TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WRENCH ICON ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHO STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WRENCH ICON ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHO STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
NHTSA ODI #10586866
45,000 miles · May 17, 2013
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes
PARKED VEHICLE. TURNED OFF IGNITION. KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. CYCLED THE AUTO SHIFT LEVER TO MAKE SURE IN PARK. AT THIS POINT NOTED THAT I COULD SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITHOUT MY FOOT BEING ON THE BRAKE. VERY DANGEROUS. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY BY PULLING THE IGNITION FUSE. I PULLED THE FUSE AND REMOVED THE…
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PARKED VEHICLE. TURNED OFF IGNITION. KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. CYCLED THE AUTO SHIFT LEVER TO MAKE SURE IN PARK. AT THIS POINT NOTED THAT I COULD SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITHOUT MY FOOT BEING ON THE BRAKE. VERY DANGEROUS. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY BY PULLING THE IGNITION FUSE. I PULLED THE FUSE AND REMOVED THE KEY. REINSTALLED THE FUSE. WAS STILL ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I LEFT THE CAR SITTING FOR A WHILE AND NOTED THAT THE BATTERY HAD COMPLETELY DRAINED DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO JUMP THE CAR OFF TO START IT. IF I LEAVE THE IGNITION FUSE IN, THE BATTERY WILL COMPLETELY DRAIN DOWN AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10512492
75,000 miles · Mar 14, 2012
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL, SHIFT OUT OF NEUTRAL, SHIFT OUT OF OVER DRIVE OR WOULD SHIFT INTO VARIOUS GEARS ERRATICALLY. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE FAILURE RE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL, SHIFT OUT OF NEUTRAL, SHIFT OUT OF OVER DRIVE OR WOULD SHIFT INTO VARIOUS GEARS ERRATICALLY. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER BEFORE ASSISTING THE CONTACT WITH THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
NHTSA ODI #10451602
48,000 miles · Oct 6, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING AT BOTTOM GASKET /O RING SEAL OF TANK. ALSO INTERIOR LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON WHEN HIT BUMPS. FOUND IT IS TIED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. IF LIGHT COMES ON AFTER HITTING BUMP ALL I HAVE TO DO IS GIGGLE THE IGNITION SWITCH TO GET IT TO GO BACK OFF. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10428943
24,000 miles · Mar 18, 2011
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicCrash
BRAKE OR TRANSMISSION IS MALFUNCTIONING, TRUCK WAS PARKED ON A FLAT SURFACE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND NOT RUNNING, IN PARK, LOCKED AND AFTER A BOUT AN HOUR THE TRUCK BEGAN ROLLING, AN WAS STOPPED MY A PIECE OF WROUGHT IRON FENCE, DAMAGING THE FRONT BUMPER. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD THE FENCE NOT BEEN THERE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10392184
28,000 miles · Aug 5, 2010
Power Train
2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC, V6. TRANSMISSION FAILS TO ENGAGE; TRUCK HAS DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND WILL ROLL BACKWARDS FROM A STOP IF ON AN INCLINE. TRANSMISSION ALSO 'SLAMS' GEARS AND FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. DEALERSHIP HAS FAILED TO REPAIR AND HAS WORKED ON THE VEHICLE…
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2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC, V6. TRANSMISSION FAILS TO ENGAGE; TRUCK HAS DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND WILL ROLL BACKWARDS FROM A STOP IF ON AN INCLINE. TRANSMISSION ALSO 'SLAMS' GEARS AND FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. DEALERSHIP HAS FAILED TO REPAIR AND HAS WORKED ON THE VEHICLE FOR OVER FOUR WEEKS WITH NO PERMANENT RESOLUTION. FIXES LAST A COUPLE WEEKS AND THEN IT FAILS AGAIN. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REMOVED AND MANY PARTS REPLACED, BUT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE FROM A STOP AND I AM IN FEAR OF AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING. FORD TECHNICIAN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DEALERSHIP, BUT HAS BEEN ONLY APPLYING 'BAND-AID' SOLUTIONS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10347441
15,000 miles · Feb 19, 2010
Power Train
2008 SPORT TRAC V8 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I MUST WAIT APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS BEFORE BACKING TRUCK OUT OF MY GARAGE...ANY SOONER AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS BUT WILL SLOWLY MOVE AFTER REACHING 6,000 RPM. TRUCK ALSO ADVANCES SLOWLY FROM A STOP. 1ST DEALER ADVISED ME IT ACTUALLY WAS 21 SECONDS AND THAT I SHOULD JUST WAIT THE 21 SECONDS B…
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2008 SPORT TRAC V8 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I MUST WAIT APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS BEFORE BACKING TRUCK OUT OF MY GARAGE...ANY SOONER AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS BUT WILL SLOWLY MOVE AFTER REACHING 6,000 RPM. TRUCK ALSO ADVANCES SLOWLY FROM A STOP. 1ST DEALER ADVISED ME IT ACTUALLY WAS 21 SECONDS AND THAT I SHOULD JUST WAIT THE 21 SECONDS BEFORE SHIFTING TO REVERSE. 2ND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS WORSE WHEN WEATHER IS WARM AND HUMID. 1ST DEALER INDICATED THEY DID A REFLASH OF TRANSMISSION BUT 2ND DEALER CONFIRMED THEY DID NOT AND ACCOMPLISHED IT AND SHIFTING IMPROVED. TRUCK STILL DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT CORRECTLY TO FIRST GEAR UPON COMING TO A STOP OR NEAR STOP AND TRUCK WILL REMAIN IN HIGHER GEAR UNLESS FULL STOP AND ONE SECOND BOTH OCCUR. FOUND PLENTY OF SAME TYPE COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM 2007 AND 2008 SPORT TRAC OWNERS BUT FORD AND THEIR DEALERS TRY AND CONVINCE ME THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUES. REFLASH SO FAR SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED PROBLEM OF HARD DOWN AND UPSHIFTING BUT CREATED THE SLOW DOWN SHIFTING TO FIRST GEAR. NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS WHEN TRUCK IS SLOW TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT DOES NOT DOWN SHIFT TO FIRST GEAR AFTER SLOWING TO 3 MILES PER HOUR OR LOWER LIKE EVER OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10311971
Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2008
Power Train
2008 FORD SPORT TRAC HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *NJ THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MAKING A SMOOTH STOP, BUT RATHER LURCHING SEVERAL TIMES IN STOPPING. THE DEALER PERFORMED A PROGRAM ON THE TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER THE CONTINUED. *JB
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE AND 6R TRANSMISSION, THE BOLT SECURING THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE FITTINGS AT THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TORQUED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT, THE BOLT MAY LOOSEN AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTACTS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IT MAY POSE A RISK OF FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND HAVE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE ATTACHMENT BOLT TIGHTENED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE08060 · 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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