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HomeFordExplorer Sport Trac → 2008

2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Critical

34 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.38 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical07V453000

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Cooling Unit And Lines

IF LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTACTS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IT MAY POSE A RISK OF FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND HAVE THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE ATTACHMENT BOLT TIGHTENED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE AND 6R TRANSMISSION, THE BOLT SECURING THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE FITTINGS AT THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TORQUED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. AS A RESULT, THE BOLT MAY LOOSEN AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.

Complaint volume

34 this model-year 9 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

2Crashes
3Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 34 complaints. Severity Index 0.38.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine7 · 21%Power Train · Automatic T…4 · 12%Power Train4 · 12%Electrical System4 · 12%Engine And Engine Cooling2 · 6%Service Brakes2 · 6%Vehicle Speed Control2 · 6%Tires · Valve1 · 3%
  1. Engine — 7 reports
  2. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 4 reports
  3. Power Train — 4 reports
  4. Electrical System — 4 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling — 2 reports
  6. Service Brakes — 2 reports
  7. Vehicle Speed Control — 2 reports
  8. Tires:Valve — 1 reports
  9. Traction Control System — 1 reports
  10. Service Brakes, Electric — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1997 · 1998 · 2000 (1) · 2001 (6) · 2002 (4) · 2003 (1) · 2004 (2) · 2005 (1) · 2006 · 2007 (1) · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.