Ford Explorer Mercury Mountaineer 2005 and earlier

ANT14

Future note, activate O/D when the vehicle is on a highway doing 55MPH+, this allows the transmission to work less, in turn, lasting much longer. I often see this error, specially in some vehicles where O/D is re-activated after you turn on the vehicle.

kheintz1

In message # 1439, I complained of shifting problems with my 2002 4WD XLT. My preferred Ford service shop tried reprogramming my vehicle, but no fix. This dealer then consulted with Ford's "Hotline" and their recommendation was to take apart the tranny for closer inspection, and that a partial or total rebuild would quite likely be needed to fix the problem. (Thank God I bought the extended warranty!) As for my "service engine soon" problem, this was due to a faulty "DPFE"(?) sensor, which is not covered by my extended Ford warranty, and this cost ~$150.00 to replace. I'll keep you posted.

swschrad

I believe that stands for "Driver Pays For Everything"

1badsidekick

Yes, it may make less work for the tranny, but by allowing O/D to engage at slower speeds, it gets better gas mileage. I guess you have to pick one or the other. I leave mine on all the time. I drive it to and from work, doing 55-60 the whole way.

34rod

We are looking at a low mileage 2000/2001 Explorer XLT AWD for general use and towing. We live in PA and get some snow, usually no more than a foot per snow fall. The Explorer AWD has the greatest towing capacity of all the Explorer models for those years. We intend to tow a 3250 lb car on an open trailer (max total tow wt. about 5300 lb.). Towing will be east coast to as far west as Colorado. Is this Explorer a good choice or should we be looking for something bigger?

explorerx4

had a 97 v8 awd explorer. didn't tow a trailer often, but that truck could pull. used to pass everyone going up a steep grade on one the local highways with a 6x12 dual axle trailer, and it was easy.
noticed that there were quite a few of this combo (v8 awd)pulling horse trailers at a few shows i attended.
friend of mine has a 2000 model, but a light duty towing package was made standard.

for 'dpfe', check flatratetech dot com. they have posts about 'dpfe's. sounds to me like it should be covered (emissions warranty?), but you can ask over there and get an answer from a pro.

nvbanker

As long as it has the V-8, it should do the job just fine. I had a 97 and a 98, and they were excellent trucks.

swschrad

my 2000 has the heaviest class III drawbar that reese makes on it, and the ratings are 5000 for a deadweight hitch and 5500 pounds maximum for a load-sharing hitch, aka equalizer hitch. overall rating of the 2000 V8 AWD towing package is 10,500 gross pounds IIRC, so you are not going to want to seat four people and carry a bunch of junk as well in that car towing 5300 net pounds.

you could do it, but if you had to do any kind of avoidance driving, you would go grey in seconds, or worse.

I'd have the load and your personal gear, and any tagalongs and their toys follow in another vehicle. that ought to work out. be sure the impulse brakes are working on the car trailer, and drive deliberately, and it will work fine.

totheendoftime

Ok I just started looking at the new explorers and I saw that 4WD and AWD seem to cost about the same. Can somone give me the pro's and con's of each.

Thanks

James

smily1

I have a Slow speed vibration during turning. I have a 98 V8 AWD. It feels like I am locked in 4wd. I have had lower mpg also. What do you folks think? Froze viscous coupler? I also only got 30k out of a set of 60k rated tires. Any links to this kind of problem would be great! I have taken it to the dealer and they say nothing is wrong. Help.

Any specialists out there? What are the indications that a viscous coupling would be bad? Another problem, possibly related, is a metallic pinging/rattling noise I get under very light engine load. It goes away with releasing the gas pedal and depressing it significantly. My dealer says it is normal and to turn up the radio up if it bothers me. Ya, I know, Im not going to take that BS, but I need your guys help.

I had the transfer case serviced not too long ago. It was also inspected and no unusual wear noticed. Since the viscous coupling is a sealed unit, how can you test if its bad?

ANT14

AWD means it's on, and running, and turning all the time. It's not as some other sophisticated system, that transfer power to the one that has traction, if it detects slippage. This is really an all time, all wheel drive system. Considering it's running all the time, you have more wear and tear into the system, and fuel economy will be a bit lower being your always engaged.

4WD you have selection over different road conditions, it just requires you to select the best possible combination for the road surface. Depending on the sophistication, it's able to transfer the majority of power to one wheel, if it sense a loss of grip on the others.

And this varies from vehicle to vehicle, meaning, some other brands might have different programming. Such as the X-type, which has AWD but it's biased RWD 65%, yet it can transfer power up to 95% to the front diferential it's traction system sense slip.

nvbanker

Problem is, in that year you specified, I don't think you can get the 4WD system with the V-8, only the V-6. And for towing, you gotta have the 8. So you'll end up with AWD or 2WD.

