576 of the
43,316 complaints filed about the Ford Explorer
are about the wheels —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
The rear toe arms came unhinged or disconnected from their placement and sank down to continuously rub a groove in the inner rim. The suspension was affected, the steering was effecting especially when turning, it made the brakes stick, and made loud crunching and rolling noises. It is quite frankly dangerous. It was through no fault of mine that this happened, just weak design. I took it to a shop and they charged me all my money, but nothing was fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11763182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on a six-hour trip, the low tire message was displayed, and the tire quickly deflated. The contact slowed down and pulled into a service center and inflated the tire. The vehicle was then driven without failure. While pulling into a parking lot, the driver's side rear wheel detached from the vehicle. The previous tire lug nut had been factored out for installation at a tire center. The towing company became aware that all five bolts had sheared off, and some of the bolts were in the parking lot. The vehicle was inspected by the local dealer, and it was determined that the rear passenger’s side wheel was missing lug nuts as well. The contact stated that three of the five lug nuts had sheared off. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 57,065.
NHTSA complaint #11758565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I keep feeling a clunk or thump towards the back of the car at random times, towards the back axle. Sometimes it's when i stop and drive forward, other times it happens while I am just driving normally, usually at slow speeds around 5-45mph. I have an extended warranty and the ford dealer has said they can;t replicate it and want to give my car back until it gets worse, and then try fix it. I am highly concerned about this process....
NHTSA complaint #11753585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
All 4 tire TPMS sensor have failed. 2 at 67,057 on ~ 2/20/26, 2 at 71,024 miles on ~6/10/26. Car is a 2021. Sensors should not have failed within 5 years of owing the car. I have a 2012 Ford F50m only 1 has failed in over 14 years. Asking consideration for a recall to cover costs.
NHTSA complaint #11753594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My driver window won’t stay up once it gets to the top it goes back down. The underbody is starting to detach. It is shifting hard and makes a loud noise. Worse at low speeds and applying brakes . The tire pressure sensors all went out at one time
NHTSA complaint #11747989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2016 Ford Explorer, VIN [XXX]. Filing against Planet Ford Dallas regarding incomplete Regional Program 21R01 (Rear Toe Link Replacement), tied to Federal Safety Recall 21V537. May 11, 2026: Vehicle presented for 21R01 service. May 15: Returned with recall marked complete in Ford's system. 21R01 mandates replacement of both rear toe links, alignment check, and rear toe adjustment. None of these steps were correctly completed. Dealer has since acknowledged to me that the toe link was not replaced correctly, but instead with the incorrect part and that rear suspension hardware was left loose upon vehicle release. The vehicle was driven approximately one month in this condition. Progressive symptoms followed: steering pull, steering wheel offset, tire screeching, and vehicle instability. Rear toe was subsequently found approximately 3 degrees out of specification — consistent with loose hardware shifting during normal driving. Dealer is attributing front suspension wear to natural causes while providing no investigation demonstrating the incomplete recall did not contribute to or accelerate that damage. Ford Motor Company Head Office has confirmed 21R01 as applicable (Corporate Case [XXX]). Dealer has declined to accept responsibility. The recall was marked complete in Ford's system despite mandatory work not being performed. I am requesting NHTSA investigate dealer compliance with 21R01/21V537 and whether a reimbursement claim was submitted to Ford for work not performed. This matter may also be referred to the Texas AG Consumer Protection Division and FTC. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11745716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear suspension toe links have failed after prior recall repair in Canada in May of 2022. The vehicle is now registered in the US and the recall repair has failed causing driving, suspension, and extreme tire wearing.
NHTSA complaint #11743282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When putting the car in reverse and moving backwards start to feel the vehicle look drive power and knock sounds. Sounds likes and feels like gear teeth or not aligned. When putting the car into drive the vehicle jumps a little and you hear a lout pop noise.
NHTSA complaint #11738967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After replacing the newest recall for the rear toe link on my Explorer, I’ve noticed (along with a couple others on some forums) that the alignment does not stay set and will come undone. I finished driving 1000 miles after the swap and had sudden pressure loss in my rear tire. When I looked at it the entire outside of the tire on both driver and passenger side were completely eaten through and I’m not made of enough money to keep replacing tires and keep getting alignments done. I do have a video of my inside cam of when it happened if requested.
