IllustrationWHILE 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.
2007 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2007 Ford Explorer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
320–25K
2525–50K
5250–75K
3175–100K
32100–150K
12150K+
184 reports with mileage · 24 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports5 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
208 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE ENGINE POWER AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS EACH TIME. THE EIGHT ENGINE COILS WERE REPLA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE ENGINE POWER AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS EACH TIME. THE EIGHT ENGINE COILS WERE REPLACED A TOTAL OF THIRTY TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES, WHO REPLACED MORE THAN ONE ENGINE COIL EACH VISIT WITH AN AFTERMARKET PART. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAIL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE REPLACEMENT PCM ALSO FAILED. UPDATED 02/02/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE NUT IN THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAIL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE NUT IN THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I HIT A BUMP AND THE SEAT WENT ALL THE WAY BACK. I COULD NOT REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HAD TO MANUALLY PUT THE SEAT FORWARD. ALSO, THE DOME LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I BRAKED HARD.
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE POWER SEAT HAS MOVED BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN, CAUSING PROBLEMS IN REACHING THE PEDALS SAFELY. IN SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO TURNED ON. TWO OF THE TIMES THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS WHEN I HAD TO HONK THE HORN, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON OT…
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ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE POWER SEAT HAS MOVED BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN, CAUSING PROBLEMS IN REACHING THE PEDALS SAFELY. IN SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO TURNED ON. TWO OF THE TIMES THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS WHEN I HAD TO HONK THE HORN, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON OTHER OCCASIONS AS WELL. TONIGHT, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE SEAT MOVED BACKWARDS, THEN THE VEHICLE DIED - ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WENT DEAD. I COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED WHILE TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE RE-STARTED AND THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.
WHILE IN MOTION, THE DRIVER POWER SEAT WILL MAKE UN-COMMANDED MOVEMENT BACKWARDS AND AWAY FROM STEERING WHEEL AND PEDALS. THIS SCENARIO TYPICALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, OCCURS DURING A TURN OR ACCELERATION. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHILE AT A STEADY SPEED IN THE CITY AND ON THE HIGHWAY. IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE IGNITION LOCATE…
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WHILE IN MOTION, THE DRIVER POWER SEAT WILL MAKE UN-COMMANDED MOVEMENT BACKWARDS AND AWAY FROM STEERING WHEEL AND PEDALS. THIS SCENARIO TYPICALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, OCCURS DURING A TURN OR ACCELERATION. IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHILE AT A STEADY SPEED IN THE CITY AND ON THE HIGHWAY. IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE IGNITION LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. SPEEDS AT WHICH THIS OCCURS RANGE BETWEEN INITIAL ACCELERATION UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70 MPH)
MY 2007 EXPLORER DRIVER SEAT MOVE AT WILL, FORWARD OR BACKWARD EVEN WHILE DRIVING. I AM SHORT AND THE POWER SEAT MOVES BACK TO WHERE MY FEET NO LONGER REACH THE PEDALS. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY WHEN DRIVING OR JUST STATIONARY WHILE CHANGING GEARS AND HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO HAVE RE…
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MY 2007 EXPLORER DRIVER SEAT MOVE AT WILL, FORWARD OR BACKWARD EVEN WHILE DRIVING. I AM SHORT AND THE POWER SEAT MOVES BACK TO WHERE MY FEET NO LONGER REACH THE PEDALS. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY WHEN DRIVING OR JUST STATIONARY WHILE CHANGING GEARS AND HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO HAVE REPAIRED BUT THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. A NET SEARCH REVEALS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AS HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN READING ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOW…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AS HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN READING ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR, WATER PUMP AND HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
2007 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED UP AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF ITS POSITION. *SMD
Official recalls
107V181000 · 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
1PE08060 · 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