IllustrationDOME LIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF UNLESS THE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT SPOT. THIS VARIES EACH TIME I START THE CAR. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING. COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. *TR
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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WRENCH AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY NEEDED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WRENCH AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,200.
THE VEHICLE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS IN PARK. IT MAY TAKE UP TO 10 MINUTES OF WHEEL TURNING AND GEAR SHIFTING BEFORE CAR WILL RECOGNIZE IT IS IN PARK. FORD SERVE STATED THAT THEY COULD TAKE CAR APART AN FOUR IT TOGETHER AND NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR
ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING FOR NO REASON WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF OF MAJOR HIGHWAY ON TO SIDE STREET. LET UNIT SET FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND WAS ABLE TO GET RESTARTED. WENT SEVERAL BLOCKS AND ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. LET SET AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME ABOUT TWO MILES WITHOUT ANY MORE PROBLEMS . NEXT DAY ENGINE STALLED AGAIN, RESARTED A…
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ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING FOR NO REASON WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF OF MAJOR HIGHWAY ON TO SIDE STREET. LET UNIT SET FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND WAS ABLE TO GET RESTARTED. WENT SEVERAL BLOCKS AND ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. LET SET AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME ABOUT TWO MILES WITHOUT ANY MORE PROBLEMS . NEXT DAY ENGINE STALLED AGAIN, RESARTED AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME WITHOUT STALLING.UNIT WAS THEN TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR SERVICE WHERE THEY DID NOT FIND ANY TROUBLE CODES AND WERE NOT ABLE TO GET UNIT TO REPEAT PROBLEM BY WARMING ENGINE AND DRIVING A NUMBER OF TIMES. THEY ARE AT A LOSS FOR A SOLUTION OTHER THAN A COMPUTER REPROGRAM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC DRIVERS SEAT WOULD INDEPENDENTLY MOVE BACKWARD AND FORWARD WITHOUT BEING ENGAGED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS REQUIRED TO HOLD ON TO THE SEAT WHILE DRIVING IN OR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE AUTOMATIC DRIVERS SEAT WOULD INDEPENDENTLY MOVE BACKWARD AND FORWARD WITHOUT BEING ENGAGED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS REQUIRED TO HOLD ON TO THE SEAT WHILE DRIVING IN ORDER FOR THE SEAT TO STAY IN PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I PURCHASED MY CAR USED IN 2008 WITH LESS THAN 10,000.00 MILES ON IT. THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE SEALED TWO YEARS AGO DUE TO CRACK. IT IS NOW LEAKING COOLANT AGAIN, AND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2007 EXPLORER. I'M NOT SURE WHY A RECAL…
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I PURCHASED MY CAR USED IN 2008 WITH LESS THAN 10,000.00 MILES ON IT. THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE SEALED TWO YEARS AGO DUE TO CRACK. IT IS NOW LEAKING COOLANT AGAIN, AND THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2007 EXPLORER. I'M NOT SURE WHY A RECALL HAS YET TO BE ISSUED. OVER 300 COMPLAINTS ONLINE, AND NO RECALL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE ADJACENT TO AN EXPLOSION SOUND OVERHEAD. THE CONTACT HAD THEN NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOFS GLASS HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE SUN ROOF WAS SLIGHTLY OPENED AND WHEN THE THEY BEGAN TO HEAR THE GLASS CRACKING,TH…
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TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE ADJACENT TO AN EXPLOSION SOUND OVERHEAD. THE CONTACT HAD THEN NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOFS GLASS HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE SUN ROOF WAS SLIGHTLY OPENED AND WHEN THE THEY BEGAN TO HEAR THE GLASS CRACKING,THEY SHUT THE VISOR,THEREFORE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAD NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY VEHICLES NEAR THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO RAINY,HAILING OR DRASTIC TEMPERATURE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RARE AND THE SUN ROOF NEEDED TO BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE AND REFERRED THE INFORMATION TO THEIR ENGINEERS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.KGB
VEHICLE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN THE CAR WOULD HIT A BUMP. PROBLEM WOULD BE TEMPORARY RESOLVED BY JINGLING THE KEYS. AT ONE POINT DURING THIS, CAR SHUT OFF AFTER HITTING A BUMP WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT IN AND THE TUMBLERS IN THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AS SEEN WITH THE RECENT CHEVY RECALLS). REPLACED IGNITION SWI…
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VEHICLE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN THE CAR WOULD HIT A BUMP. PROBLEM WOULD BE TEMPORARY RESOLVED BY JINGLING THE KEYS. AT ONE POINT DURING THIS, CAR SHUT OFF AFTER HITTING A BUMP WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT IN AND THE TUMBLERS IN THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AS SEEN WITH THE RECENT CHEVY RECALLS). REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE. *TR
DRIVING ALONG AND INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON THEN WENT OFF IN THE FRONT THEN THE REAR INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND WENT OFF. THIS HAPPENED TWO TIMES BUT DID NOT REOCCUR YET. COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION OR PROBLEMS SEEING ROAD AT NIGHT. *TR
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