Hosh Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I've got a 2002 explorer ltd with 90000 km and the back right wheel bearings need to be replaced. Anybody know if that is common, or just bad luck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shllshck Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I've got a 2002 explorer ltd with 90000 km and the back right wheel bearings need to be replaced. Anybody know if that is common, or just bad luck? I have a '94 Explorer 4x4 with 200k miles. I think I had problems with the front wheel bearings at about the 140,000 mile mark. That's about 225,000 km. However, the damage to the front wheel bearings only affects the Explorer when trying to switch into 4x4 mode. It can be driven in 4x2 without problem. Seems 90,000 km might be on the early side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosh Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 I have a '94 Explorer 4x4 with 200k miles. I think I had problems with the front wheel bearings at about the 140,000 mile mark. That's about 225,000 km. However, the damage to the front wheel bearings only affects the Explorer when trying to switch into 4x4 mode. It can be driven in 4x2 without problem. Seems 90,000 km might be on the early side. Appreciate the information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdrawdy Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 I've got a 2002 explorer ltd with 90000 km and the back right wheel bearings need to be replaced. Anybody know if that is common, or just bad luck? My '02 2wd Explorer had the right rear wheel bearing replaced at 50k miles. Started as a rumble at 38k miles and got worse until I got it replaced. The local ford dealer said at the time (Mar '04) that it was relatively common and there was only one bearing available within several hundred miles...I paid nearly $450 out of pocket. Seeing that it has been my only issue in 110k miles though, I have nothing to complain about! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I've said it before. Explorer driveline problems will be the death of FoMoCo. It's easier to lay off 35,000 workers than to support their product with a proper warranty. Yes it's a common problem and only the beginning. Oh, we damaged the knuckle pressing out the bearing, no we make a different knuckle that needs a different tie rod...ya da, ya ya da, ya da Ain't it pathetic?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosh Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 I've said it before. Explorer driveline problems will be the death of FoMoCo. It's easier to lay off 35,000 workers than to support their product with a proper warranty. Yes it's a common problem and only the beginning. Oh, we damaged the knuckle pressing out the bearing, no we make a different knuckle that needs a different tie rod...ya da, ya ya da, ya da Ain't it pathetic?! Sure is, my alternator went on me on the way back from Florida. (same explorer) It's been an expensive couple of months. :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Sure is, my alternator went on me on the way back from Florida. (same explorer) It's been an expensive couple of months. :angry: I own 4 Fords currently, and would buy another EX as mine has 110,000 miles. But the list of repairs since it hit 85,000 miles has eliminated any interest in a new one. Good luck with yours. I kept fixing mine, thinking 'well, If it lasts 'X' number of miles, I'll get my money out of it. This was a foolish expectation. Now what I do, is park it unless I need to drive in the snow, It saves me gas money. I went and bought a Hyundai for the warranty and rack up the miles on that. It is my first foreign car purchase. And I will tell you and anyone listening "I am an original Reagan Republican, and when Ford loses people like me, they are doomed!" You can keep your "Buy American" BS to yourself and tell Ford to "Support your product, Support your customer". I'm not going to buy some POS that was engineered for a 36/36 warranty period. Hell, my wife even told the Service Manager "This is supposed to be a durable vehicle"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerkyJerky Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 (edited) The rear wheel bearings may be a little more common than they should be. Mine has a sound that I believe is a rear wheel bearing. Also it appears Ford has released a TSB (in September or October of last year) containing a revised repair procedure for the rear wheel bearings that only requires replacement of the bearing itself and not the entire bearing/hub assembly. At least thats what it sounds like. Edited February 15, 2006 by HerkyJerky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nascar357 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I've got a 2002 explorer ltd with 90000 km and the back right wheel bearings need to be replaced. Anybody know if that is common, or just bad luck? I had both front wheel bearing go on my 2003EB Explorer with 28,000 miles on it; shortly after factory warrantyexpired. Thank god I had an extended warranty. Cost was around $700 to repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PimpDaddy Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I've got a 2002 explorer ltd with 90000 km and the back right wheel bearings need to be replaced. Anybody know if that is common, or just bad luck? [ Our 02' Eddie Bauer had rear bearings, knuckle replaced at 78000 mi - now rear end about to go with ring and pinion going. Last Ford we buy. I will be a former employee April 3 and cut all ties when my buyout (edopp) program is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosh Posted March 15, 2006 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 Sorry to hear that pimp daddy, good luck to you and your family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosh Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 I have a '94 Explorer 4x4 with 200k miles. I think I had problems with the front wheel bearings at about the 140,000 mile mark. That's about 225,000 km. However, the damage to the front wheel bearings only affects the Explorer when trying to switch into 4x4 mode. It can be driven in 4x2 without problem. Seems 90,000 km might be on the early side. Now at 175000 km, left rear wheel bearing "exploded" while driving on the highway. The knuckle and hub assembly had to be replaced because of the damage. Of course the back brakes had to be done as well because left rotor and caliper was damaged as well. As an added bonus the left rear outer cv boot had to be replaced because the rubber melted in the joint. I also had 2 springs break on this vehicle. The list of repairs is to long to list. This is the last Ford Exploder for me. ( I am an