NHTSA Complaint #10284681 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I HAVE HAD TROUBLES WITH THE WHEEL ENDS ON MY FORD SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2005. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING ARE COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE. I STARTED NOTICING MORE BRAKE DUST ON SOME OF THE WHEELS THAN OTHERS. THEN ON MY REAR/PASSENGERS TIRE I HEAR A SQUEAKING, GRINDING NOISE WITH A LITTLE WABBLE IN THE WHEEL. TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER -SAID THEY GRINDED SOMETHING DOWN. DIDN'T HEAR THE NOISE ANYMORE. MY ABS LIGHT KICKS ON WON'T GO OFF HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH DEFECT IN WHEEL END ASSEMBLY APPARENTLY. PAID $150 TO GET IT OFF COMES RIGHT BACK ON WEEKS LATER!! MY ENTIRE WHEEL END ALMOST FALLS OFF WHILE ON THE HWY. PULL OVER ALL 4 STUDS HAD COME COMPLETELY OFF OF THE WHEEL EXCEPT 1, THE WHEEL WAS LITERALLY HANGIN. HAD TO HAVE ALL STUDS REPLACED. HAVE HAD TO HAVE WHEEL STUDS REPLACED FREQUENTLY AT SOME POINT ON ALL FOUR TIRES. PAID TO HAVE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED FINALLY $300+. FRONT, DRIVERS WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING 70-80 MPH ON HWY, LOSS CONTROL, BARELY MADE IT OFF HWY IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! 1-2MONTHS LATER FRONT PASSENGERS WHEEL BEARINGS GO BAD HAVE TO BE REPLACED-$300+ EACH TIME. HAD FRONT BRAKES & ROTORS REPLACED MARCH '07, REAR BRAKES & ROTORS JAN '08. THIS MONTH SEPT '09 HAD TO HAVE REAR BRAKES & ROTORS REPLACED. COULD ONLY AFFORD TO HAVE BRAKE PADS REPLACED. ONLY PUT 30,000MILES ON IT SINCE HAD B/R CHANGED IN '08. WHY AM I HAVING TO HAVE THEM BOTH CHANGED A YEAR LATER. SOMETHING IN THE WHEEL END ASSEMBLY IS CAUSING INCREASED WEAR & TEAR ON REAR BRAKES, ROTORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE! NOW MY BRAKE PADS ARE BURNING INSANELY CRAZY, ALOT OF SMOKE COMES FROM THE WHEEL. NEW BRAKE PADS SHOULDN'T BURN THAT FAST EVEN WITH SOMEWHAT BAD ROTORS. (THAT SHOUDN'T BE BAD), HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE SHOP THIS WEEK. ALL ARE COMMON ISSUES APPARENTLY. PLEASE REVIEW LINK W/COMPLAINTS ON THIS '02 MODEL. & THEY TELL ME MY BALL JOINTS ARE GOING OUT! THANK YOU. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/EXPLORER/2002/WHEELS_HUBS/WHEEL_BEARING_FAILURE.SHTML. *TR