2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer Sport Trac years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 8th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. That ranks 8th out of 14 Explorer Sport Trac model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (8 complaints, 35%), typically at around 45,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 23owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 8 | 35% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 30% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 17% | 110,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 9% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 9% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 9% | 95,574 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 174,937 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 174,937 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 4% | 32,568 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 4% | 26,430 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 4% | 32,568 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines
Problem: 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.
Risk: If leaking transmission fluid contacts the catalytic converter, it may pose a risk of fire.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Tire valve cracking (PE08060) — opened Oct 14, 2008, closed Apr 9, 2009.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact stated that on three occasions while the vehicle was in drive but stationary, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the…
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that while driving 15 mph on the sand in a beach area that there was a failure of which a strong burning odor started, excess heat was felt by the driver, front passenger and 3 rear passengers. The vehicle was pulled over as…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford explorer. While driving various speeds and attempting to stop, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The brakes eventually stopped the vehicle. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
Broke down on a very high traffic bridge, that had no safety lane to pull over. Very dangerous, with no time to pull over when engine light came on. Repeat, this happens to all ford sport tracs with plastic radiator housing. There are some class action lawsuits across the usa. Ford has known about…
Driving on highway check engine light came on and engine started missing and car shaking; pulled in to ford dealer in next town; diagnosis said could be this or that they could not figure it out but got car running smother; we went another 300 miles to our destination; took car to local ford…
Other Ford Explorer Sport Trac years
← 2007 Explorer Sport Trac · 2009 Explorer Sport Trac →
See all Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
Owners most often report power train, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer Sport Trac model years, the 2008 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.