THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE, THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SEPARATED FROM THE VISOR AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE COVER OF THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SNAPPED. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS RARELY USED SINCE A PASSENGER IS RARELY IN THE SEAT. THE CLIPS HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE MI…
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THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE, THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SEPARATED FROM THE VISOR AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE COVER OF THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SNAPPED. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS RARELY USED SINCE A PASSENGER IS RARELY IN THE SEAT. THE CLIPS HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE MIRROR ON IS THE FEED LINE FOR THE MIRROR LAMP. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10669412
77,000 miles · Dec 11, 2014
Visibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED AND CAUSED GLASS TO SHATTER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WEATHER WAS ABOVE FREEZING AND THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR LACERATIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED AND CAUSED GLASS TO SHATTER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WEATHER WAS ABOVE FREEZING AND THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR LACERATIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
NHTSA ODI #10663535
82,000 miles · Jul 24, 2013
StructureVisibility
BACK WINDOW FLIPPED OPEN WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH IN A PARKING LOT. WENT TO CLOSE IT AND THE HINGE CRACKED SO THE WINDOW WAS HANGING BY ONE HINGE. USING ALL MY STRENGTH I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE WINDOW UP (EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GIVEN THE PUMP) AND CLOSE IT, ALTHOUGH NOT SECURE. THE WINDOW IS VERY HEAVY AND HELD BY A PLASTIC HINGE THAT…
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BACK WINDOW FLIPPED OPEN WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH IN A PARKING LOT. WENT TO CLOSE IT AND THE HINGE CRACKED SO THE WINDOW WAS HANGING BY ONE HINGE. USING ALL MY STRENGTH I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE WINDOW UP (EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GIVEN THE PUMP) AND CLOSE IT, ALTHOUGH NOT SECURE. THE WINDOW IS VERY HEAVY AND HELD BY A PLASTIC HINGE THAT COMPLETELY SNAPPED. THIS IS A PROBLEM CITED IN EARLIER MODELS, AND APPARENTLY FORD DID NOT RECTIFY THE ISSUE. PLASTIC IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD HEAVY GLASS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10531562
44,500 miles · May 25, 2010
Visibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT NOTHING HAD HIT THE WINDOW TO CAUSE IT TO SHATTER. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED GOING THROUGH HER INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REPAIRS. THE VE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT NOTHING HAD HIT THE WINDOW TO CAUSE IT TO SHATTER. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED GOING THROUGH HER INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THROUGH HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,512.
NHTSA ODI #10332118
34,012 miles · Jun 4, 2009
Visibility
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE WHENEVER HE ROLLED DOWN THE REAR WINDOWS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,012.
NHTSA ODI #10272873
Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2008
Visibility
CANNOT DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT WITH THE HEATED WINDSHIELD IN MY 2007 FORD XLT EXPLORER THAT I JUST PURCHASED USED TODAY. *TR
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