2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

ISSUE FEB 2018 - PRESENT I BOUGHT MY 2ND- HAND 2007 FORD SPORT TRAC IN FEBRUARY 2018, FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. WE HAD EXPERIENCED 2 CAT-FIVE HURRICANES; POWER AND INTERNET WAS ALMOST NONEXISTENT, SO I COULD NOT RESEARCH THE TRUCK. ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER MY PURCHASE, WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STREET AT ABOUT 30 MPH, IT STALLED. I HAD VERY LITTLE BREAKS AND NO STEERING. WHEN I TRIED TO CRANK IT, IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT FIRE. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE HAD NO LUCK FIXING THE ISSUE. UPON RESEARCH, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BLOGS/ QUESTIONS / ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR FROM OWNERS TRYING TO FIX THE SAME ISSUE. ONE BLOG SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN REQUESTED FOR FORD TO DO A RECALL, BUT FORD DENIED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE. IT MAY DRIVE GREAT FOR 3 WEEKS AND THEN WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN A STEEP, CURVY MOUNTAIN IN TRAFFIC, IT TURNS OFF WITH NO WAY TO STOP QUICKLY OR CONTROL THE STEERING. IF YOU DRIVE TOO SLOWLY OR SOMEONE PULLS IN FRONT OF YOU AND DRIVES 5 MILES AN HOUR, IT WILL STOP. IF YOU PUNCH THE GAS PEDAL TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION, IT WILL OFTEN STALL. SOMETIMES IT WON'T DRIVE, AND THEN IT SURGES FORWARD. IT OFTEN SOUNDS LIKE THE FUEL IS RUNNING RICH. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN SO YOU ARE ALWAYS IN DANGER. I HAVE CHANGED OUT THE STARTER SWITCH, SHIFT LINKAGE, JUST ABOUT EVERY SENSOR, PUMP, FILTER, WIRING, EGR VALVE, THROTTLEBODY' ANOTHER ORIGINAL OWNER ON ISLAND SAID HE'S READY TO DRIVE HIS OFF OF A CLIFF AFTER DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR THREE YEARS. HIS TRUCK IS A 2010 I BELIEVE. I CHECKED BACK WITH HIM RECENTLY. HE CHANGED OUT HIS COMPUTER SYSTEM AND IT IS NOW RUNNING PROPERLY FOR THE MOMENT. I CAN'T SELL MY TRUCK BC MY ETHICS WON'T ALLOW IT. I CAN'T TRASH IT BC I NEED TO SELL IT TO BUY ANOTHER. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK TO BE SAFE. IT HAS DONE NOTHING BUT PLACED ME IN DANGER AND DEPLETED MY WALLET.

OK WHERE CAN I START BESIDES THAT I'VE COME TO HATE MY TRUCK I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING IT CONSTANTLY FIRST OFF LIGHT IN THE CAR GO ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING WHENEVER YOU HIT A BUMP THAN I GET RANDOM LITTLE LEAKS ALL THE TIME AND HAD MY TRANSMISSION WORKED ON A YEAR AGO BECAUSE IT WAS MESSED UP AND HERE IT GOES AGAIN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [XXX] IS WRONG WITH IT BUT SOMETIMES I SWEAR I JUST WANNA THROW THE [XXX] CAR OFF A BRIDGE EVERY OTHER DAY THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM NOT MY AC HAS STOPPED WORKING I WAS DRINKING HOME FROM THE GYM YESTERDAY MORNING AT A RED LIGHT HE CAR SHUT OFF LOCKED MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MY DOORS LOCKED MY BRAKE STARTED BEEPING ON MY DASH WOULDN'T LET ME DO ANYTHING THAT'S DANGEROUS IT WAS A MAJOR ROAD WITH THE LIGHT JUST TURNING GREEN I'M STUCK CAN'T EVEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND ROLL IT OUT OF THE INTERSECTION I TURNED IT OFF AND TURNED IT OFF DROVE IT HOME WOKE UP NEXT MORNING FOUND SOMETHING LEAKING DROVE TO WORK NOT ITS HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING I'M SO DONE WITH THIS TRUCK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY FORD EXPLORER 2007 HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (56,000 MILES). ITS ENGINE STARTED TO SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY UNDER ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT WAS INDEED VERY DANGEROUS. INDEED MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING THIS CAR, HAD AN ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED IN A STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN ANY INJURY. I HATE TO THINK OF CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HAPPENING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. MY RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE AUTOS, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AFTER HAVING MY MECHANICS CHECK EVERY CONCEIVABLE PROBLEM, I WAS REFERRED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THE INTERNAL PCM FAILURE TO BE THE CAUSE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS PART IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, AND A NEW ONE IS DEVELOPED WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. I WAS LUCKY TO FIND A NEW PART AND HAD IT SHIPPED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INSTALLED. I HOPE THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. IT COST ME $1,546.41, WHICH I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I THINK THIS IS A CASE OF BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE PCM, WHICH IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM AND I THINK THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND REPLACE THIS PART FREE OF CHARGE.

