Representative model. Photo: IFCAR, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2008 Ford Explorer recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2008 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 3
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 148
Latest campaign: Sep 3, 2010

Recall summary by component3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Equipment	1	Sep 3, 2010	10E043000
Visibility	1	Dec 11, 2007	07E104000
Power train	1	Sep 26, 2007	07V453000

Safety recalls3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

Sep 3, 2010Latest campaign


Sep 3, 201010E043000	Equipment AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. DetailsHide details for campaign 10E043000 What's wrong 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 ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SEATS CONTAINING SIDE AIRBAGS. THE HEAVIER SEAT COVER COULD INTERFERE WITH FULL DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. Risk AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 10E043000 · Sep 3, 2010
Dec 11, 200707E104000	Visibility: glass, side/rear IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS. DetailsHide details for campaign 07E104000 What's wrong 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 TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS." Risk IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS. Remedy 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 REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008. Campaign NHTSA 07E104000 · Dec 11, 2007
Sep 26, 200707V453000	Power train: automatic transmission cooling unit and lines IF LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTACTS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IT MAY POSE A RISK OF FIRE. DetailsHide details for campaign 07V453000 What's wrong 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. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 07V453000 · Sep 26, 2007

Sep 3, 201010E043000

Equipment

AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

DetailsHide details for campaign 10E043000

What's wrong: 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 ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SEATS CONTAINING SIDE AIRBAGS. THE HEAVIER SEAT COVER COULD INTERFERE WITH FULL DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Risk: AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 10E043000 · Sep 3, 2010

Dec 11, 200707E104000

Visibility: glass, side/rear

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS.

DetailsHide details for campaign 07E104000

What's wrong: 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 TEMPERED GLASS AND FAILS TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS."
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT(S) MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY SHATTERED GLASS.
Remedy: 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 REIMBURSE WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS FOR CURRENT INVENTORY AND AT A SPECIFIED RATE FOR REPLACING THEIR CUSTOMER'S GLASS. WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT SAFELITE'S WHOLESALE DIVISION, SERVICE AUTOGLASS TOLL FREE AT 1-888-246-6298. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2008.
Campaign: NHTSA 07E104000 · Dec 11, 2007

Sep 26, 200707V453000

Power train: automatic transmission cooling unit and lines

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

DetailsHide details for campaign 07V453000

What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 07V453000 · Sep 26, 2007

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Owner complaints by component148

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

148Complaints filed

6Involving a crash

3Involving a fire

3Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Electrical system	38	26	0	2	0
Power train	36	24	1	0	0
Seats	27	18	0	1	0
Engine	21	14	0	0	0
Steering	13	9	0	0	0
Exterior lighting	12	8	0	0	0
Unknown or other	11	7	0	0	0
Wheels	9	6	1	0	0
Service brakes	8	5	1	0	1
Vehicle speed control	7	5	2	0	1
Air bags	4	3	2	1	3
Seat belts	4	3	0	0	0
Visibility	4	3	0	0	0
Engine and engine cooling	4	3	1	0	0
Electronic stability control (ESC)	3	2	0	0	0

11 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

Power train
“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.”
Filed 07/10/2026 · ODI 11749575
Engine
“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”
Filed 06/07/2026 · ODI 11742561
Unknown or other
“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…”
Filed 04/27/2025 · ODI 11657069

Other Ford Explorer model years

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2008 Ford Explorer recall questions

How many recalls does the 2008 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2008 Ford Explorer. The most recent, 10E043000 (reported September 3, 2010), concerns equipment. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What is the most common complaint about the 2008 Ford Explorer?

Electrical system is the most-reported component, named in 38 complaints out of 148 filed with NHTSA (26%). Across all complaints, owners reported 6 crashs and 3 fires. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2008 Ford Explorer?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Ford dealer.

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