Driver seat moves all the way forward on its own and the side view mirror moves out of range. This has happened while in the seat and car running. It happens intermittently. It scares the heck out of you and pushes you all the way into the steering wheel which makes it impossible to steer. You have to be quick in order to stop it and because it startles you when it happens the reaction time is not immediate. Very scary indeed!
2016 Ford Explorer seats problems
32 complaints (1% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 50,000.
- owner complaints
- 32
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- typical mileage
- 50,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
- Front assembly: seat heater/cooler1
- Critical fasteners1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Ford Explorer seats problems in other years
Related recalls
Seats
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016 F-150 and Explorer vehicles. Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, a seat occupant that is not properly restrained has an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tightness of the power seat track upper pivot link bolt, either applying threadlocker or replacing the lift link and hardware, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to go out January 15, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S40.
Recall number 17V767000 · Recall details
Seats: front assembly: recliner
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Explorer and F-150 vehicles equipped with a manual recline driver's seat. The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
- Risk
- The seat back may not adequately restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall begin on August 18, 2016. Owners may contact Ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673. Ford's number for this recall is 16C11.
Recall number 16V475000 · Recall details
What 2016 Ford Explorer owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the second-row seat wiring harness plugs were damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
The heated seats went out. Took to mechanic shop, the wires burned out and also melted the fuse box. All that has to be replaced. Ford Dealership only sells the whole wiring harness which is over $1,000. With the wires burning out and then melting fuse box, lucky my car didn't burn.
The airbag fault light on the dash of my 2016 Ford Explorer recently illuminated. I took it to Christian Brothers Automotive, who did a complete diagnostics check. They determined that the inflatable seat belt should read 2.2 Ohms but it reading at 5.5 Ohms, which is causing the light to illuminate. They stated that the inflatable seat belt needs to be replaced. This appears to be the same issue with a Ford recall notice issued on January 21, 2022 under Customer Satisfaction Program 21B11 related to 2014, 2015, and 2016 Ford Explorers. However, my VIN does not appear on the list of effected vehicles and Ford is refusing to repair it under the recall until it is added to the list.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after noticing that the seat heaters were inoperable, he saw that the heated seat module connector had melted. The contact also stated that the front passenger’s side seat controls were inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not yet been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the third -row passenger’s side seat was not properly secured to the floor of the vehicle. The contact indicated that an unknown part used to attach the seat to the floor had fractured and the seat was no longer secured to the floor. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Vehicle right passenger area receives no heat, either from front heat vent nor does the seat heater function. Dealer replaced seat heat mechanism(s) that required software update. Update failed to resolve the problem. Outside temp is now -13°F. Dealer states they are awaiting dealer engineers to determine how to repair the problem.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side front seat inadvertently moved back and forth. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact indicated that the rear power-folding third-row passenger’s side and driver’s side seats would not properly fold down and remain secured. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was also contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The driver seat advanced forward after hitting the preset button but did not stop. I was crushed between the steering wheel and the dash. There was only 3 inches between the seat and the dash for my knees. This is a major safety issue that caused bodily injury. It happened twice. I have video showing this issue but can’t seem to upload it to this site.
Questions about the 2016 Ford Explorer seats
Does the 2016 Ford Explorer have seats problems?
Owners have filed 32 complaints about the seats of the 2016 Ford Explorer, 1% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2016 Ford Explorer seats problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 50,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Ford Explorer seats?
Yes, 2 recalls: 17V767000, 16V475000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Ford Explorer have bad seats?
The Ford Explorer model years with the most seats complaints are 1998 (70 complaints), 1999 (67 complaints) and 2020 (42 complaints).
Other 2016 Ford Explorer problems
Body 593Steering 532Engine 483Transmission 215Electrical 129Fuel system 112Airbags 99Acceleration 76Suspension 73Visibility 68Wheels 50Seat belts 40Driver assistance 38Brakes 19Tires 15Lights 6Locks 5
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