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2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Explorer Sport Trac years

Owner complaints for the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac are substantially higher than the model-year median of 27.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

92 reports with mileage · 8 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

100 reports
51,000 miles · Dec 20, 2016
Service Brakes

THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD BECOME SOFT AFTER 51,000 MILES AND A RECENT BRAKE JOB. AFTER CALLING THE MECHANIC WHO DID THE JOB HE SAID THAT THE LINES DIDNT NEED TO BLEED BECAUSE THE LINES WERE NEVER OPENED.

NHTSA ODI #10936381

100,000 miles · Oct 29, 2016
Engine

MY CAR STALL INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. SEEMS TO BE WHEN I BREAK. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.

NHTSA ODI #10920006

195,000 miles · Oct 12, 2016
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

RIGHT REAR DIRECTIONAL LIGHT AND HAZARD LIGHT ARE NOT WORKING. REPLACED BULB AND SOCKET 4 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. THE LEFT DIRECTIONAL/HAZARD LIGHT DOES ILLUMINATE.

NHTSA ODI #10915501

10,000 miles · Aug 11, 2016
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED OR REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED OR REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ODI #10895052

114,000 miles · Jul 10, 2016
EngineExterior Lighting

OK WHERE CAN I START BESIDES THAT I'VE COME TO HATE MY TRUCK I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING IT CONSTANTLY FIRST OFF LIGHT IN THE CAR GO ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING WHENEVER YOU HIT A BUMP THAN I GET RANDOM LITTLE LEAKS ALL THE TIME AND HAD MY TRANSMISSION WORKED ON A YEAR AGO BECAUSE IT WAS MESSED UP AND HERE IT GOES AGAI…

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OK WHERE CAN I START BESIDES THAT I'VE COME TO HATE MY TRUCK I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING IT CONSTANTLY FIRST OFF LIGHT IN THE CAR GO ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING WHENEVER YOU HIT A BUMP THAN I GET RANDOM LITTLE LEAKS ALL THE TIME AND HAD MY TRANSMISSION WORKED ON A YEAR AGO BECAUSE IT WAS MESSED UP AND HERE IT GOES AGAIN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE [XXX] IS WRONG WITH IT BUT SOMETIMES I SWEAR I JUST WANNA THROW THE [XXX] CAR OFF A BRIDGE EVERY OTHER DAY THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM NOT MY AC HAS STOPPED WORKING I WAS DRINKING HOME FROM THE GYM YESTERDAY MORNING AT A RED LIGHT HE CAR SHUT OFF LOCKED MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MY DOORS LOCKED MY BRAKE STARTED BEEPING ON MY DASH WOULDN'T LET ME DO ANYTHING THAT'S DANGEROUS IT WAS A MAJOR ROAD WITH THE LIGHT JUST TURNING GREEN I'M STUCK CAN'T EVEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND ROLL IT OUT OF THE INTERSECTION I TURNED IT OFF AND TURNED IT OFF DROVE IT HOME WOKE UP NEXT MORNING FOUND SOMETHING LEAKING DROVE TO WORK NOT ITS HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING I'M SO DONE WITH THIS TRUCK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10883795

80,000 miles · Jun 3, 2016
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

DOME LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING. OFTEN OCCURS WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD OR IN TURN. WILL TURN OFF IF (ANY) DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED OR IF THE KEY IS "JIGGLED"

NHTSA ODI #10872342

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2016
Power Train

TRUCK IS SLIPPING WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR-KNOWN FORD TRANSMISSION ISSUE. THE DEALER SAID TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AS A BETTER ONE IS OFFERED

NHTSA ODI #10855041

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2016
Electrical System

I HAVE TWO 2007 FORD ONE IS A FREESTYLE AND THE OTHER IS A SPORT TRAC AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THEY STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN THEY CLICK BACK OFF THEN BACK ON AND OFF AGAIN. THE FREESTYLE DOES NOT HAVE A AUTO SWITCH FOR THE LIGHTS BUT THE SPORT TRAC DOES. IT HAPP…

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I HAVE TWO 2007 FORD ONE IS A FREESTYLE AND THE OTHER IS A SPORT TRAC AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THEY STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN THEY CLICK BACK OFF THEN BACK ON AND OFF AGAIN. THE FREESTYLE DOES NOT HAVE A AUTO SWITCH FOR THE LIGHTS BUT THE SPORT TRAC DOES. IT HAPPENS ALL THE WHILE THAT YOU ARE DRIVING WHICH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IF THE INSIDE LIGHTS ARE ON WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN GET A TICKET.

NHTSA ODI #10824747

100,000 miles · Nov 11, 2015
Unknown Or Other

FORD TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 100,000 MILES. CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION, COULD NOT MOVE. A LOT OF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED ABOUT FORD'S POOR TRANSMISSION AND SURPRISED THERE IS YET TO BE A RECALL ABOUT THEIR POOR QUALITY TRANSMISSIONS.

NHTSA ODI #10789832

56,000 miles · Oct 8, 2015
EngineCrash

MY FORD EXPLORER 2007 HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (56,000 MILES). ITS ENGINE STARTED TO SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY UNDER ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT WAS INDEED VERY DANGEROUS. INDEED MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING THIS CAR, HAD AN ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED IN A STO…

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MY FORD EXPLORER 2007 HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (56,000 MILES). ITS ENGINE STARTED TO SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY UNDER ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT WAS INDEED VERY DANGEROUS. INDEED MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING THIS CAR, HAD AN ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED IN A STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN ANY INJURY. I HATE TO THINK OF CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HAPPENING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. MY RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE AUTOS, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AFTER HAVING MY MECHANICS CHECK EVERY CONCEIVABLE PROBLEM, I WAS REFERRED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THE INTERNAL PCM FAILURE TO BE THE CAUSE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS PART IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, AND A NEW ONE IS DEVELOPED WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. I WAS LUCKY TO FIND A NEW PART AND HAD IT SHIPPED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INSTALLED. I HOPE THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. IT COST ME $1,546.41, WHICH I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I THINK THIS IS A CASE OF BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE PCM, WHICH IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM AND I THINK THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND REPLACE THIS PART FREE OF CHARGE.

NHTSA ODI #10780915

Official recalls

1

07V181000 · Steering

Apr 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.

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