employee) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Greene Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) In the FWIW department....I have friends who work in Honda and Toyota dealerships. I have some aquaintences who work in Mercedes and BMW service departments....And they all report the same kinds of problems. It's not just a Ford situation. Stuff breaks, wears out, etc, sometimes prematurely. It happens to all the makes. BTW....Ford doesn't make their wheel bearings and all the manufacturers buy from the same companies....so you could have these failures with any vehicle. I have fixed and repaired a bunch of stuff on my 98 beater Explorer, but it has been a terrific vehicle. I would not hesitate to drive it to Alaska tomorrow. It's also so easily fixable. parts not tough to find, etc. I just figure it costs money to maintain a vehicle. As it gets older and out of warranty, and the cost of depreciation gets less, the cost of maintainence gets more. It's still cheaper to keep an old car running, even spending a couple thousand each year to do so, than buying a new one ($4000-5000 per year depreciation in early years). Shucks....just the sales tax to buy a new $30,000 vehicle is almost $2000 around here. I can't get excited about buying a new Explorer...as my wife wants me to do. And they are so useful I like keeping one around the house. So I think I will just keep driving my 98 forever, and just fix what breaks, no matter the cost. The main cost of a vehicle is depreciation, and my old Explorer isn't depreciating much anymore. Edited March 12, 2008 by Ralph Greene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hosh Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share Posted March 12, 2008 In the FWIW department....I have friends who work in Honda and Toyota dealerships. I have some aquaintences who work in Mercedes and BMW service departments....And they all report the same kinds of problems. It's not just a Ford situation. Stuff breaks, wears out, etc, sometimes prematurely. It happens to all the makes. BTW....Ford doesn't make their wheel bearings and all the manufacturers buy from the same companies....so you could have these failures with any vehicle. I have fixed and repaired a bunch of stuff on my 98 beater Explorer, but it has been a terrific vehicle. I would not hesitate to drive it to Alaska tomorrow. It's also so easily fixable. parts not tough to find, etc. I just figure it costs money to maintain a vehicle. As it gets older and out of warranty, and the cost of depreciation gets less, the cost of maintainence gets more. It's still cheaper to keep an old car running, even spending a couple thousand each year to do so, than buying a new one ($4000-5000 per year depreciation in early years). Shucks....just the sales tax to buy a new $30,000 vehicle is almost $2000 around here. I can't get excited about buying a new Explorer...as my wife wants me to do. And they are so useful I like keeping one around the house. So I think I will just keep driving my 98 forever, and just fix what breaks, no matter the cost. The main cost of a vehicle is depreciation, and my old Explorer isn't depreciating much anymore. I get what your saying, but when you spend more in a year on a vehicle than the trade in value there is something wrong. (on a vehicle that is barely six years old) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01FOCI Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 I get what your saying, but when you spend more in a year on a vehicle than the trade in value there is something wrong. (on a vehicle that is barely six years old) Fords penny pinching is starting to really show, I have a friend who bought a used 02' explorer and he is lucky he is a truck mechanic (as in 18 wheel truck) and can work on his own stuff cause its had nothing but problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Fords penny pinching is starting to really show, I have a friend who bought a used 02' explorer and he is lucky he is a truck mechanic (as in 18 wheel truck) and can work on his own stuff cause its had nothing but problems. Hmm ... Just the opposite down in Dearborn. The warranty numbers have been fantastic. Ford saved themselves millions last year year be beating their own internal warranty cost objectives. The problem I see is these are all "high mileage"/"out of warranty" repairs. Last I knew, Ford had no way to track these kind of repairs so they are oblivious to them even occurring. Kind of like head gaskets on the 3.8L Taurus/Windstar. Seems like everyone I knew with that vehicle had the head gasket(s) blow somewhere between 50 and 100k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Fords penny pinching is starting to really show, I have a friend who bought a used 02' explorer and he is lucky he is a truck mechanic (as in 18 wheel truck) and can work on his own stuff cause its had nothing but problems. Funny, quality data shows the exact opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgazak Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Ford's quality has continued to improve in recent years (as shown in all the recent surveys). The problem is there are still troublesome models out there from not that long ago. Remember the gen 3 Explorer (2002-2005) was introduced in early 2001, during their low point quality-wise, IMO. That's why vehicles such as the gen 3 Explorer seems to be plagued by more issues than others models. It is unfortunate but as long as Ford continues to improve going forward, and provide proper support with permanent fixes to these troublesome models, they should be able to rise above this. Past issues such as the 3.8 Liter head-gaskets someone mentioned can play out for a long time. It will be interesting to see the effect on Toyota down the road with their recent slip in quality (transmissions, numerous Tundra issues, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Greene Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 (edited) The original question was about Explorer wheel bearings. I'm not sure if they are part of the rotor assembly. But Ford doesn't make bearings. They buy them. There are only so many companies that do make them, and all the manufacturers buy from them. So how can Ford wheel bearings be any worse (or better) than others? My friend at a Honda dealership reports the same kinds of failures time to time. I guess they could just spec cheap bearings....but any fool should/would know that can come back to bite you. There are much safer places to go cheap. My point is....I don't think wheel bearing failures tell you much about overall Ford quality. Especially compared to any other makes. Edited March 15, 2008 by Ralph Greene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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