2003 Ford Explorer Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL DETACHED DUE TO THE CONTROL ARM BEING CORRODED. THE CONTACT CALLED ELDER FORD (777 JOHN R RD, TROY, MI 48083, (248) 825-8646) AND WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE METAL OF THE UPPER CONTROL ARM WAS NOT A GOOD METAL; THEREFORE, THE CONTROL ARM WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

WE HAD PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BOUT A YEAR AGO AND WHEN WE GOT IT WE WENT TO GET TIRES AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND THEY ENDED UP REPLACING UPPER ND LOWER BALL JOINTS, CONTROL ARM AND SWAY BAR ON PASSENGER SIDE.THIS WAS 6/20/2017. IT WASN'T MAKING ANY NOISE UNTIL 1/3/2018. I WAS GOING DOWN CITY STREET AND SOMETHING POPPED AND THEN IT STARTED ROARING. IF YOU PUT IN 4WD IT ROARS LOADER AND JERKS. 1/23/18 REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL HUB AND BEARINGS. IT STILL ROARS WHILE ACCELERATING SPEED BUT NOT AS BAD IN 2WD BUT PUT IN 4WD ITS REAL LOUD AND JERKS YOU . I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE FOR THIS YEAR MODEL SPORT TRAC AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. EVERYTIME GET ONE THING FIXED ON FRONT END SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS TO IT. YOU CAN DRIVE IT BUT IF YOU GET OVER 10-15 MPH THE ROARING GETS WORSE AND IT LOCKED THE THE WHOLE WHEEL UP AND JERKED THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

THE CAB TO FRAME MOUNTING BOLT BUSHINGS, AND STEERING STABILIZER BUSHINGS ARE HAVE AND ARE CRUMBLING. ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT. I JUST INHERITED THIS TRUCK AND JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU.

2003 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO MALFUNCTION TO COMPANY'S REAR WHEEL BEARING. *AS *TR

WE HAVE RECURRING WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY ISSUE. THE TIMING I PUT ON THE FORM MAY BE OFF A BIT BUT NOT MUCH. ITS ALL LIKE A RECURRING FORD EXPLORER NIGHTMARE AT THIS POINT! WE HAVE REPLACED BEARINGS, HIB ASSEMBLY, TIE ROD, THEN REAR END WENT UP ( AND SHOULDN'T HAVE)/NOW AGAIN, ANOTHER BEARING AND WHEEL SENSOR. THE TRUCK CUTS OUT WHEN AT A SLOWER SPEED. I LOST STEERING A FEW MONTHS AGO WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN I TRY TO PUT IT IN GEAR, SOMETIMES IT WON'T MOVE.I HAVE CALLED FORD, NHTSB AND NO ONE IS WILLING TO MAKE FORD RECALL THESE ISSUES AND FORD WON'T DO THE RIGHT THING KNOWING IT'S AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF FORDS! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP! I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND A HEART ISSUE. I NEED A SAFE RELIABLE CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER ONE. SOMEONE, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING HERE! I KNOW ITS AN OLDER MODEL AND I QUESTION IF THIS IS WHY THE RECALL ISN'T HAPPENING.IDK BUT THIS ISN'T RIGHT. THE TRUCK IS SITTING OUT FRONT NEEDING AN ADDITIONAL $700 OF WORK . AFTER REAR END, TIE ROD, BEARINGS, BRAKES IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE NO WAY TO FIX THIS LEMON. ALWAYS BEEN FORD BUT IF THEY OR A GOVERNING AGENCY DOESN'T HELP.. NEVER A FORD AGAIN. LOOK AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING!!!! SHAMEFUL.

I HAVE HAD THREE INCIDENTS WITH MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVED THE SUSPENSION ( SWAY BARS SNAPPED, TIRES HAD TO BE REPAIRED). SECOND INCIDENT WAS THE TRANSFER CASE AND A WIGGLING DRIVE SHAFT ALONG WITH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ( PARTS DEEMED DEFECTIVE BY MECHANICS) , AND EMERGENCY BRAKES THAT SNAPPED OFF IN MY MECHANICS HANDS BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTY. NOW IT IS TRANSMISSION WORK FOR A POSSIBLE FAULTY SENSOR. FORD NEEDS TO RECALLS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED DUE TO CATASROPHIC EQUIPMENT FAILURE! IVE CALLED THEM EVERY TIME AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUES BUT REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THEN DOCUMENT THEM AND SAY HAVE A NICE DAY! *JS

