NHTSA Complaint #10074894 — 1999 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH, FLAT, SMOOTH ROAD, I FELT AND HEARD A "THUD" FROM LEFT FRONT AREA OF VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY HIGH PITCHED SQUEEL, PULLED OFF ROAD AND DID A VISUAL CHECK & FOUND NOTHING OUT OF PLACE, OR ANY LOOSE OR MISSING PIECES.*AK PULLED BACK ONTO HIGHWAY, SLOWLY INCREASING SPEED, EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. AFTER 5 TO 6 MILES I HAD TO APPLY BREAKS HARD, VEHICLE PULLED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT AS I PULLED BACK TO RIGHT IT PULLED VERY HARD TO RIGHT W/ A GRINDING NOISE, HAD TO SLOW TO 30 MPH TO MAINTAIN CONTROL UNTIL REACHING A SERVICE FACILITY. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THE LEFT FRONT HUB BEARING HAD FAILED, HE EXPLAINED IT WOULD HAVE BECOME UNCONTROLABLE IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT. HUB BEARING WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT, OLD PART IS STILL AVAILABLE, I HAVE SEALED IN BOX REPLACEMENT CAME IN.