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Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • gasburnergasburner Member Posts: 31
    I have a 99 Exp. XLT V8 Sport Package. When I 1st got the truck, the brakes seemed very loud when coming to a stop and when released. I have driven numerous Exps. and none seemed to have brakes as loud. I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt for a while because I reasoned that the brakes may need to be broken in. At about 9000 mi. I brought it to the dealer and he said that the noise was normal but agreed to change the pads and turn the rotors. Well the new pads were even louder, and now for the first several stops after the truck sits for a while, the brakes grab and make a shutter felt in the steering wheel (it feels similar to have driven through high water). I have put up with this for 3000 mi. and the sound or the initial shutter have gotten no better. The brakes seem to be working quite well and I am pleased with their stopping power. Anybody experience this problem or can provide some input? Thanks
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    I dont have my 94 Explorer anymore, so I cant run downstairs and trace it with you. I never needed to look for it, but I would trace back from the filter box, past the MAF sensor remove the plastic tubes and it may be in one of the tubes or else on the other side of the throttle assembly. Try another manual, maybe Chilton..
    Good luck, happy New Year!
  • harrell3harrell3 Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if anyone else had experienced such a problem and reading some of the reports above I guess I'm not the only one disappointed with FORD. Basically the family and I have enjoyed our Explorer up to this point. My vehicle stalled backing out of my garage one morning on the way to work. Had the vehicle towed to a friends automotive center and he's perfectly honest with me. No compression from the left side of the engine. Needs a engine he told me. I'm devastated, there's no way a engine could go out of a vehicle that prides itself of getting up to 100,000 miles before tune-up, could possibly go out at 85,000 miles. He would need to break the engine down to determine the cause. Called FORD to explain circumstance. Ford informed me that the vehicle is out of warranty at 60,000 miles, which I purchased the basic extended warranty at $625 at purchase three years ago. Now that it is out of warranty there's nothing they can do to help me. I don't have $4500.00 for a new engine just like that and they could least offer to cover the tear down of the engine to determine the cause of failure. FORD tells me that the oil pressure was low in the vehicle. I'm no mechanic, but I know unless there's no oil in the engine will it not seize. I did discover through my mechanical friend that there was a Technical Service Bulletin released by FORD to dealers and service personnel in 1998 informing them of 1997 4.0 SOHC OIL Pump drive assembly may seize as a result of inadequate lubrication. If the shaft should seize it could cause a change in engine cam timing and result in damage to pistons,valves and head assemblies. If this is what happened to my vehicle, be honest about it and honor your word. I believe they're afraid to take the engine apart for fear of this very well could be the cause. I plan to continue pressing FORD on this issue also informing the television stations in the area because FORD needs to honor their products and build better reliable products and provide better customer service. It seems they're only concerned about the dollar.
  • qmercuryqmercury Member Posts: 9
    I have possibly one of the eldest Explorers ever made with a 6/1990 production date on the engine and a production number of 000107. I bought the car in November of 1990 new with 0 miles. 118 thousand later the car has really begun to fall apart in the last few months. Following the replacement of the entire cooling system last summer, the transmission is beginning to shift very roughly and slip occasionally, not to mention ten years of monthly exhaust system repairs.

    The vehicle has seen relitavley light duty usage, only with me and later my wife ferrying kids around a ten square mile radius of this city and pulling a sea-doo during summer weekends. Granted, the car has seen two teenage male drivers come and go, but with constant dealer maintence, and the general historical toughness precedence of Ford trucks I assume at least 150k is possible. Compared to most American cars of the era that I have experienced, the vehicle has been roughly average in quality.

    Still, a friend of mine has a '94 Sport with 170k and NO known mantience. I know that some revisions came for the 1993 model year and the vast majority of those I have seen look to be in much better shape than the earlier models.

