2008 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems
- 34
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 34 stored complaint records:
- 0 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 2 indicate fire
What owners report
- interior lights · 12 records
- ignition switch · 10 records
- lights come · 8 records
- seat moves · 6 records
- problem ignition · 5 records
- eddie bauer · 4 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 15 |
| 30–60k mi | 7 |
| 100–150k mi | 5 |
| 150–400k mi | 3 |
| 1–30k mi | 3 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Electrical System · Engine · Unknown Or Other
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…
ODI 11231620
Electrical System · Power Train
Transmission failure at 100233 miles the wrench and engine light came while driving. Upon parking & turning off the vehicle, the transmission would not work. Cut thru all gears like butter. Wound not "enter" into any gear. Towed. After vehicle cooled, transmission works again, only to become hot, repeat tow. Code p0775. After cooling, same event. Transmission solenoid goes out while hot, in a hot climate.…
ODI 11119406
Electrical System
When driving the vehicle, the ignition switch will activate the driver's seat, causing it to move forward and backward, leaving the driver fully unable to reach the gas pedal, steering wheel, or brakes. This occurs on streets and highways when the vehicle is in motion, and creates a most unsafe and perhaps deadly situation. There is no current video of this available as the ignition switch fault and seat movement…
ODI 11115688
Electrical System · Seats
While driving the vehicle, the ignition switch will activate the memory seat function causing interior lights to activate and the driver seat to move backward leaving the driver unable to reach pedals or steering wheel while vehicle is in motion. Occurs on both city streets and highways. Unseen cause triggers the event.
ODI 11080811
Electrical System
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford explorer. While making a left turn, the vehicle stalled and all the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was able to coast to the side of the road. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a main computer chip had…
ODI 11078740
Electrical System · Engine · Power Train
I've had my 2008 eddie bauer ford explorer just over a year. As i'm driving on a local road, it starts acting like it's about to cut off. I get to a red light and as i'm about to take off, it shuts off. I placed it in park and restarted it then it sputters and then catches. A few minutes later this error message comes up on the dash with a wrench. I took it to the nearest auto store, they placed it on the machine…
ODI 11006312
Electrical System · Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford explorer. At any given moment, whether the vehicle was idling or moving, the service engine warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle lost all power. The contact would have to wait until the vehicle's computer system rebuilt itself in order for the power to return so the vehicle could be functional. The contact's husband, a certified mechanic, rebuilt the transmission and…
ODI 10986239
Electrical System · Seats
In my 2008 ford explorer eddie bauer, while driving, stopped or backing at any time if the keys in the ignition get jiggled, if by bump in road or by knee, the power driver seat moves backwards. There is a feature called easy entry where the seat moves completely back to allow you to exit the vehicle easier, the problem is with the ignition area the area where the key is inserted to start the vehicle it becomes…
ODI 10853818
Electrical System
While in operation, vehicle seat goes back and forth, interior lights come on and go off and pedal heights move. Upon some trial and error investigation, trying to replicate the problem, i found that it was directly related to key chain movement. Any bumps, moderate braking or hard braking resulted in the seat being thrown back and the interior lights coming on. ( this is a huge safety hazard, and could easily cause…
ODI 10786567
Electrical System · Exhaust System · Seats
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford explorer. While driving approximately 70 mph over a bump, the brake pedal was applied and the front driver side power seat independently moved backwards. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road with caution. The failure recurred when driving over a bump or an uneven road surface. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who stated that the ignition switch would need to be…
ODI 10713915
Electrical System · Seats
The passenger seat in our 2008 ford explorer started on fire, likely from the seat heater. This resulted in massive fire damage to the car, and fortunately there was no one in the vehicle and it was parked in the driveway. Please look into faulty seat heating elements. *tr
Fire reported
ODI 10693989
Electrical System
When moving the interior lights come on. Went to ford dealer where purchased recently to see if there was recall for ignition switch problems. Test drove with a tech to show problem of ignition switch causing the interior lights to come on while car is being driven. While test driving and moving the ignition switch, the interior lights did come on. On the third example, the car cut off. The car did not lock up, but…
