NHTSA Complaint #10359874 — 2007 FORD EXPLORER

WAS DRIVING FROM WORK TO PICK UP DAUGHTER FROM SOCCER APPROX 2 MILES AWAY. STARTED HEARING A NOISE THAT SOUNDED MAYBE LIKE SOMETHING WAS STUCK IN HUBCAP..NOISE SEEMED TO BE MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN VEHICLE WAS BRAKING OR SLOWING DOWN. DROVE APPROX. ANOTHER 10 MILES BEFORE PARKING THE VEHICLE FOR THE NIGHT. NEXT MORNING(SAT) CALLED OUR LOCAL DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET IT IN TO LOOK AT IT. SERVICE STATES THAT THE SWAY BAR IS LOOSE AND THAT TWO OF THE 5 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE WHEEL IN PLACE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WERE SHEARED OFF. CAR IS AT THE GARAGE NOW AND THEY GAVE ME A LOANER TO USE WHILE IT IIS BEING REPAIRED. IT WAS IN FOR SERVICE ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THE U-JOINT WAS REPLACED AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ISSUES WERE FIXED ALL UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS PURCHASED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY OTHER TIME THAT I KNOW OF THAT THE DRIVER REAR TIRES WAS OFF WAS BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR WHEN IT HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB AT ANOTHER LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER. SO FAR THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE DEALER HAS BEEN GOOD AND THEY HAVE TREATED ME WELL AS FAR AS GETTING A LOANER VEHICLE ETC....BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR OTHERS. IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THIS IN TO BE LOOKED AT, WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT HAD THE WHEEL SNAPPED OFF ON US. THAT IS SCARY TO THINK ABOUT. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO US. *TR