Your vehicle report
2008 Ford Explorer
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 148
- Received Dec 2007 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract16 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips11 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Ignition key sticks or will not turn9 complaints · 6.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #07V453000On 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 3 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 14 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 148 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 16 | 11% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 11 | 7.4% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 9 | 6.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 9 | 6.1% | – | |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 9 | 6.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 3.4% | – | |
| Door ajar light stays on when closed | 4 | 2.7% | – | |
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 4 | 2.7% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 2.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 3 | 2.0% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 3 | 2.0% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 3 | 2.0% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 3 | 2.0% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 3 | 2.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #07V453000September 26, 20071,497 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines
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.
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.
Other model years
- 1991 609
- 1992 633
- 1993 939
- 1994 1,207
- 1995 843
- 1996 1,450
- 1997 1,731
- 1998 1,959
- 1999 1,348
- 2000 952
- 2001 375
- 2002 3,295
- 2003 1,131
- 2004 1,304
- 2005 497
- 2006 630
- 2007 208
- 2008
- 2009 33
- 2010 115
- 2011 1,197
- 2012 830
- 2013 2,237
- 2014 1,684
- 2015 1,813
- 2016 2,465
- 2017 1,704
- 2018 734
- 2019 300
- 2020 1,249
- 2021 451
- 2022 271
- 2023 113
- 2025 107
- 2026 42
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2008 Ford Explorer.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN