Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

fernb2000 · April 2005

Hello;

Just looked at the oil filter and the open end is pointing up closed end down. Any other ideas?

Thanks

Fernb2000

ohmedic · April 2005

I have a 1997 explorer xlt. the driver seat recliner mechanism broke while driving and now will not lock upright seat only lays flat. any help I can get in trying to resolve this problem would be greatly appreciated..

johnnyh1 · April 2005

Did you get your engine replaced? My husband is going through much the same thing. He replaced the rocker arm, and was going to replace the camshaft, but did not have the tool needed to align it, so he put everything back together. Now it is making a terrible noise. This engine is impossible to work on without taking the whole thing out. We are trying to decide whether to get a new, used, or rebuilt engine, but I wonder if it even needs another engine. Very puzzling. I know next to nothing, but he does and would appreciate a reply. Any help would be very much appreciated.
johnnyh1

lateralg · April 2005

Does the noise occur EVERY time the engine is started?

or

Only cold starts?

or

Warm starts after it has been off for a period of time? How long?

or

only sometimes, cold or warm.

jimbojones1 · April 2005

how does one replace the front suspension bushings on a 94 explorer with 4 wheel drive? sounds kinda lame but i need ehlp .

lateralg · April 2005

Which bushings?

I just helped my neighbor replace the radius arm bushings on his '94 4x4. These are the 'donuts' that insulate the back end of the radius arms where they attach to a frame member.

fernb2000 · April 2005

Ended up replacing the starter. That did the trick

Thanks

Fernb2000

lateralg · April 2005

"Ended up replacing the starter. That did the trick."

Good. Interesting. Makes sense.

danks04 · April 2005

today i test drove one i wanted to buy.we got in it and nothing worked-windows,wipers,cruise,radio,turn signals. then i clunked out at one stop light, and started her back up. then we were driving and everything i pushed in the clutch it made a weird kind of winding sound to some sort. then we pulled over and the cluth still made the sound in nuetral.so i shut it off and started it up again...then it didn't make that sound and everything worked again. it was weird.what could be the problem!?!?

lateralg · April 2005

"...what could be the problem!?!? "

You are test driving a vehicle you should not consider buying.

fitguy · April 2005

Needs to be torched.... :lemon:

carl66 · April 2005

I have a 2000 Explorer that is doing the same thing with the door locks cycling. We have had a recent rain. this problem seems to be associated with wet weather or a wash job. What is getting wet?? Any help for me??

danks04 · April 2005

yeah i was test driving. just wanted to know if the problem is minor-like loose wires, bad connection, or bad relay. because the problem went away and everything worked fine after that...

jean7 · April 2005

Yes, Ford has actually issued a recall for that very problem. I got my letter in the mail a month ago and it is at the dealer right now getting replaced so call your dealer about it if you havent gotten a letter.

Unfortunatly with the dealer, what I was dreading-- happened. My regular mechanic saw the car a week or so ago for routine oil change and look over. He found NOTHING wrong. Of course the dealer (whom I have never trusted to look at my car, but had no choice with this recall) has found over 1K worth of work that absolutly has to be done (his words)!!!! Well he is writing me up an estimate and next oil change I will ask my regular guy to look over a couple of things and see what his trusted opinion is.

Sorry to get off the topic, but I hate it when mechanics think they can talk you into stuff just because you are a girl, and they assume you know nothing about your vehicle.!!! AAARG!!

ajmtbm · April 2005

what year is the seat recall on?

ckeator · April 2005

Carl,

Since that one episode, it has not occurred on my Explorer, and we have had a few days with severe downpours and heavy rain---including right now!!

Anyway, as I stated in my original post, I ran through a deep puddle (probably 2 feet deep) which splashed water up under the right side of the hood. Checking under the hood the next day, there are multiple electronic "cells" on the firewall in that general vicinity. I'm sure that excess water on one "brain" was responsible for the problem.

So, personally, I would check for any loose/frayed wires on the RH side firewall. And if it happens everytime it rains, I would have to suspect the keypad on the driver's door may have a short.

I simply pulled the fuse for the interior lights so the battery didn't die. Instead of taking it to a mechanic, you may want to consider taking it to an electronics specialist, as it is definitely an electrical problem.

