2005 Ford explorer front wheel bearings bad at 87,000 miles and ball joints have slack in them. Ridiculous that a car this nice has such problems. Lots of complaints about the same thing on the internet, rear end has a roar in it too, of course I can't afford to get this stuff fixed. Ford should recall these auto and fix all these problems. This should not be happening on a new vehicle which…
2005 Ford Explorer suspension problems
severe 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $900 · see suspension across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 17 suspension complaints filed for the 2005 Ford Explorer, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA suspension complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A used 2005 Explorer is a high-risk suspension buy with documented early failure of wheel bearings, ball joints, rear axles, and body mounts; even recently purchased examples show multiple repair needs within weeks, and some critical components like wheel knuckles have separated without explanation, with Ford unresponsive to safety concerns.
Owners of 2005 Ford Explorers describe a constellation of suspension and drivetrain failures across low to moderate mileage. Body mount bushings on the front (under driver and passenger seats) made of foam are disintegrating while rear rubber bushings remain sound—one owner reported repair costs of $600–$1,300 and warned of potential cab separation if left unaddressed. Front wheel bearing failures are common, appearing before 90,000 miles; some owners report all four bearings failing prematurely, requiring replacement at over $600. Ball joints, both upper and lower, show slack and wear around 52,000–59,000 miles; one owner noted boot failure allowing grease to wash out. Rear axle problems include pinion gear and seal failures, with owners citing replacement costs near $2,000 and recurring issues even after repair. A front wheel actually detached at 25 mph when the cast-iron knuckle sheared; Ford declined investigation, citing litigation concerns. Rear coil springs crack when water breaches plastic protective casings. Shock tower mounts rust. One newly purchased Explorer required nine repairs in a month, including rear axle and wheel bearing replacement. Noises reported include roaring from rear axles, grinding during turns, and whining—often dismissed by owners as normal until diagnosed as component failure.
Failure modes owners describe
Body mount bushings (front) deterioration
Front body mount bushings made of foam material disintegrate prematurely while rear rubber bushings remain intact; bushings located under driver and passenger seats where body meets frame.
When: 125,496 miles reported; no salt or water exposure history
Symptoms owners cite: Bushings nearly disintegrated; Degraded foam material; Risk of cab separation
Repairs/costs cited: $600–$1,300 repair cost reported
Front wheel bearing failure
Front wheel bearings fail prematurely; some cases involve all four bearings being defective despite only front diagnosis.
When: Before 90,000 miles; one case at 87,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Roaring noise from vehicle; Grinding noise while driving; Wheel wobble
Repairs/costs cited: Front bearings replaced; all four wheel bearings replaced at cost over $600 in one case
Upper ball joint wear and boot failure
Upper ball joints develop slack and premature wear; protective boots deteriorate, allowing grease to wash out and joint failure.
When: 52,000–59,000 miles reported
Symptoms owners cite: Slack in ball joints; Boot deterioration; Grease loss; Front suspension compromise
Repairs/costs cited: Discovered during tire rotation; replacement performed; out-of-specification condition noted
Rear axle seal leakage and differential failure
Rear axle and differential seals leak; pinion gears and internal components fail; problems recur after repair.
When: 57,732–59,752 miles; recurring issues reported
Symptoms owners cite: Roaring noise from rear end; Howling noise; Fluid odor from rear; Seal leakage
Repairs/costs cited: Rear axle assembly replaced; rear differential rebuilt; pinion replacement approximately $2,000; replacement needed multiple times
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated warranty coverage for pinion replacement; no recall planned at time of complaint
Rear coil spring cracking
Rear coil springs crack when water breaches plastic protective encasement; corrosion or moisture infiltration creates failure point.
When: Around 59,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Spring cracking; Water infiltration under plastic coating
Repairs/costs cited: Discovered during routine maintenance; not repaired at time of complaint
Front wheel separation (knuckle shearing)
Cast-iron front wheel knuckle shears, causing wheel to detach from vehicle during operation with no evidence of curb strike or tire damage.
When: Failure occurred at approximately 25 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden swerve to right; Wheel detachment; Knuckle failure
Repairs/costs cited: No repair; vehicle blamed driver instead of investigating part failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford declined investigation after litigation review; blamed driver; refused engineering inspection
Shock tower mount corrosion
Rear wheel well shock tower mount rusts out, compromising structural integrity.
When: <UNKNOWN>
Symptoms owners cite: Rust-out at shock mount; Structural weakness
Tire wear and hydroplaning (traction-related)
Extreme and premature tread wear on OEM tires; vehicle hydroplanes in wet conditions despite tire specification matching vehicle requirements.
When: 58,575 miles at failure; continued through 68,874 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Extreme tread wear; Hydroplaning in wet weather; Premature tire degradation
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; tire replacement implied necessary
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer stated unable to assist
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had suspension trouble with your 2005 Ford Explorer?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the suspension problem on the 2005 Ford Explorer?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Across the 16 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most suspension failures cluster between 52,000 and 89,000 miles, with the median around 65,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 52,000; a quarter make it past 89,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Ford/Explorer.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.