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2016 Ford Expedition problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
36%
75 of 217 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 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Ford Expedition have engine problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 75 of 217 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Expedition concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (36%), and the largest group is filed under engine (37). For comparison, the 2015 scores 43% and the 2017 scores 30%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
75
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
217
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 217
2017
30%
101 of 357
2018
71%
241 of 375
2019
80%
315 of 504
2020
75%
286 of 419
2021
71%
163 of 235
2022
25%
27 of 113
2023
27%
17 of 65

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

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Ford Expedition

What one owner 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…

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

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Ford Expedition?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2016 Ford Expedition, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
back over prevention: sensing system: camera25V572000 · Sep 2025
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, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550…
visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system: fan/motor22V648000 · Aug 2022
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.
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist22V150000 · Mar 2022
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 master cylinder may allow…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Ford Expedition? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2016 Ford Expedition

Does the 2016 Ford Expedition have engine problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 75 of 217 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Expedition concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (36%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Ford Expedition?

No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2016 Ford Expedition, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Ford Expedition years are better?

Among the Ford Expedition years we track, the 2022 (25%), the 2023 (27%) and the 2017 (30%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (36%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2016 Ford Expedition?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Ford Expedition has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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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.