no report yet
Automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines
Risk. IF LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTACTS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, IT MAY POSE A RISK OF FIRE.
2008 Ford ExplorerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 148 owner complaints about the 2008 Ford Explorer, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Ford Explorer has problems
148 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
38Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
36Power train1 crash/fire/injury
27Seats1 crash/fire/injury
21Engine
13Steering
12Exterior lighting
9Wheels
7Vehicle speed control
5Service brakes
3615 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 38 | 2 |
| Power train | 36 | 1 |
| Seats | 27 | 1 |
| Engine | 21 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | 0 |
| Wheels | 9 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 36 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2008 Ford Explorer recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
74kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 35 electrical system complaints. 69% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles24under 100k miles11100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other Explorer year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Explorer median. How we score
6096339391,2078431,4501,7311,9591,3489523753,2951,1311,304497630208148331151,1988312,2391,6841,8202,4671,7067363031,25345627611321111440
'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2008 Ford Explorer safety ratings
2008 Ford Explorer 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (22.8% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2008 Ford Explorer, and the recalls they led to.
- TIRE VALVE CRACKINGNo recall
In owners' words
What Explorer owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
AN ORANGE WRENCH LIGHT COMES ON ON MY DASHBOARD AND I CAN'T PICK UP SPEED. I'VE HAD IT LOOKED AT A FEW TIMES AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THERE'S BEEN MANY PEOPLE ON YOUTUBE COMPLAINING OF THE SAMETHING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY, LUCKILY THE INTERSTATE…
MY 2008 FORD EXPLORER HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES RECENTLY WHERE IT TURNS OVER AND WILL NOT START, THEN WILL START. TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE SERVICE WRENCH AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND THE STEERING STIFFENED UP AND WAS HARD TO STEER AT ALL…
Own a 2008 Explorer?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.