2008 Ford Explorer Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 4about this part
- Share
- 3%of 148 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 118,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Ford Explorer, 3% of the 148 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 118,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The air bag indicator light is on and stays on. I took it to my Ford dealer and they are saying I need a new module in order for my airbag to deploy properly. After researching on line, I see hundreds of similar complaints with no results. I am concerned that this is an ongoing problem that Ford is turning a blind eye to. This is a safety concern that should be addressed and soon. There are complaints on models from 1999-2014, and the bottom line is that customers are having repairs made that are not fixing the problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #10714438, filed 2015-05, 70,000 miles“The contact owns a 2008 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wooded area. The driver and passenger side frontal air bags failed to deploy. The passenger side of the hood caught fire and destroyed the entire vehicle. The insurance company may not investigate because the vehicle only had liability coverage. The manufacturer will be notified. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The contact broke her left hand and the passenger injured his right knee. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 166,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10241083, filed 2008-09, 166,000 miles“There is a suspect driving a sea green Ford Explorer in buxton, north carolina for several years now without a registered vehicle identification number inside the dashboards of her vehicle and therefore it is obviously a threat to other vehicle on the highway and could incur long time damages to another vehicle or pedestrian on the road at any given time plus the space where it is supposed to read the VIN it is painted yellow and reads in big white letters air bag.”
NHTSA complaint #11013032, filed 2017-08“The contact rented a 2008 Ford Explorer from an authorized dealer. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the contact proceeded to park the vehicle in a hotel parking lot. The gear shifter was in the reverse position when there was an unexpected and drastic acceleration. Immediately, pressure was applied to the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to slow down. The warning indicator was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle crashed inside of a hotel room. The contact crashed into a truck in order to avoid crashing into the hotel office and pedestrians. …”
NHTSA complaint #10277524, filed 2009-07Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2% |
| 2025 | 5 | 5% |
| 2024 | 2 | 10% |
| 2023 | 4 | 4% |
| 2022 | 7 | 3% |
| 2021 | 6 | 1% |
| 2020 | 6 | 0% |
| 2019 | 2 | 1% |
| 2018 | 11 | 2% |
| 2017 | 34 | 2% |
| 2016 | 99 | 4% |
| 2015 | 84 | 5% |
| 2014 | 47 | 3% |
| 2013 | 18 | 1% |
| 2012 | 27 | 3% |
| 2011 | 44 | 4% |
| 2010 | 6 | 5% |
| 2009 | 2 | 6% |
| 2008 | 4 | 3% |
| 2007 | 12 | 6% |
| 2006 | 8 | 1% |
| 2005 | 15 | 3% |
| 2004 | 39 | 3% |
| 2003 | 50 | 4% |
| 2002 | 162 | 5% |
| 2001 | 28 | 7% |
| 2000 | 62 | 7% |
| 1999 | 97 | 7% |
| 1998 | 40 | 2% |
| 1997 | 27 | 2% |
| 1996 | 41 | 3% |
| 1995 | 27 | 3% |
| 1994 | 11 | 1% |
| 1993 | 5 | 1% |
| 1992 | 1 | 0% |
| 1991 | 3 | 0% |
Other parts of the 2008 Ford Explorer
38 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
36 complaintsSeats
27 complaintsEngine
21 complaintsSteering
13 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsOther or unknown
12 complaintsWheels
9 complaintsBrakes
8 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsEngine cooling
4 complaintsSeat belts
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2008 Ford Explorer
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology