Ford Explorer Sport ball joint problems

Filed Sep 7, 2011 · Body, Suspension · 90,500 miles · FL

I just purchased a used 2002 ford explorer sport on 08/06/2011 so that I had a vehicle that I could take the kids on camping trips. On 09/04/2011 on our way to daytona beach I noticed the car was pushing and swerving in both directions, I had just put brand new tires on it and replaced both the upper control arms and all 4 ball joints and had an alignment done, I thought that it's a bigger vehicle than what I'm used to and had been a slightly windy. On the way home on monday 09/05/2011 it was even worse, I could feel the body rolling the car pushing ect.. I pulled over and checked the front suspension. There appeared to be nothing wrong. I crawled home a nervous wreck. When we unload the car at home I noticed the car was sagging in the left rear.I crawled under the vehicle. I noticed 2 big issues, 1st the coil spring is broken were lucky it didn't pop out and shred a tire, and 2nd all of the body mount bushings are completely crumbling or just plain gone. Talk about dangerous. I went online and there seems to be thousands of complaints for the 2002 explorers on blogs and ford forums and tons of sites for complaints for automobiles for all models of this vehicle for the exact same things. I have also seen numerous other complaints on this vehicle for other equipment failures one of them being a whining noise coming from the rearend of the car which I thought was the tires, but apparently it is an improperly engineered differential that ford will not fix or admit that there is a problem with although there are a couple of technical bulletins out on it. They are just lucky that my children were not injured. How dare they not accept any responsibility to take care of these vehicles that they engineered and sold, used or not. If you manufacture an unsafe vehicle and a defective vehicle you should be responsible. Is it gonna take a father and his children being killed.

Filed Jun 11, 2011 · Suspension · 192,000 miles · FL

Lower and upper ball joint making terrible noise, I did grease but still have noise.

Filed Sep 2, 2010 · Suspension, Transmission · 147,000 miles · VT

I have a 2001 ford explorer sport which I bought new. I have always maintained it properly and I babied the vehicle. I have replaced many parts on it in the last three years from ball joints to hub assemblies many expensive repairs. Now it is making noise in the rear end and my mechanic has informed me that the rear end may go at any time. I have researched this and find that many other ford owners are experiencing the same problem but it is not considered a recall. I am not in the financial situation at this time to have this repaired and it is my feeling with so many people having this problem with their explorers it should be considered a recall. I know that this won't make a difference to anyone and I'll just have to struggle along with the problem until I can save the money to have it repaired but you can bet if I hadn't paid my payments while the car was financed through ford motor credit years ago that it would have been repoed in no time flat. Funny how those big companies can keep track of those things but forget about the safety issues of the products they produce. Guess I'll have to go back to a grand prix when I make my next purchase. The fields to fill out ask the question "were there any deaths or injuries" there is no where to check off "not yet" go figure..............

Filed May 21, 2010 · Suspension · 46,000 miles · ND

Lower ball joints had to be replaced at 46000 miles. Totally cupped and ruined the tires that they had just put on the vehicle from the tire recall.

Filed May 21, 2010 · Suspension · 53,000 miles · ND

Upper ball joints worn prematurely.

Filed Apr 25, 2010 · Steering · 164,886 miles · VA

Son was driving to school. Maneuvered to avoid contact with a deer and he lost control. Tire burst and front end collapsed. He didn't make contact with any object. Called triple a to have vehicle towed. Tow driver immediately noticed after placing vehicle on his truck that part of the inner operations of the intermediate steering control arm on one side had corroded and broke. He stated that this is why our son was not able to control the vehicle. He suggested for us to call the maker of the vehicle and see if the part is on recall and to take pictures because this was a component of the vehicle that shouldn't have gone bad. The steering and brakes were completely severed when this part of the steering corroded and snapped upon a simple manuever. We have not had the vehicle repaired because we have been advised that this is a product liability situation by an attorney. Our son was not injured. And all of the damage is underneath the vehicle. This in our opinion is a very serious safety issue. If he had been going any faster on the main highway the outcome would have been much different because of this corrosion of the inner area of this part of the steering mechanism.

Filed Apr 22, 2008 · Brakes · 29,500 miles · MI

2001 ford explorer sport - intermittent locking of the brakes which causes the vehicle to pull hard to the left, creating an uncontrollable vehicle. This intermittent locking can occur at any speed including highway speeds, which is obviously very dangerous. Vehicle can not be sold as it is unsafe to drive, ford motor company does not know how to fix the vehicle. September 2004 - 30,173 miles. Customer states vehicle pulls to the left when braking. Technician couldn't duplicate problem. October 2004 - 30,400 miles. Customer states vehicle is pulling hard to left when braking at times. Technician comments "found vehicle pulling to left and felt pop in pedal and veh started braking straight, checked brakes found right inner brake pad stuck tried to replace brake hardware. Replaced pads to get hardware kit installed hardware kit and new pads again drove the vehicle vehicle found vehicle stops straight." november 1, 2004 - customer stated that vehicle pull hard to the left when braking at times service completed brake service - caliper asy - brake - less pad - fluid brake - hub asy - wheel november 8, 2004 - 31,311 miles. - customer stated brakes pull to the left and lock up! New parts and items worked on: anti-lock braking system control and module, pin point test, anti lock module - replace, solenoid valve block / hcu - replace 5/9/2007 - 6/8/07, miles 62,013 - ford had the vehicle for one month, listed below are the items that were repaired for the same hard pulling to the left intermittently. - replaced front and rear rotors - replaced both front ball joints, aligned front end 6/14 - 6/20/07, miles 62,326. - vehicle taken home by technician to duplicate problem - inspected front caliper pistons - bled front brakes for any air - inspected front wheel bearing for looseness/ binding *we have a letter from ford stating that they can not fix the problem and that the vehicle is not safe for driving.

Filed Feb 24, 2006 · Suspension · 30,000 miles · NY

Dt*: the contact stated while taking the vehicle in for inspection the dealer determined all four ball joints needed to be replaced. The contact was unaware of any problems with the ball joints. Since the replacement no failures have occurred.

Filed Feb 21, 2006 · Body · 55,000 miles · MA

Dt*: the contact stated the hatchback lift gate failed without warning while the vehicle was parked. Upon inspecting the vehicle the dealership determined the ball joint on the bracket cracked and broke due to rust. The entire lift gate had to be replaced. The replacement has not been made. Updated 03/17/06.

Filed Jan 25, 2006 · Suspension · 28,676 miles · NY

Both lower ball joints and right upper control arm have been replaced on the consumer's 2001 ford explorer on 3 different occasions. *ts *nm updated 02/07/06