Left front tire locking up and then releasing while in drive...but not in reverse

caseyosmith
Sun, 17 Aug 2014 17:18:37 +0000
Maintenance/Repairs

Hi. I have a 2004 Ford Explorer V8 4 wheel drive. Yesterday I was on the way home from a 2 hour drive and was on the expressway at a complete stop on a downhill grade. When I hit the gas, the car started lurching - it would shoot forward, then slow down, then shoot forward, then slow down.

I got the car to the side of the road and called a tow truck. Just to test - while I was waiting for the truck I put the car in neutral and even though I was on a steep downhill grade, it wouldn’t roll at all. When I put it in drive - it wouldn’t go initially until I had to put a decent amount of pressure on the gas pedal. I reminded me a being at a speed bump that you couldn’t idle over and have to give the car some gas to power it up over the bump.

When the tow truck got there - I watched the driver drive the Explorer up onto the bed of the tow truck. What I noticed was this:

The left front tire was completely locked when he was hitting the gas. But when he gave it enough gas, the right tire that was working would push the car forward while the left tire remained locked creating friction on the pavement but the car was still moving forward from the other wheel.

Then after 3 or 4 feet - the left tire would unlock/release and start to rotate - causing the car to suddenly lurch forward. But then after another few few it would lock again. Then release again.

The thing I found odd was that when the driver later reversed the car down off the truck - the left front wheel worked just fine. So the car works perfectly in reverse, but in drive the left wheel locks then releases then locks then releases.

Any advice or assistance on what the problem is would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

18 posts - 13 participants