Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

1115116118120121125

Comments

  • chandykchandyk Member Posts: 17
    99 XLT, 83K, all maintenance up to date.

    Driver's front speaker no longer makes a sound. Took it to Best Buy, the speaker is fine. They claim its something with the radio.

    Anything I can do? Potential cost of the repair?

    Thanks!
  • wd1950wd1950 Member Posts: 1
    I replaced the motor on my front wiper assembly and I am now having trouble replacing this assembly. Is there a secret way of twisting it in? Please help?
  • ajmtbmajmtbm Member Posts: 245
    air bag light stays on all the time.

    2002 limited with 75,000 miles

    any idea what this might be / what this might cost me?

    is this a dealer only repair or can maybe my local mechanic take a look?
  • latedatelatedate Member Posts: 3
    I own an 1999 Ford Explorer and I have 20" chrome rim on it. No problem yet
  • latedatelatedate Member Posts: 3
    My overdrive light is blinking on and off after driving awhile. when I stop and restart the engine, it goes off and then after driving for awhile it start to blink again. Do I need anew transmission?
  • latedatelatedate Member Posts: 3
    So what did you do to fix you problem? My O/D light started blinking this weekend.
  • rcamp2rcamp2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1995 with the O/D light flashing - it also is not shifting between 1st & 2nd properly. Any ideas?
  • mark24vmark24v Member Posts: 3
    Hi this is my 1st post on here i have 98 explorer V6 4.0 L 188,000 kms .now i live in Saskatoon Canada SK so it has hard winter driving up here my problem in the last week as we are starting to get warmer weather when i turn down the heater or turn off the heater the temp gauge goes up to the top and check gauge light comes on but if i turn the heat on it goes back to normal. With the heat on it runs ok and temp is normal in all driving highway or city . I have owned it for 2years have had oil changes at 5,000 kms but not had coolant changed.
  • mrandy62mrandy62 Member Posts: 5
    although I don't have a '98, I'd guess you need to replace your thermostat. It should be fairly easy to do, and one of the cheapest things to check first. The thermostat is located at the engine block end of the top hose of your radiator. Just make sure you don't install the new one upside down (pay attention to the arrow stamped on the thermostat for coolant flow), replace the gasket and you'll be good to go. Running the water/coolant through your heater core helps dissipate the heat built up when you turn the heater "on".
  • analysisoranalysisor Member Posts: 3
    First time here, appreciate your kind replies.

    I do not move my 07 Explorer much now and it only has 2000 miles on it, however, this is already my 5th month of ownership. My dealer keeps reminding me of the 5000 mile maintenance, but my mileage is way under that now. What would you suggest?

    I plan to get the first maintenance done in the 6th month and all I plan to do is to change the oil. My dealer told me they recommend a maintenance plan that would cost me $170 minimum every time of maintenance, which includes a comprehensive check-up on top of the oil change. Should I go with what my dealer suggests or should I just change oil until 15000?

    Thanks.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I think your owner's manual (link) says to change the oil at 5,000 miles or 180 days, so your plan is sound. There's some other recommended checks at six months.

    But, if it were me, I'd wait 12 months before changing the oil. :shades:

    Dealers make a lot of money on service visits, so beware of upsells you may not need.
  • jwilli03jwilli03 Member Posts: 1
    I just recently got a 97 ford explorer and the check engine light is on i took for a diagnostic test and the machine read P406 Evap System. Is this a bad thing. Can someone explain this to me
  • mark24vmark24v Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for that will try that over the weekend.
  • analysisoranalysisor Member Posts: 3
    Thanks so much. I was a little upset when my dealer told me to pay $170 min each of maintenance.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Go to a shop (like Auto Zone, or independent, or dealer) and have them scan the code. IT'll tell you what's broken. May not be that bad.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    RTFM. The Owner's manual has scheduled maintenance for at least 100,000 miles, and I think up to 150,000. Read it, follow it. It's the best you can do. If you don't have the owner's manual, you can buy them in many places - ebay for one.
  • andy_andy_ Member Posts: 3
    just bought a 2001 limited and the aircon and the indicators are not working
    they did but my chick played with something, i had racv come look at it, they couldnt explain it, im getting it looked at tomorrow if you have any ideas give us a holla
  • mark24vmark24v Member Posts: 3
    Hi just to let you know put new thermostat and had the coolant change and its done the trick running great now thanks for your help. Mark
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,250
    rotate the tires every 5-6k. they will last a lot longer. i usually do oil change\tire rotation every 5k. every 15k fuel filter too. that is just what i do.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • mrandy62mrandy62 Member Posts: 5
    glad it did the trick!
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    My '93 Explorer with 200,000+ miles wont start today. Parked it yesterday, and went outside to move it to wash it, and it just cranked and cranked. Not even a sputter.

