2007 Ford Explorer Tires & Wheels Problems

IN MAY OF 2015 WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF. NOW ON APRIL 5, 2016 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF. TWO WHEELS FALLING OFF IN A PERIOD OF LESS THAN ONE YEAR. IN MY MIND THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

MY HUSBAND NOTICED A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. IT GOT WORSE AFTER A ROAD TRIP AND WE ISOLATED THE NOISE AS COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. WE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AND DISCOVERED ONLY ONE LUG NUT WAS HOLDING THE TIRE ON, AND 2 OF THE PINS HAD SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF. WE IMMEDIATELY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE. AFTER CHATTING ABOUT THE ISSUE AT WORK I DISCOVERED A COWORKER HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN WITH HIS 2005 EXPLORER BUT HIS WHEEL ACTUALLY FELL OFF CAUSING $5,000 IN DAMAGE TO HIS VEHICLE (NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENT). IS IT POSSIBLE THERE IS SOME DEFECT?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE SHEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING AND CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL. THE CONTACT STOPPED ON THE EMERGENCY LANE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LUG NUTS CAME OFF, AND WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO SOMEONE NOT ADJUSTING THEM APPROPRIATELY. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL MOVED UNSTEADILY, AND ALMOST CAME OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LUG NUTS CAME OFF AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR THE RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN LOW PRESSURE WARNING CAME ON. CHECK TIRE IN ONE THE PRESSURE WAS 25 PSI. THIS HAS HAPPEN OVER 7 TIMES ON THE TIRES . IT HAS COST ME OER $250 TO FIX ALL TIRES. NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW WHY. I BOUGHT THE FORTERA TRIPLETHREAD TIRE SEEMING THERE WERE THE BEST. NOW I HAVE 30000 MILES ON TIRES AND THE TIRE PLACE SAUS I HAVE ABOUT A YEAR ON THEM . TO THIS DAY I AM STILL HAVING LOW PRESSURE WARNINGS COME UP MONTHLY. THE TIRE PLACE WHERE I WENT SAID TO PUT EXTRA AIR IN TIRES AN KEEP DOING THAT TILL I GET NEW TIRES.DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO? ..... [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON APRIL 25, 2011 AT A APPROXIMATELY 10 AM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING IN OUR 2007 EXPLORER GOING SOUTHBOUND ON RT 5 PASSING STOCKTON CA. I WAS DRIVING; MY WIFE WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THIS 3 LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE 75 MPH TRAFFIC AND ABOUT MILE NORTH OF EXIT #473 WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING (SUCH AS THE WAY A VEHICLE HANDLES WHEN A TIRE IS GOING FLAT OR A WHEEL IS COMING LOOSE), THERE WAS A LOUD BANG ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH VIBRATION AND A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE LIKE A TIRE BLOWOUT. THE NOISE AND VIBRATION LASTED A SECOND OR SO, THEN STOPPED FOR A SECOND OR SO, THEN RESUMED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SECOND OR SO AFTER WHICH THE VIBRATION STOPPED AND THE LOUD RUMBLING NOISE WAS REPLACED BY A LOUD STEADY SCRAPING/GRINDING NOISE. I GOT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS. DURING THIS I HAD NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY IN STEERING OR CONTROLLING THE EXPLORER. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL HAD COME OFF. ALL 5 LUG BOLTS WERE FRACTURED THROUGH AND ALL BUT THEIR SHORT PORTIONS THAT ARE THREADED INTO THE HUB, WERE MISSING. A LONG SKID MARK FROM THE #2 LANE OVER TO THE SHOULDER WAS DONE BY THE REAR WHEEL'S STABILIZER FRAME AND ASSOCIATED LINKAGES HAVING BEEN SCRAPED OVER THE PAVEMENT. THE LAST TIME THE LUG BOLTS AND LUG NUTS ON THIS WHEEL WERE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED WAS OVER 8,000 MILES AGO WHEN THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED. THE TORQUES ON THE LUG NUTS ON THE REMAINING 3 WHEELS WERE NOW MEASURED AND FOUND TO BE PER EXPLORER SHOP MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE LUG BOLTS IN OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE SIMILAR LUG BOLTS FROM THE SAME BATCH AS IN MINE. I HAVE THE HUB WITH THE PORTIONS OF THE FRACTURED LUG BOLTS STILL THREADED INTO IT, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION BY NHTSA IF THAT WILL HELP IN DETERMINING IF A MORE WIDESPREAD LUG BOLT SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC XLT WITH DIFINITY DAKOTA A/T TIRES, LINE SIZE P235/70/R16. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEFT QUARTER TIRE SHREDDED. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND WAS UNSURE IF THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINALS OR REPLACEMENT TIRES. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES FOR THE TIRES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,200. UPDATED 12/14/2011 *CN UPDATED 12/01/2011 *LN

HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF GOODYEAR FORTERA TIRES - RAPID WEAR - 60,000 MILE WARRANTY AND WEARING OUT AT 15-18000 MILES. COMPANY INDICATED THAT THE TIRES ARE MADE OF SOFT RUBBER AND MADE TO WEAR OUT EARLY. *TR

