RoadVitals

2007 Ford Explorer Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Dec 4, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 208 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Dec 4, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT DRIVES A 2007 FORD EXPLORER OWNED BY THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR WAS DETACHED AND WAS RE-ATTACHED WITH A PIECE OF GLASS AND TAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE REPORTED TO THE SUPERVISOR AS WELL AS DOCUMENTED IN A VEHICLE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SEVERAL OTHER FORD EXPLORERS IN THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT FLEET WERE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS THEY EXHIBITED HESITATION AND STALLING. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
11155978
Incident
Jun 14, 2016
Visibility
Filed Jan 30, 2016
Crash reported

WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY/PARKED, BACK LIFT GATE GLASS EXPLODED. THIS HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 26, 2015. AFTER HAVING IT PROFESSIONALLY REPLACED, IT AGAIN EXPLODED WHILE PARKED ON JANUARY 29, 2016.

NHTSA ID
10823230
Incident
Jan 29, 2016
Mileage
181,600 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 31, 2014

THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE, THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SEPARATED FROM THE VISOR AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE COVER OF THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY HAS SNAPPED. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS RARELY USED SINCE A PASSENGER IS RARELY IN THE SEAT. THE CLIPS HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AND THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE MIRROR ON IS THE FEED LINE FOR THE MIRROR LAMP. *JS

NHTSA ID
10669412
Incident
Jul 29, 2014
Mileage
64,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 11, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED AND CAUSED GLASS TO SHATTER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WEATHER WAS ABOVE FREEZING AND THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR LACERATIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID
10663535
Incident
Dec 10, 2014
Mileage
77,000 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Jul 24, 2013

BACK WINDOW FLIPPED OPEN WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH IN A PARKING LOT. WENT TO CLOSE IT AND THE HINGE CRACKED SO THE WINDOW WAS HANGING BY ONE HINGE. USING ALL MY STRENGTH I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE WINDOW UP (EXTREMELY DIFFICULT GIVEN THE PUMP) AND CLOSE IT, ALTHOUGH NOT SECURE. THE WINDOW IS VERY HEAVY AND HELD BY A PLASTIC HINGE THAT COMPLETELY SNAPPED. THIS IS A PROBLEM CITED IN EARLIER MODELS, AND APPARENTLY FORD DID NOT RECTIFY THE ISSUE. PLASTIC IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD HEAVY GLASS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10531562
Incident
Jul 23, 2013
Mileage
82,000 mi
Body & structureVisibility
Filed May 17, 2013

WHILE DRIVING 15MPH, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. UPON EXAMINATION, AFTER I PULLED OVER, I FOUND THE REAR WINDOW ON THE LIFTGATE HANGING BY ONLY THE LIFT SUPPORTS. THE PLASTIC HINGES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE WINDOW IN PLACE SEEM TO BE CORRODED AND CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED OR IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN GREATLY INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512597
Incident
May 17, 2013
Mileage
101,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 25, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT NOTHING HAD HIT THE WINDOW TO CAUSE IT TO SHATTER. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED GOING THROUGH HER INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THROUGH HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,512.

NHTSA ID
10332118
Incident
May 24, 2010
Mileage
44,500 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 4, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE WHENEVER HE ROLLED DOWN THE REAR WINDOWS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN DEFECT, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,012.

NHTSA ID
10272873
Incident
Jun 3, 2009
Mileage
34,012 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 22, 2008

CANNOT DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT WITH THE HEATED WINDSHIELD IN MY 2007 FORD XLT EXPLORER THAT I JUST PURCHASED USED TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10249576
Incident
Nov 22, 2008

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .