2008 Ford Explorer Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 26th of 33 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Explorer. That ranks 26th out of 33 Explorer model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (38 complaints, 26%), typically at around 72,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 148owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Ford Explorer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 38 | 26% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 36 | 24% | 84,325 | — | — |
| Seats | 27 | 18% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 21 | 14% | 85,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 13 | 9% | 91,621 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 8% | 66,628 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 7% | 105,953 | — | — |
| Wheels | 9 | 6% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 5% | 117,316 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 3% | 98,240 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 3% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 3% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 3% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 36,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 2% | 10,800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 2% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 104,125 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 197,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 46,745 | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 11,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Ford Explorer 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. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park, and the vehicle rolled backwards about an inch. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the parking brake was enabled to stop the vehicle…
Stalling in mid traffic. I was told it is poor quality of timing components. The vehicle has less than 200,000 miles and has had routine maintenance as it was a police investigation car
I got the car from my landlord, my husband never checked the oil or fluids even though I was on him, it died 2 months after we got it, the guy said before we purchased it that it still was under warranty for transmission, so when it died I thought ok it's covered, so the landlord said it was the…
The stickers are not on properly. My childs safety wasnt put at risk. I asked a CPST to help with a fit and intall check and we noticed the defected stickers.
Report #1 - My grandma brought this 08' Explorer back in 2014, and after she passed, my mom drove it for the next 2 years. It started having general maintenance issues, then the cats were stolen, but then, one night my mother was coming home from a relative's house, when she was trying to keep up…
Other Ford Explorer years
← 2007 Explorer · 2009 Explorer →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Explorer | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 Explorer | 42 | 14 |
| 2025 Explorer | 103 | 20 |
| 2024 Explorer | 21 | 10 |
| 2023 Explorer | 110 | 15 |
| 2022 Explorer | 269 | 24 |
| 2021 Explorer | 442 | 26 |
| 2020 Explorer | 1,232 | 33 |
| 2019 Explorer | 299 | 6 |
| 2018 Explorer | 733 | 7 |
| 2017 Explorer | 1,699 | 13 |
| 2016 Explorer | 2,461 | 14 |
| 2015 Explorer | 1,806 | 8 |
| 2014 Explorer | 1,679 | 6 |
| 2013 Explorer | 2,236 | 11 |
| 2012 Explorer | 829 | 5 |
| 2011 Explorer | 1,197 | 6 |
| 2010 Explorer | 115 | 1 |
| 2009 Explorer | 33 | 0 |
| 2008 | 148 | 1 |
| 2007 Explorer | 208 | 1 |
| 2006 Explorer | 630 | 1 |
| 2005 Explorer | 497 | 0 |
| 2004 Explorer | 1,304 | 0 |
| 2003 Explorer | 1,131 | 2 |
| 2002 Explorer | 3,295 | 4 |
| 2001 Explorer | 375 | 6 |
| 2000 Explorer | 952 | 9 |
| 1999 Explorer | 1,348 | 9 |
| 1998 Explorer | 1,959 | 9 |
| 1997 Explorer | 1,731 | 7 |
| 1996 Explorer | 1,450 | 6 |
| 1995 Explorer | 843 | 5 |
See all Ford Explorer 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?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, seats problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 38 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Ford Explorer?
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 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer model years, the 2008 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.