VALVE STEMS ON 2 TIRES LEAKING WITHOUT ANY NOTICE CAUSING TIRE TO GO FLAT. TWO TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 12 DAYS ON TWO DIFFERENT TIRES. UPON REVIEW OF THE STEM AIR LEAKS FROM THE STEM WHEN MOVING/PUSHING ON IT TO CERTAIN LOCATIONS. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 FORD EXPLORER (EDDIE BAUER) AND I AM HAVING A TIRE PROBLEM. I HAVE MICHELIN TIRES ON THE CAR WITH 13000 MILES AND THE TIRES ARE WORN PAST THE WEAR BARS. I HAVE ROTATED THE TIRES EVERY 6000 MILES. THIS IS A LEASE CAR AND I CAN'T PASS THE LEASE INSPECTION WITH THESE BAD TIRES. MICHELIN(ON THEIR WEBSITE) SAYS THESE TIRES SHOULD LAST 6YRS 65,000 MILES. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *TR

THIS VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY HAD ISSUES WITH AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES. IT HAD A AUTO DETECT SYSTEM, BUT ON A REGULAR BASIS THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR LOW AIR. THIS HAPPENED EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD EXTREME TIRE WEAR. TIRES WERE ROTATED EVERY 6,000 MILES AS RECOMMENDED AND REPLACEMENT TIRES WERE PURCHASED FAR TOO OFTEN DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR. *TR

TIRE VALVE STEMS FAILED EVENTUALLY ON ALL 5 TIRES. GRADUALLY ON EACH TIRE OVER TIME AND SOMETIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. 1 TIRE WAS RUINED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH HALF IT'S TREAD LIFE LEFT. I DID REPLACED ALL VALVE STEMS AT MY EXPENSE. TOTAL $140.00 1 NEW TIRE 5 STEMS. I FEEL FORD SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME OF THE DEFECT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND ME. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY FORD OF THE STEM VALVE FAILURE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT A FORD DEALER USED IN 2009. *TR

TIRE VALVE FAILED CAUSING THE TIRE TO LOSE AIR.*TR

I HAVE AN 2007 EXPLORER THAT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS( FIR=ST TWO WERE NOT PUT INTO COMPUTER AS BEING DONE BY FORD DEALERSHIP AND BIG TEN TIRES AND THEY DIDN'T CHARGE ME), LAST TIRE THAT HAS HAD VALVE STEM NEEDING TO BE REPLACED (TOTAL OF THREE DIFFERENT TIRES ON MY CAR) ,REPLACED AT BIG TEN TIRE AND I HAD TOLD THE PERSON HOW STRANGE IT WAS THAT THREE OF MY FOUR TIRES HAD TO HAVE VALVE STEM REPLACEMENTS. I WANT FORD TO STEP UP AND RECALL THE TIRES SO WE CAN GET THESE REPLACED FOR FREE AND GET MONEY BACK FOR LAST TIME I HAD TO GET IT REPLACED. NO INJURIES OR BLOW OUTS BUT ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME AND I TAKE MY 2YR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER AND 10 YR OLD DAUGHTER IN THIS CAR, I WORRY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. HOW MANY DEATHS AND CRASHES FROM THESE DEFECTIVE VALVE STEMS FROM CHINA HAVE TO CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO FAMILIES BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM? *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70-MPH ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT. NO ROAD HAZARD WAS NOTED. THE TIRE EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT SIDE WALL DETERIORATION AT THE BEAD AND THE PERPENDICULAR SITE WALL SEPARATION. THE SIDE WALL SEPARATED FROM THE BEAD FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF THE DIAMETER. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT FOR THIS VEHICLE, TIRE BRAND/MODEL, AND DOT NUMBER. THE TIRE CARCASS HAS BEEN RETAINED FOR INSPECTION UNTIL JUNE 30 2009. TIRES: GOODYEAR FORTERA HL P235/70R16 PHOTOS MAY BE DOWNLOADED AT: HTTP://WHATLLAMA.COM/TIREPHOTOS/TIRES081001.GZ. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TIRE WENT SUDDENLY FLAT AND TIRE SHREDDED (2ND TIME ONE OF MY FORD EXPLORERS WENT FLAT OR LOW PRESSURE). TOOK TIRE TO A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS OR KNOWN VALVE STEM PROBLEMS. WANTED TO CHARGE TOO MUCH FOR REPLACEMENT ,SO TOOK TIRE TO 3RD PARTY VENDOR AND HAD IT REPLACED FOR $204.50. THEY ALSO DID NOT INFORM ME ANY STEM ISSUES AT THE 3RD PARTY...............TO DATE 12/03/08 HAD ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SIGNAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE CLOSEST TIRE SHOP. IT WAS THERE THEY INFORMED ME OF A KNOWN FORD VALVE PROBLEM CRACKING. REPLACED 3 STEMS WHICH 2 WERE CRACKED THE 3RD ONE WAS NOT. THE FORTH I LEFT ALONE DUE TO BEING REPLACED ALREADY BY 3RD PARTY VENDOR BACK IN SEPTEMBER. *TR

WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK IN AUGUST, I'VE HAD TWO FAULTY TIRE VALVE STEMS CAUSE LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND NECESSITATE A TRIP TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THESE WERE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CAR (RIGHT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR). I PARK IN A CARPORT AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR IS THE MORE EXPOSED SIDE. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM BY PRESSING SIDEWAYS ON THE TIRE STEM AND HEARING THE AIR HISS AS IT ESCAPED. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CRACKING PROBLEM THAT I'VE READ ABOUT IN CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE. I APPROACHED THE DEALER ABOUT FIXING THE OTHERS SO THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE A CRISIS LATER. THEY PULLED UP A REPORT BASED ON THE VIN AND SINCE THERE WERE NO OFFICIAL RECALLS, THEY WOULD NOT FIX THEM. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2008 TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE WHO IDENTIFIED HERSELF AS JAMIE. HER RESPONSE WAS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING AS SHE APPEARED TO BE GIVING ME SCRIPTED ANSWERS: NO RECALLS ON MY CAR, WE DON'T FIX THINGS THAT AREN'T BROKE. APPARENTLY SAFETY ISSUES ARE NOT A CONSIDERATION. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR AND HE FIXED REST OF MY TIRES AT NO CHARGE TO ME. *TR

2007 FORD EXPLORER WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY TIRES. APPROXIMATELY MAY OR EARLY JUNE 2008 MY VEHICLE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. I DISCOVERED A CRACKED VALVE STEM CAUSING LEAK. DEALER REPAIRED AND ATTEMPTED TO FILE ROAD HAZARD CLAIM. NO PAPERWORK, EXACT DATE OR MILEAGE AVAILABLE. APPROXIMATELY AUG 08, 2008 LOW PRESSURE INDICATOR AGAIN CAME ON. DISCOVERED ANOTHER CRACKED STEM LEAKING AIR ON A DIFFERENT TIRE. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,700. REPAIRED AT DEALER ON AUG 09 2008 FOR A FEE. INVOICE AVAILABLE. ON SEPT 30, 2008 I READ NEWS REPORT ABOUT DILL VALVE STEM ISSUE (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE08036). INSPECTED TIRES - AND DISCOVERED SAME SPLITTING OF VALVE STEMS AS DEPICTED IN NEWS ARTICLE AND DILL AIR CONTROLS WEB SITE ON THE OTHER TWO REMAINING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES. DEALER REPLACED BOTH VALVE STEMS AND REPLACED FOR A FEE. REMOVED VALVE STEMS WITH NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE AND RETURNED TO ME. INVOICE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS DEFECTIVE VALVE STEMS. SPARE TIRE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND FOUND NO VISIBLE DEFECTS ON STEM. SPARE IS MOUNTED UNDER VEHICLE WITH VALVE FACING UP AGAINST UNDERBODY PROTECTING STEM FROM ELEMENTS. FORD STATEMENT TO NEWS MEDIA INDICATES THAT FORD'S POSITION IS THAT THEIR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IS NOT SUBJECT TO SAME ISSUE. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I FIND THAT ALL 4 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT VALVE STEMS EXHIBITED SAME CRACKING DEFECT AS DILL RECALL. STEMS REPLACED ON OCT 01,2008 SHOW 07 TR414 030 AND 08 TR414 018 AND BOTH HAVE A TRIANGULAR LOGO. AS ALL 4 STEMS WERE REPLACED, THE ONLY ORIGINAL VALVE CAP I HAVE CAME FROM THE SPARE TIRE AND DISPLAYS "TOPSEAL" ,THE NUMBERS 317 AND 630 AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME TRIANGULAR LOGO AS IS ON THE VALVE STEMS. I HAVE THE TWO MOST RECENT REPLACED VALVE STEMS AND THE CAP FROM THE FACTORY SPARE IN MY POSSESSION AS WELL AS PHOTOS OF BOTH (NUMBERS AND DAMAGE) THAT CAN BE FORWARDED ELECTRONICALLY IF NEEDED. *TR

TIRE VALVE STEMS LEAKING CAUSING CONSTANT LOW TIRE PRESSURE. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30-MPH ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT I EXPERIENCED TIRE FAILURE. NO ROAD HAZARD WAS NOTED. WHEN I REMOVED THE FAILED TIRE I WAS SHOCKED BY THE EXTENT OF SIDE WALL DETERIORATION AT THE BEAD AND THE PERPENDICULAR SITE WALL SEPARATION. THE SIDE WALL SEPARATED FROM THE BEAD FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF THE DIAMETER. TIRES: GOODYEAR FORTERA HL P235/70R16 PHOTOS MAY BE DOWNLOADED AT: HTTP://WHATLLAMA.COM/TIREPHOTOS/TIRES080703.GZ. *TR