NHTSA Complaint #10311223 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

MY FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS APPROXIMATELY SEPT 2008 WHEN I PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY AND FELT AN ODD BUMP UPON LEAVING THE VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING WHEN I STOPPED AND TOOK THE CAP OFF OF THE LUG NUTS I NOTICED THE STUDS WHERE BROKEN ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR. THOUGHT WE HAD IT FIXED BY HAVING THE STUDS REPLACED. WRONG ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WAS TOLD THE HUB AND BEARING NEEDED REPLACED SO WE REPLACED THEM. UPON INSPECTION THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR HAD STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. SO WE REPLACED THAT SIDE AS WELL. THAT LASTED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND WE WENT TO HAVE NEW TIRES PUT ON THE VEHICLE THE MECHANIC SAID THAT OUR BEARINGS WERE BAD AGAIN AND NEEDED REPLACED. SO WE DID REPLACE THEM. ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE STUDS BREAKING OFF. IN ONE INCIDENT I LOST ALL LUG NUTS BUT ONE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT ONCE WITH MY KIDS IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MY FAMILY BEING THAT WE DEPEND ON THIS VEHICLE AND CANT AFFORD ANOTHER BUT YET CAN'T FIND WHY THIS PROBLEM ISN'T AND APPARENTLY CANT' BE FIXED. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THE GARAGE HAS TOLD ME TO DO. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER SAYS MY PROBLEM IS THAT I'M NOT PUTTING GOOD QUALITY FORD PARTS IN THERE FROM THEM. CAN ANY ONE HELP. UPON RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT HAS DONE THIS. *TR