    Any ideas?

    The fuel pump is newer so i dont see why that would go out so soon.
  • mrandy62mrandy62 Member Posts: 5
    I have a '92 Explorer with 300k+ miles. About 6 mo. ago same thing happened to me. Check the ground (negative) wire coming off your firewall/wheel-well mounted solenoid to your starter. This is about a #8 ga wire, small in comparision to your battery cables. It may be corroded, broken or have a bad terminal end. In my case it had the insulation worn off on a section directly under the oil pan which had taken some obvious direct hits from road debris, and the subsequent corrosion build-up impeded the voltage needed to start the engine even though the starter spun. It's an easy fix from the hardware store - less than $10 and your back on the road again. Hope this helps.
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    You will need to start by checking the basics:
    Do you have ignition to the spark plugs? Pull off a spark plug wire and check to see if you have good spark.
    If you have good spark at all the plugs, then the next thing to check is fuel pressure. Check to see if you have fuel pressure on the fuel rail. There should be a valve on it like a tire valve, if you remove the cap and depress the core slightly, fuel should shoot out into your shop towel. Be careful to not start a fire when checking this. If you think the fuel pressure may be low, you can check it with a fuel pressure guage, the fuel pressure should read about 35 to 45 lbs with key on, engine off, and 30 to 35 lbs with engine idling.
    If you have spark and fuel in the rail. it may be possible that the computer shut of the fuel injectors, I have seen some security systems do this, they will usually display some type of security warning light on the dash if this happens.
    Let us know what you find.
  • gyatesgyates Member Posts: 55
    Have you resolved this issue? My '97 is doing the same thing and the Circuit City people think it is the head unit as well. I have read elsewhere that sometimes the amp can cause this issue to happen too.
  • 70ss454_man70ss454_man Member Posts: 107
    Thanks for the input, but there's no need. Fired right up today on the first crank!

    Sometimes I hate electronics...
  • electricdesignelectricdesign Member Posts: 681
    Lucky You!
    It sounds like you have a loose connection somewhere.
    If it didn't start before, it may not start again at some point in time.
    Check your wiring and connectors to be sure all the connections are clean and tight.
  • gyatesgyates Member Posts: 55
    Follow-up. I pulled the trim in the right rear of the vehicle to get to the amp. Wiring at the connector was a little loose. Pushed connector back tight into the amp and now all speakers are working correctly. I hope this has resolved the issue for me, and I hope this helps others.
  • chandykchandyk Member Posts: 17
    good to hear you fixed yours. Mine is still not working. I'll take it to my mechanic and see if he can do the same thing you did.

    Thanks!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    You're obviously one of those people who think their car should never break, ever. I'm sorry your transmission failed - wonder what the transmission warranty is on the Honda Pilot? The Honda is probably a better machine - but lacks a lot against the Explorer in strength, features, quietness and luxury.

    Personally, I hate the Ford 6 speed transmission that is in the current Explorer. I've been fighting to make one work right in two of them, an 06 and an 07. But - other than that, the trucks are awesome. And I realize that they're machines, and stuff breaks on all of them.

