NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
100 reports65,000 miles · Oct 7, 2015
Engine
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 MA…
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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.
NHTSA ODI #10780566
118,000 miles · Jun 26, 2015
Power Train
VEHICLE IS SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 118,000 MILES.
NHTSA ODI #10730589
82,000 miles · May 6, 2015
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
2007 FORD 4DOOR XLT GAS PEDAL STUCK WHILE DRIVER WAS PULLING THROUGH FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH. BASICALLY, THE CAR WAS IN A STOPPED POSITION. BUT WHEN DRIVER MOVED FORWARD TO LEAVE, THE GAS PEDAL HESITATED AND THEN STUCK, LUNGED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL; STARTLED THE DRIVER AND CAR HIT A POLE. DRIVER RECEIVED HEAD LACERATIONS FROM…
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2007 FORD 4DOOR XLT GAS PEDAL STUCK WHILE DRIVER WAS PULLING THROUGH FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH. BASICALLY, THE CAR WAS IN A STOPPED POSITION. BUT WHEN DRIVER MOVED FORWARD TO LEAVE, THE GAS PEDAL HESITATED AND THEN STUCK, LUNGED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL; STARTLED THE DRIVER AND CAR HIT A POLE. DRIVER RECEIVED HEAD LACERATIONS FROM THE REAR VIEW MIRROR GLARE ADJUSTMENT LEVER AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. HE RECEIVED 8 STAPLES ON TOP OF HIS HEAD. THIS GAS PEDAL HAS STUCK PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, BUT NOT TO THIS EXTREME. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10714921
Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2015
Engine
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 O…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10706505
61,000 miles · Jan 7, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS…
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TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. DJR
NHTSA ODI #10670718
73,800 miles · Dec 24, 2013
Power Train
I BROUGHT MY '07 SPORTRAC WITH 73,800 MILES TO THE FORD DEALER TO TROUBLESHOOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE WRENCH LIGHT, WHICH IT DISPLAYED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND DISAPPEARED. AFTER SOME TROUBLESHOOTING 2 HRS LATER, THE GUY CAME OUT AND GAVE ME SOME BAD NEWS. I WILL NEED TO REPAIR MY TRANSMISSION OR REPLACE IT. HE DID TELL ME A …
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I BROUGHT MY '07 SPORTRAC WITH 73,800 MILES TO THE FORD DEALER TO TROUBLESHOOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE WRENCH LIGHT, WHICH IT DISPLAYED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND DISAPPEARED. AFTER SOME TROUBLESHOOTING 2 HRS LATER, THE GUY CAME OUT AND GAVE ME SOME BAD NEWS. I WILL NEED TO REPAIR MY TRANSMISSION OR REPLACE IT. HE DID TELL ME A NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE FROM FORD SINCE THEY DON'T MAKE THOSE ANYMORE AND WOULD BE FROM ANOTHER MAKER. THE ABOVE LIGHTS STARTED SHOWING THIS WINTER AS IT GOT COLDER AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO NOTICED ROUGH IDLING WITH THE RPM INDICATOR SPIKING FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN IT WOULD GO BACK TO A NORMAL READING. I GUESS SOME TRANSMISSION PART WAS ACTING UP AT THAT POINT. IT ALSO SEEM LIKE IF I LET IT WARM UP DURING STARTUP A FEW MINUTES, I USUALLY DON'T SEE IT RPM SPIKE. THE DEALER TOLD ME DURING THEIR CHECKS THERE WAS YET ANOTHER COOLANT LEAK BUT APPARENTLY IT WASN'T SERIOUS ENOUGH TO NOTE IN THE FINAL PAPERWORK. I TOLD HIM I NEEDED TO THINK ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT. I PAID FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS ($100) AND GOT MY FORD ESTIMATES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10557175
45,000 miles · Oct 22, 2013
Vehicle Speed Control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD SPORT TRAC 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION WHILE THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO A STOP AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKES FORCEFULLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD SPORT TRAC 4X4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION WHILE THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD COME TO A STOP AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKES FORCEFULLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
NHTSA ODI #10548954
62,000 miles · Aug 3, 2013
Power Train
TRANSMISSION JERKS FORWARD WHEN I'M SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. THIS OCCURS AS MY TRANSMISSION DOWN-SHIFTS FROM EITHER 3RD TO 2ND GEAR OR 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. IT LUNGES MY CAR FORWARD WHEN I'M BRAKING TO STOP. AND HESITATES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP AND THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO FIRST MAKING A LARGE …
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TRANSMISSION JERKS FORWARD WHEN I'M SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. THIS OCCURS AS MY TRANSMISSION DOWN-SHIFTS FROM EITHER 3RD TO 2ND GEAR OR 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. IT LUNGES MY CAR FORWARD WHEN I'M BRAKING TO STOP. AND HESITATES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP AND THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO FIRST MAKING A LARGE THUMPING NOISE. I HAVE READ MANY REVIEWS ON THIS PROBLEM AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10533431
80,000 miles · May 13, 2013
Tires
B F GOODRICH TIRES, SIDEWALL CRACKING ON TIRE SHOULDER, TREAD SEPARATING FROM SIDEWALL ON ALL FOUR TIRES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10511663
72,481 miles · May 9, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System
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 C…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10511295
NHTSA investigations
1PE08060 · Tire Valve Cracking
Opened Oct 14, 2008 · Closed Apr 9, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Tires:valve
ON OCTOBER 14, 2008, ODI OPENED PE08-060 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CRACKED AND LEAKING SNAP-IN TIRE VALVES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY.THE VALVES WERE SUPPLIED TO FORD BY TOPSEAL AUTO-PARTS, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE SHANGHAI BAOLONG AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION IN CHINA.VALVES MADE BY TOPSEAL FOR AFTERMARKET SALE WERE THE SUBJECT OF TWO RECENT SAFETY RECALLS BY TECH INTERNATIONAL (08T-018) AND DILL AIR CONTROLS (08T-028), THE LATTER OF WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY ODI IN PE08-036 AND EA08-022.THE DEFECT CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY THE AFTERMARKET TIRE VALVE RECALLS BOTH INVOLVED INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE SUPPLY OF ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS TO TOPSEAL FOR A PERIOD FROM JULY TO MID-NOVEMBER 2006.THE AFTERMARKET VALVES WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A BLEND OF EPDM AND NATURAL RUBBER, USING A RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF EPDM (EPDM PROVIDES INHERENT RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING).HENCE, THE NEED FOR ANTI-OZONANT CHEMICALS AND THE PROBLEMS WITH CRACKING WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MISSING OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION IN SOME LOTS OF VALVES.BOTH RECALL CAMPAIGNS INVOLVED INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY AND REPLACE VALVES WITH VISIBLE SURFACE CRACKING.ALTHOUGH THE TOPSEAL VALVES SUPPLIED TO FORD ALSO APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE ANTI-OZONANT SUPPLY ISSUES IN MID TO LATE-2006, FORD INDICATED THAT ITS VALVES WERE MADE AT A DIFFERENT TOPSEAL PRODUCTION LINE AND WERE COMPOUNDED WITH A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EPDM RUBBER TO MEET MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FROM FORD.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY FORD SHOWED THAT PROBLEMS WITH CRACKED TIRE VALVES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR MY 2007 VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007.FORD RESPONDED BY IMPLEMENTING CHANGES IN ITS MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SNAP-IN RUBBER TIRE VALVES AND ALSO INCREASING THE QUALITY AND ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR VALVES IMPORTED FOR USE IN ITS VEHICLES.WHILE THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY CLAIM RATES ARE ELEVATED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM DECEMBER 2006 THROUGH MARCH 2007, THE RATES OF LEAKING VALVES ARE WELL BELOW ONE PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR EACH OF THE PEAK MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED MODELS.A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS (TPMS) WHICH WARN THE DRIVER WHEN ANY TIRE PRESSURES DROPS BELOW 25 PERCENT OF RECOMMENDED INFLATION PRESSURE. AS OUTLINED IN A LETTER TO ODI DATED APRIL 6, 2009, FORD HAS AGREED TO SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN MY 2007 AND 2008 FORD, LINCOLN AND MERCURY VEHICLES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRACKING CONCERN. LETTERS WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007.OWNERS CAN OPT FOR A FREE DEALER INSPECTION.VALVES EXHIBITING SURFACE CRACKS OR AIR LEAKAGE RELATED TO OZONE ATTACK WILL BE REPLACED BY FORD UNDER ITS NORMAL WARRANTY TERMS.FORD EXPECTS TO SEND THE LETTER BY APPROXIMATELY MID-MAY 2009. BASED ON THE USE OF TPMS IN THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECT VEHICLES AND THE RELATIVELY LOW RATES OF REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAKING VALVES AND RESULTANT TIRE DAMAGE, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ACTIONS FORD HAS AGREED TO TAKE WILL PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EXPEDITIOUS RESOLUTION FOR VEHICLES THAT WERE BUILT DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VALVES WITH INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO OZONE CRACKING WERE MOST LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN USED IN VEHICLE PRODUCTION.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO
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