2008 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

THE AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATOR IS ON. SOME TIME IF YOU SHUTOFF THE ENGINE IT WILL RESET BUT SOMETIMES WONT RESET. I TOOK IT TO FORD DEALERSHIP THEN CALLED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY SAID ITS NOT COVERED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, ISN'T IT A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANUFACTURER? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVED BACKWARD INDEPENDENTLY AS THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE KEY CYLINDER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. UPDATED 3/1/13 *CN UPDATED 3/29/2013 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR BEGAN TO LEAK ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE PARTS NEEDED TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE FROM AN INDEPENDENT PARTS DEALER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PART. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN SCHEDULED FOR REPAIRS WITH AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

MANIFOLD BOLT FAILURE, CAUSING EXHAUST GASES TO ESCAPE FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. MANY OTHER OWNERS COMPLAIN OF THIS ON ONLINE FORUMS. *TR

MARCH 18, 2012, 50 MPH, FRONT PASSENGER FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. ONLY ONE OUT OF FIVE STUDS STILL AT NORMAL LENGTH, THREE AT HALF THEIR NORMAL LENGTH AND THE FIFTH COMPLETELY MISSING. CAUSED BRAKES TO GO OUT, COASTED TO A CONTROLLED STOP HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE HAD MINOR, ONLY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE LUG NUTS AND STUDS. VERY LUCK THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ROLL! IN JAN 2011, WE DISCOVERED WE WERE MISSING TWO OF THE FIVE STUDS ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE TIRE OF THIS SAME VEHICLE. *TR

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO FRONT AXLE THAT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, A CHIME SOUNDED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE RADIATOR WARNING INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THE CONTACT DISPENSED WATER INTO THE RESERVOIR WHICH LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE THERMOSTAT HAD FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE COOLANT TO DRAIN FROM THE RADIATOR. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 11/28/12 *CN

NOISE COMING FROM STEERING, FELT IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING, IN THE FORM OF A SHUDDER ACCOMPANIED WITH A PULSATING GROANING TYPE NOISE. THIS OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY AS TIME HAS GONE BY, NOW IT HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY AND WITH AN ADDITIONAL SOUND OF FLUID BYPASSING IN THE STEERING RACK, LIKE WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH ANY VEHICLES STEERING SYSTEM WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED ALL THE WAY FULL RIGHT OR FULL LEFT. IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE THAT ONLY TURNING THE WHEEL NORMALLY, NOT TO ITS WHEEL STOPS. ALSO IT FEELS LIKE SOME POWER ASSIST IS LOST AND NOT THERE LIKE IT SHOULD BE, CAUSING INCREASED STEERING WHEEL EFFORT. I AM CONCERNED THAT TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING MAY HAPPEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME! HAD IT IN TO DEALER AND THEY IGNORED MY CONCERN THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, STEERING PUMP PRESSURE TESTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY DID THIS. *TR

DRIVING AT SPEED, IN TRAFFIC, ANOTHER CAR CUT ME OFF, WHEN HIT THE HORN AND STARTED BRAKE - THE DRIVER SEAT SUDDENLY MOVED BACKWARDS. THIS HAS HAPPEN AT LEAST 8 TIMES, THE DEALER SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUSNESS OF DRIVING AND THE DRIVER SEAT MOVING BACKWARDS TO WHERE I CAN BARELY TOUCH THE PEDALS. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY WITH APPROX 46K MILES. *TR

MY PERSONAL VEHICLE IS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER THAT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE.I WORK FOR A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE MODEL WHEEL BEARING FAILURE...MOSTLY ON SUV I.E. *TR EXPLORER,EDGE,MOUNTAINEER,MKX...HAVE WORKED HERE FOR 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS AMOUNT OF WHEEL BEARING FAILURE, MOST OF THESE FAILURES ARE ON VEHICLE THAT ARE LESS THEN FIVE YEARS OLD AND NOT HIGH MILEAGE...WHEN LEFT GO AND NOT REPAIRED,THESE WHEEL BEARINGS WHICH START OUT AS BEING NOISEY, CAN QUICKLY LEAD TO FAILURE WHICH COULD RESULT IN WHEEL SEPERATION FROM AXLE......I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE ANY FATALITIES ARE INVOLVED....