Hope this helps.

electricdesign · April 2005

The "cells" or "brains" as you call them, are actually referred to as "modules".

jean7 · April 2005

http://www.internetautoguide.com/auto-recalls/index.html

Mine is a 99. Try the website I listed above to find yours if it is a different year. Or call your dealer.

fdexp · April 2005

I have a explorer eb 04 and I have the same thing. A whistling noise at 2100- 2300 rpms in every gear and at any speed. I noticed it last sept. It was not that loud and its now fairly loud. I have taken it back to the dealer 4 times with the last time being with a ford engineer and he said that it could be the tail pipe or that planetary gears in the trans are a little noisey. They act like they don't know what it is. I believe it is the transmission making the noise and I also believe ford knows this is a problem. I test drove a new 2005 model and it did the same thing at the same rpm but not as loud. The noise gets louder after you have had it for awhile. I've had mine for 10 months. I don't know what to do, but I'm not happy.

jduenas · April 2005

I have a problem with our 2003 Explorer. Every now & then it is very hard to start. It takes about 5 or 6 cranks before it starts. Then it's fine for a while. The Ford dealer has had this car in the shop overnight and has not solved the problem!
On the last overnight stay he finally came out with an advisory bulletin from Ford. It is an Oasis Special Service Message (#18572) just issued on 4/21/2005.
This SSM confirms that "Some 2002-2003 4.0L Explorer/Mountaineer vehicles may experience a hard start/no start condition..in cooler ambient temperatures..A TSB (Technical Solution Bulletin??) is expected no later than August 2005".
Anyone else out there with a similar problem?
Let's keep hope alive!!

mbistoocool · April 2005

Hello, i have a 2002 ford explorer eb v6 with about 87000 miles on it with a couple of problems. 1st- ABS light is on, illuminates after the vehicle reaches 15 or so mph, researched websites and the most common problem listed was the rear differential abs sensor failure. Has anyone had these abs sensors replaced and how much do shops usually charge for replacements? will take to shop for diognastics but I am thinking its one of the sensors. 2nd- when driving and have to stop fast (for a red light or so) to a complete stop the automatic transmission goes out of gear, almost like its in reverse and sometimes goes backwards, then jerks and goes back into gear when gas pedal is pressed. Fluid was changed 5 months ago to try to correct problem (hey, sometimes it works) but still does it. Any ideas what this is before i take to shop?
To post #3619 mine started hard too sometimes, the owners manual said to make sure nothing (such as other keys and store cards) was touching the coded key because it may interfere with the signal so i put my house key and Kroger card on a seperate loop and have not experienced the problem again, perhaps you might want to try it....

johnnyh1 · May 2005

Did you ever resolve this problem, and did you get any help from Ford??

johnnyh1 · May 2005

Engine began a tapping noise, took it to a mechanic who suggested a new engine, because he diagnosed a timing chain noise. Offered to replace engine for $4800. Drove it back home, took apart, discovered the front rocker arm on the passenger side was broken. (flat spot on roller) The camshaft had overheated only on the front lobe.Noticed that the oiler on the front lobe was clogged and assumed that caused the rocker arm failure. I replaced the rocker arm, put everything back together to proper torque. On engine restart, there was a loud metallic knocking. Unable to find out where this noise is coming from, and have not run it in order to avoid any further damage. 140,000 miles, otherwise great condition. Any suggestions?? Too nice of a car to have it just sit in the driveway; can't trade it in this condition, and would like to fix it and keep it. Just not sure it needs an entirely new engine.

lateralg · May 2005

It's very likely that the camshaft needs to be replaced.

jvigil88 · May 2005

I am looking to purchase a used 2002 Ford Explorer Limited V8 4X2 with 31,000 miles on it. Are there any problems I should be aware of? What are other peoples opinion of this year and model?

Thanks!

Janell

ajmtbm · May 2005

liftglass recall - this is a free fix, but, sometimes the lower part of the liftglass cracks. not sure if something they will replace out of warranty.

overall, a decent vehicle. we bought an 02 new and were back to the dealer many times - switches replaced, etc. biggest problem was heater box replacement - heard this is an expensive fix, thankfully it was fixed under warranty. if you can find an 03, you may be better off - you really want to avoid the first year of a redesign (this is the 2nd time i've bouygh right after a redesign and both times i regretted it...yet we the other vehicle was a 95 and after the initial teething pains, it now has 130k milkes and repairs have been virtually nil. but, it is japanese, so that may explain why.)

overall, we are happy with ours except for minor things - no power recline, thus the memory seat is only partially helpful. outside mirrors dont remember their position and have to be adjusted manually. a bit of a cramped inetrior; i think the trailblazer has a bit more interior room and rides MUCH better. for the same money, you could probably buy an extended trailblazer, which has much more room (16 inches longer). heard some not good things about the explorer reliability, but worse about the chevrolet.

bob2002 · May 2005

Hello,
I'm hoping someone has had this similar problem.....
This last winter when my car was left outside, I started having problems with my 4WD. Every once in a while, when I started the truck the "4x4 HIGH" and the "4x4 LOW" indicator lights would start flashing. They would flash together 3 times. They flashed again (3 times) approx every 2 minutes. During this time the truck would not go into 4WD. Either manually (4x4 button) or automatically (if rear tires slipped). If I shut off and re started the truck, the lights usually stopped blinking and the 4WD began working fine.

