2007 Ford Explorer — Known Issues & Recalls

Your engine has shut off completely while driving at highway speeds (45 mph), three separate times, causing you to lose power steering and all engine functions. When this happens, all warning lights on your dashboard illuminate at once. Two repair shops have scanned for error codes without finding anything, and replacing the ABS tone ring and battery hasn't solved the problem. The root cause likely involves a faulty sensor, electrical connection, or engine control module that isn't triggering a diagnostic code, which will require more advanced diagnostic testing or component replacement.

While driving at 60 mph, smoke appeared from under your hood and fluid leaked underneath your vehicle. The car was towed home but wasn't taken to a dealer for diagnosis or repair. This issue occurred at approximately 158,000 miles and involved smoke and fluid loss, which are signs of a serious engine or cooling system problem. A dealer inspection and fluid system diagnosis will be needed to identify what failed and prevent further damage.

You're experiencing a loud squealing noise from the engine that started after replacing the serpentine belt. Research suggests the harmonic balancer (a component that helps balance engine vibration) may be failing, which can cause additional damage to the belt system and potentially lead to engine problems. The squealing happens when stationary and while driving, and may make your vehicle feel like it's losing power. Fixing this will likely require replacing the harmonic balancer and possibly related components like the serpentine belt and belt tensioner.

Your vehicle stalled without warning while driving at 30 mph, forcing you to coast to the side of the road. After turning the engine off and restarting it, the car drove normally, but this stalling issue happened four more times. The problem may be related to fuel delivery, ignition, or engine sensors that need diagnostic testing to identify the root cause.

Your vehicle had difficulty accelerating while merging onto the highway, which nearly caused an accident. A scan revealed 16 transmission error codes caused by a corroded electrical connector on the transmission. The connector corroded because water from your air conditioning drain leaked onto it. This loss of power during highway driving is a safety concern that requires repair of both the connector and the AC drain routing.

Your transmission suddenly failed while you were driving at 55 mph on the highway. The transmission stopped working properly during normal driving, and this appears to be a manufacturing defect rather than a maintenance issue. The transmission will likely need to be repaired or replaced by a Ford dealer.

When you tried to start your 2007 Ford Explorer and shift gears, you heard a loud clanking noise and felt the vehicle rattling. The dealer diagnosed a transmission failure and said the transmission would need to be replaced. No warning lights appeared before the problem occurred.

Your Explorer's throttle body system keeps malfunctioning even after you've replaced the sensor and entire throttle body assembly multiple times. Two days ago, your vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating in traffic, nearly causing a collision, and you see the check engine light and wrench icon on the dashboard each time the problem occurs. Despite extensive repairs and visits to the dealership, no one has been able to identify or fix the underlying cause. The fix may require a thorough diagnostic scan to identify electrical or computer-related issues beyond just the throttle body components themselves.

Your check engine light came on and your car makes a loud noise when accelerating. The dealer identified a faulty wiring harness as the cause and needs to replace it, but the part has been on national backorder for 8-9 months with no availability in the US or Canada and no estimated delivery date. Your car won't pass inspection with the check engine light on, and you're concerned about safety risks including potential fire while driving with this faulty part. The fix will require replacing the specific wiring harness once the part becomes available.

When you hit a bump in the road, your driver's seat suddenly slid all the way back on its own, leaving you unable to reach the pedals. This happened unexpectedly while driving and created an unsafe situation. The seat track or locking mechanism may need inspection and repair to prevent this from happening again.

Your driver's seat has been moving backward while you're driving, starting in October 2017 and becoming more frequent since then. This happens randomly at speeds between 40-70 mph, making it impossible to reach the brake or gas pedal when it occurs. In an emergency braking situation, this creates a serious safety hazard. The fix will likely involve inspecting and repairing the seat track mechanism or locking mechanism that's allowing the seat to slide.

Your car suddenly shut off completely while you were driving with no warning signs beforehand. This could indicate an engine stall or electrical shutdown issue that needs immediate diagnosis to prevent it from happening again.

While your vehicle was parked in the driveway for 12 days with all windows closed, the rear liftgate glass spontaneously shattered. Temperatures ranged from the mid-70s to mid-90s during this time. No objects were found that could have caused the damage, and glass was scattered both inside and outside the vehicle.

While driving at 60-62 mph with four occupants, the front passenger side of your Explorer suddenly collapsed and dropped to the ground. The driver lost steering control, the vehicle rolled over three times, and the airbags failed to deploy. The crash resulted in serious injuries to all four occupants, including a broken neck and paralysis for one passenger. This appears related to a known steering issue (NHTSA Campaign 07V181000). A suspension or structural failure likely caused the collapse, and the airbag system's failure to deploy is also a critical safety concern that would require investigation by a qualified mechanic and the manufacturer.

Your brake booster's internal diaphragm failed suddenly, making it much harder to stop your car while driving on the highway. You had to use the shoulder of the road to come to a complete stop safely. The brake booster helps multiply your braking force, so when it fails, you'll need significantly more pedal pressure to slow down. Replacing the brake booster assembly will be needed to restore normal braking performance.

Your driver's seat moves backward on its own while you're driving, which is dangerous because you can't reach the gas and brake pedals when it happens. Your heated seat also isn't working properly, and you've noticed the side airbag in the driver's seat appears to be bulging out more than it should. The seat may need electrical repair or replacement, and the airbag should be inspected by a professional immediately.

Your steering wheel became difficult or impossible to turn while trying to leave a parking lot. When you checked under the hood, you discovered the power steering belt had come loose and fallen off. A mechanic found that the entire power steering unit had dropped down because a mounting bolt had broken. The repair will likely involve replacing the broken bolt and reattaching the power steering unit.

Your car hesitates when you press the accelerator pedal at various speeds, and both the transmission and engine warning lights turn on. The passenger side mirror has also detached and been temporarily reattached with glass and tape. An independent mechanic attempted repairs but the hesitation problem continues, and you've noticed similar hesitation and stalling issues in other Explorer vehicles in your fleet.

After starting your vehicle, the airbag warning light may come on and your seat may move to the ignition-off position—though this doesn't happen every time. Turning the engine off and restarting sometimes fixes both issues, but not consistently; you may need to restart several times before the airbag light and seat position stay in their correct positions. This intermittent electrical issue affects your airbag system and power seat, and will likely require diagnostic testing and electrical repairs.

Your car hesitates or stumbles when you first start it up in the morning, and this sometimes happens again when you turn the engine off and back on shortly after. This typically indicates an issue with cold-start fuel delivery or ignition timing that causes the engine to run roughly for a few seconds before smoothing out. A mechanic would likely inspect your fuel injectors, spark plugs, and cold-start sensor to identify what's causing the delay.