FORD: IF THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER, SURGE, OR HESITATION WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL OVERRIDE ACCELERATION.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac powertrain problems
severe 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
2crashes
1fire
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 21 powertrain complaints filed for the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Powertrain accounts for 21% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 11 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY - SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners consistently report the 6-speed automatic transmission on the 2007 Sport Trac fails to shift smoothly or reliably. The most common complaint is rough downshifting, where the transmission slams hard into lower gears during braking, causing the vehicle to surge forward dangerously—one owner hit a cement post after such a surge. Hard shifts happen throughout the range, with engine lunging on acceleration and loud thumping noises when slamming into first gear. Multiple owners report transmission slipping between second and third gears, and some describe delays of 30 seconds or more before the transmission engages after starting the engine.
Several owners experienced sudden disengagement of the transmission under load, with the engine revving to the limiter without moving the vehicle—one nearly caused an accident while merging onto the freeway. One owner reported failure to engage reverse at 4,400 miles, followed by RPM surge, overheating, smoke, and burning smell. Gear selector stuck in park is reported intermittently, sometimes right after Ford's own park-lock recall repair.
Dealerships repeatedly state they cannot duplicate these intermittent problems or provide lasting fixes. Temporary solutions include computer resets and software downloads that work for days or weeks before the problem returns. No recall has been issued despite 21 documented complaints. One owner had the transmission replaced at $6,898 after dealer adjustments failed.
Failure modes owners describe
Delayed or sluggish acceleration from stop
Engine revs but vehicle does not accelerate proportionally; requires manual downshift to first or second gear to move normally. Owners report characteristics consistent with low transmission fluid or failure to downshift to proper lower gear while in high gear. Intermittent nature makes diagnosis difficult for dealerships.
When: Intermittent; some owners note issue starting in winter months when vehicle is cold
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs without proportional vehicle acceleration; Requires manual downshift to achieve proper acceleration; Slow response when pulling into traffic; Vehicle attempts to accelerate in high gear
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (intermittent, temporary), Wrench light (intermittent, temporary)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships unable to duplicate problem; claim to check transmission fluid level despite transmission being sealed. Owner alleges dealerships unable or unwilling to repair.
Rough downshifting with forward surge
Transmission downshifts harshly when coming to a stop, causing vehicle to surge forward after braking. Owners report this creates dangerous situations where vehicle moves several inches forward even with brakes applied. Dealer adjustments provide temporary improvement only. Whining noise in gears reported by some owners.
When: Occurs during deceleration and stopping; recurs after dealer repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Rough downshift when approaching stop; Dangerous forward surge during braking; Requires hard brake pressure to prevent collision; Whining noise in gears; Loud noise during downshift, feels like impact
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (some reports)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer transmission adjustment provides temporary fix lasting a few months before problem returns worse. Owners spent $6,897.65 for complete transmission replacement in one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer acknowledged factory defect and stated Ford was working on modification; no fix implemented. No recall issued despite owner reports of similar complaints.
Hard shifting throughout range
Transmission shifts hard from day one of ownership, with lunging and jerking forward during acceleration. Sometimes will not shift into high gear unless driver backs off throttle. Vehicle jumps and slams into gear at takeoff or during shift events. Hesitates when taking off from dead stop, then slams into first with loud thumping noise.
When: From new; persists or worsens over time despite dealer repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Hard shifts from initial ownership; Lunging during acceleration; Vehicle jumps when shifting; Hesitation at takeoff; Loud thumping noise when slamming into gear; Won't shift into high gear without backing off gas; Engine surges during shifts
Repairs/costs cited: Computer reset provided temporary fix lasting one month. Software download from Ford provided temporary fix, but problem returned within 300 miles. Dealership unable to provide lasting solution despite over one year in shop.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated Ford working on fix but none available; Ford reverted to 5-speed transmissions for 2008 model year rather than fixing 6-speed issue.