And I gotta tell ya, I have never owned a 4WD or AWD yet, and the 2WD with the limited slip differential has always been all I needed to get around. Even in snowy and icy dirt roads. Never been stuck, or even close.

explorerx4

had the same pinging noise. it was a while ago, so i don't remember what it exactly was done.
i don't think i have the paperwork anymore.
could be a clogged 'iac' tube. i do remember them saying the replaces some kind of cracked tube.
could also be throttle position sensor.
traded it in with 50k, plenty of tread left on original tires. am religious about rotation and checking tire pressure.
does the vehicle pull to one side? a dragging brake could cause mileage/tire wear issue, but
handling would also be affected.
the way i found it was to spray the wheels after driving(just luck), one wheel was a lot hotter than the others.
i think the viscous coupling engages though a difference in speed between the front an rear axles. maybe a front end issue causing this?

swschrad

is where you are going to be having your traction problems. 4wd locks up the differentials, so the inside and outside wheels both turn the same number of turns. causes wheel skip in turns or wheel slide on ice, and if you're tooling along at speed and have to take a turn, theory says it can flip you over.

AWD doesn't lock up, unless you have an AWD/4WD option like some mercury SUVs, so this can't happen.

on the other hand, if you're stuck on Hog Waller Road in a big pit the kids chase the highway guys away from so they can play chicken in their wranglers and such, you WANT the 4WD option so any time any wheel grabs a little piece of traction, it gets you someplace.

renna

I am considering adding a k&n air filter and a gibson cat back exhaust to my '02 mountaineer with the 4.6L v-8 to improve gas mileage and towing capability. has anyone tried this or any other changes to help in this area? is it worth it?

gregb5

I've got the K&N and a BORLA cat-back on my "02 Explorer V8. I think it's a worthwhile upgrade. More power with no mileage penalty is a good thing, right? I haven't seen the GIBSON system. BORLA's splits after the muffler and has dual outlets exiting out the side just behind the wheels. It's all stainless and looks great. Everything fit first time; install was no problem.
Good luck!

brast69

I am thinking about taking my 03 Mountaineer (v8) on the beach this weekend. Any suggestions?

ANT14

Make sure you wear sunblock, and remember to re-apply every so often.

brast69

I am thinking about taking my 03 Mountaineer (v8) on the beach this weekend. Any suggestions?

alman08

how about one of those tornado thingy to improve gas mileage? I have not used it personally and am not sure if they even make one for the 02 V8. just heard from a few before that it did indeed increase gas mileage.

stever

Recommended - Sun tan oil:

SUV for Beach Sand

Not recommended - Snake oil:

Tornado Fuel Saver...Hype?!?!?

Steve, Host

alman08

all hype!

swschrad

add 3 more HP per sticker, guaranteed :-D

renna

Can you keep your spare tire in the same location with the dual exhaust outlets? Also; do these upgrades have any effect on your warranty?

smily1

Those are some great ideas. Ill check into those.

cmnott

I like the mods you did. How much louder was the exhaust...just trying to figure out how long I could get away with telling my wife that there is a small hole in the exhaust!

In all seriousness, as it is her car but I drive it when we are together, I usually find better mileage with the better air circulation...did you find this to be true, or did you enjoy listening to the exhaust too much?

gregb5

The spare tire placement is not affected. There should be no problem with warranty after only exhaust and air filter changes.

The exhaust note is louder, but not objectionable to me. You probably won't fool your wife for long, though. The large, stainless pipes will surely give you away!

As far as mileage goes, it's tough to say. The gasoline formulation changes seasonally and mileage does, too. Over 30,000 miles I get 15-16 in regular driving and approx 19MPG highway.

pdw1731

Hi all. I am curious to know your thoughts on buying a 2003 Explorer XLT V6 4x4 v. a 2002 Mountaineer V6 AWD with 23000 miles on it. The MM I can get for 23k and the XLT I can get for about 24k (only option is the 3rd row seat really). I ran a Carfax report on the MM and it was previously a Fleet vehicle. Is that good or bad? I'm really not a fan of used vehicles but I'm pretty much a cheapskate. Looking forward to your responses.

I also would like to know is this time of year really good for buying a new car with dealers trying to move their product to make room for the new ones? I had a Mercury dealer trying to basically shaft me and I pretty much gave him the finger for being a jerk.

Thanks

nvbanker

That's a tough choice. Myself, I'd get the MM, because I like the upgraded Ford product. But if that doesn't matter to ya, get the new Explorer.