PASSENGER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN AT 65K MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM FORD HAS AVOIDED RECALLING. I EASILY FOUND 25 PLUS CASES OF EXPLORER SPORTTRAC OWNERS WITH THE 4.6 V8 REPORTING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. FORD CHARGES OVER 3K TO FIX WHAT SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN THAT HAPPENS ON THE MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES.

THE TRUCK HAS BEEN LEAKING COOLANT. THE MECHANIC FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE INTAKE ON THE MANIFOLD IS PLASTIC. IT GETS OVERHEATED ON THE METAL MANIFOLD AND CRACKS WHICH CAUSES COOLANT TO LEAK. WE'VE SPENT OVER $1000 GETTING REPAIRS. STILL LEAKS DUE TO THAT ONE FAULTY PART. EVERYTHING I'VE READ INDICATES THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO CORRECT IT. THEY DID CLAIM THAT REPROGRAMMING THE THERMOSTAT SETTINGS WAS ALL IT NEEDED BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE. *TR

STOPPED TO GET FUEL AND TRUCK WOULD NOT START. ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER, BUT WOULD NOT START. I HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. TOLD BY THE FORD SERVICE MANAGER THAT IT WAS THE FUEL CONTROL MODULE LOCATED BY THE REAR SPARE TIRE AND THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY OF THEM. THE FORD DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT AND REPLACED THE FUEL CONTROL MODULE. MY COST $386.93. WE HAD PURCHASED A EXTENDED MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE AGREEMENT (NATIONAL PROTECTION PLAN, INC.) FROM CAPITAL FORD IN MADISON, WI. WE WERE TOLD WHEN WE PURCHASED THE POLICY IT WAS A BUMPER TO BUMPER AND THE COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND POLICY. *TR

(YEAR 2011 TO 2013 ALL THIS HAPPENED LEMON) THE WHEEL BEARINGS WENT ON THE VEHICLE...HAD TO HAVE ALL THREE REPLACED...BOTH FRONT ...ONE DRIVERS SIDE BACK. IT WASN'T THE TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE BRAND NEW.( $2.100 INCLUDING LABOR) THE MECHANIC STATED THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH SPORT TRACS ...I AM TO HAVE THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SIDE DONE SOON ...NO ONE HAS OVER $700...TO PUT TOWARDS A VEHICLE IN THIS DAY AND AGE WITH THE ECONOMY THE WAY IT IS. THIS SPORT TRAC HAS BEEN WITH SO MANY ISSUES TO DO WITH WHEELS, TRANSMISSION (ONE MONTH IN THE REPAIR SHOP, REVERSE AND DRIVE GONE ON THE TRANNY( $6897.65), RADIATOR (REPLACED 3X DUE TO RUPTURE OF THE, COOLING AND HEATING SYSTEM $1017.), HOSES BREAKING ($200)...NO WONDER THEY QUIT MAKING THEM TOTAL PAIN IN THE KEESTER AND VERY HARD ON THE POCKET BOOK. IT IS PAID FOR AND IS MINE THAT IS THE ONLY REASON I KEEP IT. I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE...BUT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. THEIR SERVICE SAYS IT ALL...IT IS HORRIBLE. SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE I HAVE SPENT $10,903.65 IN REPAIRS. THE TRUCK IS VERY HARD ON TIRES...I DON'T SQUEAL MY TIRES BUT I TRAVEL 70 TO AND FROM DAILY FOR WORK..EVERY YEAR BABY NEEDS NEW RUBBER BOOTS. $689. NOT FAIR IN ALL ESSENCE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 6 YRS OLD. I HAVE HAD BETTER AND IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A FORD. YOU CAN SHARE THIS WITH THEM IF YOU LIKE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO SEE THAT THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOTHING FOR ME AND I TOOK IT TO ACUTE AUTO CARE FOR MY TRANSMISSION ETC. *TR

AS CITED BY OTHER READERS, FORD HAS PLACED HT-1 CERAMIC PLUGS IN THE EXPLORER SERIES WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. THESE PLUGS CONSTANTLY DEVELOP STRESS CRACKS AND BREAK DURING REPLACEMENT, REQUIRING A SPECIAL TOOL TO REMOVE THEM. WHEN THEY BREAK (2~3 ON AVERAGE), BE READY TO PAY ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO COVER THE EXTRA TIME NEEDED FOR REMOVAL/CLEAN-OUT BY THE MECHANIC. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY FORD TO REPLACE THESE PLUGS. *TR

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WHY, THE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR BEGAN TO RISE AND THE ENGINE BECAME RATHER LOUD. NO INDICATOR (IDIOT LIGHTS) LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE ENGINE, LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE HEAT INDICATOR RETURNED TO NORMAL IMMEDIATELY. STARTED TO DRIVE AND THE SAME ISSUE STARTED AGAIN. THIS TIME I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN COMPLETELY. RESTARTED THE ENGINE 2~3 MINS LATER, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE RE-SET THE SYSTEM, AS I HAVE NOT HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM SINCE. *TR