2003 Ford Explorer Wheels Problems
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about wheels problems on the 2003 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 91,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “lug nuts” (23% of reports).
- 56wheels complaints
- 91,500median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 46%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Lug nuts: mentioned in 13 of 56 complaints (23%)
- Wheel bearing: mentioned in 11 of 56 complaints (20%)
- Sheared off: mentioned in 7 of 56 complaints (13%)
- Hub assembly: mentioned in 5 of 56 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do wheels problems happen?
Based on 52 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 56 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Ford Explorer wheels complaints by model year
| Model year | Wheels complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 Explorer | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Explorer | 5 | 1% | 20 |
| 2020 Explorer | 16 | 1% | 45,739 |
| 2019 Explorer | 4 | 1% | 7,100 |
| 2018 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 60 | 4% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 50 | 2% | 22,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 15 | 1% | 48,426 |
| 2014 Explorer | 26 | 2% | 72,405 |
| 2013 Explorer | 20 | 1% | 83,500 |
| 2012 Explorer | 5 | 1% | 132,500 |
| 2011 Explorer | 9 | 1% | 62,565 |
| 2010 Explorer | 5 | 4% | 44,500 |
| 2009 Explorer | 3 | 9% | 72,260 |
| 2008 Explorer | 9 | 6% | 73,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 54,400 |
| 2006 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 96,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 85,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 56 | 5% | 91,500 |
| 2002 Explorer | 78 | 2% | 84,550 |
| 2001 Explorer | 10 | 3% | 136,109 |
| 2000 Explorer | 12 | 1% | 108,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 6 | 0% | — |
| 1998 Explorer | 18 | 1% | 150,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 12 | 1% | 130,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 15 | 1% | 114,855 |
| 1995 Explorer | 4 | 0% | 220,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists wheels for the 2003 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25-35 MPH around a curb, the driver thought that the tire was flat. The contact pulled off the road and noticed that three of the wheel studs on the driverâs side rear wheel had sheared off. The vehicle…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer. While driving 55 mph, the lug nuts became detached from the rear passenger wheel, which caused the vehicle to shake violently. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and waited for a tow truck. The contact stated that the failure…
We have recurring wheel bearing and hub assembly issue. The timing i put on the form may be off a bit but not much. Its all like a recurring ford explorer nightmare at this point! We have replaced bearings, hib assembly, tie rod, then rear end went up ( and shouldn't have)/now again, another…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Ford Explorers have wheels problems?
No. NHTSA has 56 owner complaints about wheels for the 2003 Ford Explorer (5% of the 1,131 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Explorer wheels?
No recall currently lists wheels for this vehicle.
At what mileage do wheels problems start?
The median reported mileage is 91,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about wheels problems on the 2003 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “lug nuts”, in 13 of 56 complaints, followed by “wheel bearing” (11).
Other 2003 Ford Explorer problems
See all 2003 Ford Explorer problems or wheels problems across all Explorer years.