ANT14

That 3rd row seat might come in handy... Just one time is all it takes to appreciate it.

pdw1731

I'd rather have the MM even if the differences are assumed to be primarily cosmetic. I'm just a tad leery about a used,excuse me, previouly owned truck. Any thoughts on a fleet vehicle?

ANT14

Hmmm depends on who's fleet it was in. And the kind of use it was put through. I think of it this way, have you always been gentle with any rental car you have used ?

nvbanker

Funny you should mention that, ANT. I used to buy all my cars from Hertz in the early 80's, and was generally happy with them all. The way I looked at it, it may have had some rough treatment during the 18 months of service in the rental fleet, but it didn't have 18 months of one maniac abusing it consistently, which is the risk you take with a traditional used car. It's a crapshoot, and I'd try to find out what fleet it was in as well, but I don't know how much that is going to tell you other than maybe you can figure out if the oil has been changed, etc. How it has been driven, or how many curbs it has jumped is anybody's guess. Unless it's a Certified Used Car, just make sure you have some warranty left on it, and if there is a problem it should manifest itself soon, and you can get it repaired.

swschrad

that is, after all, what the things were designed to be able to do. I've jumped a couple of stumps in the boonies and gone over two rows of parking lot bumpers to get out of a pinhead-blocked parking lot in my 2000, and no problems whatsoever. the trick is, you gotta do it about as fast as you can pull a wheelchair over those obstacles. do that, all is fine.

I look at the tires... both inside and outside sidewalls, because you can remount 'em backwards if Scraping Sue kept renting the car... to see if it has been driven by idiots with their hair over their eyes. tires that are half-used or less are not going to be replaced to hide sidewall wear unless the tires are gone.

brast69

What is the difference between the 02 and 03 Mountaineer? Is there one except the price?

brast69

I am thinking about trading in my 03 Mountaineer Premier (which is only 3 months old & 4100 miles) for a Hummer 2. Any suggestions????

nvbanker

Very minor differences between the 02 & the 03. Now, the H2 - JDPowers worst car in initial quality? There'll be a difference. Mostly aggravation, from what my friends tell me. But, you'll turn a lot more heads.

tidester

Any suggestions????

Yes. Visit the Hummer H2 discussion.

tidester, host

oldsman01

How is everyone liking their 02/03 Explorer and Mountaineer? I'm seriously thinking about replacing my 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue(which is a complete lemon) and am actually considering an SUV. I'm not a big SUV fan, but have always liked the Trailblazer and Envoy(looked at them when they came out 2 years ago) and I'm really starting to like the Explorer. Other than riding in a co-workers rental Explorer last year, I haven't spent any time in one. I've priced a few out on Edmunds and carsdirect and my ideal Explorer would be an XLT sport 4x4. I haven't seriously considered either truck yet, but my initial impressions are that the GM trucks have a wonderful powertrain and the Ford seems to have much better quality interior materials. With the problems I've had with my Intrigue, I'm a little ticked off at GM right now and frankly other than Cadillac, I think their quality is somewhat spotty. My other question for recent buyers(or leasees) is what kind of deal did you get? Both Edmund's TMV and carsdirect "target price" were significantly below invoice and I see where there is a $3000 rebate on Explorers($2500 if leasing). Should I expect to be able to get this applied to the invoice price rather than the MSRP as this appears to be how both Edmunds and carsdirect for their price.

dtownfb

I've owned 2 explorers and have had great experiences with both. The 1991 went 110k miles beofre we traded it for a 1996 V8 AWD which now has 142k miles.

I would check out the Perpetual Explorer Woes board to see what others have to say about the current Explorers. I'm not sure how the Explorer as a whole have been holding up.

tidester

Here's the link: Perpetual Ford Explorer Woes

tidester, host

nvbanker

I've had 1 Explorer and 3 Mountaineers. Currently still hanging on to the 94 Explorer with 115K on the clock, and a 2002 Mountaineer, with 27,000 miles. Have had to have the transmission reflashed (reprogrammed) and the belt tensioner replaced because it squeaked. My wife loves it, and it's been very satisfying. We're particularly pleased with the 3rd row seats that fold flat into the floor. Can't tell you the value of being able to convert the car to carry passengers or cargo without removing a seat.
Huge advantage over the other models, IMO.