    Anyway, the Explorer is not the worst SUV I have ever owned, that honor belongs to a recently traded 1999 Chevrolet Blazer LS. Nor is is the least reliable, compared to my former 1986 Jaguar XJ6, 1993 Chevrolet Camaro, or 1992 Range Rover. Still compared to my son's Acura Integra, our 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser, or the car I bought along with the Explorer in '90 a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300SE (201k with only minor repairs) the car leaves much to be desired.

    I am soon to trade this vehicle for something European, fast, and DOSEN'T LEAN IN TURNS!!!
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    So what's your point? The vehicle is over 10 yrs old. Its gonna have problems at this point. Probably the reason that your friend with the 94 explorer got 170K miles out of it is he drove it 170K miles in 7 years. When that vehicle is 10 yrs old, let us know how it is doing. Some vehicle parts deteriorate with AGE and weathering, not as much from miles. Not to mention that the 94 was built better than the '91.
  • cuffeedcuffeed Member Posts: 4
    All,
    My 2000 Eplorer Limited V8 (with only 11K miles) seems to hesitate when starting it. It doesn't seem like it wants to cut on. Sometimes I will have to try twice before getting the truck to turn on. Has anyone had this problem? I am pissed because it only has 11K miles on it. I have no problem starting my VW Jetta which has a 149K miles. It starts up with no hesitation!! Also, I hear that there is a recall on wiper blades and the speed idle controller. Where is a good place to find out about Ford recalls?
    Thanks,
    Donald
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    A good place to find recalls and TSB's is at the website www.alldata.com .

    The problem with your hard starting V8 may be as simple as water in your gasline or fouled plugs. Have you changed your air filter element? Since it is winter time, maybe you need a gas line antifreeze (drygas) in your tank. Try dumping some Gumout XTRA fuel system cleaner in the gas tank... also, dont let it go below 1/4 tank full, because the inlet for the pump may not have a clear tube from the gunk that develops on the bottom of the tank.... and then burn out the fuel pump.

    Also,try this, turn the key only to the "on" for the ignition, to let the pump prime, wait 5 sec. then turn the key all the way to start.

    Good luck and let me know if this helped.
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    Anyone catch the show on NBC last night at 8PM? (I think it was Dateline). Anyway, they did a 20 minute piece about how a consumer advocacy group is has compiled data and is calling for the recall of ALL Firestone Wilderness 15 inch tires, not just the ones made in Decatur. They had this lawyer who is representing a bunch of peoplem who have had incidents with tread separation on Wilderness tires that were made in the Carolina plant. There was one scene where the guy opened a warehouse door, now while it wasn't the biggest warehouse on earth, it was full of Explorers which were completely trashed (at least 2 dozen) and all of the accidents were caused by tread separation on Wilderness tires which were made in places other than the Decatur plant.

    The show really focused on problems with the tires made in the Carolinas, and only mentioned the fact the Wilderness tires are also made in Quebec. Either way, these guys really seem to be pressuring Ford and Firestone. They said there are roughly 5,000,000 15 inch Wilderness tires which are not covered by the recall.

    I think that if Costco has Michelin LTX AT's in stock this weekend, the Exploder will be getting some new shoes.
  • cuffeedcuffeed Member Posts: 4
    Hey! Thanks MAZMAN1 for the response. I spoke with my wife about your response. She said that she never lets the truck get low on gas. However, I am going to try some of that Gumout XTRA fuel system treatment. Also, I am going to let my Ford service advisor know what's going on!
    One last thing....I took a look at that website that you metioned and it mentioned nothing about the recall the speed idle controller. I know that this item is on recall.
    Thanks,
    Donald
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    I flipped past the NBC spot because it just makes me depressed. I had 16" tires on my 2000 explorer, one of which was made in Wilson, NC that started to come apart after 5,000 miles... the seam on the tread edge had a crack. The Firestone dealer I went to was an extremely arrogant person. They replaced the bad tire with another Wilderness, but gave me a hard time when I asked them to check all the tires. Two weeks later I replaced all 5 with Michelin LTX MS tires.

