2007 Ford Explorer

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC XLT WITH DIFINITY DAKOTA A/T TIRES, LINE SIZE P235/70/R16. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEFT QUARTER TIRE SHREDDED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND WAS UNSURE IF THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINALS OR REPLACEMENT TIRES. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES FOR THE TIRES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,200. UPDATED 12/14/2011 *CN UPDATED 12/01/2011 *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON A BUMPY ROAD APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE COMPUTER DETECTED VIA BLACK BOX THAT A CRASH HAD OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE TECHNICIANS WERE REPLACING THE AIR BAGS, THE LINING WHERE THE AIR BAGS WERE LOCATED, AND THE BLACK BOX. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 01/19/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE ENGINE STALLED. UPDATED 04/15/11

CARSEAT WAS INSTALLED REARFACING, IN BOTH OUTBOARD POSITIONS, WITH LATCH, NO TOP TETHER, IN A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. (2ND ROW) CARSEAT WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY BY MYSELF, A CPST, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO MOVEMENT AT THE REAR FACING BELTPATH. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, RANGING FROM A FEW HOURS TO DAYS, THE SEAT WILL LOOSEN BEYOND THE ALLOWABLE 1 INCH OF MOVEMENT AT THE BELTPATH. MANY TIMES WHEN CHILD HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE SEAT. THERE IS NO IDENTIFIABLE REASON FOR THE BELT TO LOOSEN OTHER THAN THE BELT SLIPPING THROUGH THE TIGHTENER. THE TIGHTENER SLIDES EXTREMELY EASILY ON THE BELT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND IT TAKES MINIMAL, IF ANY FORCE TO RELEASE THE SILVER TAB AND LOOSEN THE LATCH BELT. I HAVE SEEN THIS SEAT LOOSEN ABOUT 5 TIMES IN MY VEHICLE. I DO NOT LET MY CHILD RIDE IN IT WHILE INSTALLED WITH LATCH FOR THIS REASON AND I CANNOT USE THE SEAT TO ITS FULL CAPACITY IF THE LATCH BELT IS DEFECTIVE. I CONTACTED SUNSHINE KIDS AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND AM WORKING WITH THEIR COST TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AGAIN. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO REPLACE MY CURRENT LATCH BELT WITH ANOTHER, HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO MY LATCH BELT ALONE. THEY WILL BE REPLACING WITH THE SAME PRODUCT. FOR THE TIME BEING I HAVE DECLINED THE NEW LATCH BELT SO THAT I CAN WAIT TO SEE IF IT IS REPAIRABLE, OR RECALLED. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2007, MAKE=FORD, MODEL=EXPLORER). *TR

RADIATOR STARTING SEEPING FLUID FROM RIGHT TOP SEAM (ALUMINUM-PLASTIC) AROUND 50,000 MILES FOR NO REASON; RESEARCH ON INTERNET SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH THE 2006-2007 MODELS WITH THE V6 ENGINE. FINALLY AT 54000 MILES I AM GOING TO REPLACE THE UNIT AS THE LEAK HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND I'M AFRAID OF COMPLETE EQUIPMENT FAILURE ON THE ROAD TRAVELING. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY EXPLORER OWNERS WITH SOME HAVING TO REPLACE THERE RADIATOR THREE TIMES. ONE SITE I LOOKED AT FOR PURCHASE GAVE A PART NUMBER FOR THE 2006 MODELS AND NOTED THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER HONOR A WARRANTY DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE FORD MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR THE RADIATOR. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN MENTIONED ON THE INTERNET TOWARD FORD FOR NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND ADDRESSING THIS DEFECT ISSUE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND DON'T SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE (7) FORD VEHICLES IN THE YARD; THAT IS ALL HE HAS EVER OWNED FOR 35 YEARS. RADIATORS JUST DON'T START LEAKING - FORD HAS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD. *TR

WAS DRIVING FROM WORK TO PICK UP DAUGHTER FROM SOCCER APPROX 2 MILES AWAY. STARTED HEARING A NOISE THAT SOUNDED MAYBE LIKE SOMETHING WAS STUCK IN HUBCAP..NOISE SEEMED TO BE MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN VEHICLE WAS BRAKING OR SLOWING DOWN. DROVE APPROX. ANOTHER 10 MILES BEFORE PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR THE NIGHT. NEXT MORNING(SAT) CALLED OUR LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET IT IN TO LOOK AT IT. SERVICE STATES THAT THE SWAY BAR IS LOOSE AND THAT TWO OF THE 5 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE WHEEL IN PLACE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WERE SHEARED OFF. CAR IS AT THE GARAGE NOW AND THEY GAVE ME A LOANER TO USE WHILE IT IIS BEING REPAIRED. IT WAS IN FOR SERVICE ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THE U-JOINT WAS REPLACED AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ISSUES WERE FIXED ALL UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY OTHER TIME THAT I KNOW OF THAT THE DRIVER REAR TIRES WAS OFF WAS BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR WHEN IT HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB AT ANOTHER LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER. SO FAR THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE DEALER HAS BEEN GOOD AND THEY HAVE TREATED ME WELL AS FAR AS GETTING A LOANER VEHICLE ETC....BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR OTHERS. IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THIS IN TO BE LOOKED AT, WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT HAD THE WHEEL SNAPPED OFF ON US. THAT IS SCARY TO THINK ABOUT. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO US. *TR

2007 FORD EXPLORER MAKING A LOUD ROARING SOUND UPON ACCELERATION. I FINALLY GOT IT TO DO IT AT THE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER, LEAD TECH AND MYSELF WENT FOR A RIDE. THEY AGREED THAT THE FAN CLUTCH WAS LOCKING UP AND FELT THAT A SIMPLE R&R WOULD FIX IT. HOWEVER AT THE LAST MINUTE THE SERVICE MANAGER DECIDED TO CALL FORD ENGINEERING AND HE TALKED TO AN ENGINEER WHO EXPLAINED THAT THE FAN CLUTCH IS CONTROLLED BY THE PCM (MODULE) AND THAT REPLACING THE FAN WOULD NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE. HE EXPLAINED THAT FOR SOME REASON THE PCM THINKS THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING AND IT IS TRYING TO INCREASE AIR FLOW THROUGH THE RADIATOR. MAKES SENSE. HOWEVER THERE ARE NO CODES SHOWING AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM. HMMMM'' UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRANS WAS THROWING OF AN OVERHEAT CODE! I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT WAS NOT APPARENT FROM THE BEGINNING. THE LAPTOP SHOWED THE TRANS TEMP AT 270!. NO WAY! SO UP ON THE LIFT, AND PHYSICALLY CHECK THE TRANS TEMP AND FLUID TEMP. WELL, 160 ALL DAY LONG! TURNS OUT THAT THE THERMO BYPASS WAS FAULTY AND WAS MISINFORMING THE PCM THAT THE TRANS WAS OVERHEATING AND THE PCM WAS LOCKING UP THE FAN CLUTCH TO PULL MORE AIR TO COMPENSATE. REPLACED THE THERMO BYPASS AND SO FAR PROBLEM SOLVED. TO DO THIS YOU MUST DROP THE TRANS PAN AND REMOVE THE VALVE BODY AS THE THERMO BYPASS IS LOCATED IN THE VALVE BODY. *TR