2008 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE AND THE RADIATOR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF COOLANT WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE DURING MY WORK DAY. SUDDENLY, STEAM CAME POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I STOPPED AND LET THE VEHICLE COOL OFF. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE SEAM ON THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING HAD SPLIT, POURING COOLANT ALL OVER THE CENTER OF THE ENGINE. PARTS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED WERE THE THERMOSTAT, RUBBER GASKETS AND THE ENTIRE THERMOSTAT HOUSING, UPPER AND LOWER. I REPLACED THIS PART MYSELF, AS I USED TO BE A FORD MECHANIC. I DID THIS REPAIR MYSELF, AND IT COST APPROXIMATELY 200.00 WITH THE COOLANT REPLACEMENT COST. AGAIN, THIS CAN CREATE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION, AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON A CAR WITH 80K AND ONLY 7 YEARS OLD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE POWER SEAT INDEPENDENTLY MOVED BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP OR AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WOULD ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,416.

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 30 MPH FROM STORE TO SCHOOL IN MIDDAY TWO MILES, STARTED TICKING AND GOT LOUDER AS TRAVELING BACK HOME(2 MILE). AT HOME POPPED HOOD, LISTENED FOR NOISE ,ENGINE IDLING SMOOTHLY ,BUT TICKING OR RATHER HITTING NOISE FROM TOP OF VALVE COVER,DRIVERS SIDE FRONT,WAS VERY PREVALENT. TURNED OFF CAR AND PULLED CHAIN TENSIONER OUT AND LOOKED INSIDE WITH SNAKE CAMERA AND SAW BROKEN PLASTIC PARTS ALL AROUND TIMING CHAIN AREA.I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FROM 1997 TO CURRENT. PLASTIC, VINYL PARTS IN THE MOTOR REPEATEDLY SHATTERING FOR YEARS, COSTING CONSUMERS THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS.THESE V-6 AND V-8 FORD MOTORS ARE FLAWED BECAUSE OF THESE WEAK PARTS. THIS IS A ENGINEERING BOMB, AND WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, THE TIMING CHAIN GOES BAD AT 72931.5K. THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. THE MOTOR HAS TO BE PULLED TO CHANGE THE FOUR CHAIN CASSETTES, OR SINGLE CASSETTE,BECAUSE VINYL PARTS ARE IN THE PAN AND IN THE OIL GALLEYS. 18-19 HOURS ON BOOK THE REPAIRS ARE EXPENSIVE, UNREASONABLE,AND A COVER-UP. FORD COULD CHANGE THE PART, BUT CHOOSES NOT TO. AN ADDITION 3000$ TO THE COST OF OWNERSHIP IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. THAT'S WHAT THE N.H.T.S.A. IS TO BE OBSERVING. THE CAR IS INOPERABLE, FOR FEAR OF HAVING THE VALVES CONTACT THE PISTON, AND END UP WITH METAL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN. SOMEONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISION TO MAKE THESE PARTS OUT THE INFERIOR MEDIA. P.S. REGULAR OIL CHANGES ARE DOCUMENTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOLTS THAT CONNECTED THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO THE ENGINE BECAME FRACTURED AT THE CONNECTION POINT. AS A RESULT, THE EXHAUST WAS CAUSING A LEAK ONTO THE WHEEL BASE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE RE-BOLTED BACK ONTO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD RE-BOLTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL PRIOR TO THE STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE ALTERNATOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.

2008 FORD EXPLORER ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL BACKWARDS ON 1/11/10. *TR