    Have a good new year Firestone, because I will never, ever own a car with a Firestone (or a Bridgestone) tire on it.
  • sadatxsadatx Member Posts: 70
    When you replaced your tires with the michelins, did you notice any difference in terms of ride? I'm thinking of changing my tires and my shocks together. My truck is so damn loud. I have the stock 16 inch freestones on my BE. I was thinking of going a little bigger, for example an 18inch low profile tire with some rims. Do you think the 18 inch tires will give me a quitter ride? Or should I just stay with the same size and just swap out out the stones. Thanks for all your help.
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    When I replaced the 16" Deathstone Wilderness AT's with Michelins, I bought the 16" Michelin LTX MS not the Michelin ATX tires, The MS has a much less aggresive tread than the ATX. The ride is much better, especially with the Bilstein shocks. I figured that since I was not going rock climbing, the MS's would be fine for the streets.

    The most noticeable improvement is much less body roll, especially on turns. Braking is also improved a bit. The MS tires are also noticeably quieter. The uneasy 'sliding' feeling that I used to get with the F'stones going over a metal grated bridge is gone.

    If you go to an 18" tire, you will have to go to a smaller aspect ratio (smaller sidewall).. thus a skinnier tire. These have very good traction, but have a harshier ride and wear out faster.

    Good luck. Check out tire prices on www.tirerack.com as a benchmark to what your dealer offers.
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    Finally! I found a tire place in New Jersey which has tires for an Explorer. This Saturday, I will be getting Michelin Cross Terrain tires (These are the tires which will be stock on the 2002 Explorer) put on the Explorer. According to the guy at the ETD, these are the best tires for SUVs for how most people use their trucks (mainly on road). They are a combination of All Terrain and All Season tread. Getting a set of 4 for $540 installed, including tax (tirerack sells them for $110 apiece). I would have gotten 5, but I don't have the matching chrome wheel on the spare, so I'll keep the Wilderness on there because I hopefully will never need it. I will let you know how I like them!
  • kreykrey Member Posts: 41
    My wife's got a '99 with the SOHC engine and it vibrates, especially when in gear with the brake on (as in stopped at a light). It makes the exhaust shroud and chassis twang, and it feels like we're sitting on a "magic fingers" bed.

    The mechanic keeps trying to fix the twang(s), not the vibration which is causing it. There is obviously a rotating part out of balance somewhere. This dealer has been unable to fix just about everything we've asked him to under warranty, and it's really starting to irk me. The small stuff I can live with, but when other people in cars next to me have to roll up their windows to keep from listening to my "ill-tuned musical instrument"...enough is enough. This has not been a "fun" vehicle for us to own, and is the last ford product that will ever grace our driveway. (Don't ask about the others.)

    Could the flywheel be out of balance? What else would be rotating in this situation that would cause this? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    Try to go to another dealer.
  • darthpeckerdarthpecker Member Posts: 8
    Just dropped-off my 98 XLT for oil change & rotation. While waiting the Service Manager told me the mechanic heard my cam pretensioners clicking. Ford has issued a recall on them and is replacing the pensioners free of charge and when out of the factory warranty (51,000 miles on mine). If you paid to have this done at a Ford dealer, you can take your invoice to any dealer with your VIN; they can check on their Oasis system and have the warranty manger issue you a refund. After all the complaining about these pensioners, Ford finally stepped-up. Boards like this do help effect a change.

