Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

sanandton · September 2000

If you are not against buying non american made I would suggest taking a serious look at the New PF. One of my partners has a 2000 JGC. He has always been a Jeep fan. As of Friday last week he informed me he plans to sell it in about 6 months and probably won't buy another. His experience mirrors most of those on the JGC class action lawsuit postings here in edmunds townhall.
I got out of my last lemon explorer into a 01 PF and couldn't be happier. Superb power, quiet tight build, handles extremely well, better than some cars I have had and very similar to my Honda in fun factor. Top it off with the Loaded LE 4x4 coming in around 32k I'm still ecstatic about it 6 months later. Man what a bargain! Finally got what I paid for. May want to check it out if you would consider a non american make.

mazman1 · September 2000

The folding chairs from Ford are very good quality... probably the best I have ever sat in.

They should get the guy who designed them to work for the automotive division.

gamesue · October 2000

Yes I did get the folding chairs, and as mazman1 has stated in response #218 "The folding chairs from Ford are very good quality... probably the best I have ever sat in. They should get the guy who designed them to work for the automotive division." I pray to God that someday he graces me with the opportunity to insert one of those folding chairs rectally in fords CEO's A## $31K times. I also hope and pray to God that I am blessed a second time and allowed to insert the second folding chair rectally up my ford dealership owners A## $31K times. Now that would be better that nothing. Do yourself a favor by a foreign vehicle.

mazman1 · October 2000

I would not do that, as you might not get the chair out again! That would be a pitiful way to lose a good folding chair!

gamesue · October 2000

you are right; perhaps a better thing to do would be to drive the actual explorer into their a##es
a few times, sideways. getting it back would not be a concern!

jlv · October 2000

I do not own an Explorer, but thought those who do should know about this.....
=======================================
PUBLISHED WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2000

Honeymooners` seat belts failed

Investigation changes earlier FHP report

By Beth McPherson
News Journal staff writer

Lori and Scott Dwelle buckled up before driving from their wedding reception in Pensacola to a honeymoon in Destin that never happened.

The Florida Highway Patrol initially said the newlyweds weren't wearing seat belts, but troopers said Tuesday that further investigation showed they were.

Now, patrol investigators and Ford Motor Co. representatives must figure out why the seat belts on Scott Dwelle's 2000 Ford Explorer failed when it overturned.

The night of Sept. 23, the Dwelles were thrown from the Explorer after it was hit from behind, flipping over on U.S. 98 in Okaloosa County. Lori Dwelle, 22, died at the scene. Scott Dwelle, 22, was hospitalized for three days for treatment of broken bones and a concussion.

Tommy Weekley, Lori Dwelle's father, said he was aware of the Florida Highway Patrol's ruling, but he declined to comment Tuesday. Efforts to reach Scott Dwelle's family were unsuccessful.

Investigators met Tuesday with Dr. Michael Berkland, the associate medical examiner who handles cases for Okaloosa County, to discuss the case and compare patterns of injury sustained by the Dwelles. They announced the findings a few hours later.

``It is the intent of the Florida Highway Patrol to fully investigate and provide a proactive approach to early identification of any product deficiencies in an effort to reduce risk of death and injury to the motoring public,'' said Capt. Daniel Parkton, district commander of the patrol's Crestview office.

No charges have been filed against Esther Faith Holman, 45, of Mary Esther, who was driving the Jaguar that hit the Explorer at high speed, but the accident investigation is continuing.

``Today's statement was independent from the homicide investigation,'' said Lt. Bob Farrior, local patrol spokesman. ``It only applies to the initial form that was filled out just after the accident.''

Parkton said patrol investigators and representatives of the Ford Motor Co. will meet to inspect and disassemble the seat belt mechanisms from the Explorer. They will attempt to determine why the belts failed.

Representatives with Ford in Detroit could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

gipple2 · October 2000

It is official Gary. After test driving the new ACURA MDX this weekend, we are trading in out 1997 Explorer XLS. We are giving up the bumpy ride for the smooth MDX ride. We are giving up the Explorer's excellent cargo space for the same space in the MDX but with one gained extra - 3rd row for the kids when the parents are in town. We are giving up the possibility of a tire blow out and/or rollover for the possibility of not having one at all.