NHTSA complaint #11727653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving a 2013 Ford Explorer, the vehicle experienced an electrical issue that caused the power steering system to malfunction. The power steering assist suddenly failed, making the steering wheel extremely difficult to turn. The failure occurred suddenly and at the time of the incident the vehicle was traveling 2 miles and I parked it immediately.This created a serious safety hazard, especially when attempting to turn or maneuver the vehicle. A warning message stating “Power Steering Assist Fault” did appear on the dashboard .Prior to the failure, there were no warning signs. Due to the sudden loss of power steering assist, the driver’s ability to safely control the vehicle was significantly reduced, increasing the risk of a crash. The issue has not yet been inspected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11726189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR A-PILLAR APPLIQUE TRIM CLIP ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OR REPAIR. REAER TOE LINK REAR TIRES TILTED INWARD due to potential fractures from corrosion or broken welds on TOE LINK.
NHTSA complaint #11723710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wheels / Tire Pressure Monitoring System The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) on my 2020 Ford Explorer intermittently fails to detect the tire pressure in one or more tires. The system will show missing pressure readings or fail to display a reading for a tire. The vehicle may operate without accurate tire pressure information being displayed to the driver. This creates a potential safety risk because the driver may not be alerted to a low tire pressure condition. The vehicle had approximately 56,000 miles when this began, and the issue appeared without prior warning. The vehicle is scheduled for inspection by a Ford dealership.
NHTSA complaint #11722436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While traveling on I-26 east near North Carolina MM 51 in the left lane, the vehicle suddenly pulled uncontrollably to the left resulting in a sideswipe of the guardrail. The vehicle then swerved to the right stopping near the center of the interstate. My wife was able to move the vehicle to the right shoulder under its own power. The right front tire/wheel was laying almost flat attached to the vehicle only by the brake line. The entire wheel assembly was detached from the steering/suspension system. The vehicle was towed to a local collision center and inspected by my insurance adjuster. The vehicle was determined a total loss. There were no injuries or other vehicles involved. The NC Highway Patrol responded but did not complete an accident report.
NHTSA complaint #11715098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 11/7/2025, your team completed the Rear Suspension Toe Link Fracture recall repair. However, on 11/13/2025, while driving, I discovered that the rear passenger-side wheel was extremely loose and nearly detached. This was due to the lug nuts not being properly tightened after your service—a severe safety hazard that could have resulted in a catastrophic accident. Because of this negligence, I incurred significant additional expenses and inconvenience: Emergency service from an independent mechanic over the course of a week (11/13–11/17) to secure the wheel and address damage caused by the incident. Replacement of rear knuckle assemblies, hubs, and front struts because the hubs were seized and could not be removed without replacing the knuckles. On 11/29, at a second shop where I replaced two tires, I learned that the vehicle could not be properly aligned because the toe link installed during your recall repair is not adjustable. The mechanic noted that proper alignment requires either camber bolts or an adjustable toe link. As a result, the vehicle remains severely unbalanced and unsafe to drive. Both invoices and mechanic notes confirm the dangerous condition caused by improperly secured lug nuts and the inability to align the vehicle due to the toe link issue.
NHTSA complaint #11712306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The carpet on the wheel wells is not functional. We live out on a ranch on a dirt road and when it rains the mud gets stuck on the carpet and weighs is down. This can cause more damage to the vehicle. We took it in to a dealership and they said there was nothing they could do until the carpet gets ripped off. When we bought an expensive 4x4 vehicle we expected it to be sturdy enough to not have to worry about mud (especially when the car has a built in mud feature).
NHTSA complaint #11692908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tire pressure sensor fault. A rear tire pressure sensor has defaulted more than once. As this is built into the wheel assembly, I believe this is a safety issue
NHTSA complaint #11683209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The tire pressure monitoring system has failed. Per the dealership, each tire needs a new battery, which run around $150/each. The first sensor went out approx 1 month ago, with the other 3 going out shortly after. While this does not pose an immediate risk for the driver, it does appear that numerous other 2020 explorers are having the same issue. If the batteries provided are faulty, a recall should be issued.
NHTSA complaint #11673288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.