    To those looking at tires, I went with the Michelin LTX AT's Ride is better then the Deathstone ATs'. So, the Michelin LTX M&S must be like a cloud if they are for on-road use, because the ATs are such an improvement.
  • cuffeedcuffeed Member Posts: 4
    I just wanted to let you know that I have a 2000 Explorer limited AWD. It sucks!!!! I only have 11K miles and guess what! The "check engine" light is on! I am pissed! Why is there something that is always wrong with Explorers. I mean it really doesn't make sense.
    I have a 94 VW Jetta. It has 148K miles on it, and I have never had a major problem with it. I will be contacting Ford and giving them a peice of my mind.
    Pissed off,
    Donald
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    Rather than calling Ford and complaining, why dont you try to find out what is wrong first. The "check engine" light means that something is not working correctly and needs attention... it could be as simple as a loose connection to a sensor or as serious as low oil pressure. Since your vehicle has 11K miles, it will probably be fixed under warranty.
  • smily1smily1 Member Posts: 104
    I have a 98 XLT V8 AWD with 37k. No major problems. Just got back from the CA siera nevadas. Preformed flawlessly in the snow for the sixth time. I did have my fuel pump replaced under warranty. The idiots at ford gave it back to me with the fuel filler spout disconnected from the fuel tank. I didnt find this out until I stopped at a gas station and proceeded to pour fuel all over the ground! Any way, I did find that there has been a recall to recalebrate the computer to make it more sensitive to fuel system leaks. Come to find out after they preformed a diagnostic test of the fuel system (this was to make sure they fixed everything after their screw up) and found a fuel leak. They found that the plastic rim where the gas cap actually makes contact with the fuel port, had some scaring. This was enough to cause a fuel leak (vapor of course) and cause the system to turn on the check engine light. I hope this info can help any one with an elusive fuel leak that those "pros" at the dealer cant find. I still believe the exploder is a good product but with the poor service.
  • hawkwyndhawkwynd Member Posts: 1
    Oh those perpetual cam tensioner problems. Ford doesn't want to take responsibility for a faulty engine design. I had 41,000 miles on my '98 SOHC V6 when the cam tensioners became so loose it affected the mechanical sequence of the rest of the engine. New Engine Time. They connived and stalled and finally said they would give me a rebuilt one. HA! They did not have any because there are so many engines crapping out that I got a brand new 2000. Cost me $1,750.00 which I will take'em to court for. (Had it one year now, and seems to run ok still). THis is the last F.O.R.D. (Fixed Or Repaired Daily / Found On Road, Dead take your pick) that I will ever own. It took them so long to admit the Ford Probe engine problems that half of them were off the road (junk)and now they are stonewalling on the recall for their flagship product. Please, more people have to write the NHTSA. You do not want to be taken for a SAP. Just because you have you cam tensioner problems fixed it doesn;t mean your engine has not been damaged. You just may not realize it until you have other engine problems at higher milages.
  • brophbroph Member Posts: 85
    I have a 96 with the light on & 102K on it. Had mechanic replace 2 sensors & it sill came on. I read that a loose gas cap will also make it click on. I think that it is pretty stupid for the check engine light to come on, you bring it to a dealer pay $75 for a diagnostic test, only to find out you didn't put the gas cap on tight enough. Anyway it will stay on until the engine starts to run rough. My $.02.
  • ace10ace10 Member Posts: 137
    any ideas on this new problem.

    vehicle-97 explorer xlt 4.0 ohv, 32K miles.

    problem- severe moaning sound coming from under the hood. usually constant after warm up. can be stopped by revving the motor in neutral. occurs at all speeds. the sounds is emanating from the air filter box. our explorer has the canister type filter. some of the 4.0 ohv's apparently have a rectangular filter. i opened the box and inspected the filter. it was really bad. replaced with new motorcraft factory filter. cleaned out the loose debris in the box and stuck my hand down the snorkel toward the headlight. nothing there. carefully closed the canister back up and went for a test drive. noise still present, maybe a little less volume. we are talking about a sound so loud that drivers in other cars notice at stoplights.

    any ideas??? this has been a VERY troublesome explorer and this is probably the most annoying problem. replaced tranny, front driveshafts door seals..... all before 27K miles.