ODI 10678359
Electrical System · Seats
The eddie bauer 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…
ODI 10671669
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Seats
I purchased this truck in sept 2014 about 2 months after i purchased it,as i was driving the dome lights go on and the seat moves back as it does when it lets you out. It will do this more so with one set of our keys then the other. It's continually getting worse. It will sometimes happen 1-15 times in a car trip.i have almost gotten into an accident a number of times because of this. I have visited my dealer who…
ODI 10705096
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Seats
While after going over a bump or uneven ground, key fob will rock back and forth slightly, which is normal, but the ignition on this vehicle is malfunctioning. This fob motion triggers the courtesy features of the seat, which flies back and lowers at the same time( because it senses the ignition is being turned off) . The interior lights also come on, because it senses the ignition is being turned off. This is a…
ODI 10644130
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Seats
I was driving my 2008 explorer at about 30-40 mph. All of a sudden the interior lights pop on, the drivers seat goes all the way back, and this all happened when i was driving. How can this not be a recall??? This has obviously happened to a ton of other people and is probably one of the most unsafe things to ever happen inside a running vehicle. If my wife was to drive my truck, and this happens, she would have…
ODI 10700576
Electrical System
Driving at night and all of the sudden...all the interior lights came on...then went back off shortly after they came on...caused a glare in the rear view mirror... It's now happened multiple times and i have read about hundreds of complaints for the same issue...some of them worse due to the automatic seats that move back when the ignition switched off...which means people's seats are moving backward while the…
ODI 10694722
Electrical System
Vehicle was dropped off repair on 6/16/2014 for electrical driver seat moving forward and backwards during travel, dome light operating on and off randomly? Driver seat movement during travel is hazardous.. Colonial ford [redacted] danbury ct 06811 was the location of drop off-- [redacted]. *tr
ODI 10614848
Electrical System
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 ford explorer. While driving approximately 55 mph, a strong burning odor emitted inside the cabin. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact inspected underneath the hood and noticed that coolant leaked continuously onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the thermostat housing was replaced. In 2014, the thermostat and thermostat…
Fire reported
ODI 10786000
Electrical System · Engine · Power Train
4/1- a couple days before 4/1, the check engine light came on. On 4/1, i was driving the car on a side street and it shut off on me, without warning. I got it towed to a dealer near by and was told it was a faulty alternator. Dealer changed it... 4/10 - the wrench and the check engine lights came on the dashboard. I took it back to the dealer to have it checked. The dealer was very passive of the situation - but…
ODI 10595917
Electrical System
While driving along at any speed , all of a sudden the interior lights come on, seat moves all the way back, i assume the problem is in the ignition switch area as i push the ignition in and the seat resets and light goes off, the problem will come and go. Why is there no recall ? I'm looking for the dealership to fix problem at no cost due to ignition problem not caused by operator or owner. I have contacted ford…
ODI 10692805
Electrical System · Seats · Unknown Or Other
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…
ODI 10967471
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Seats
When driving over a bump in the road my seats go back, the lights come on and the key comes partly out of the ignition. This has been going on for months now and luckily i haven't had an accident. I have to push the key back into the ignition while trying to keep my foot on the pedal because of the seat going back i am too far from the pedal. *js
ODI 10608953
Electrical System · Ignition
When in drive and moving and going over a bump, the power seat goes into the position it would be as if no key in ignition (goes all the way back) and the overhead light goes on. Situation is exacerbated if there are items on the ignition key chain. Situation can be initiated by simply jiggling the key in the ignition. My wife cannot drive the vehicle, because if occurs, moves her so that she does not reach gas or…
ODI 10593347
Electrical System
While driving along at a medium speed in march 2013, the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree with all the warning lights blinking from the low gas to the check engine and everything in between. Luckily i was not in heavy traffic or bad weather because this scared the heck out of me when it occurred. The engine was not laboring and appeared to be operating correctly except for the light show and audible alarms…
ODI 10520032
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2008 Ford Explorer.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.