Anyone out there who hates their Explorer should look at the MDX.

Later.

masonmi · October 2000

I'm searching for new tires, I currently have the Firestone AT's their not on recall, however i hear other brands have a smoother and quieter ride? can someone post those brands and tire numbers?

tomsr · October 2000

I have a 98 Explorer Sport with 30K miles.When I make a sharp low speed turn like in a parking lot
I hear a popping sound coming from the front end.
Has anyone else had this problem and is it worth worrying about?Also, I checked with Costco on
getting Michelin LTX tires and they said there
will not be any tires available for six months
to the general public.Has anybody gotten these
tires and where?

sanandton · October 2000

Had a 98 Explorer XLT 4x4 and had the same problem, it seems as if something with the 4wd was amiss. Transfer case comes to mind, but very cloudy memory among all of the other problems we had. Never got it fixed before I traded it though. If yours is 4wd you probably should have it checked out soon as it would seem your warranty expires soon.

soccerdad1 · October 2000

I just bought a set of Michelin LTX A/T's at Discount tires in Plano Tx. They replaced the Firestones Wilderness A/T's(the non-recalled ones) on my wife's 2 month old Sport-Trac. We kept the tires just in case they are recalled later. The Michelins do have a slightly better ride, and the seem to have reduced the road noise some.

pjyoung · October 2000

I didn't detect prejudice in njdevilsrn's response. You stated in your earlier post that you are giving up the potential for a rollover (by that I am assuming you never rolled your Explorer) for the potential of not having one at all. Njdevilsrn's response was right on the money - no SUV is rollover-proof, be it American, Japanese, German or British. The real problem occurs when the driver of an SUV belives their vehicle to be less prone to rollover than another. Give the Acura the right conditions (even an unexpected blowout at high speeds) and there's a darn good chance that baby's gonna roll.

masonmi · October 2000

I'm debating on getting Michelin's or Goodyear wranglers, what is the difference between Michelin LTX AT's and LTX M/S ?

mazman1 · October 2000

Michelins are better made tires than Goodyears. They are quieter and give a smoother ride. The difference between the Michelin LTX MS and AT is the aggressivenss of the tread. The MS has more car like treads and will get better gas mileage, but if you live in Vermont or Colorado, you need AT's. For most applications, ie, just driving in rain, snow or on highways, the MS is fine. If you are going in sand, snow or mud, the AT will perform better.

pjyoung · October 2000

could have chosen better words. Bottom line, do you REALLY think that an Acura SUV is less prone to rollover than any other SUV? BTW, having a high speed blowout in ANY vehicle can cause a rollover if the driver slams on the brakes. Enjoy the Acura, but be very aware that it's still an SUV.

soccerdad1 · October 2000

The AT's are more of an off road type tread, we bought them because we prefered the looks of them. I would guess that the MS's have a bit more quite and smoother ride, but for that slight improvement we prefered the aggressive tread design of the AT's.

gipple · October 2000

Experienced a rollover this past weekend! I am never buying one of these cars again! Too weak to continue as I am recouperating.

masonmi · October 2000

Seems like the Michelin's are quiet compared to other brands, i currently have the Firestone AT's and it has so much road noise. i will definately be going for the Michelin M/S

mazman1 · October 2000

its not road noise... its the combined symphony of four Firestone tires making a huge sucking sound at the same time.

mazman1 · October 2000

I would also consider upgrading the shocks to a better brand like the Edelbrock IAS or Bilstein to
make your truck perform better and probably stay put horizontal on the road. My ride improved dramatically with the Bilsteins.

Ford puts on the cheapest parts they can find.. Remember that it is competitively bid out and the lowest bidder wins the contract.

njdevilsrn · October 2000

Well, sorry for the "slang" I used in an earlier post. Didn't mean to offend anyone, and if I did, sorry, and I am not prejudiced. Didn't know this was such a PC message board, I've read a lot worse in here. Anyhow, as I said earlier (post 226 which has since been deleted) no SUV or other vehicle with four tires and a motor is rollover proof. Give it the right conditions, whether velocity or violence of a collision, and it can roll. To claim that is not the case is to defy all laws of physics and logic. Ta ta for now!

