2003 Ford Explorer Tires & Wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25-35 MPH around a curb, the driver thought that the tire was flat. The contact pulled off the road and noticed that three of the wheel studs on the driver’s side rear wheel had sheared off. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and it was confirmed that the studs had sheared off and that there was also a fractured wheel stud on the passenger’s side rear wheel. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE LUG NUTS BECAME DETACHED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND INCLUDED ALL OF THE WHEELS. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE LUG NUTS ON ALL OF THE WHEELS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC P235/70R16 DOT A308 46KW 311 NOTICED VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATING; INSTALLED SPARE. HAD VIBRATION AGAIN A MONTH LATER. BOTH TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION. INSTALLED IN 2013; APPROX 20K MILES. REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES; HAVE OLD TIRES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LUG NUTS SHEARED OFF THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED TO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LUG NUT WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEELS SHOOK AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE LUG NUTS WERE TIGHTENED TWICE BY THE DEALER, BUT THE LUG NUTS ON THE REAR WHEELS WERE STILL LOOSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A REPAIR FOR THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

THE MECHANIC CALLED IT A REAR COMPLETE STRUT ASSEMBLY PART OF THE SPRING BACK BY THE BACK WHEEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS BROKEN OFF *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES, SIZE: 235 R70/16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT, IT CAUSED HIM TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD . THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. UPDATED 03/03/15

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE LUG NUTS SHEARED OFF THE WHEELS CAUSING THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN CROSS TERRAIN TIRES, SIZE: P235/70/R16. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND VEHICLE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 2/24/15*CN UPDATED 03/02/15*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS COMPLETING A RIGHT TURN AT 3 MPH WHEN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LUG NUTS WERE COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF AND THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS MISSING A LUG NUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A DRAGGING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE AND CAUSED THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE. THE FAILURE WAS PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE LUG NUTS HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE LUG NUTS CONTINUED TO SEPARATE FROM THE REAR WHEELS WHILE DRIVING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FORCEFULLY DROP TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LUG NUTS HAD SHEARED OFF OF THE WHEELS, WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT ON FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AND BOTH THE REAR WHEELS. I JUST REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR WHEEL BEARINGS WHICH IS NOT CHEAP. I CANNOT BELIEVE FORD DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF EXPLORERS. I WOULD NOT EVERY BUY FORD AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55-60 MPH WHEN THREE STUDS DETACHED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT A LUG NUT WAS DETAHCED FROM THE WHEEL WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE LUG NUT WAS SHEERED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

A 2003 FORD EXPLORER REAR WHEEL DRIVE WITH 82K MILES. THE WHEEL HUB BEARINGS HAVE FAILED ON BOTH REAR WHEELS. *TR

THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HUB BROKE WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WHATSOEVER. IT DESTROYED THE KNUCKLE AND THE WHEEL NEARLY FELL OFF.

MULTIPLE EPISODES OF LUGNUTS ON 2003 FORD EXPLORER TOP-OF-THE-LINE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT CHROME WHEELS LOOSENING OVER TIME. TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN SERIOUS VIBRATIONS HAVE OCCURRED. ON EACH OCCASION, LUGNUTS WERE LOOSE OR MISSING, WITH ONE OR MORE LUGS COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON THIS REPORTED OCCASION, LUGNUTS WERE VERY LOOSE ON ONE WHEEL. MOST LOGICAL EXPLANATION APPEARS TO BE THAT WHEEL MATERIAL IS NOT CAPABLE OF PERFORMING AS DESIGNED, AND THAT DELAMINATION/OXIDATION OF WHEEL SURFACES ARE PRIMARY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THE OTHER DAY, I WAS SITTING IN A LINE OF CARS WAITING FOR MY TURN TO GO THROUGH A 4-WAY STOP WHEN MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD PLENTY OF FUEL AND THE ELECTRICAL WORKED. THE ENGINE SIMPLY WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. AFTER SOME INSPECTION, THE REPAIRMAN DETERMINED THAT I HAD BLOWN A FUSE. THE CAUSE WAS MY ABS SENSOR CONTINUALLY SENDING OUT AN PROBLEM SIGNAL. THE CAUSE OF THAT WAS MY WHEEL BEARINGS GOING BAD. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT AT LEAST THREE OF MY WHEELS HAVE BAD BEARINGS. THE REPAIRS ARE INCREDIBLY COSTLY (WELL OVER $1,000). AND THE MECHANICAL FAILURE IS DANGEROUS, INCLUDING WHEEL SEPARATION, WHEEL SEIZING UP AND BRAKE FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. I DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE DAILY AND IF THE CAR HAD FAILED THERE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY BAD. WHILE WHEEL BEARINGS TO FAIL, THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS INCREDIBLY RARE TO SEE MULTIPLE BEARINGS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. WELL, EXCEPT FOR FORDS. HE SAID THE EXPLORER AND FOCUS (ESPECIALLY THE '02 & '03 MODELS) HAVE A REPUTATION FOR WEARING OUT. SOMETIMES, MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE SAME WHEEL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH PROVED HIM RIGHT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE '02 & '03 FORD EXPLORERS. I REALIZE WE'RE GOING ON 8 OR 9 YEARS SINCE THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED, BUT HOW COULD THE SAME ISSUE ON HUNDREDS OF CARS NOT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED YET? THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OBVIOUSLY NOT BE DUE TO USER ERROR OR POOR MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE. I IMPLORE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER FOR THE SAKE OF THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STILL DRIVING THESE CARS EVERY DAY. *TR

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. *TR