Automatic Transmission problems of the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Three problems related to automatic transmission have been reported for the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac based on all problems reported for the 2008 Explorer Sport Trac.

1 Automatic Transmission problem

Failure Date: 03/18/2011

Brake or transmission is malfunctioning, truck was parked on a flat surface in the driveway and not running, in park, locked and after a bout an hour the truck began rolling, an was stopped my a piece of wrought iron fence, damaging the front bumper. It could have been worse had the fence not been there.

2 Automatic Transmission problem

Failure Date: 10/01/2009

2008 sport trac v8 4 wheel drive. I must wait approximately 30 seconds before backing truck out of my garage. . . Any sooner and the engine just revs but will slowly move after reaching 6,000 rpm. Truck also advances slowly from a stop. 1st dealer advised me it actually was 21 seconds and that I should just wait the 21 seconds before shifting to reverse. 2nd dealer cannot duplicate problem because it is intermittent and seems worse when weather is warm and humid. 1st dealer indicated they did a reflash of transmission but 2nd dealer confirmed they did not and accomplished it and shifting improved. Truck still does not downshift correctly to first gear upon coming to a stop or near stop and truck will remain in higher gear unless full stop and one second both occur. Found plenty of same type complaints online from 2007 and 2008 sport trac owners but Ford and their dealers try and convince me that there is no problem and they are not aware of others with same issues. Reflash so far seems to have fixed problem of hard down and upshifting but created the slow down shifting to first gear. Numerous close calls when truck is slow to accelerate into traffic because it does not down shift to first gear after slowing to 3 miles per hour or lower like ever other vehicle I have owned.

3 Automatic Transmission problem

Failure Date: 11/03/2008

2008 Ford sport trac has a problem with the transmission. The consumer noticed that after coming to a stop, the vehicle was not making a smooth stop, but rather lurching several times in stopping. The dealer performed a program on the transmission, however the continued.


Other Power Train related problems of the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac



Explorer Sport Trac Service Bulletins
Explorer Sport Trac Defect Investigations