general problems of the 2008 Ford Explorer

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 motor it seized he said had no coolant and was 2qts of oil over I said well he never added anything & I said it never overheated, he said I don't know how it was done but it will cost $3800 to fix, so I was hoping that there might be a recall that can fix this or also he puts new rear in the car a week after I got it, does any of this sound like it is his side that is reliable to fix it?.

My friend let me use his vehicle but he altered it and it is malfunctioning . He explains as if when I don't "behave" I have repercussions. He has altered the vehicle tremendously. If we get an argument he will tell me I have x amount of days and in those exact x amount of days the car ends up messing up and stopping. I was driving from the hospital one day and all of a sudden the vehicle started smoking and he told me because its his vehicle that he will fix it him self. He is a chemical engineer not a licensed mechanic to touch the obd on the car. He claims he is better than general motors.

When driving the vehicle the car stops accelerating. The wrench light comes on but the engine is still running but when pressing the accelerator, it will not accelerate. The operator can stop the car and turn it off and back on and this seems to clear the fault. The problem is that it stops in traffic or in a turn and this creates a safety hazard for the operator. The code directs me to replace/repair the throttle body. This has been replaced along with the tps and the problem is still there. There should be a fix for this as I have read several complaints in regards to this and the obvious safety risk factor associated with it. I would like to see if there is software change that can be made to the car so that it won't allow the car to shutdown like this if it gets a fault or problem with the throttle body.

Stiffness in steering when you turn the wheel . No sounds coming from power steering/belt or anything for that matter . . Just when you slow to turn it's stiff.

When the problem occurred it came from nowhere. I was driving as normal then there was an initial loss of power as I noticed the check engine light and an unfamiliar orange wrench were now illuminated. Seeming as I had no power I cautiously guided the vehicle to the shoulder of the expressway. Since then I've tried having the problem fixed to no avail, because it's intermittent and Ford themselves have no remedy. Also, took it upon myself to contact Ford to be told the vehicle is past warranty so go the dealer and have them look at the vehicle. This has been an issue for the past 2 months of owning this vehicle and still occurring occasionally.

While I am driving the drivers seat automatically slides as far back as it can, and the overhead lights come on. This is an action that would only happen when the vehicle is turned off and the key is pulled from the ignition. However this is happen while I am driving pulling me away from the gas, brakes and steering wheel. The only immediate fix I can do is jiggle the keys in the ignition to get the seat to come back. I feel this is incredibly dangerous, as turning interior lights on while dark can be distracting and making it difficult to see outside, not to mention being pulled away from the steering wheel and brakes can cause the vehicle go out of control. I have reached out to Ford and they said it would be an out of pocket expense and not considered anything else such as a recall.

Tire sensor was on and transmissoin is leaking.

While I was driving I felt the seat move and noticed that if I would hit the key while it was in the ignition the drivers seat would move back and forth sporadically. Also the dome lights from front to back would go off and on sporadically while the seat moved. The amount of weight on the key ring does not matter it happens whether you have just the key or a whole bunch of keys hanging from it.

The eddie baur edition of this vehicle is equipped with a moving seat to allow you to enter and exit. In either 2012 or 2013 I reported it to the dana motors Ford dealer that while driving the drivers seat moves back while on the expressways that are slightly bumpy and while on major streets within the city. The last occurrence was this past weekend in front of my home while exiting my driveway, again during a right hand turn, and again on the interstate 278 headed west bound toward brooklyn, NY. It does reset when you tap on the key while it is in the ignition but reoccurs after driving over slightly rough roadway and changing lanes.

Transmision problems going into gears slipping poping noise when put into park Ford is aware of problems with there transmisions and no care to help 1 bet they need the gov to step in now so help us Explorer owners.

Upon driving during the month of may and June, I would notice a burning smell from the engine and the dashboard would demonstrate elevated engine temp, each time I would checked under the hood and I noticed that my coolant reservior would be empty. After several weeks of this, I took it in to firestone and I had to get the radiator housing, thermostat and hoses replace because of a bad leak. Now as of September, I started noticing that smell again and noticed my coolant reservior was either low or empty again, I had to refilled it several times since the June 2014 repair, now after another vehicle check by firestone is was noted that I need to have my radiator replace because I have a leak from the radiator now. I currently have about 87000 miles on my vehicle, this too soon to be replacing a radiator. For several months now also whenever I shift from park to drive or reverse to drive, it is hard to to move the gear shift, when the gear shift is finally moved it the trick gives a pull force and then my transmission sounds like it is in overdrive or on 3, it takes up to 25 minutes for the transmission to click or shift over.

I have a 2008 Ford Explorer, called u-haul today to rent a small trailer to tow behind it to move some boxes. U-haul does not rent trailers to tow behind Ford Explorers! I was shocked as I would think that the minimal requirement of any SUV is that you would be able to tow a small u-haul trailer. Checking online I find I am far from the first with this issue. Calling u-haul they site safety concerns. Calling Ford they assure me that their is no issue in using a small trailer behind my Ford Explorer. Per consumer reports, “the real lesson here is if you occasionally need to rent trailers, think twice about the new Ford Explorer. If you favor a Ford, the edge or a flex are excellent choices. But the Explorer, with all the performance, safety, and versatility offered by its modern, unibody design, won’t be welcomed at the local u-haul franchise. ” my question… am I at risk towing a trailer behind my Explorer?… or is u-haul creating concerns over nothing?.

Key cylinder has loosened inside ignition housing. This condition while driving is a major safety concern for shorter individuals as when a bump or certain motions cause the automatic seats to retract to "off position" creating a 4-6" gap between foot and pedal for my wife is she were willing to drive the vehicle. This has become more frequent and dealer servicing knows of the problem as well as a local locksmith I had contacted for possible repair options. It has become more evident in the past 2 years from their knowledge. No current recall exists as no major injury has resulted. This occurs in stationary position or in motion of the vehicle adding to concerns. I will have this repaired at local Ford in the next week. Seat retracts on its own and if any bumps are hit may engage or disengage at will. And has been occurring over the past 3 years. I am the only owner for the vehicle and less than 70k miles currently.

Cpsc:Ford Explorer 2008, ignition switch is major safety concern. The key mechanism over time has come loose and allows for mechanical seats to retract or engage during travel if hitting small bumps. Bumps or minor adjustments cause the seat to retract.