U.S. public vehicle records

2007 Ford EXPLORER: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

208 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

67,250 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2007 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 184 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 39 of 208 complaints (18.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	47	22.6%
Braking behavior	32	15.4%
Steering behavior	19	9.1%
Engine operation	17	8.2%
Electrical and battery issues	11	5.3%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

Engine

Seats

Electrical System

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Tires

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags

Power Train: 39; Engine: 28; Seats: 24; Electrical System: 22; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 17; Tires: 16; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Air Bags: 11

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 52; 75,000 to 99,999: 31; 100,000 to 149,999: 32; 150,000 and above: 12

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 24 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2024

2007: 11; 2008: 16; 2009: 12; 2010: 19; 2011: 18; 2012: 11; 2013: 15; 2014: 29; 2015: 25; 2016: 21; 2017: 9; 2018: 11; 2019: 5; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 3

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 47 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10178273 · 2007-01-10 (January 10, 2007)

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION IN MY 2007 FORD EXPLORER. AS I BRAKED TO STOP, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ON ITS OWN DOWNSHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND ACCELERATED PUSHING ME INTO THE INTERSECTION. AN ALERT DRIVER ENTERING THE INTERSECTION SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND STOPPED IN TIME AVOIDING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME THAT DAY WAS TO CAREFULLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL EACH TIME I WANTED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, W…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10178273 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10182849 · 2007-02-17 (February 17, 2007)

RUNNING AND TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING. TAIL AND RUNNING LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON WITH USE OF MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROLS. FOUND BLOWN FUSE AND REPLACED FUSE. FUSE FAILED AGAIN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON RUNNING AND TAIL LIGHTS. BRAKE AND TURNING LIGHTS WORK. DEALERS SERVICE WRITER REPORTED THAT INSPECTION FOUND UNDER THE DASH "SMART JUNCTION BOX" FAULTY AND A SECOND 2007 EXPLORER WAS IN THE SHOP THAT DAY FOR THE SAME REASON. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 359 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182849 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10184724 · 2007-03-10 (March 10, 2007)

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM GOT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CD PLAYER WAS JUMPING BETWEEN CD'S AND ALSO THE AUTOMATIC STIRRUP GOT STUCK AND COULD NOT GET DOWN WHEN DOORS ARE OPEN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IT YET. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10184724 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10191003 · 2007-05-17 (May 17, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT ORIGINALLY OWNED A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, UNDER THE LEMON LAW, INFORMED FORD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE WITH THE 2007 MODEL. THE VEHICLE HAS A FEATURE CALLED IRON MAN WITH 18 INCH MICHELIN TIRES, HOWEVER, THE SPARE TIRE IS A SMALLER 17 INCH GOODYEAR MUD AND SNOW TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE RSC FEATURE WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSTABLE. FORD STATED THAT THEY CAN DO AS THEY PLEASE. THIS OCCURRED APRIL 2, 2007. THE VEHICLE ARRIVED STRAIGHT FROM T…

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191003 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10193841 · 2007-06-20 (June 20, 2007)

IN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN OUR COMPANY'S 2007 FORD EXPLORER I INADVERTENTLY PRESSED BOTH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SAME FOOT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP INSTEAD. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THIS IN A RENTAL FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES, OTHER THAN A BRIEF PANIC ATTACK. MY SOLUTION WAS NOT DRIVE THE COMPANY'S VEHICLE, BUT INSTEAD DRIVE MY OWN CHEVROLET. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10193841 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10202560 · 2007-09-11 (September 11, 2007)

MY 2007 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT FIRE AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS TO MY LOCAL DEALER OF A FUEL SMELL ON 9 -10-07 WITH ONLY 12,000 MILES ON IT ,IT BURNT TO THE GROUND THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR SAID IT WAS A FUEL PROBLEM THAT STARTED ON TOP OF THE MOTOR NOW WHAT DO I DO? I AM LUCKY NOT TO BE HURT OR WORSE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202560 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206114 · 2007-10-16 (October 16, 2007)

2007 FORD EXPLORER INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT VISIBLE DURING THE DAY. CUSTOMER STATES THAT HE CANNOT SEE THE ODOMETER, TEMPERATURE AND GAS GAUGE CAN BE IN A SHADOW AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROTRUSION INTO THE FLOOR AREA OF THE SEATS AND FRONT SEAT RAILS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE FRONT SEAT ANCHORS AND RAILS SHOULD HAVE A SAFETY SHIELD. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10206114 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206734 · 2007-10-24 (October 24, 2007)

NEW VEHICLE PURCHASE IN ORLANDO, FL ON 09-07-07. TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DEALER IN MEMPHIS, TN ON 09-10-07 WITH ISSUE OF VEHICLE PULLING AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING, (1300 MILES ON VEHICLE). FORD SAID THE ROTORS WERE GLAZED AND WARPED, (FORD SERVICE EMPLOYEES UNABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW OR WHY THIS OCCURRED WITH ONLY 1300 MILE ON VEHICLE). FORD RESURFACED ROTORS,(FORD STATED THEY ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO RESURFACE ROTORS, NOT REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRANTY). FORD DID NOT REPLACE BRAKE PADS OR DO ANY OTHER BRAKE JOB ASSOCIATED REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. RO…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206734 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

07V181000 · Steering

Reported: 2007-04-25 (April 25, 2007)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY TO THE FRAME MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TIGHTENED. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH OF THE BOLTS FRACTURING, CAUSING THE STEERING GEAR TO BECOME LOOSE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STEERING AS WELL AS DECREASED STEERING EFFECTIVENESS POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

NHTSA campaign record ↗