2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Early-defect pattern

20.3% of complaints about the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac came in its first year of service — a higher share than 96% of the 268 2007 model-years on record. That points to problems present from new rather than wear. The most-reported system is power train (23 complaints), typically at 1.9 yr or about 19,259 miles.

Complaints: 118
Median age at failure: 4.2 yr
Median mileage: 40,000 n=110
Crash / fire / tow: 11% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

07V181000 2007-04-25

Steering

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY TO THE FRAME MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TIGHTENED. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH OF THE BOLTS FRACTURING, CAUSING THE STEERING GEAR TO BECOME LOOSE.

THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STEERING AS WELL AS DECREASED STEERING EFFECTIVENESS POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Power train 2,155 mi 1.3 yr in service

TRUCK SOMETIMES STAYS IN 1ST GEAR FOR A LONGER THAN NORMAL PERIOD OF TIME. ALSO HESITATES/JERKS WHEN ACCELERATING IN 1ST GEAR. *TR

Power train 9,300 mi 1.9 yr in service

DRIVING AT APPROX. 25-30 MPH. APPLIED BRAKES AT LIGHT BUT WHEELS KEEP SPINNING. SHOVE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, THEN INTO PARK. CUT OFF IGNITION, START UP AGAIN AND THINGS ARE OK. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE THAT I COULD HIT A PEDESTRIAN OR REAR END A CAR, OR WIND-UP IN AN INTERSECTION WHERE CARS ARE MOVING. WILL CONTACT DEALER NEXT WEEK. *TR

Power train 20,000 mi 1.8 yr in service

FORD SPORTS TRAC 07, 8 CYLINDER. AUTOMATIC, 44000. IT BEGAN AROUND 20000. WHEN ONE COMES TO A STOP, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE OR TRANSMISSION KICKS IN AND THE VEHICLE JUMPS AND SLAMS INTO GEAR. IT APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE THE MORE I DRIVE IT. ALSO, A LOT OF BLIND SPOTS. *TR

Other Explorer Sport Trac model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Explorer Sport Trac model years

How to read this