THE SEAT MANUAL TILT LEVER FOR THE DRIVER SIT IS BUSTED. IT LOCKS AND DOES NOT ALLOW ADJUSTMENT. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPLACE THE UNIT WAS EXTREME. WE HAVE HAD THREE 2016 EXPLORERS POLICE PACKAGE FALL VICTIM TO THE SAME ISSUE. THE ISSUE BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR INTO IT'S USE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE?

Mileage: 30,000

20180821ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, SENDING UNIT. FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE HAD 38,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER CHARGED 600.00 PLUS TO FIX, NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL OR WARRANTY.

Mileage: 38,297

20180821FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, SENDING UNIT. FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE HAD 38,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER CHARGED 600.00 PLUS TO FIX, NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL OR WARRANTY.

Mileage: 38,297

20180621ENGINE

TWO POLICE OFFICERS WERE PATROLLING IN A CITY ENVIRONMENT TOGETHER IN A 2016 FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY AND HAD SYMPTOMS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THIS VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY HAD ALL CARBON MONOXIDE RELATED FORD RECALL WORK COMPLETED. THE OFFICERS' SYMPTOMS INCLUDED HEADACHE, DIZZINESS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, AND CHEST SPASMS. LATER IN THE DAY AN ODOR BEGAN TO EMANATE FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE. THE OFFICERS WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND WERE TREATED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD AND THE PTU WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AND HAD METAL SHAVINGS IN THE UNIT'S OIL. THE PTU WAS REPLACED. AN INSPECTION OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS DONE AND NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS LOCATED OR REPAIRED. FORD WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE VEHICLE COMPARTMENT. THE ABOVE NOTED PROBLEM HAS AFFECTED ALMOST A THIRD OF THE CITY'S FORD INTERCEPTOR UTILITY FLEET.

Mileage: 28,975

20171016UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHILE DRIVING THE EXPLORER ON THE DASHBOARD, A WARNING THAT INCLUDED THE WORD 'TERRAIN' FLASHED ONCE OR TWICE. THE REVERSE GEAR WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY UPON ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK.. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REIMBURSE A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CONSUMER RELUCTANTLY, ACCEPTED. UPDATED 10/17/2017*JS

20171016POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING THE EXPLORER ON THE DASHBOARD, A WARNING THAT INCLUDED THE WORD 'TERRAIN' FLASHED ONCE OR TWICE. THE REVERSE GEAR WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY UPON ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK.. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REIMBURSE A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CONSUMER RELUCTANTLY, ACCEPTED. UPDATED 10/17/2017*JS

20170913ENGINE

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED.

Mileage: 32,000

20170913UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED.

Mileage: 32,000

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED. 534

Mileage: 32,000

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED. 704

Mileage: 3,000

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED. 052

Mileage: 4,000

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED.

Mileage: 25,000

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE RECEIVING HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE LEVEL READINGS (10+ PARTS PER MILLION) IN PASSENGER CABIN UPON HARD ACCELERATION (FROM COMPLETE STOP TO 100+ MPH) WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM ON WITH THE RECIRCULATION FUNCTION ACTIVATED. 541

Mileage: 9,000

Compare 2016FORDEXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT have?
The 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT has 29 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT?
The most-complained component for the 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY and ENGINE.
Is the 2016 FORD EXPLORER POLICE INTERCEPT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.