TRUCK JERKS WHEN TRYING TO PICK UP SPEED PICKS UP SPEED VERY SLOW SOMETIMES DOESN'T WANT TO GO IN DRIVE. *TR

SEVERE CLANKING/BANGING NOISE IN PASSENGER REAR. REPLACED SHOCKS. NOISE WORSENED. RESEARCHED AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING BODY MOUNTS WITH FORD EXPLORER SPORT VEHICLES. UPON INVESTIGATION - REACHING UP UNDER VEHICLE FOUND NO "BODY INSULATOR LEFT ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR AND ON DRIVER REAR THE INSULATOR CRUMBLED LIKE DIRT AND FINE POWDER. THE BODY MOUNTS APPEARED TO BE MANUFACTURED OF A FOAM LIKE MATERIAL - SUBSTANDARD AT BEST! REPLACEMENT PARTS MUST BE PURCHASED THROUGH FORD SINCE NO OTHER AFTERMARKET PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. PARTS ONLY (THAT BEING ABLE TO SALVAGE THE BOLTS AND SLEEVES) AND PURCHASE THE TWO PAIR OF INSULATORS ONLY - $680.00. THE SAME MATERIAL THAT FAILED AND SHOULD NOT. THERE ARE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH BODY MOUNTS FOR 40 TO 50 YEARS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THE COST FOR THESE PARTS IS THIEVERY. IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE A VEHICLE WITHOUT REPAIRING DEFECTIVE BODY MOUNTS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF BODY ROLL OR OTHER LOSS OF CONTROL. SINCE THE MOUNTS SHOULD NOT FAIL THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE I SINCERELY REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION BE LAUNCHED INTO THE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS BEING FILED FOR THE YEARS 2001-2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT BODY MOUNTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BOUNCE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE BODY MOUNT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE. *TR

OK WE WERE DRIVING PULLED OUT AND IT DID NOT SHIFT TO SECOND GEAR AND CARS WERE COMING UP AND HONKING HORN IT TAKES CAR A LONG TIME TO SWITCH TO 2ND GEAR AT LIGHT AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS CAN GET HIT. THE O/D LIGHT FLASHES CAUSING SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS A FORD ISSUE WITH THESE TRANSMISSION FORD WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL AT HELPING THEIR NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSION THEY ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND THE CUSTOMER IS CONSTANTLY PAYING THE PRICE ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ( BRAKES ) WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. WHILE HAVING SPRINGS REPLACED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE REAR SHOCKS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN ONLY LESS THAN 55,000 MILES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON PAVED CITY AND HIGHWAY ROADS. AFTER INSPECTING THE BROKEN SPRINGS WE REALIZED THAT THE DAMAGE WASN'T A RECENT OCCURRENCE. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTED AT 40,000 MILES OR LESS.I BELIEVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF POSSIBLE DEFECTED REAR SUSPENSION PARTS IT MAY BE USING IN SOME OF IT'S VEHICLE MODELS AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY RISKS THIS MAY POSE ON THE GENERAL PUBLIC. *TR

REAR OF VEHICLE EMITTED A THUMPING AND POPPING SOUND. FIRST THOUGHT THAT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN OR THAT REAR END HAD MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER REGAINING CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PULLING OFF TO SHOULDER ON THREE WHEELS AND A ROTOR, DETERMINED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL AND TIRE HAD DISAPPEARED. ALL LUGS AND NUTS WERE GONE. WHEEL HAD DEPARTED FROM VEHICLE AND GONE IN AN UNKNOWN DIRECTION. ROTOR AND CALIPER WHERE STILL ATTACHED TO VEHICLE. POLICEMAN WAS LATER ABLE TO RETRIEVE WHEEL AND TIRE FROM SOME DISTANCE DOWN THE HIGHWAY BEHIND THE VEHICLE. RIM WAS SCORED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE INSIDE OF THE RIM. I ASSUME THAT THE RIM HAD DROPPED DOWN ONTO EITHER THE LUGS OR ROTOR PRIOR TO FINDING ITS WAY OUT OF THE FENDER WELL. BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THERE ARE RECURRENT PROBLEMS HERE. HAD REAR BEARING REPLACED ON SAME WHEEL APPROXIMATELY 16 MONTHS PRIOR. SUGGESTED REPAIRS AROUND $400.00 TO START FOR THIS INCIDENT. THERE MAY BE GREATER DAMAGE AND COST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE RESTED AND DRAGGED UPON THE REAR SUSPENSION STRUT AND TORSION BAR PRIOR TO GET IT STOPPED AND PULLED OFF OF THE PAVEMENT ONTO THE GRASSY SHOULDER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED FIRST AND WAS REPAIRED. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,585 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 02/27/12*LJ UPDATED 02/28/12

I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK ONE MORNING & I NOTICED THE REAR PANEL WAS CRACKED. IT WASN'T LIKE THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE, SO IT LITERALLY HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS COSMETIC & COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. I WAS TOLD THE WINDOW WOULD BE FINE, BUT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THE PANEL PIECE FALLING OFF. I HAVEN'T HAD IT FIXED YET DUE TO THE EXPENSE, BUT I AM AFRAID A PIECE MAY FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD INJURE SOMEONE. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, A WEEK LATER, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING & THE O/D LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I HAD IT TOWED & SURE ENOUGH, IT HAD TO BE REBUILT. IT ALSO NEEDED A NEW HUB BEARING AND BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *KB

2003 FORD EXPLORER FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS MAKE A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. COMMON PROBLEM IN ALL 2003 FORD EXPLORERS. IT GROUND DOWN THE WHEEL LUGS FROM THE INSIDE AND THE TIRE CAME OFF ON THE FREEWAY DOING 60MPH. THE ROTORS GOT EATEN UP ON THE INSIDE TOO. FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

BROKEN COIL SPRINGS FRONT AND REAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TRY AND SWING AROUND TO THE RIGHT ON SLIPPERY SURFACES. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TT

IT STARTED WITH HUMMING VIBRATING NOISE IN THE FRONT END LEFT TIRE ENDING WITH FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE AND SMALL FIRE TO THE WHEEL BEARING RUBBER BOOT AND HARD PULLING TO THE LEFT TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL FAILURE AFTER INSPECTING I FOUNT THAT ONLY THE ONE NUT WAS HOLDING TIRE ON. *TR

DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. *TR