IllustrationSTIFFNESS IN STEERING WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL . NO SOUNDS COMING FROM POWER STEERING/BELT OR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER .. JUST WHEN YOU SLOW TO TURN IT'S STIFF
2008 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Ford Explorer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
130–25K
2025–50K
2850–75K
2875–100K
30100–150K
10150K+
129 reports with mileage · 19 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
148 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL ACTIVATE THE MEMORY SEAT FUNCTION CAUSING INTERIOR LIGHTS TO ACTIVATE AND THE DRIVER SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARD LEAVING THE DRIVER UNABLE TO REACH PEDALS OR STEERING WHEEL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. OCCURS ON BOTH CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. UNSEEN CAUSE TRIGGERS THE EVENT.
LOSS OF STEERING. "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT" THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND DOCUMENTED ISSUE AND FORD IS 'SELECTIVELY' CHOOSING TO CHERRY-PICK COVERAGE ON RECALL. THIS NEEDS TO BE COVERED ON ALL EFFECTED VEHICLES NOT CHERRY PICKED! I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY 2-$3,000 + FOR A REPAIR THAT'S BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A MAIN COMPUTER CHIP HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,334.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. AFTER DRIVING A BLOCK, …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. AFTER DRIVING A BLOCK, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V453000 (POWER TRAIN). NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
THERE IS A SUSPECT DRIVING A SEA GREEN FORD EXPLORER IN BUXTON, NORTH CAROLINA FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW WITHOUT A REGISTERED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER INSIDE THE DASHBOARDS OF HER VEHICLE AND THEREFORE IT IS OBVIOUSLY A THREAT TO OTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD INCUR LONG TIME DAMAGES TO ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN ON …
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THERE IS A SUSPECT DRIVING A SEA GREEN FORD EXPLORER IN BUXTON, NORTH CAROLINA FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW WITHOUT A REGISTERED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER INSIDE THE DASHBOARDS OF HER VEHICLE AND THEREFORE IT IS OBVIOUSLY A THREAT TO OTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD INCUR LONG TIME DAMAGES TO ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PEDESTRIAN ON THE ROAD AT ANY GIVEN TIME PLUS THE SPACE WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO READ THE VIN IT IS PAINTED YELLOW AND READS IN BIG WHITE LETTERS AIR BAG.
THE DRIVER'S SAFETY DEVICE (SEAT BELT) DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO CLICK/LOCK IT IN PLACE, EVEN WITH FORCEFUL PRESSURE. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELT WILL COME UNLOCKED. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING OR NOT IN MOTION. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN PLACE (NO DASH LIGHTS INDICATING IT IS…
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THE DRIVER'S SAFETY DEVICE (SEAT BELT) DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO CLICK/LOCK IT IN PLACE, EVEN WITH FORCEFUL PRESSURE. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELT WILL COME UNLOCKED. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING OR NOT IN MOTION. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN PLACE (NO DASH LIGHTS INDICATING IT IS NOT) BUT THEN IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY COME OUT OF THE LOCKED POSITION. WHAT GOOD IS A SEAT BELT IF IT DOESN'T WORK? THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND AND ME.
I'VE HAD MY 2008 EDDIE BAUER FORD EXPLORER JUST OVER A YEAR. AS I'M DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, IT STARTS ACTING LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO CUT OFF. I GET TO A RED LIGHT AND AS I'M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF, IT SHUTS OFF. I PLACED IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT THEN IT SPUTTERS AND THEN CATCHES. A FEW MINUTES LATER THIS ERROR MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE …
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I'VE HAD MY 2008 EDDIE BAUER FORD EXPLORER JUST OVER A YEAR. AS I'M DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, IT STARTS ACTING LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO CUT OFF. I GET TO A RED LIGHT AND AS I'M ABOUT TO TAKE OFF, IT SHUTS OFF. I PLACED IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT THEN IT SPUTTERS AND THEN CATCHES. A FEW MINUTES LATER THIS ERROR MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE DASH WITH A WRENCH. I TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST AUTO STORE, THEY PLACED IT ON THE MACHINE AND SAID IT LOOKS LIKE MY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS OR ECM/PCM. I HAD THE HARNESS REPLACED (ALMOST $900) AND A WEEK LATER THE WRENCH ERROR MESSAGE RETURNED AND THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AS WELL.
WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IT CAME FROM NOWHERE. I WAS DRIVING AS NORMAL THEN THERE WAS AN INITIAL LOSS OF POWER AS I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND AN UNFAMILIAR ORANGE WRENCH WERE NOW ILLUMINATED. SEEMING AS I HAD NO POWER I CAUTIOUSLY GUIDED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE EXPRESSWAY. SINCE THEN I'VE TRIED HAVING THE PR…
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WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IT CAME FROM NOWHERE. I WAS DRIVING AS NORMAL THEN THERE WAS AN INITIAL LOSS OF POWER AS I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND AN UNFAMILIAR ORANGE WRENCH WERE NOW ILLUMINATED. SEEMING AS I HAD NO POWER I CAUTIOUSLY GUIDED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE EXPRESSWAY. SINCE THEN I'VE TRIED HAVING THE PROBLEM FIXED TO NO AVAIL, BECAUSE IT'S INTERMITTENT AND FORD THEMSELVES HAVE NO REMEDY. ALSO, TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO CONTACT FORD TO BE TOLD THE VEHICLE IS PAST WARRANTY SO GO THE DEALER AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE AND STILL OCCURRING OCCASIONALLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING OR MOVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER SYSTEM REBUILT ITSELF IN ORDER FOR THE POWER TO RETURN SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE FUNC…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING OR MOVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER SYSTEM REBUILT ITSELF IN ORDER FOR THE POWER TO RETURN SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE FUNCTIONAL. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND, A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND RECONFIGURED THE WIRING ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE'S PCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
Official recalls
107V453000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
Sep 26, 2007
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
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