There are 17 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 17 of 17 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)MY CAR STALL INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. SEEMS TO BE WHEN I BREAK. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.
PASSENGER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS HAVE BROKEN AT 65K MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM FORD HAS AVOIDED RECALLING. I EASILY FOUND 25 PLUS CASES OF EXPLORER SPORTTRAC OWNERS WITH THE 4.6 V8 REPORTING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. FORD CHARGES OVER 3K TO FIX WHAT SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN THAT HAPPENS ON THE MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES.
MY FORD EXPLORER 2007 HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (56,000 MILES). ITS ENGINE STARTED TO SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY UNDER ALL TYPES OF CONDITIONS, STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT WAS INDEED VERY DANGEROUS. INDEED MY DAUGHTER, DRIVING THIS CAR, HAD AN ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED IN A STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN ANY INJURY. I HATE TO THINK OF CONSEQUENCES OF THIS HAPPENING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. MY RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE AUTOS, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AFTER HAVING MY MECHANICS CHECK EVERY CONCEIVABLE PROBLEM, I WAS REFERRED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THE INTERNAL PCM FAILURE TO BE THE CAUSE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THIS PART IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGN, AND A NEW ONE IS DEVELOPED WHICH IS ON BACK ORDER. I WAS LUCKY TO FIND A NEW PART AND HAD IT SHIPPED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND INSTALLED. I HOPE THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. IT COST ME $1,546.41, WHICH I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID ESPECIALLY WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I THINK THIS IS A CASE OF BAD/DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE PCM, WHICH IS ALSO A SAFETY PROBLEM AND I THINK THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND REPLACE THIS PART FREE OF CHARGE.
THE TRUCK HAS BEEN LEAKING COOLANT. THE MECHANIC FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE INTAKE ON THE MANIFOLD IS PLASTIC. IT GETS OVERHEATED ON THE METAL MANIFOLD AND CRACKS WHICH CAUSES COOLANT TO LEAK. WE'VE SPENT OVER $1000 GETTING REPAIRS. STILL LEAKS DUE TO THAT ONE FAULTY PART. EVERYTHING I'VE READ INDICATES THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO CORRECT IT. THEY DID CLAIM THAT REPROGRAMMING THE THERMOSTAT SETTINGS WAS ALL IT NEEDED BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE. *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
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
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
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
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
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THE THERMOSTAT THAT CONTROLS THE TEMPERATURE IN THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE THERMOSTAT AND WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NO RELATED RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER ALSO FUNCTIONED SPORADICALLY AT TIMES DURING HOT WEATHER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
ON 8/10/10 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. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND ASKED FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY TRUCK IN. THEY SUGGESTED I BRING IT ON THE MORNING OF 8/11/10 FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. AROUND NOON ON 8/11/10 THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT MY TRANSMISSION, BUT THAT I HAD A LEAK IN THE RADIATOR. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAS HAD SEVERAL OF THE SAME TYPE VEHICLES COME IN TO HIS SHOP WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR RADIATORS. HE SUGGESTED THAT THEY REMOVE THE RADIATOR AND TAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED. ON 8/12/10 THE SERVICE MANAGER PHONED ME TO TELL ME THAT THE RADIATOR COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO MORE THAN ONE LEAK IN THE RADIATOR. HE ADVISED ME NOT TO PURCHASE A NON FACTORY MADE RADIATOR AND SUGGESTED THAT I ALLOW HIM TO ORDER ONE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND REPLACE MY DEFECTED ONE. ON 8/13/10 I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP MY TRUCK AFTER PAYING $583.05 FOR A NEW RADIATOR $15.52 FOR A NEW CAP AND $14 FOR ANTI FREEZE, NOT TO MENTION THE $75 FOR THE COST OF LABOR. ON 8/17/10, I PHONED NHTSA TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE RADIATOR THAT I NEVER RECEIVED. NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AT THIS TIME, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM THIS SAME MODEL VEHICLE WITH RADIATOR ISSUES. I WAS TOLD TO CALL FORD AND ISSUE A FORMAL COMPLAINT BY PHONE. I DID THIS AND WAS GIVEN A REF # [XXX]. I WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE AN INVESTIGATION AND IF POSSIBLE A RECALL ISSUED FOR OWNERS OF THIS SAME TYPE VEHICLE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE EXPENSE I WAS OUT GETTING A NEW RADIATOR FOR MY VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THESE RADIATORS COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AT THE TIME OF ASSEMBLY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR
RADIATOR IS LEAKING COOLANT. COOLANT LEAKS THE FROM ALUMINUM CORE, POOLS UP AT THE BOTTOM IN THE PLASTIC AND DRIPS OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PLASTIC ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. TALKED TO FORD ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A TSB ISSUED FOR THIS (WHICH I REALIZE DOES NOT EXTEND THE WARRANTY) AND THAT WHEN THE TRUCK WAS MADE, THE FAN THAT COOLS THE RADIATOR WAS NOT PROGRAMMED CORRECTLY. IT WOULDN'T RUN WHEN IT NECESSARILY NEEDED TO OR FOR AS LONG AS IT NEEDED TO WHICH IS CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO OVERHEAT AND THE ALUMINUM TO SEPARATE AT THE SEAM...THUS CAUSING A COOLANT LEAK AND LEADING TO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY FIX WAS JUST TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR WITH AN "UPDATED" RADIATOR AND HAVE THE PROGRAMMING UPDATED FOR THE FAN TO FUNCTION LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. (NOT SURE I AGREE WITH PAYING A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE WORKED PROPERLY IN THE FIRST PLACE.)
AT APPROXIMATELY 40000 MILES I NOTICE A LEAK IN THE RADIATOR ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE AND THAT IT WAS LEAKING ON A SEAM AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $500. I HAD THEM ORDER A REPLACEMENT AND IT IS DUE TO BE REPLACED 03/29/2010. IF THIS IS KNOWN TO HAPPEN WHY IS THERE NO PARTLY TO FULL COVERAGE FOR A DEFECTIVE ITEM?
THE VEHICLE LEAKING FLUID FROM THE RADIATOR. CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN HOT. ALSO THE LUMBAR IN THE DRIVERS SEAT EXPLODES PUSHING YOU IN TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. SHE STATED THAT SHE NOTICED RUST INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND THE DRIVE SHAFT MECHANISM. SHE ALSO NOTICED RUST UNDER ALL THE SEATS OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS SURFACE RUST DUE TO THE CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT. THEY ALSO STATED THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR NEW VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY FORD. THE DEALER INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT SHE COULD WIPE THE RUST OFF USING A TOWEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 360 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 700.
ENGINE SHUTS OFF DURING SLOWING FOR TURN OR STOP CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT REPAIR AND CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. DEALER DOES NOT TAKE THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY. I BELONG TO A SPORT TRAC CLUB AND OTHER 2007 SPORT TRACS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 29, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.