My old 94 is getting tired, but the engine runs great, transmission is strong, air conditioning is cold, and it looks great. Someday, I'm going to get the 4WD fixed....:)

cubes

We have an 02 Mountaineer AWD and have no trouble recommending the vehicle. My wife puts on 90% of the miles (25,000+ so far) and we have the V6 (adequate). If I were driving the bulk of the miles I probably would have gone to the V8. Only one problem to date and that was a bad seat track. Otherwise the thing is rock solid and handles real nice. My wife loves her "truck". She thought she would never own/drive a truck, but I can barely get her to drive a car any more.

The third row was a necessity and it is surprisingly roomy. Would be nice if it were split. Tailgate design is very nice too.

Interior materials could be a notch better, but overall fit and finish is very good.

Comments on the triplets.....I think the Bravada has the most handsome/clean look.......If you need seven seats you have to go XL (kielbasa/dachshund wagon)...definitely not a well proportioned design......nice engines....but can't get over the Pep Boys "universal-one size fits all" muffler hanging off the back.

Just my thoughts.

flaherty77401

I want to take off the end caps of the roof rack of my 98 Exploerer so I can slide off the factory bars and slide on a Yakima base plate. I can't see how the cap comes off. Something is holding it on. Do I have to remove the back screw for the rack or is there some other trick? Thanks.

idntnvu

Yesterday, I took my '99 XLS to the dealer to have the standing recalls addressed and also the thumping in the drivetrain and vibration at highway speeds all taken care of. I was told the parts were not available to fix my recalls, but they suspected my transfer case as the cause of the thumping and my front tires are "cupped" or "chopped" so that was the cause for the vibration. They changed the fluid in my transfer case to the tune of $45, and rotated my front tires to the rear and balanced them to the tune of $30...so after tax my bill was $83. When I picked up the Explorer from the dealership yesterday afternoon, my right turn signal would not work, but the indicator on the dash was illuminated as well as the right rear turn lamp, plus the headlights and one driving light were on very dim without the switch even being on. When I turned the headlights on, only the lights on the driver side would work...the headlight and driving light, the ones on the passenger side were just barely lit, and the right rear turn lamp was still on. I called the dealership back when I got home and told them, and they scheduled me for 11 this morning to fix the multifunction switch recall. I was notified at 1:30 today that it was ready, went to pick it up and it was doing the same thing, and I couldn't get the turn signal stalk to work right when making a left turn. Told them before I left the lot it was still doing the same thing, and the service sales manager called the technicians over who then began the blame game as to who was responsible, and this one cocky little jerk, the same one who informed me yesterday that my brand new good years needed to be replaced, that the problem wasn't because of the recall, the recall only fixed something that may cause a fire. The lights going haywire was something else, meaning: "something I'd have to pay for." I kindly informed them...in much better terms than what I'm about to say, that the car was FINE when I left it with them the day before, that problem unexisting, and that I'd part someone's thighs with the car before I'd pay for some slacker jerk's screw up. I wasn't even offered a loaner car, but instead a kind old man who liked to talk a lot drove me home. I told them that if the Explorer couldn't be fixed today, then I'd need substitute transportation to get to work and back. They're supposed to call me back when it's ready. What a pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. QUALITY CRAP SERVICE is more like it.

argele

Oldsman01, I just bought a brand new MM 03 premier. The car is excellent and I have no complaints. I was like you and drove a car (honda civic) and didn't really think of driving an SUV. However, due to my lifestyle, I needed to upgrade (and the winter storms).

I got an excellent deal on my mountaineer. Got roughly 10,500-11,500k in rebates with a fixed rate. Ended up paying somewhere to the tune of 26-27k out the door for a V8 premier.

hwydave

Greeting everyone,

I just move to Mount Prospect (Chicago Northwest suburb), IL. I have a 1999 Explorer XLT (35,000 miles). I have been taking good care of it and I want to avoid "overprice and lousy" dealer service if possible. Can anyone suggest a trust worthy and competent "non-dealer" service shop that specialized on Explorer in the area? Thanks a bunch!

dtownfb

I don't live in Chicago but Ford sold over 400k Explorers that year (and each of the past 5-6 years). Lots of mechanics have gotten practice working on these vehcles. Any competent independent mechanic should be able to work on your Explorer. I would ask around your job for a good mechanic. Try them out with a couple of small jobs like brakes, LOF, etc. to see how they operate. If you are satisfied they are treating with respect, you got yourself a mechanic.

marsha7

of the car mags 2004 preview issue that the Explorer will now be available with front bucket seats and a center console (if I read it correctly)...which raises my perpetual question...does this mean they will have a floor/console shifter, like the Aviator, or do I read too much into it???...further, if the Expy has it, does the Mountaineer get it, too?

dtownfb

I thought the Explorer always had front bucket seats and a center console. I have a 1996 Explorer and it has front bucket seats and a center and overhead console.