2002 Ford Explorer

The 2002 Ford Explorer has 4 recalls, the most serious being hidden cuts in the right-side tire tread that can cause a tire to fail over time and raise the risk of a crash.

The other three recalls fall into two themes. On the tire side, this issue is covered across two filings but describes the same defect: assembly-related horizontal cuts along the edge of the right-side tire tread that weaken the tire and can lead to failure while driving. The liftgate glass is the subject of the remaining two recalls, which also describe the same underlying problem. The brackets connecting the lift cylinders to the rear window glass can rotate out of position if the bond holding them or the torque securing them is not sufficient. When that happens, the lift strut can detach and become wedged between the glass and the liftgate frame, causing the rear window to drop suddenly or shatter. Owners who frequently use the rear liftgate window should be aware that this failure can happen without warning.