WE HAD JUST PURCHASED A NEW 2007 FORD EXPLORER, HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING IT FOR THREE WEEKS, WE'D HADN'T EVEN MADE OUR FIRST PAYMENT YET. WE WERE AT A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC, WHEN THE EXPLORER TOOK OFF BY ITSELF. BY THIS, I MEAN BOTH OF MY HUSBAND'S FEET WERE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE EXPLORER…
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WE HAD JUST PURCHASED A NEW 2007 FORD EXPLORER, HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING IT FOR THREE WEEKS, WE'D HADN'T EVEN MADE OUR FIRST PAYMENT YET. WE WERE AT A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC, WHEN THE EXPLORER TOOK OFF BY ITSELF. BY THIS, I MEAN BOTH OF MY HUSBAND'S FEET WERE FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE EXPLORER STARTED SURGING FORWARD BY ITSELF. TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF US, HE TURNED THE VEHICLE TO GO DOWN BETWEEN THE TWO LANES, AND SCRAPED DOWN THE SIDES OF OTHER CARS. THE VEHICLE ONLY FINALLY STOPPED WHEN MY HUSBAND THREW THE VEHICLE IN THE PARK. THERE WAS VEHICLE DAMAGE TO TWO VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PERFORMED COMPREHENSIVE DIAGNOSTICS AND TESTING. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WE HAD SUPPLIED THEM WITH COPIES OF 30-100 OTHER FORMAL COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SURGING IN THEIR EXPLORERS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRING ANYTHING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT! WE WERE LUCKY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT IN CASE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. WITH THE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS, MANY SERVICE BULLETINS TO FORD, YOU WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A RECALL OR AT LEAST SOME OTHER RECOURSE BESIDES "SORRY, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, HAVE A NICE DAY." *TR
NHTSA ODI #10207851
Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2007
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control
IN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN OUR COMPANY'S 2007 FORD EXPLORER I INADVERTENTLY PRESSED BOTH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SAME FOOT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP INSTEAD. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THIS IN A RENTAL FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES, OTHER THAN A B…
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IN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN OUR COMPANY'S 2007 FORD EXPLORER I INADVERTENTLY PRESSED BOTH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SAME FOOT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP INSTEAD. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THIS IN A RENTAL FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES, OTHER THAN A BRIEF PANIC ATTACK. MY SOLUTION WAS NOT DRIVE THE COMPANY'S VEHICLE, BUT INSTEAD DRIVE MY OWN CHEVROLET. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10193841
2,500 miles · Jan 10, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control
I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION IN MY 2007 FORD EXPLORER. AS I BRAKED TO STOP, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ON ITS OWN DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND ACCELERATED PUSHING ME INTO THE INTERSECTION. AN ALERT DRIVER ENTERING THE INTERSECTION SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND STOPPED IN TIME AVOIDING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A S…
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I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION IN MY 2007 FORD EXPLORER. AS I BRAKED TO STOP, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ON ITS OWN DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND ACCELERATED PUSHING ME INTO THE INTERSECTION. AN ALERT DRIVER ENTERING THE INTERSECTION SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND STOPPED IN TIME AVOIDING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME THAT DAY WAS TO CAREFULLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL EACH TIME I WANTED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *JB
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY TO THE FRAME MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TIGHTENED. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH OF THE BOLTS FRACTURING, CAUSING THE STEERING GEAR TO BECOME LOOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STEERING AS WELL AS DECREASED STEERING EFFECTIVENESS POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 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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