TL* THE CONTACT DRIVES A 2007 FORD EXPLORER OWNED BY THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR WAS DETACHED…
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TL* THE CONTACT DRIVES A 2007 FORD EXPLORER OWNED BY THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR WAS DETACHED AND WAS RE-ATTACHED WITH A PIECE OF GLASS AND TAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE REPORTED TO THE SUPERVISOR AS WELL AS DOCUMENTED IN A VEHICLE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SEVERAL OTHER FORD EXPLORERS IN THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT FLEET WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS THEY EXHIBITED HESITATION AND STALLING. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #11155978
181,600 miles · Jan 30, 2016
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiperCrash
WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY/PARKED, BACK LIFT GATE GLASS EXPLODED. THIS HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 26, 2015. AFTER HAVING IT PROFESSIONALLY REPLACED, IT AGAIN EXPLODED WHILE PARKED ON JANUARY 29, 2016.
NHTSA ODI #10823230
101,000 miles · May 17, 2013
StructureVisibility/wiper
WHILE DRIVING 15MPH, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION, AFTER I PULLED OVER, I FOUND THE REAR WINDOW ON THE LIFTGATE HANGING BY ONLY THE LIFT SUPPORTS. THE PLASTIC HINGES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE WINDOW IN PLACE SEEM TO BE CORRODED AND CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING THE…
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WHILE DRIVING 15MPH, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION, AFTER I PULLED OVER, I FOUND THE REAR WINDOW ON THE LIFTGATE HANGING BY ONLY THE LIFT SUPPORTS. THE PLASTIC HINGES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE WINDOW IN PLACE SEEM TO BE CORRODED AND CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED OR IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY INJURED. *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
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