    ace
  • sickoffordsickofford Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Explorer XLT 4x4 purchased last January at 12,000 miles. Has 20,000 miles now. On three occasions have experienced difficulty cranking vehicle. On two previous occasions was finally able to crank and drive vehicle. However today vehicle would only crank if it was in the neutral position and throttle was being pressed. Tried to drive it around the block and it died on me around seven times. Left me stranded after work in a downtown parking lot. Called dealer and was referred to roadside assistance. What a joke. After being on the phone 40 minutes with them they said they would send a tow truck within 2 hours if I would wait to give them my keys. The dealership was only 7 blocks away. No way I'm waiting downtown in a fairly large city after dark for a tow truck. Anyway, has anyone experienced this problem? Discontented with Explorer, service, dealership and the whole experience. Don't get me started on the Firestone tires!!
  • smily1smily1 Member Posts: 104
    Thank the EPA for the strict guidelines on the fuel system. I must clarify that the gas cap was not the culprit in my case. It was the fact that there was scaring on the surface that made contact with the gas cap. This was repaired by using scotch bright to smooth the surface. If you try this yourself be sure not to allow any particles to fall into the filler spout. The recalebration of the computer system was to make it more sensitive to fuel system leaks by creating a vacume in the fuel tank and measuring its ability to hold it. If you have ford run a diagnostic, the system will show the specific problem and enable you to provide a fix yourself or by a preferred mechanic. Or you can buy your own ford code reader from most part stores (although I havnt had any experience with one).
  • ceaton1ceaton1 Member Posts: 1
    I have had the same problem with my 98 Explorer 4x4 4.0 SOHC since new. When RPM's reach 2600 or above (even on light acceleration) the engine will ping loudly. It used to only happen for the first 15 minutes or until the vehicle was "warmed up". then it would go away and I would notice a power increase. Now it never goes away no matter how far I drive. The check engine light has never come on. Is there any way to change the engine timing or enhance it. Resetting the computer has no effect. I have tried different 93 octane gas and still no change. Has anyone experienced this and if so what is the fix?
  • tomtwilitetomtwilite Member Posts: 12
    you've got the exact same problem i have. put in a new filter and it did nt help. as i said the dealer techs have heard it. they also cleaned everything up and nothing worked. the service rep suggested i drive it with the air cleaner housing strap unlocked. some help. nice to know i'm not the only one. man, it does get loud though.
  • ace10ace10 Member Posts: 137
    i had read you rpost and didn't really recognize it to be the same problem, but i'm now sure that it is. the strap is such a pain the butt that i was tempted to leave it off anyway. that can't possibly be a good solution at all. it could allow some nasty stuff directly into the combustion chambers. on a related note, we had the wilderness at's replaced today with michelins. got them at ward's going-out-of-biz sale. $70 per tire. the manager at my local garage who mounted the tires said that he had come across the moaning before. he mentioned that it was, and i can't remember it exactly, the sensor directly upstream from the air filter. i suppose some sort of air flow sensor. he said that it was very gummed up and cleaning it only worked for a couple of days. he ended up replacng it in his case. he said that i was alot of trouble to get to it. i'm gonna take a look tomorrow if it's warm outside.

    ace
  • helpyhelpertonhelpyhelperton Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I are seriously considering buying a nice '99 Explorer Sport that we found today. It has 32K miles on it and is clean and in what seems to be very good condition.

    I have skimmed through the majority of these posts and I cannot say that I am happy, but considering the number of Explorers on the road, something must "halfway" decent about them.
    I am not the best with cars and sometimes get taken advantage of by garages when they work of my car(s). What, if any, major, foreseeable problems should I expect with my potential new truck? I am not sure if the tires need replacing, I'll have to check that Monday, but I am curious if any repetitive problems have been found with the model I am looking at.

    Thanks-

    Zac
  • mountaineermanmountaineerman Member Posts: 1
    Krey, I have the same problem with a vibration at idle while in drive on my 99 Mountaineer w/4.0SOHC. This is also a problem on my friends 2000 Eddie Bauer. I've been to 2 dealers who say the same thing "they all do it and it can't be fixed". The only thing they do is take the pebbles out of the heat shields on muffler to quit the rattle, but don't do anything for the vibration itself. It is very annoying and had I known, I never would have bought one of these vehicles. Anyone considering buying one of these w/4.0SOHC should listen/feel for this noise/vibration as it is inherant in the design of the engine and doesn't have a fix.
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    While not mechanically inclined, I have been the proud (?) owner of 3 Explorers over the past 3 years. Here are some pearls I have to share from my experience...

