2007 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
271 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2007 Ford Explorer, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 7/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 69,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2007 Ford Explorer has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2007 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
“I have a 2007 ford explorer with 71,000 miles. The transmission is slipping and grinding. I do not believe the transmission should be going bad at the low of miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2007 Explorer
“Unable to accelerate without jerking or hesitation. Felt like truck was going to stall out. Engine light came on along with wrench light. Shifted hard. Ended up having to replace the shift solenoid pack, had the transmission serviced and re calibrated and still have issues with poor acceleration .…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2007 Explorer
“In may of 2015 while i was driving, the left rear wheel fell off. Now on april 5, 2016 while my wife was driving, the right front wheel fell off. Two wheels falling off in a period of less than one year. In my mind this is not a coincidence. It is a dangerous situation.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2007 Explorer
“After starting vehicle, air bag indicator light comes on (not every time) and seat moves to the ignition off position. Turn engine off and restart and air bag light and seat position may operate correctly but not always. If it occurs again, only after turning vehicle off and restarting a number of…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2007 Explorer
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 233 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 70,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 42,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
MARATHON IS RECALLING CERTAIN SEAT COVERS, BRAND SUPERHIDES WITH PART NUMBERS 593, 594, 578, 960, 228, 228-09, 267-08, 333, 625, AND 630, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SEAT COVERS ARE MADE OF HEAVIER THREAD AND…
Fix: MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
CERTAIN CURVED TEMPERED REPLACEMENT GLASS MANUFACTURED BY HANGZHOU SAFETY GLASS LTD AND SUPPLIED TO SAFELITE BY AUTO TEMP INC., IDENTIFIED AS DOT-430, AND SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN VEHICLES MAY NOT BREAK INTO SMALL PIECES AS EXPECTED OF…
Fix: SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE GLASS FREE OF CHARGE. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE TOLL FREE AT 1-888-843-2906. SAFELITE WILL NOTIFY ITS WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS AND…
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.
Fix: 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.
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2007 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2007 Ford Explorer drew 271 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 7/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2007 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 2007 Ford Explorer are transmission & drivetrain (58 complaints), engine (38), and wheels & tires (32).
At what mileage do 2007 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 2007 Ford Explorer problems around 70,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 42,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2007 Ford Explorer have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2007 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.