    The Pilot may be indeed better overall - but I just don't like the feel of them. They're such a tall Accord. Anyway, that's how I feel.
  • wuppawuppa Member Posts: 1
    I have 2004 Ford Explorer XLT. Toward the end of year 2007 my gear shift level just broke off, but I am driving around the car without any problems. It might be inconvenient for some, but basically what you have to do is have a mechanic pull off the covering on the steering column, and remove the broken gear shift level. You can then manually push forward and pull backward on the level on the right side of the steering column with your thumb and index finger. I don't find it that hard, but beats not being able to drive at all. I was told that there is no replaceable parts on the steering column except the gear shift level. In regard to not being able to pull out the keys, there is little metal piece that you can lightly depress with your finger and you should be able to pull the key out. Hope this helps for anyone frustrated with it.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    wow...that is quite the 'workaround'. Not sure I could be satisfied with that fix, but I applaud your ingenuity.
  • frangebfrangeb Member Posts: 1
    I have a 4-door, 6 cyl. '02 Explorer with about 48,000 miles on it. On a recent trip a warning light came on on the panel saying "Service Engine Soon". The only obvious symptom of trouble was that the engine would stumble like it was going to stall when I slowed down for a stop sign. However, it never did actually stall and there were no other trouble signs. I drove another 300 miles or so in getting home with no problem . I took the Explorer to a reliable independent repair shop that did an electronic diagnosis and came up with a Code P1151 (if I'm reading the service invoice correctly) which corresponded to "unmetered air", an air leak, at the intake plenum (again, if I'm reading the invoice correctly). The service technician was not sure of his interpretation of the code.

    Has anyone had a similar experience? What was the final diagnosis and how much did it cost to fix it?
  • gator_fangator_fan Member Posts: 1
    The instrument panel lights on my '04 Expl recently started to flicker - literally off... on...off/on....off....off....off... now back on. During this madness, the headlights are fully operable - no issue. CD player continues playing while dash lights are off - no issue. The clock on the CD player remains shining bright. Battery - brand new. I didn't try manually altering the dash panel lights while they were off, but works fine while they're on.

    Since nothing is dim or has been dimming, and seemingly "all" of the other electrical components are working, I can't figure out if it really is an alternator problem. Any suggestions?
  • egyptgerryegyptgerry Member Posts: 22
    Hi there ,got a 97 ford explorer and it suddenly has no bottom gear,i can drive it in 2 and drive but if i start in drive nothing happens just a faint noise from the box,any ideas Guys
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    It's not a systemic problem, it's a problem isolated to your panel lights. The fix, however, isn't cheap nor easy. The panel will probably need replacement. The only other possibility is a faulty reostat on the dimmer for the panel lights. That would be easier. This is a very very rare problem, but I'm sure that's not comforting, sadly.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Be sure an check the Honda Pilot Maintenance & Repair board, and take note of the people accessing their state's Lemon Laws regarding their PIlots......you may need to do the same.
  • cathilcathil Member Posts: 1
    Hi I have a 2002 explorer, the service engine soon light came on and I hear a rattling noise maybe coming from under the hood, also its seems to be running a little jerky.
    thanks
  • egyptgerryegyptgerry Member Posts: 22
    It sounds like you need to get it into a service shop,Bye the way do people ever check the oil and water levels these days?The rattle you have ?well the Explorer has a timing chain but they dont give trouble on the newer ones,Have you looked under the hood to see if you can spot the rattle,Running Jerky well that can be a h/t lead braking down i know on the early Explorer 97/98 changing the spark plugs was like Night Mare on Elm Street.I honestly think that they where fitted before the Engine was into the car,
  • jmkuchenjmkuchen Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Explorer (87,000miles). there are times that it will run extremely rough, it is almost like is will stall out. It does this while driving and while idling. It is the worst when I am sitting at a stop sign or light. The check engine soon light comes on and off. some days it is on and others it is off. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing this. I have taken it and had it put on the computer. Usually it says system to lean, I have replaced 2 O2 sensors, spark plugs and wires, crank shaft sensor.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    The light is telling you that your engine is in trouble - the engine is running jerky, telling you that it is in imminent danger if FAILING!! Get that poor car to the dealer NOW, and have it checked out, before you do some irreparable damage to the car.
  • biomanbioman Member Posts: 172
    I just replaced the front rotors & pads on my daughter's 2002 Explorer XLT. Was looking for a way to adjust the parking brake. The 02 Explorer is quite different from my 99 XLT. Checked the www could find no reference for the parking brake adjustment on an 02 XLT. My 99 was a simple adjustment of the rear parking brake shoes. Did not find an adjustment slot on the 02. Thought I'd give this site a shot before going to purchase Chiltons.