Now that it is Spring, I haven't had any lights flashing for over three months. I'm bringing it in for the lift gate recall this week, any advice on what the dealer may say about this 4WD problem??
Anyone had a similar problem?

Thank you for reading.......

Bob

benderofbows · May 2005

I just noticed that my A/C is blowing outside air. I can turn the fan speed all the way up and select "Max A/C" and still get no cooling.

The vehicle is 17 months old and has 17k.

electricdesign · May 2005

Open the hood, turn on the a/c to Max cool and see if the compressor clutch is engaging. It makes a loud click when it engages and the center part of the Clutch should be spinning along with the pulley. If the center part of the clutch remains staionary, it could be the low pressure switch at the accumulator, or it could have a leak and be low on refrigerant, or it could be a wiring problem.

redlyner · May 2005

My wife noticed a small knock at a stoplight today. You can hardly hear it once underway, but at idle it is very noticable. After listening to the engine in the driveway, it sounds like it is coming from the lower part of the engine as it is more prominent under the truck. The truck is a 2000 Explorer XLT w/ 75000 miles on it. Regular oil changes and treated like gold. Can anyone help me out??

Thanks,
Shane :confuse:

nitromax · May 2005

My wife noticed a small knock at a stoplight today. You can hardly hear it once underway, but at idle it is very noticable. After listening to the engine in the driveway, it sounds like it is coming from the lower part of the engine as it is more prominent under the truck. The truck is a 2000 Explorer XLT w/ 75000 miles on it. Regular oil changes and treated like gold. Can anyone help me out??

front of the engine or back? can you tell?

it could just be the bearing on the water pump or something like that. You might want to take it to a mechanic to diagnose it with a sound probe.

electricdesign · May 2005

Does not sound good. Does the speed of the knock change with the engine speed? You will have to have it checked by a mechanic. It sounds like an engine bearing knock.

the_sport · May 2005

my manual transmission is hard to shift on my 93 ford explorer when it is warm.. i had the clutch assembly changed 2 years ago and i just changed the transmission fluid a little while ago(bout a week) and i can't find no where to adjust my clutch free play just wondering if anyone had any ideas of what can be going on i never seen no bleeder screw or nothing on the clutch master cylinder where i was told about it :confuse:

mikeinsd · May 2005

I've got the same problem...did you find the fix or problem with the headlights?

bigcarr · May 2005

My explorer has 215K on it. The other day I noticed a slight tug to the left when I applied the brakes. Then, yesterday the tug became very pronounced (if not holding onto the steering wheel tightly I would have crossed traffic lanes. It literally jerked to the left). The change was sudden. I had the brakes checked and they appear to be okay. Now they are mentioning the right front bearing appears to have a lot of play and the left seems loose. They want a chunk and one half of money to replace the bearings. Are there any other possibilities and is there anything that can be done other than replacing the bearings?
The clutch also seems to be slipping although I do not know if it is the clutch or the transmission. Every now and then, when I accelerate, the engine races and then seems to engage the transmission. My foot is not on the clutch at the time. Appreciate suggestions. The explorer has been almost flawless to this point in its life.

the_sport · May 2005

i had the same problem with my 93 on the clutch .. it was slipping and it is your clutch assmelby i lost my clutch but it took many weeks before i actually lost it. i would say it is your clutch.. it's alot cheaper than replacing your transmission at least... it'll cost about 600$ canadian to replace it

electricdesign · May 2005

Give information on the vehicle, What year? Engine? Transmission? 2wd? 4wd? AWD? XLT? Yes, the brakes and bearings would be the first place to look for the problem, anyone checking the brakes should automatically check for loose bearings. With that high milage, what maintenance have you had done to the brakes/front end? You certainly should have been through at least 2 sets of ball joints, maybe some bushings, several sets of brake pads, and maybe calipers by now. You need to have the brakes and suspension checked by a pro. Your condition could be caused by a number of factors, problem in brakes, loose steering, loose suspension, etc.
Your slippage sounds like the clutch is getting weak. It ought to be getting tired by now with that many miles on it.

jg3 · May 2005

Same thing just happened to me this evening (same vehicle/history). I heard a pop and then the reverse was disengaged. No tinkering noises though.
I see you placed this question in March. What have you found since then?