    1) The SOHC engine is trash. While more powerful than the now obsolete OHV engine, it is certainly more troublesome. From a driver's point of view, it is a noisy engine, at times the groaning and vibration are enough to make you crank the stereo so you don't have to listen to it. Mechanically, it's problems are well documented. From the timing belt tensioners to emission problems, there are many.

    2) The ride leaves a lot to be desired. Whether it is body roll or the washboard sensation of braking on uneven pavement, the combination of the Firestone tires and the truck's suspension make for a rough ride. In an attempt at peace of mind, and to smooth out the ride on my current vehicle, I replaced the tires with Michelin Cross Terrain tires, a combination tread on the tires of all-season and all-terrain. These tires have only been on the market for 3 months, but the reviews on them are excellent. They offer better road traction, smoother quieter ride, and better fuel economy than the Wilderness tires. They will be the OEM tires on the 2002 re-designed Explorer. From what I've experienced with them so far, it is like night and day.
  • debozodebozo Member Posts: 1
    I had a '91 Explorer - the 4.0 engine cracked at 53k miles. Had to be replaced - out of warranty of course. My neighbor had a '94 Ranger with the same engine - same problem at about 60k miles. Are these V-6s still a problem or have they stopped cracking and blowing gaskets? Also is the V-8 a better engine? Thanks for any info.
  • lks3lks3 Member Posts: 3
    I offer my humble opinion as I have had a '96 with 84K miles on it and now have a 2000 with 45 K Miles on it (yes,45K on a 2000!). Although we are not talking about the same year, both of mine have been sports. On the '96, I had problems where my FWD light would come on and flash and not go off. If I pulled over and turned the car off, it would stop. Dealer was mystified and offered to tear apart x-fer case for $1,000 and let me know. Forget it! I also had that strange loud humming noise in cold weather people talk about. For a while, I thought it was a plane as I work near an airport.

    Now for the 2000. Same humming sound in cold weather. 4WD works fine on this one! Had two recalls (Wipers would come on spontaneously and now they have to put a governor on so it won't go over 110 MPH...Not that I planned on it!). It is comfortable to drive, but if the rear seats are down, you can't put the front seats back as far as possible. At 5'10" I find this a bit annoying. I'm also on my third armrest. They are cantilevered and chintzy and snap off. I don't know if the '99 is like this, but beware of that. If you lean too far onto it, you may have a problem.

