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2016 Ford Expedition: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
36%
75 of 215 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

36% of relevant owner complaints on the 2016 Ford Expedition are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 60% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
75
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
215
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
8 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES52 · 24%
ENGINE37 · 17%
POWER TRAIN36 · 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM33 · 15%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL20 · 9%
BACK OVER PREVENTION19 · 9%

The years either side

2010
33%
17 of 58
2011
49%
34 of 71
2012
69%
77 of 118
2013
60%
52 of 92
2014
62%
38 of 72
2015
43%
68 of 164
2016
36%
75 of 215
2017
30%
101 of 356
2018
71%
240 of 373
2019
80%
310 of 489
2020
76%
281 of 407
2021
71%
162 of 232
2022
25%
26 of 112
2023
28%
17 of 64

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other full-size SUVs with no elevated signal

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN01/18/2023CRASH1 INJURED
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Expedition. While parked in her friend's driveway with her child in her car seat, the contact heard an abnormal, popping sound as she was outside of the vehicle. The vehicle began to roll back without warning with her child inside the vehicle; she attempted to hit the emergency brake but wa…
AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE12/26/2015CRASH1 INJURED
MY 2016 FORD EXPEDITION EL LTD V-6 3.5L WITH 354 ODOMETER MILES PRODUCED 4 MINOR PRELUDE ENGINE SURGES WITHIN A COUPLE HOURS ON THE ROADWAYS BEFORE IT WENT FULL THROTTLE 5 TIMES WITHIN A COUPLE MINUTES. IT SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, RAN DOWN MY WIFE AFTER SQUISHING HER AGAINST THE GARAGE-BEDROOM WALL (WHICH WAS DE…
POWER TRAIN08/26/2026
My 2016 Expedition has the same 6R80 transmission as the Ford F150, for which there is a recall for the Lead Frame. My wife was driving the vehicle on the highway and the check engine light came on and the vehicle went into "limp mode" causing the vehicle to decelerate to approximately 35 mph. Needless to say, she almo…

Three of 75 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and 2016-2018 F-150 vehicles equipped with 3.5L Ecoboost engines. The brake …
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front blower motor located behind the glove box may fail.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Tran…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2016 Ford Expedition

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.