2K Ford Explorer Sport Trac's - II

traction

Thanks for the tonneau cover update. I never even thought about Ford making the tonneau lock key be the same as the doors! Thats AWESOME! I always assumed it would have some other key that I would have to keep track of. I guess that also explains why the dealer has to handle the installation.

governor1f

Thanks for the web page info.

dberndt

stjng
"Does anyone know what the skid plates look like?"

If you look under the truck, you should see the skid plates covering the transmission. I am no mechanic, but I got down there and looked up at them. I think they cover the axles too. You will notice them if they are on there.
I have been told that I cannot get skid plates because they are on a material hold.

jimz2 - Thank you for the response!

Does anyone know what the real deal is on the 6CD in dash stereo? I am going to walk into my dealer tomorrow, but I want to be armed with some info first!

rjkunkle

I have the job #2 paper work scanned. They euate to 3MB. IF anyone wants them e-mailed to them send me an e-mail at bobkunkle@hotmail.com. The paperwork list the option packages and color avaiable for job #2. They also have the option codes that the dealers use to place the orders for the sport tracs.

psikomom

OK, HELP!!! Can anyone tell me how the alarm is supposed to work. After they activated the alarm I couldn't use my keypad on the outside door without the alarm activating (such a noise!!!) Sometimes it honks once when I lock it and and other times it honks 4 times. Also, the same when I unlock it, once sometimes and 4 times at others. So, how the heck is it supposed to work, you'd think they'd give a few instructions. I got a PT Cruiser a month before the Trac and that alarm is wonderful. I may be alarm disfunctional, but can someone enlighten me on this. Thank you I'm a honking fool!!

traction

An alarm is not a factory option (at least when I got my ST) did you get a dealer installed unit? Sounds like whoever installed it needs to look at it.

traction

I just found out from a Ford web site that the ST has an Electronic Brake Distribution system. It says the EBD system "uses ABS sensors to electronically vary front to rear brake pressure. EBD helps to adjust to different surfaces and to varying loads".

This is an advancement over regular 4 wheel ABS. I presume this system is in lieu of a fixed proportioning valve for front-to-rear braking and helps optimize the required amount of pressure front-to-rear instead of relying on a fixed pressure that is provided by the usual proportioning valve.

I guess this might help explain why the ST has such short braking distances as measured by Motor Trend and Truck Trend magazines....somewhere in the 120s to 130 feet for 60-0.

rbstern1

Hi all. Great topic, great information. Couple of questions:

- What does the payload package do for you besides increase the gross vehicle weight? Any change to the ride and handling of the vehicle?

- Anybody towing with an ST? I want to pull a 3300 pound bass boat with it, and wondering how it does.

Rich

renonevada

Thanks for the info on the ARE fiberglass tonneau cover. I have already printed out my $20 coupon to be used in ordering my cover. Let me know what you think about your top once it is installed. I have installed a smoked bug deflector shield and four smoked window shields on her truck. They are made by Premier Design and they look great!

Here is a link to a company called AstroCap that makes some really premium truck caps. The pics are of a white 2001 Explorer Sport Trac (identical to my wife's). It looks good and should give y'all an idea of how the truck will look with a cover (truck cap). Enjoy your rides.

http://www.astro-cap.com/products/ASTRO_NEW.htm

traction

For those of you have received the factory tonneau
already, does the Ford tonneau cover wrap around
the sides of the bed like the ARE tonneau pictured
in the link above, or does it just cover the top,
horizontal part of the bed? Are the tie down hooks on the outside of the bed still exposed and
useable or covered by the tonneau cover? thanks

sporttrac1

Got my factory cover on and it looks good...One of the reasons we chose it over any solid cover is it is built in and not added on...You don't remove the outside tie-downs,it has the ability to be raised up at either end,you can raise up the front and access things at the front of the box through the back window...Impossible with A.R.E. it locks at both ends...The end by the tailgate can be folded completely back and flat against the front half...there are attached bungee cords to secure it down...it sits on the sides of the box above the six tie-downs on the flat part of the bed rails...the solid ones just don't have the versatility the ST was designed for... Hope this makes it a little more clear...

pennyless2

Is the factory tonneau water tight, or will rain leak in? Have any of you purchased the tonneau from Ford after you took delivery of your Sport Trac? How much, and did they install it? THANKS!

mkazarian1

Does the Ford original lid cover come in black only? I know the other manufactures paint there lids to the exact color of the ST. It would seem, except on a black ST, that the black color would stand out and not really look like a complete package. This is only my opinion, Merl.

zack1000

pennyless---Most everyone has purchased the tonneau cover after delivery through the Ford special mail offer to ST buyers at a price of $599. I haven't seen anyone say they've got the tonneau cover at the time of delivery.

