The rear windshield spontaneously shattered while driving on 495 south in ma. Fortunately no one was injured and the glass remained intact to pull off to safety. With the impact of the car door opening and closing, pieces of glass began to break away.
2016 Ford Explorer visibility problems
moderate 46 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $350 · see visibility across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
46
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
When does it fail?
Of the 46 visibility complaints filed for the 2016 Ford Explorer, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 46 visibility complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Among the 20 model years of Ford Explorer in our records for visibility problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Backup camera is cloudy/foggy. Brought it to ford service department attention in regards to Issue Date 2022-08-26 Campaign 22S51/22V644 Per Fullerton Ford, they would not participate. I feel this is a visability issue when backing up and would like Ford to also consider 2016 ford Explorer in this recall since it is a safety issue
Had visibility trouble with your 2016 Ford Explorer?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the visibility problem on the 2016 Ford Explorer?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 46 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Across the 24 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most visibility failures cluster between 58,000 and 104,000 miles, with the median around 82,300. A quarter of owners report trouble before 58,000; a quarter make it past 104,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Ford/Explorer.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.