    All in all, though, neither was really a bad car. I am extremely cautious in rain as both of mine have hydroplaned easily. I notice that it is when the engine shifts gears. I assume that the added burst of power to the drive wheels does this. I am not a wild driver, either. A friend with the same car who lives two states away experiences the same thing. It's worse in the 2000 than the '96. I'm waiting to see what the 2002 redesign is like before making any decisions.
  • brophbroph Member Posts: 85
    Thanks, they way this light comes on it probably would be in my best to buy one. I have to bring mine in for a recall on the sway control bars, & should have them diagnose it. I don't know, this thing just runs great I might just leave it alone. My personal feeling is in the catalytic converter. $$$$$$ I appreciate the input.
  • mjradinmjradin Member Posts: 1
    A friend put Edelbrock struts on his Suburban and its rides great. He did it to avoid body roll, nose dive, and general sloppiness in handling. He also did it to help in emergency maneuvering. Anyone heard of new struts as a way to reduce rollover risk?
  • tomtwilitetomtwilite Member Posts: 12
    like i said, good to know i,m not alone with that noise. that was a dumb response from the dealer. i've been inclined to think it's the MAF sensor all along. i change filters often so i don't know how they get gummed up. Can they be cleaned with some CARB CLEANER or some similar product or would this damage the sensor??? ALso on my 96 the 4wd lite on dash would flash and the case would not always shift to LOW. dealer said theres a small electric motor that makes transfer case shift to auto and low. he banged on motor with hammer for a temp fix until new motor came in. replaced under ext warranty so i dont know cost works ok now. as for TIRES. michelins ok but even before recall i replaced 235-75-15 goodyears with a DUNLOP 255-70-15 Touring LT . Called plus 0 sizing, hiway type M/S tread, wider stance. improved drivability and ride dramatically. more stable in turns. very good wet handling and stopping, quieter , smoother and even a tad better gas mileage. over 24 in of snow in chicago this yr and no trouble at all
  • rpeifferrpeiffer Member Posts: 3
    I've heard from a reliable source that Ford has extended the warranty on 97 Explode engines to 75K because of all the problems with them. Can anyone confirm this? I had to have my engine replaced at 56,000 because of the timing chain pensioner failing and causing engine damage.
  • ace10ace10 Member Posts: 137
    for the 4dr exploder with 235/75 15's would probably be 245/70 15, i think by going up 20mm on the width you may have done a 0 plus plus. just kidding! we got the michelin ltx m/s, i saw no reason to get the a/t's as the truck is painfully incapable for offroad anyway. 2 days in, and i think the michelins are much quieter and feel a bit more stable on turns. i'm looking forward to much beeter gas mileage with the highway tread over the stupid/useless a/t tread.

    i didn't get a chance to look at the mass air flow sensor. i don't have a shop manual... it must not be a flapper kind. hard to picture what's going on up there. anyone know the cost of a new sensor???? it look to have a harness plugged into it, so it must be at least $100 to $150.

    ace
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    Ford has extended a portion of the warranty for only selected parts. The Parts covered under the additonal warranty are:
    Timing Chain Tensioners
    Lower manifold gasket

    The warranty covers vehicles up to 72,000 or 6 years.
  • bri66bri66 Member Posts: 220
    Has anyone gone to an arbitration hearing on a new vehicle? I am in the process of filling out an arbitration request form for my 2000 Explorer. In the past 13 months I have had hose clamps replaced, a complete engine replacement, and the replacement engine has been torn apart and new head gaskets have been installed. I sent a final repair attempt request to Ford two weeks ago and they have made no attempt to contact me. The dealership has broken communication with me by claiming they had referred me to a regional Ford representative, but that was a month ago and to date no attempt has been made. The engine's trash, the oil pan is full of water and anti-freeze. Any suggestions from prior lemon seekers on what I should expect from an arbitration hearing? I think I have been more than patient long enough.

    Thanks
    Bri66
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    Here is what I have learned from dealing with problem vehicles with Ford.

    -Be sure you have obtained the lemon law which pertains to your state.

    -Be sure you follow this to the "letter of the law" - i.e. wording of your letter, sending it directly to Dearborn, MI; sending it certified mail.

    -In NJ where I live, I remember there was a stipulation to the law which automatically proclaimed you the winner of your case provided you had written and mailed the letter according to the law's provisions and the manufacturer had not contacted you/made a repair attempt within a certain amount of time.

    -Be open to possibilities. In my case (problems not as severe as yours sound), Ford offered me a high trade in value and a low price on a trade in (I got my new truck for $3700 including tax/title). The downside to this was perhaps I could have fought it more and won, and would not have had to spend anything. The upside was I could have fought and lost, and they might have taken their offer off the table. Instead I had a new vehicle and was rid of "my problem child" rather cheaply.

    Keep in mind, Ford will try pretty much anything to not have the truck labeled a "lemon". If the vehicle is termed a lemon by law (in NJ), they must replace it, and then the vehicle gets the word lemon attached to its history. A double loss for Ford, as they give a car away for free, and have a documented problem vehicle on their hands.

