Problems · by component
2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac wheels problems
79 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac cite wheels, 2% of all 3,613 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
79
2% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the wheels
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“I HAD HAD THIS 2018 JEEP RENEGADE NOT EVEN 2.5 MONTHS AND IT NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE AND THE TIRES WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT THEY WERE EVERY ONE SLICK AS COULD GET AND DANGEROUS. I CALLED THE DEALER BECAUSE THE TIRES WENT BAD AND I HADN'T HAD THE FIRST 50K MILES ON IT YET AND THEY DID NOTHING. CALLED THE TIRE COMPANY THEY DID NOTHING. SO I REPLACED THEM AND ANOTHER ALMOST 3 MONTHS GO BY AND THE TIRES ARE COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND SLICK AGAIN. THIS HAS REPEATEDLY HAPPENED EVERY 2-3 MONTHS TO WHERE THEY ARE SO DANGEROUS YOU EITHER DRIVE 30 MPH OR GET THEM CHANGED. 3 TIMES I'VE REPLACED THE TIRES AND AND THE OIL GOES SO FAST. AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH THIS VEHICLE I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY THESE PRICES FOR A 30K VEHICLE THAT'S NOT WORTH 10K.”
“THE REAR STABILIZER LINKS JUST BROKE OUT OF NOWHERE NOT EVEN TO LATEST LATER THE FRONT STABILIZER LINKS JUST BROKE OUT OF NOWHERE AND I HAVE NO STEERING A WHOLE LOT OF LOOSE CONTROL”
“WHEEL STUDS BREAKING OFF & CAUSING DANGER FOR MY FAMILY,THEREFORE MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR THE FAMILY.MANY REPORTS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES.WHEN IM ABLE I WILL GET RID OF BOTH MY FORD VEHICLES FOR MY FAMILIES SAFETY & WELLBEING.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE RODE ROUGHLY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THREE OF THE WHEEL STUDS WERE SHEARED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES WITH THE REMAINING WHEEL STUDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WITHIN 7 MONTHS THE THE REAR WHEEL STUDS SUDDENLY SHEARED OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE LAST TIME THE DRIVER WAS ON THE FREEWAY WITH 5 CHILDREN IN THE CAR. UPDATED 3/30/2015 *JS”
“WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND FELT A SHARP JERK/PULL TO THE RIGHT. AT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A FLAT TIRE SO GOT OFF ON NEXT EXIT. WASN'T A FLAT TIRE BUT COULD SMELL SOMETHING AWFUL. MADE GRINDING SOUND AND STILL HAD BAD SMELL, KNEW WE HAD TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THE PLACE WE ARE STAYING AT. HAD HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND ONLY DROVE 10-15 MPH BECAUSE OF THE SOUND AND BECAUSE OF HOW SCARY IT WAS. KNEW SOMETHING BAD WAS HAPPENING TO OUR CAR. BRAKES AT THIS POINT PRACTICALLY WENT OUT. WOULD NOT HAVE TO PRESS BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR WOULD JUST STOP. STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT EVEN, BUT MORE OR LESS 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. PULLED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND A CAR LEAVING THE STREET SAW THAT OUR VEHICLE AT THIS POINT WAS ON FIRE! EXTINGUISH FIRE (SINCE IT WAS A GAS FIRE) AND LOOKED AT THE DAMAGE. LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WASN'T EVEN CONNECTED TO ANYTHING. DO NOT KNOW HOW OR WHEN FIRE STARTED BUT THE FLAMES WHEN WE NOTICED WERE ABOUT 1 FOOT TALL AND WIDE BY THE INTERNAL DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. *TR”
Showing 6 of 79 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.