2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING, SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ACCELERATION BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO CLEARED THE INTAKE OF THE VEHICLE BUT THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

AS CITED BY OTHER READERS, FORD HAS PLACED HT-1 CERAMIC PLUGS IN THE EXPLORER SERIES WHICH ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. THESE PLUGS CONSTANTLY DEVELOP STRESS CRACKS AND BREAK DURING REPLACEMENT, REQUIRING A SPECIAL TOOL TO REMOVE THEM. WHEN THEY BREAK (2~3 ON AVERAGE), BE READY TO PAY ADDITIONAL CHARGES TO COVER THE EXTRA TIME NEEDED FOR REMOVAL/CLEAN-OUT BY THE MECHANIC. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY FORD TO REPLACE THESE PLUGS. *TR

IN 2008 AND THEN 2010 THE FRONT SEALED WHEEL BEARINGS ASSEMBLIES HAVE GONE BAD, REQUIRING A WHEEL BEARING KIT BY THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW IN MAY~JUNE 2012, THE REAR WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE IN THE EXPLORER SERIES, BUT DOING NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, OTHER THAN CHARGING YOU $700 PER WHEEL ( $350 PARTS/ $350 LABOR) TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NICE LITTLE OPERATION THE DEALER/FORD CORP. HAVE GOING. OTHER EXPLORER OWNERS I TALKED WITH HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WHY, THE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR BEGAN TO RISE AND THE ENGINE BECAME RATHER LOUD. NO INDICATOR (IDIOT LIGHTS) LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE ENGINE, LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE HEAT INDICATOR RETURNED TO NORMAL IMMEDIATELY. STARTED TO DRIVE AND THE SAME ISSUE STARTED AGAIN. THIS TIME I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN COMPLETELY. RESTARTED THE ENGINE 2~3 MINS LATER, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE RE-SET THE SYSTEM, AS I HAVE NOT HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM SINCE. *TR

I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE WHEN ACCELERATED IT WOULD BECOME SLUGGISH AND MAKE A LOUD ROARING NOISE. THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON FOR ABOUT 8 SECONDS AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE TOP FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. THEN THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE GAUGE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THEN ENGINE SOUND AND SPEED APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. *JS

SPARK PLUGS MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO A SKIP UNDER LOAD. HOWEVER, FORD HAS USED SOME UNUSUAL SPARK PLUG THAT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR END USERS TO EITHER CHANGE THEMSELVES OR EXTRAORDINARILY EXPENSIVE FOR THE CONSUMER TO HAVE CHANGED BY FORD. FORD SERVICE QUOTE IS $300.00 TO HAVE CHANGED. THIS IS A TERRIBLE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SCREW UP THAT IS RIDICULOUS. FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADMIT THEY HAVE A POOR DESIGN AND NOT KEEP CHARGING CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR MISTAKE. *TR

I HAD MISFIRES ON CYLINDER 7, TRIED TO REPLACE PLUGS HAD FOUR BREAK IN MANIFOLD, FOUND THAT SPECIALITY TOOL HAD TO BE BOUGHT TO REPLACE PLUGS THAT BREAK, ALSO FOUND THAT FORD SERVICE WAS WELL AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH PLUGS AND THEY CHARGE EXTRA TO REMOVE AND REPLACE BROKEN PLUGS. FORD ENGINEERED A FAULTY PRODUCT AND BECAUSE THE NTSB HAS NOT SLAPPED THEIR HANDS THEY WILL NOT MAKE ANY AMENDS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS FOR REPLACEMENT OF PLUGS. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO MAKE THEM REPLACE THE PLUGS FOR A NON DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE CONTINUOUSLY DEFLATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE BUT DECIDED TO PLACE A SEALANT AROUND THE ALUMINUM WHEEL AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 02/15/12*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS WATER COMING THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE WATER WAS COMING IN FROM THE WINDOWS AND THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A SPECIALIST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A WINDOW SPECIALIST WHO INSPECTED THE WINDOWS AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WATER WAS COMING FROM THE SEAMS IN THE ROOF, THE WELL OF THE ROOF OR THE LUGGAGE RACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. A REPRESENTATIVE ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

PURCHASED 2007 EXPL SP TRAC IN APRIL 2008 FROM ACADEMY FORD LAUREL, MD (19K MI). RADIATOR LEAK AND REPLACEMENT IN MAY 2011 (38.5K MI). RADIATOR LEAKING AGAIN AT 59K MI. *TR