NHTSA Complaint #10399641 — 2007 FORD EXPLORER

ON APRIL 25, 2011 AT A APPROXIMATELY 10 AM, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING IN OUR 2007 EXPLORER GOING SOUTHBOUND ON RT 5 PASSING STOCKTON CA. I WAS DRIVING; MY WIFE WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THIS 3 LANE HIGHWAY IN MODERATE 75 MPH TRAFFIC AND ABOUT MILE NORTH OF EXIT #473 WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING (SUCH AS THE WAY A VEHICLE HANDLES WHEN A TIRE IS GOING FLAT OR A WHEEL IS COMING LOOSE), THERE WAS A LOUD BANG ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH VIBRATION AND A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE LIKE A TIRE BLOWOUT. THE NOISE AND VIBRATION LASTED A SECOND OR SO, THEN STOPPED FOR A SECOND OR SO, THEN RESUMED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SECOND OR SO AFTER WHICH THE VIBRATION STOPPED AND THE LOUD RUMBLING NOISE WAS REPLACED BY A LOUD STEADY SCRAPING/GRINDING NOISE. I GOT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS. DURING THIS I HAD NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY IN STEERING OR CONTROLLING THE EXPLORER. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL HAD COME OFF. ALL 5 LUG BOLTS WERE FRACTURED THROUGH AND ALL BUT THEIR SHORT PORTIONS THAT ARE THREADED INTO THE HUB, WERE MISSING. A LONG SKID MARK FROM THE #2 LANE OVER TO THE SHOULDER WAS DONE BY THE REAR WHEEL'S STABILIZER FRAME AND ASSOCIATED LINKAGES HAVING BEEN SCRAPED OVER THE PAVEMENT. THE LAST TIME THE LUG BOLTS AND LUG NUTS ON THIS WHEEL WERE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED WAS OVER 8,000 MILES AGO WHEN THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED. THE TORQUES ON THE LUG NUTS ON THE REMAINING 3 WHEELS WERE NOW MEASURED AND FOUND TO BE PER EXPLORER SHOP MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE LUG BOLTS IN OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE SIMILAR LUG BOLTS FROM THE SAME BATCH AS IN MINE. I HAVE THE HUB WITH THE PORTIONS OF THE FRACTURED LUG BOLTS STILL THREADED INTO IT, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION BY NHTSA IF THAT WILL HELP IN DETERMINING IF A MORE WIDESPREAD LUG BOLT SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS. *TR