    Be patient and good luck (sorry for the length of the post)

    PS...Will be driving around in the snow/ice/slush this weekend in a Ford Escort as the Explorer is in the body shop courtesy of a rear end crash. Should be fun!!!
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    You should really be talking with an attorney, since the amount of money in question is substantial and you have got to know that Ford has its attorneys working on 1,000's of these every year!
  • eddiejobobeddiejobob Member Posts: 3
    hi all, I purchased a 94 ford exp. in 1996 with 28k on it. since then I've put in two trannies, a fuel pump, two ignitions coils, two different ABS boards, a rear windshield wiper motor, and an all new brake system (the original had rust damage.) most was covered by an extended warranty but it seems excessive to me, my previous cars were a toyo and vw with only a starter and clutch replaced collectively in over 200k miles. the point is: I can relate to all the woes mentioned here. at 85k I need to decide soon if I should buy a replacement or simply stick with my ford in hopes that I don't have a 3000$ engine problem. Question: what is your most reliable vehicle that you wouldn't hesitate to buy again?
  • jdu25jdu25 Member Posts: 1
    Hi all, I'm currently looking at buying a 98 explorer XLT with the V8. I've been reading the troubles people have been having with the V6/SOHC. I was just wondering if anyone has any input on the V8 engine, are people finding the same problems with all the ford explorer engines?
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    The 5.0 V8 is a better performing engine than the SOHC V6, with approx the same HP. I think it is a version of the V8 that they put in the Crown Victoria and the Mustang. The biggest difference is the failure rate of the V8 is significantly less than the V6. Its a tight fit in the explorer, but you probably guessed that. The tranny is a light duty tranny that they put in the Crown Victoria...

    The V8 is a gas guzzler though. Be prepared for mpg numbers in the low teens.
  • rcopelandrcopeland Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my Explorer XLT new in 1998. Immediately after purchase the transmission dumped its fluid out. The dealer repaired it and the following day it did it again. They finally repaired it correctly. Now with 70,000 miles on it the front axle seals started a high pitch squeal from 0-30 mph. There was a TSB concerning this problem so apparently I am not the only one having trouble. I had this repaired and while they were changing the seals they noticed that both front and rear differential seals were leaking. (I have never owned a car that had a differential leak) now I have paid for two to be replaced. Another problem is that if you park with the engine downhill with 1/4 tank of gas or less it will not start. You first have to get it level.(there is a TSB concerning this problem also) I emailed Ford concerning these problems and they were very sorry that I was having problems but could only offer directions to a dealer and emotional support as the car was out of warranty. Today I received a letter from ford stating that they had extended the warranty for the timing chain and lower intake gasket to 72,000 miles. Mine has 73,000 I wonder if I can make it to the Isuzu dealer to trade it on a Trooper before it breaks?
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    Part of the regular 4x4 maintenance is to have the hub seals and wheel cylinders repacked at 48,000 miles....check the service schedule.

    The gastank issue is a known bug in the fuel pump design since 1991. Even the owners manual says not to let the tank go below 1/4 full...because the engine may not start in the nose down position.
  • rcopelandrcopeland Member Posts: 2
    How do I know if my timing chain tensioner is going bad?
  • mazman1mazman1 Member Posts: 229
    It doesnt "go bad".. it either works, or it breaks off and the chain rattles in place, creating a loud diesel noise in the engine and a slight loss in accelleration.

    Be advised that the V6 SOHC has 4 (!!!) timing chains that can have problems in this regard.
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    I guess everyone got tired of ranting about the Firestone and cam tensioner issues.

    Ah, I am a content Explorer owner (so far with this one, that is.)
  • smily1smily1 Member Posts: 104
    I am also a very content explorer owner. I have had no major problems with my XLT V8 AWD with 38k. I have taken the thing into soft sand and deep snow and have never been stuck. Did have to help a Toy 4x4 at one time on a snowy trail. I have had problems with idiots at Ford Dealerships though.
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