NHTSA Complaint #10336083 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

MY CAR IS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS. OVERALL THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION. WHEN WASHING THE CAR THERE IS SOME CHROME PEELING FROM THE WHEEL AT THE HUB EXTENDING OUT TO THE LUG NUTS. I REMOVED THE WHEEL AFTER SOME EFFORT DUE TO THE CORROSION OF THE ALUMINUM. I CLEANED HE CORROSION FROM THE ALUMINUM AT THE HUB AND FOUND INTERNAL PITTING BETWEEN 1/8" AND 1/4" DEEP WHEN PROBING. I AM A ARCHITECT WITH A ENGINEERING BACKGROUND AND IN MY OPINION THE LOSS OF ALUMINUM STRUCTURE IS SIGNIFICANT AND THE WHEEL NO LONGER SAFE. THE OTHER WHEELS HAVE SOME CHROME PEELING AS WELL AND WILL ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THE DEPTH OF THE PITTING OR REMOVED THE WHEELS. AS FORD HAS THE EXPLORER HAS HAD ISSUES WITH WHEEL FAILURE IN THE PAST AND THIS IS A ISSUE THAT WAS NOT OBSERVABLE WHEN I CHANGED THE BRAKES ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO VERY SIGNIFICANT NOW IT MAY BE WORTH LOOKING INTO. I HAVE A PHOTO OF THE ALUMINUM IF YOU LIKE AND WILL RETAIN THE RIM WHEN I GET A NEW ONE. THE OTHER THREE WHEELS HAVE NOT BEEN REMOVED IF YOU WISH TO SEE THESE IN THE NEAR FUTURE UNDISTURBED PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT. THE THREADED PORTION OF THE AXLE IS CORRODED WITH NO THREADS VISIBLE AND 10% OF THE DIAMETER LOST. THE CENTER OF THE WHEEL BEHIND THE PLASTIC CAP WAS 20% FILLED WITH CORROSION RESIDUE WHEN I REMOVED IT. THE OTHER SIDE HAS NOT BEEN OPENED UP YET. I HAVE HAD OTHER CARS OVER THE YEARS INCLUDING FORDS AND NEVER HAVE SEEN AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. *TR