PS...At the 6 week mark on the wait for Michelin tires.

masonmi · October 2000

Is there a wait on getting Michelin tires? I haven't shopped around for prices or availability as of yet, i had hoped discount tire or belle tire would have them available, they usually have competitive prices

njdevilsrn · October 2000

Here in Central NJ, you couldn't buy a decent (Name Brand) set of P235/75R15 for a million bucks if you wanted to (exaggeration). Here are the results of my trying to replace my Firestones...

1) Local Ford dealer does not sell tires, will install tires supplied by local distributor. Called their recommended distributor who laughed at me on the phone. Asked for Goodyear or Michelin, and he told me they are "backordered"
2) Local tire shop has Cooper, Dunlop, and Pirelli in stock, but I feel just as comfortable on my Firestones as I would on one of those. Told me if I ordered would be in by December.
3) Local Costco took my name and info on their recall list (Even though my Wilderness tires are VNHL). They get weekly deliveries, and I am on the waitlist for Michelins. Placed the order on 09/03, still yet to come in. They do, however have Uniroyal, Bridgestone, and their own brand (which the counter guy claims are made by Michelin).

Either way, I have a 180 mile one way trip to make in two weeks, I think I will get something else rather than make the trip on Firestones.

mazman1 · October 2000

I think you can go 180 miles on the Firestones... without any problem...just keep the speedo at or below 55 mph.. I am in the same boat as you are and I check the tire inflation every time I gas up (every week). I am vigilant at looking at the tires for noticeable cracks or defects.

I am also on the backorder list at Michelin retailer, WTC Tire, and Tirerack.com.

You may also want to consider replacing the Ford shocks with real ones from someone like Edelbrock, Bilstein or the high end Monroes.

tronsr · October 2000

COOPER AND DUNLOP ARE VERY GOOD RATED TIRES. I HAVE HAD BOTH WITH GOOD MILEAGE RESULTS.

kewatki · October 2000

I live in the mountains and chose the 5.0 litre AWD version in a 97 model. Loved the car but at 6000 miles engine developed serious tick. Dealer offered to replace with new motor from factory I accepted this initialy and then decided i could not trust this car. Called the ford zone rep and had a battle royale finally after 5 weeks the factory kicked in 5k on the purchase of a 98 AWD 5.0. Now have 33000 on the 98 just took it back to the dealer same engine tick. Now all they are offering is a remanufactered (junk) replacement,with a 12000k warrenty. I have purchased my last ford am looking at Honda and Toyota.

rvivinetto · October 2000

Well, we have now had our Explorer back from Dealer after they put the new engine in. It rides fine on the road but when you are idling it makes the most horrible sound like chains rubbing against the ground. We wrote Ford about the fact that we thought we shouldn't of had to pay the $212 for the rebuilt engine. We received a threatening call from our service manager saying that if we pursued this, he would tell Ford about all the gunk that they found in our old engine. This really made my husband angry as we have been very good about oil changes and servicing our Explorer and the remark was uncalled for. We are very unhappy about the noise our Explorer makes and plan on trading it in for a Jeep Grand Cherokee-I hope we have better luck with it! I just hope we will be able to trade in this Explorer.

soccerdad1 · October 2000

Pirelli is also a good tire. Judging from others post here, I am grateful that I was able to go out in one day and replace my Firestone with Michelins with no wait (other than the1.5 hours to install). One place I called had them back ordered, but discount tires had at the time plenty in stock.

rmalott · October 2000

I purchased a new 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer and there was a rattle coming from the dash that the dealership could not correct. A month had passed, after putting me in a rental. I was put in another brand new 2000 of the same choice. Now five months later I have another rattle which I am taking into dealership again tomorrow. Is this a common problem with Ford Explorer or all SUV's?

alexp · October 2000

http://www.detnews.com/2000/autos/0010/12/b01-132543.htm

sanandton · October 2000

Not to worry. The rattles you hear are just one of those standard little extras you get for your $30k from ford. All three of my previous Explorers came with them as standard equipment. On my new 01 Nissan it must have been an option as I have had nearly 8k flawless/rattle free miles thus far.

masonmi · October 2000

I checked with my dealership first on tires and they are out of Michelins and not expecting to get any back in anytime soon, they did have some Goodyear Wranglers. i'll do more shopping around for Michelins first before i choose the Wranglers.
for those with the dash board rattle i too have the same rattle, it must be very common in ford products.

masonmi · October 2000

I stopped into Belle tire today and they had the Michelin M/S in stock, though the salesguy was telling me about the new Kelly Safari SUV tire and how good it is, has anyone heard anything about this tire?

mikenoh · October 2000

Haven't heard anything about Kelly tires but the Michelin LTX M/S I put on my '98' XLT in early August are doing just fine. I put them on just when the recall was gathering steam, being afraid of having to wait months for tires once the word got out.
Quiet, great wet and dry handling, not nearly as hard riding as the AT's were, even though I'm running 30 lbs+ in each tire. The truck would be all over the road when I got 30 in the AT's besides giving a very hard ride.
I have no complaints with them after 3000 miles.
Best of luck.

timel0rd · October 2000

I have a 97 explorer (4.0L EFI) and noticed some
coolant dripping from what looks like a vacuum valve. The valve is connected to two hoses coming out of the firewall. It also has 2 more hoses on the output side and a small vacuum hose on the top. Is this a heater control valve? My Haynes book doesn't even have a picture of it. Are these dealer only parts? Thanks..........

mazman1 · October 2000

I am sure you can get the parts at autozone... the hard part is draining the system, then recharging it. Yes, the hoses and valve are part of the heating control system. I'd check with the parts dept at a dealer to find out what part it is and how much Ford charges for it before going to a parts store..

pghexplorer · October 2000

I've been reading the posts about replacing the Firestones with Michelins and replacing stock shocks with Edelbrocks/ Billstein, etc. Has anyone out there actually installed the Edelbrock Performer IAS shocks on their explorer? Are they worth it? What tires are they matched with? The write up on these shocks at "explorerexpress.com" and at "edelbrock.com" is pretty impressive. Just checking to see if the real users agree.

mazman1 · October 2000

I replaced my shocks with Bilsteins and the ride has improved dramatically. The body does not lean as much and I feel better control on turns... The ties stay planted on the road where they belong, rather than skip or squeal. Part of that is the better tires.

Keep in mind that Ford puts the cheapest (lowest bidder) cr#ppy items in their vehicles to keep the cost down, and you get what you pay for.

whitet · October 2000

I have a '96 Eddie Bauer and for the last yr. I have had problems w/ a rattle in the steering column. It feels like something is loose. I have taken it to the dealer twice and they can not find anything wrong. ANY SUGGESTIONS???????

cetnh · October 2000

I've replace my 'stones with Michellin LTX ATs in 31x10.5 and Edelbrocks back in Feb. this year on my '97 Explorer, XLT - 4 Dr. The ride, handling, cornering, all improved. I strongly recommend the tire and shocks.

cetnh · October 2000

The problem of rattling and shaking when you get over 60-65 mph disappeared after I replace the tires and shock -

amatola · October 2000

Help can anybody help us with our exploder,it wanders all over the road nearly had an accident last weekend because of it. It has been to dealer many times and they say they cannot fix it say its a normal explorer characteristic. Well if this is normal then Ford is selling death traps and I dont think the firestone tires are the only problems. Dealer offered to get us into new Expedition at a 12000 dollar loss to us are they crazy. Well we are going to try the dipute board anyone had any experience with them. Or is it just another hoax to cover up Fords mistakes.

smily1 · October 2000

I own a 1998 Exploder (lol) V8 AWD. It handles great and I have had no problems until I had the tires replaced with Bridgestone Dueler APT II's. I then noticed it wants to wander a bit on the freeway, but not to the point that I am afraid I might get into an accident, but just enough to buy Michelins next time. It sounds like you may have an allignment problem. If it is out of allignment then you will be able to see some unusual tire wear after a few thousand miles. What did the dealership check? Have you changed the tires due to the recal? I must say that I have been very happy with my Exploder (lol) overall but extremely unhappy with Ford Service and Ford as a company. I found that fixing the rattles and creaks in my Explorer myself (fifteen minutes) is less of a hassle than the three days it takes Ford to fix under warrenty and still not get it right. Good luck with the dispute board.

