Wheel Related Problems of the 2002 Ford Explorer Sport

Wheel problem

I purchased a new 2002 Explorer Sport 4x4, and drove it conservatively under normal conditions; no off-road, never towed, garaged, etc. With the original tires and suspension system, at 27,000 miles, the left front wheel bearing (referred to as a joint in the Ford shop manual) and hub assembly (a single, sealed unit) failed so badly the vehicle could not be driven. This was replaced at a Ford dealership, but as I was over three years since purchase, the repair was not covered by the warranty, and cost $500. 00. After the repair, at 65 mph, a fairly bad vibration was present in the front-end. At 36,000 miles, the right front wheel bearing and hub assembly also completely failed, and required a tow to the Ford dealership for replacement. The vibration is gone, so was caused by the right bearing, but not caught by the technician when the left side was replaced. As Ford will admit, their parts are now manufactured in china and mexico. Premature part failure is rampant, so obviously there is little quality control. Additionally, china has a huge counterfeit auto parts problem, and it seems reasonable these parts are being used in new american vehicles. I do have the left front hub assembly, which failed at 27,000 miles. This part failure has the potential to cause serious injury or death.