The 2008 Ford Explorer is a pickup truck that came with a choice of 4.0L 6-cyl and 4.6L 8-cyl engines. At 18 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd, Automatic 6-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 13–14 city / 19–20 highway / 15–16 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,200–$4,450 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 555–592 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 8 configurations: Explorer Sport Trac 2WD, Explorer Sport Trac 4WD, Explorer 2WD, Explorer 4WD |
| Age | 18 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall covering the 2008 Ford Explorer. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with the 4.6l engine and 6r transmission, the bolt securing the transmission oil cooler line fittings at the transmission may not have been sufficiently torqued during vehicle assembly. As a result, the bolt may loosen and the transmission oil cooler lines may disengage from the…
Risk: If leaking transmission fluid contacts the catalytic converter, it may pose a risk of fire.
Owners have filed 148 complaints about the 2008 Ford Explorer with NHTSA. 6 reports involved a crash and 3 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 3 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Ford Explorer.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, RWD/AWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | 22.8% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 23 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2008 Ford Explorer. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card cont
All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed i
When performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving MERCON SP, MERCON LV has replaced all versions of MERCON SP and can be used going forward. Mixing MERC
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2008 Ford Explorer.
Tire valve cracking
On october 14, 2008, odi opened pe08-060 to investigate allegations of cracked and leaking snap-in tire valves in model year (my) 2007 vehicles manufactured by Ford motor company.the valves were supplied to Ford by topseal auto-parts, a subsidiary of the shanghai baolong automotive corporation in china.valves made by t
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2008 Explorers that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2008 Ford Explorer; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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