2008 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

2008 SPORT TRAC V8 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I MUST WAIT APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS BEFORE BACKING TRUCK OUT OF MY GARAGE...ANY SOONER AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS BUT WILL SLOWLY MOVE AFTER REACHING 6,000 RPM. TRUCK ALSO ADVANCES SLOWLY FROM A STOP. 1ST DEALER ADVISED ME IT ACTUALLY WAS 21 SECONDS AND THAT I SHOULD JUST WAIT THE 21 SECONDS BEFORE SHIFTING TO REVERSE. 2ND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS WORSE WHEN WEATHER IS WARM AND HUMID. 1ST DEALER INDICATED THEY DID A REFLASH OF TRANSMISSION BUT 2ND DEALER CONFIRMED THEY DID NOT AND ACCOMPLISHED IT AND SHIFTING IMPROVED. TRUCK STILL DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT CORRECTLY TO FIRST GEAR UPON COMING TO A STOP OR NEAR STOP AND TRUCK WILL REMAIN IN HIGHER GEAR UNLESS FULL STOP AND ONE SECOND BOTH OCCUR. FOUND PLENTY OF SAME TYPE COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM 2007 AND 2008 SPORT TRAC OWNERS BUT FORD AND THEIR DEALERS TRY AND CONVINCE ME THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUES. REFLASH SO FAR SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED PROBLEM OF HARD DOWN AND UPSHIFTING BUT CREATED THE SLOW DOWN SHIFTING TO FIRST GEAR. NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS WHEN TRUCK IS SLOW TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT DOES NOT DOWN SHIFT TO FIRST GEAR AFTER SLOWING TO 3 MILES PER HOUR OR LOWER LIKE EVER OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE ICE AND SNOW FREEZE THE DOORS AND FRAMES ON HIS VEHICLE AND HE CANNOT OPEN THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS OR WARRANTIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOW 20,000. UPDATED 03/24/10 *BF UPDATED 07/27/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHILE HE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATE SPEEDS RANGING FROM 5 TO 45 MPH AND WOULD GRADUALLY TURN OFF. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY AND THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,900.

VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL COMES ON FOR NO REASON AND LOSS OF BRAKING IS EXPERIENCED AT THE SAME TIME. THIS NEARLY CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, WHICH I HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH FORCING OTHER DRIVERS TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ME. THE ISSUE NEVER REAPPEARED DURING THIS DRIVE AND ONLY OCCURS RANDOMLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2008 FORD EXPLORER FROM AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE IN A HOTEL PARKING LOT. THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION WHEN THERE WAS AN UNEXPECTED AND DRASTIC ACCELERATION. IMMEDIATELY, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INSIDE OF A HOTEL ROOM. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TRUCK IN ORDER TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE HOTEL OFFICE AND PEDESTRIANS. THE TRUCK THEN CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A MILD WHIPLASH, INJURIES TO THE NECK, A FRACTURED TOE, AND A MILD CONCUSSION. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE AND INCIDENT REPORT WERE FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

WE HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE START WITH THIS 2008 EXPLORER. WHEN SLOWING TO MAKE A TURN THE TRANSMISSION GETS HUNG BETWEEN GEARS, THEN THE ENGINE REVS UP, THEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL DROP INTO GEAR WITH NECK SNAPPING RESULT, LUNGING FORWARD QUICKLY. I'M AFRAID THAT THIS COULD CAUSE MY WIFE TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE LOCKING TORQUE CONVERTER DISENGAGES CONSTANTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THEN RE-ENGAGES, THEN DISENGAGES. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET A FORD ENGINEER NAMED DERRICK TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, BUT HE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. ALL HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW SMOOTH THE VEHICLE RIDES ON THE HIGHWAY, JUST A LOT OF DOUBLE TALK TO DIVERT ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE PROBLEM. IT IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM, VERIFIED BY DAVID LAUGHLIN OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY, PAUL SANFORD OF COURTESY FORD, AND DAVE ADAMS OF COURTESY FORD. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2008 EDDIE BAUER EXPLORER ON AUGUST 16, 2008. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE ON AUGUST 21ST, FOR A NOISE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL OR TRANSMISSION AS IT HAD A CLANGING NOISE WHEN STARTING AND DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THEY RECOMMENDED TO WAIT FOR 300-500 MILES. ON SEPT. 17, IT WAS BROUGHT IN AGAIN AND THEY REPLACE THE DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY ON THE 19TH. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. IT WAS BROUGHT IN ON OCT. 23 AND I WAS TOLD TO WAIT FOR A REP FROM FORD. ON DEC. 4TH, A FORD REP SAID THE CLANGING NOISE WAS "NORMAL." I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE REP, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO...HE DID NOT CALL. ON DED. 9TH ANOTHER REP CAME, BUT DID NOT SPEAK TO ME AND NOTHING WAS DONE. I FILED THE PAPERS UNDER THE LEMON LAW ON DECEMBER 16 AND A FORD REP LOOKED AT THE CAR ON JAN. 15, 2009. I WAS TOLD AT 1 PM THEY WERE LOOKING INTO REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, AS THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT AT 4 PM THE SAME DAY, RECEIVED A PHONE CALL STATING THAT THE REP, DEEMED IT "WITHIN FORD SPECS." THE PROBLEM STILL EXITS AND IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY SPENT ON A CAR THAT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. I CONTACTED FORD AGAIN VIA A LETTER ATTACHED TO THEIR SURVEY ON MARCH 10, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS CONFIDED TO US THAT 3 OTHER EXACT PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE SAME MAKE/MODEL. IT SEEMS FORD MAY BE HESITANT TO FIX THIS AS IT MAY RESULT IN A RECALL. WE DO NOT ADVOCATE A MAJOR RECALL; WE JUST WOULD LIKE OUR CAR FIXED. IT CONTINUES TO CLANK AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. *TR

IN FREEZING WEATHER, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH THE WINDSHIELD UNDERNEATH THE CENTER OF THE WIPER BLADE. THIS CAUSES WATER, ICE, OR SNOW TO BUILD UP IN A LARGE AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD IN THE CENTER OF THE DRIVER'S VISION. THIS MAKES IT NECESSARY TO PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND MANUALLY CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD, AS ACTIVATING THE WINDSHIELD WASHERS MAKES THE PROBLEM WORSE. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT OCCURS WITH NO WARNING, AND CAN BEGIN TO OCCUR IN THE MIDDLE OF A JOURNEY EVEN IF IT WASN'T AN ISSUE AT THE OUTSET. ALTHOUGH MY CURRENT MODEL IS A 2008, I HAD THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH MY 2006 MODEL AS WELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES, SIZE P235/65/R18. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRE TRACTION WAS POOR WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE NOTICED THAT THE TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES FAILED. SHE TOOK THE TIRES TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIRE DEALERS AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES HAD ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER ASSUMED PARTIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TIRES. THE CONTACT STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 11,300. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCED REPLACED THE TIRES. UPDATED 03/24/09.(JB

ALL 4 TIRE STEMS/VALVES WERE FRACTURED ... FORD DENIES A RECALL ... INTERNAL MEMO ACKNOWLEDGES A PRODUCT WIDE PROBLEM WITH TIRE CALVES FROM THAT FACTORY. *TR