    Thanks,

    Bioman
  • tulsahogtulsahog Member Posts: 64
    On a 4.6L V8, I started to change the coolant and discovered there is no radiator cap. The only place to add coolant is the plastic recovery bottle and it is pressurized.

    Can a DIY'er do this or does it require special tools and procedures? Fortunately, I had not drained the coolant. Did I overlook something? The manual only says to add coolant at the bottle.
  • egyptgerryegyptgerry Member Posts: 22
    Ok,first never try to open the recovery bottle when the engine is hot,To check and add coolant this has to be done when the engine is cold,Firsy check the level in the bottle it should be about half way up,There is a line on the bottle and if the coolant is low then just top it up via the recovery bottle,If it is half full and you need to add Antifreeze fluid then you need to let out come water from the Recovery bottle hose,Hope this helps.GERRY
  • tulsahogtulsahog Member Posts: 64
    Gerry, thanks for the reply but I know how to add coolant. I wanted to change ALL the coolant that I could drain out and replace with new coolant (50/50 mix). There is no cap on the top of the radiator, and it does not look feasible to refill through the plastic bottle.

    Called the dealer service dept and they said they remove the top radiator hose and pump out the coolant and replace it using their equipment. He could not tell me how to do it without this special equipment. For 50 yrs I have been able to simply change coolant in cars, but maybe this is a casualty of newer vehicle technology.

    Has anyone actually changed the coolant in their garage on this or a similar Explorer?
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Pressurized recovery bottles have been around since before 1985, when Jeep Cherokees had them, along with many other cars. They are new to Ford, but not to everyone. It is feasible to refill through the bottle, but also just as easy to disconnect that top hose and do it there. It will work the same as an open radiator cap.

    The pressure bottle is safer, less likely to burn you. Personally, I don't like them either, and don't trust them, but amazingly, they do seem to work and hold up well. Just one more thing to explode IMO, but as I said, they are quite common now.
  • tulsahogtulsahog Member Posts: 64
    Thanks, nvbanker.

    It looks like I could drain the coolant and refill thru the recovery bottle. There is about a 1" dia hose from the bottom of the bottle to the bottom of the radiator and a small overflow hose to the top of the radiator. The small hose goes into the radiator just above the top radiator hose. So, I should be able to refill thru the bottle and the overflow hose should be a vent for trapped air as the radiator fills. Looks like if the Exp is on level ground, I could fill up to the cold mark in the bottle, then run the engine and recheck after cooling down.

    Please advise your thoughts on this method. Looks like this would be easier than removing the top radiator hose. The local dealer wants $118 to flush and refill. I realize this method does not flush the system, but I have had a bad experience with flushing in the past. It caused a heater core leak on an earlier vehicle.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Well, ahem; here's what I would do. I would open the petcock on the bottom of the radiator, and stick the hose in the top of the water bottle. Run until clear. Start the motor then and run until clear again, then drain and refill with coolant. It'll take a while, but it will work.
  • tk99tk99 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 Explorer XLS. The door locks are not working properly. Both front doors do not reliably lock or unlock with the power door lock switch or the automatic lock. Both doors make a sound when the power door lock is activated but do not push the locking mechanism forcefully. Usually 3 or 4 tries with the switch are needed to get the door lock switch to move to the locked or the unlocked position. Has anyone else experienced this type of problem?
  • tulsahogtulsahog Member Posts: 64
    nvbanker, thanks again for you help. I drained the coolant and refilled per your instructions. Since only about 1/2 the system capacity drains, due to that in the engine, it is a guessing game as to how much full strength coolant to add. I guess if you could flush all the old stuff out, then you can determine that easily.

    One question came to mind. If I need to add more full strength to get to the right concentration, looks like I would need to drain the mixture until well below the bottom of the water bottle, then increase amount of full strength on refilling.

    Maybe a dumb question, but it looks like the coolant in the bottle doesn't get mixed with the rest, but is maintained at the level that is in the radiator and engine?
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Since only about 1/2 the system capacity drains, due to that in the engine, it is a guessing game as to how much full strength coolant to add. I guess if you could flush all the old stuff out, then you can determine that easily.

    Well, that's why I run the engine with the hose in and the petcock open until it runs clear - THEN I add full strength coolant, and "guess" it to be about 50/50 at that point. Is that what you did?
Sign In or Register to comment.