NHTSA Complaint #10614954 — 2010 FORD EXPLORER

THE CAR WAS JUST UNDER 3 YEARS OLD AND JUST PAST IT'S WARRANTY MILEAGE. WE STARTED THE CAR TO DRIVE IT, AND IT WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND FELT LIKE SOMEONE WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKES WHILE ACCELERATING. WE THEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT, AND IT STARTED TO ROLL. OUR SON WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME AND LUCKILY MY HUSBAND STILL HAD ONE FOOT IN THE CAR TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A WHEEL BEARING ISSUE IN THE FRONT WHEEL. WE REPORTED THIS TO FORD, AT WHICH TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE BEECHMONT FORD IN CINCINNATI TOLD US THAT "WHEEL BEARING ISSUES ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH FORD EXPLORERS." FAST FORWARD TO JULY 2014, WE ARE DRIVING THE CAR AND ALARM BELLS START GOING OFF. SAME SYMPTOMS, TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP, THE MIKE CASTRUCCI FORD IN MILFORD, OHIO. THIS TIME IT'S THE OTHER FRONT WHEEL BEARING. TALKED TO FORD CUSTOMER CARE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE AGAIN, AT FIRST HE TRIED TO IMPLY THAT IT'S THE WAY WE DRIVE THE CAR (EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE KEPT OTHER CARS FOR 10 YEARS AND LONGER AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE), THEN TRIED TO IMPLY THAT WE GO OFF-ROADING (ALSO NOT TRUE, JUST NORMAL HIGHWAY AND CITY ROADS) AND THEN HE TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY A RECALL WILL BE ISSUED IS IF THE GOVERNMENT FEELS THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SO THIS TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE A) AWARE THAT IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE WAY A FORD EXPLORER IS CONSTRUCTED AND B) NOT GOING TO RECALL THIS CAR OR PART UNTIL ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM FORD TO FIX THIS WHEEL BEARING ISSUE ON THE FRONT WHEEL, BOTH TIMES WE HAVE CALLED THEM EVERY DAY FOR OVER A WEEK AND NO ONE WILL RETURN OUR CALL. BUT WE CAN BASICALLY COUNT ON THE REAR WHEEL BEARING GOING BAD NEXT YEAR AND HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN. *TR