2007 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 208 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2007 reports, 11 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 9 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
EquipmentSep 3, 2010
MARATHON IS RECALLING CERTAIN SEAT COVERS, BRAND SUPERHIDES WITH PART NUMBERS 593, 594, 578, 960, 228, 228-09, 267-08, 333, 625, AND 630, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SEAT COVERS ARE MADE OF HEAVIER THREAD AND ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SEATS CONTAINING SIDE AIRBAGS. THE HEAVIER SEAT COVER COULD INTERFERE WITH FULL DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
Campaign 10E043000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, glass, side/rearDec 11, 2007
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS.
SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008.
Campaign 07E104000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringApr 25, 2007
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.
THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STEERING AS WELL AS DECREASED STEERING EFFECTIVENESS POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
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.
Campaign 07V181000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
57 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Power train, Oct 2, 2008
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES BLEEDING DOWN IT IS TO GO IN THE SHOP IN A COUPLE OF DAYS..I HAVE ALSO HAD THE SURGING PROBLEM AS OTHERS HAVE HAD. MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WERE THEY KEEP IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY DID HAVE TO RESET THE COMPUTER AND THE SURGING HAS STOPPED AND HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE THEN. *TR
Power train, Mar 18, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND LUNGES FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES AND THEY PERFORMED TSB WORK AND RESET THE TCM SYSTEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.UPDATED 04/22/08. *LJ
Power train, Feb 11, 2008
TRANSMISSION WANTS TO SURGE IN FIRST GEAR AND THEN SLAMS ITSELF INTO SECOND. ALSO AT LOW SPEEDS IT WANTS TO SURGE UP AND DOWN BY NOT PUSHING ON THE GAS. NOW THE SEAT BELT IS STUCK WHERE I CAN HARDLY GET IT LONG ENOUGH TO GET IT ON. I HAVE REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BEFORE. THEY REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION AND IT FIXED IT FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK .THEN IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. SURE WISH I HAD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT IT. I GOT SO DISGUSTED I BOUGHT A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY AND LOVE IT. *TR
Power train, Jan 24, 2008
I BOUGHT A 2007 IRONMAN FORD EXPLORER IN APRIL. AT ABOUT 5,000 MILES IT STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS. JERKING INTO GEAR AND SURGING FORWARD WHEN STOPPING. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN DEC.2007 AT FIRST THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. FOUR DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEY DROVE IT FOR A WHILE THEY FINALLY NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THEY RE- PROGRAMMED IT AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. ON JAN. 18TH IT WAS BACK IN AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM NOW THE HAVE HAD IT FOR SEVEN DAYS AND DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL HAVE IT FIXED. *TR
Power train, Structure, Jan 14, 2008
I PURCHASED MY NEW 2007 EXPLORER V8 EDDIE BAUER ON 06-07-07. I TRADED IN A 2002 SAME THING. THE MINUTE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT I KNEW THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH IT. IT WANTS TO SURGE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AND WHEN IT FINALLY GOES IN IT JUST SLAMS ITSELF IN. ALSO IF YOU ARE IDLING ALONG AT A SLOW SPEED IT ACTS LIKE YOU ARE GENTLY GIVING IT GAS AS IT SPEEDS UP AND SLOWS DOWN. THE BACK LOCK ON THE WINDOW WANTS TO POP OPEN A LOT ALSO. THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION ONCE AND FOR ABOUT A WEEK I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. THEN IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE EXPLORER NOW SITS IN MY GARAGE FOR 99.9% OF THE TIME. IT HAS 5808.8 MILES ON IT. I GOT SO DISGUSTED WITH THE THING I BOUGHT A 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY AND JUST LOVE IT. I HAVE BEEN A UNION MEMBER ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT AMERICAN PRODUCTS BUT IT SEEMS THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURES NO LONGER CARE OR THERE DESIGNERS NO LONGER CARE AS SOME OF THE FOREIGN MANUFACTURES ARE PUTTING OUR PRODUCTS TO SHAME. THIS USED TO BE A PROUD COUNTRY BUT NOW IT IS JUST GREED. I BELIEVE I HAVE BOUGHT MY LAST AMERICAN CAR OR UNTIL THEY GET THERE ACT BACK TOGETHER. FORD MOTOR YOU ARE PUTTING OUT JUNK. GET BACK IN THE BALL GAME. A VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER. *TR
Power train, Dec 6, 2007
THE LATEST COMPLAINT/ISSUE IS THAT I AM GETTING A BLINKING "O/D OFF" LIGHT AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT IN MY EXPLORER. I HAD JUST HAD MY TRUCK IN FOR SOME EXTENSIVE ASSESSMENT, FOLLOWING A LITANY OF BACK-TO-BACK ELECTRICAL ISSUES (FULL BATTERY FAILURE, FAILURE OF THE 4WD COMPONENT, BROKEN OR DETACHED WIRE IN DRIVER'S DOOR, RESULTING IN INABILITY TO LOCK/ALARM THAT DOOR WITH REMOTE) AS WELL AS, LONG AS IT WAS IN THERE, THE 60K MAINTENANCE CYCLE (WHICH INCLUDED ELECTRICAL, TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH, AND AXLE CHECKUP). THEN, PROBLEMS AGAIN - I NOTED A BLINKING "O/D OFF" LIGHT AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE WEEKEND. I WAS FORCED TO TAKE IT BACK IN FOR MAINTENANCE, ABOUT 3-4 WEEKS AFTER THE LAST SERVICE. JUST TALKING THROUGH THIS ON THE PHONE WITH THE SERVICE DEPT, THE INDICATED IT WAS PROBABLY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - QUICK SEARCH ON THE WEB FOR OTHER FORD OWNERS WITH SIMILAR INDICATIONS/WARNING LIGHTS SEEMED TO BACK THAT UP - SO I ANTICIPATED I WAS LOOKING AT A FULL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THE FORD DEALER WHERE I GET SERVICE DONE WAS IN A 2-WEEK BACKLOG ON TRANSMISSION WORK (SEEMS FORD HAS A LOT OF THESE ISSUES...)...SO I ENDED UP DROPPING OFF MY TRUCK AND DID NOT SEE IT FOR 2 WEEKS WHILE THE WORK WAS DONE - THEN, WHEN I ASKED IF THEY HAD REBUILT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION (SO THAT I COULD EXPECT, AT LEAST, ANOTHER 50-60K W/O THE NEXT ISSUE), THEY NOTED THAT THEY HAD NOT REBUILT IT ALL - HERE AT AM A FEW WEEKS LATER AND THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE ACTING UP AGAIN...VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF THIS FORD WITH THE REPEATED, BACK-TO-BACK ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT ALL SEEM TO HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME - RIGHT AROUND 50-60K FOR THE 2003 MODEL XLT. *TR
Power train, Nov 28, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD WHILE STOPPED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. AS OF NOVEMBER 28, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,588.