Transmission slipping during upshifts
Transmission slips when shifting from second to third gear. Owners report this as known Ford transmission issue. Truck may also stay in first gear longer than normal with hesitation or jerking when accelerating in first.
When: At various mileages (reported at 44,000 and 118,000 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Slipping between 2nd and 3rd gear; Engine RPM increases without proportional acceleration; Extended time in first gear; Hesitation or jerking during first-gear acceleration
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer recommended transmission replacement as better transmission available.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer acknowledged as known Ford transmission issue.
Failure to shift out of park
Gear selector stuck in park position on startup, requiring multiple attempts before shifting functions properly. Occurs intermittently. One owner's vehicle experienced this shortly after recall service repair for park-locking issue.
When: Intermittent; in one case occurred weeks after park-lock recall repair at 19,259 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Gear selector stuck in park; Requires multiple attempts to shift out of park; Occurs intermittently
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated vehicle operated normally during inspection. Vehicle had prior recall remedy for park-locking defect.
Delayed engagement on cold startup
Vehicle requires 30 seconds or more wait after starting before transmission will engage. If driver attempts to put vehicle in gear sooner, engine revs but vehicle will not move. Issue occurs every morning.
When: Every morning on startup; owner had vehicle 1.5 years at time of report
Symptoms owners cite: Requires 30-second wait after startup before gear engagement; Engine revs without vehicle movement if shifting attempted too soon; Low fuel economy (9.5 MPG); Vehicle must be revved to 6,000 RPM to budge if shifted early
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership inspected twice and stated nothing wrong found.
Intermittent transmission disengagement under load
Transmission disengages unpredictably during driving, causing engine to rev to limiter without vehicle acceleration. Occurs when merging into traffic. Problem cycles intermittently with check engine light illuminating for days, clearing, then repeating without warning. Computer control malfunction suspected.
When: Intermittent cycles lasting couple days; has occurred since truck was new, becoming more common over time
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission disengages under load; Engine revs to limiter without acceleration; Uneven shifts; Check engine light cycles on and off; Nearly caused accident when merging into traffic
Codes mentioned: Check engine light (cycles on and off)
Transmission unable to engage reverse; RPM surge and overheating
Vehicle failed to go into reverse on first attempt; when reverse finally engaged, RPMs began to rev. Low brake pressure reported, requiring emergency brake to stop vehicle. Smoke and burning smell observed. Vehicle was diagnosed as needing new transmission.
When: At 4,400 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Failure to engage reverse on first attempt; RPM surge when reverse finally engages; Low brake pressure; Smoke from engine bay; Burning smell
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement recommended.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
I brought my '07 sportrac with 73,800 miles to the Ford dealer to troubleshoot a check engine light and the wrench light, which it displayed for a few minutes and disappeared. After some troubleshooting 2 hrs later, the guy came out and gave me some bad news. I will need to repair my transmission or replace it. He did tell me a new transmission would not be from Ford since they don't make those…
Truck sometimes stays in 1st gear for a longer than normal period of time. Also hesitates/jerks when accelerating in 1st gear. *tr
Transmission jumps into first and second gears from start. Engine surges and causes vehicle to jump. No good idea when going through military gate entrances. Transmission hesitates when taking off. Transmission makes loud noise when you stop. Feels like someone crashes into vehicle. Action not safe for rush-hour freeway driving or any driving when you must drive slow. Such, as in ice and…
I have had my 2007 sportrac 8 cyl. For 1-1/2 years. Every morning when I start my vehicle, I must wait a full thirty seconds or more before I can put the car in gear. If I do it sooner, then the engine will rev, but the vehicle will not move. If I rev the engine to 6,000 RPM it will budge a bit. I have taken it in twice for this and the dealer says there is nothing wrong. Additionally, I am only…
Transmission surges when downshifting when braking. *tr
Had powertrain trouble with your 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
It's a meaningful issue. 21 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 18 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 4,300 and 62,000 miles, with the median around 20,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 4,300; a quarter make it past 62,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Ford/Explorer Sport Trac.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.