jimbojones1 · May 2005

chech the torsion bar and the bushings on the 91 -94 they had a fault of the muffler degradeing the bushings check yours

electricdesign · May 2005

What? The 91-94 had NO torsion Bars, they had a Radius Arm (which is a big Strut) on each side, that fastens on to the frame bracket with a 2 piece big rubber bushing with a big steel washer on the each side of the bushing, and a big nut on the end of the radius arm that tightened the bushings and washers tight on the frame bracket. The one on the Passenger side got the heat from the CAT and would go bad more often. Radius arm bushing replacements are the most common suspension work on those vehicles. Sometimes the radius arm brackets would crack. I have replaced several brackets and bushings. It is best to buy the better grade neoprene bushings, as they last much longer. The stock type are black rubber, and the neoprene ones I bought were red, but I have also seen blue ones. My wife wrecked her Explorer and the left front wheel got pushed way back against the back of the fender, I found the radius arm had bent the bracket back, in fact the redius arm had almost punch through the bracket.
Explorers did not have any torsion bars until the redesign in 1995/1996.
E.D.

skliname · May 2005

Just in the last couple of days i started to replace the brake pads, due to shudder and wear - it was time according to wear specs, on my 2002 XLT V8 4WD. 52K Miles. 2 years 8 months old, factory ordered, therefore it did not sit on a lot for any amount of time prior to my posession. The rotors are rusting from the edge inwards on all 4. rears are especially bad where they have rusted so far in it is excessively wearing down the pads, and a chunk broke off - most likely the cause of the shuddering when braking. Also, the threads on the axle to remove the rotor are so rusted, I fear the axle will have to be replaced? i havent checked my repair manual yet to see how much would have to be replaced. will try to post links to my pics, otherwise email me if you want the links. comments welcome. scott links
photo1
photo2
photo3
photo4

nitromax · May 2005

wow, I have never seen an axle thread THAT rusted. ok, I take that back....I've seen them like that on cars in the junkyard. But never on a three year old vehicle. Something's wrong there. Maybe if the car wasn't being driven, but you have some decent mileage on that thing.
I would suggest bringing it by a service shop and getting an opinion.

electricdesign · May 2005

Replace all rotors that have bad wear patterns. Also check rotors for runout and warpage and replace any that are not true.
You can avoid the rusted thread problem by squirting WD40 on the lug nut threads and axle threads at each service and oil change.
E.D.

lui1 · May 2005

I had a whining noise coming out of the speakers on my 95 explorer. The noise would get louder when you hit the gas. I changed the radio to a after-market. I read somewhere that you can get rid of the noise by installing a filter (from radio shack) on one of the power cords. I think the noise was related to the alternator.

http://www.glue.umd.edu/~singletn/exp.html

buckeye49 · May 2005

My 2004 Explorer has 12K miles. The transmission fluid was changed a couple months ago as part of Ford's phantom recall. Problems still persist with the transmission and seem worse after driving for about five minutes. During a shift from drive to reverse and vice-versa, I can count by thousands to one thousand five. This issue has almost gotten me broad sided when I pulled out a bit too far to get a better view at an intersection. Up and down shifts, gears 1 through 3, are accompanied by a slap, and sometimes an audible kick. When stopping, the transmission finishes the stop about a second and one-half after the car does.

Suggestions.

chuck1 · May 2005

It still sounds like the transmission solenoid is bad. If they changed this, it's possible you got a faulty replacement. What you are describing sounds pretty clear cut. I would take it back and have the Service Manager drive it with you in the car.

pwilson1 · May 2005

I'd like to know more about this. I'm told by Ford that there is no recall scheduled for the rear axle problems. I have 58k on my 2002 MOuntaineer and the rear end is going out. They want $1800 to $2300 to fix this. Outrageous and I am hearing that they are replacing these right and left, however, no recall. No warranty.
Any info would be appreciated.

benderofbows · May 2005

I just had rust removed from my brake rotors (steering wheel vibrating when braking), which sounded like no big deal until I saw those pictures in the posts above. Yikes! And mine only has 17k on it. I sure hope mine don't get like those.

Also, some O-rings in my A/C failed and leaked out all my coolant (had no A/C).

Where is 02xls? He and I used to debate the quality of these trucks; I'd like to tell him he might have been right about the 2002 and later models not being up to Fords' standard.

chuck1 · May 2005

The best you can hope for is a 50/50 split between you and Ford on this. This is why I have sounded like a "broken record" on this board. If you buy an Explorer-YOU NEED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!!!!!

geoff3 · May 2005

Hi, I had a faulty rear axle speed sensor that may have contributed to a head on collision in my 04 explorer (actually on 95 near e. hartford) do you think these two problems are related?

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