amatola · October 2000

Thanks for the input smily1.My exploder did have the Firestone recall tires and were replaced with Uniroyal nailguards. My wondering problem actually is worse with the new tires because they give a better ride than the Firestones which were very bumpy.The dealer has checked the wheel alignment and says it is to specs, my husband still says the camber is off, and I think the shocks are a problem as well. The dealer still has not found the squeek in the back suspension, and I still have ratttles inside the car.Boy to try and get a response from Ford assistance is unbelievable. They promised to have a senior rep call us within 24hrs, well that was two days ago and when we called back the excuse was they didnt have any record of my previous message. Man I cannot believe a company would treat its customers like this. So much for their CEO`s speech " I want all of our owners to know that there are two things we never take lightly :YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR TRUST " What a load of hogwash.
Anyway thanks for letting me vent and to anyone out there who is considering buying a Explorer DONT !!!!

masonmi · October 2000

I had my ratttles cured actually one of them was annoying which came from the rear side door i had to spend $70 bucks at the dealership for them to fix it, it sounded like loose parts rattling everytime i went over bumps.
i'm going to try the Michelin LTX, the firestones seem to give a bumpy or vibration in the ride.

mannino44 · October 2000

I own a 1993 Explorer that has been great. Never had a any major problems, but one minor one that has me puzzled. The temp gauge never reaches normal. It only moves about 1/4 from start. The heater does put out some heat, but no wear as hot as my 1999 F150. I have replaced the thermostat 3 different times with a 195 Degree. I found the lower radiator hose collapsed after sitting overnight. Replaced the hose but it still sucks the hose in when it cools off. Could the radiator cap be bad? I have lived with this problem but it sure would be nice to have some hot heat with the cold winters in Michigan. Can anyone help me out.

mazman1 · October 2000

I'd check the radiator cap, and also the upper hoses going to the heater core. They may be clogged up. In a 7 year old vehicle, the hoses rot from the inside, and sometimes you dont see the problem until it is too late. Have you changed the fluids regularly, and you should be on your 3rd set of hoses.

Just as an FYI, since 1998, Ford vehicles have come with larger heater cores, so that they put out a lot more heat, because of customer complaints.

twalke01 · October 2000

Have you always had this lack-of-heat problem or has it crept in over the years?

I suspect the water pump and would replace it...it's about time anyway! I wouldn't be surprised to find the vanes worn down especially if you haven't been changing out the coolant every year. The collapsed hose may be due to worn out radiator cap. When the engine cools down, the system creates a vacuum usually relieved by the cap. Consider the brand of parts you are using. Cheaper isn't always a good idea. To change the coolant, I drain the system down as far as it will go via the stopcock valve then top it off with a 50/50 mix of quality antifreeze and distilled water. On another subject, does your vehicle have increasing steering sensitivity proportionate to increasing speed? My 96 sure as heck does and it will keep you very alert. Good luck and please let me know what you find out. Ted.

mazman1 · October 2000

Before changing the water pump, I'd make sure the one you have is ok first. A water pump is a simple device. It either works or it doesnt. If it doesnt, you will overheat...its that simple. Unfortunately its not that simple to replace it.. its rather a major pain in the a## !!!

Id' do the simple stuff first, change the fluid, cap, hoses. If that doesnt do it, then look to the heater core or water pump.

bri66 · October 2000

I have a 2000 Explorer that has a V6 4.0 liter engine. The first engine was replaced shortly after purchase for the coolant leaking into the oil. A remanufactured engine was put in and now a few months later again the coolant is leaking into the oil. Am I just lucky or are there more Explorer owners that are having this same problem? The Ford dealer wants to discuss with Ford what should be done. Less than a year old and it needs it's third engine. Anyone else know of this same problem?

Thanks

Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

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