Mkazarian1---As far as I know there is no color choice on the Ford cover---black is the only color.

pennyless2

How do you get the special mail offer? Ford hasn't sent me anything, no director's chairs, pocket knife, or cookies! Oh well.....

traction

If you did not receive a letter about the offer (which I did not) you can call the number that was mentioned in previous posts and they will check your VIN number and send you a letter within 2 weeks if you are eligible. I'm not sure when the cutoff date for eligibility will be. I called a week ago and am still waiting for the letter

bennb

I believe the cutoff date for the tonneau offer is September 30th. I think the fact that black will be the only color offered is a good thing. A color matched cover wouldn't look good on this type of tonneau in my opinion--then again I haven't even seen it in person yet!

zack1000

penneyless---

You'll want to make sure you call Ford and get your letter for the cover if you haven't received it. The $590 offer includes the cover, freight, taxes and install. The price of the cover alone will cost a lot more if you order through the parts department, plus you'll have to pay the tax, etc, on top of that.

goosemyster

What has everyone done about getting there gas lid to keep from hitting? My dealer has ordered a new lid fro me but I don't think that is going to do it. They have three other st's and I went by today just to see if they hit also and they all three did the same. HELP!!!!!!

wlukus

I had Sport Trac to the dealer June 14th and 21st for repair of the gas lid. The first visit they tried to adjust the gas lid door and the second visit they replaced the entire assembly only to find out that the problem was in the design. The Dealer told me to call the #800 in the front of my owners manual or if I waited until the Rep. from FoMoCo stopped at the dealership they would forward the problem.I called the #800 on July 3 and I was told that in 2 days I would get a responce from my local dealer on how they would handle the problem. I now have called the dealer twice and they know nothing !!!

shiue1

On the A.R.E. cover, you don't have to remove the outside tie-downs to put the cover on, unlike the one from Astro-Cap (see link above from renonevada) I personally like the A.R.E.'s look better with the color matching.

jetski

Someone remind me that all good things are worth the wait. ST ordered on June 5th, built week of July 20th (got the VIN# today) and delivery is schedule "around" week of August 14th. 3 weeks? I'm hoping they are just adding extra time to cover their XXXXX and I'll be pleasantly surprised if it arrives early. We'll see.

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences during the purchasing process. It has kept me informed and sane.

jetski

Someone remind me that all good things are worth the wait. ST ordered on June 5th, built week of July 20th (got the VIN# today) and delivery is schedule "around" week of August 14th. 3 weeks? I'm hoping they are just adding extra time to cover their XXXXX and I'll be pleasantly surprised if it arrives early. We'll see.

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences during the purchasing process. It has kept me informed and sane.

rjkunkle

I ordered my ST 3/16/00, built 4/18/00, delivered 5/10/00.

bauguss

I have one on order also. No build date scheduled yet. What options did you have on yours?

marq

Our brakes failed about two weeks after taking delivery. It has been in the shop a week with no end in sight because Ford won't or can't deliver the "booster" needed for repairs. Has anyone experienced the problems outlined by me in the following letter sent to the head of marketing?:

Dear Mr. Molchany:

Since you are in charge of marketing this vehicle, you should be interested in the fact that Ford cannot supply parts. We had our Ford Explorer Sport Trac slightly over a week when the brakes went out while my wife was driving it on our driveway. At a speed 5 miles an hour, applying the brakes caused the vehicle to slowly coast to a stop. If she had been on the highway, she would have been in a serious accident.

Neither before nor after the brake failure did the emergency brake light come on. When I asked the service manager why the light did not come on, he said it was “because you had some brakes -- -- -- if there were none the light would have come on.” If this is true, then there is a serious and dangerous defect in the vehicle because the warning brake light is useless. It only comes on when there is a total failure?

My real purpose in writing this is that my car has been in the shop for a full week with no end in sight and I am told that the dealer cannot get the “booster” for the brake system. My complaint is not with the dealer, who has been very cooperative. It is with Ford. It is incredible that Ford cannot supply it’s dealers with parts for new vehicles. Any mom and pop retail store in the country can deliver goods within two days by either UPS or FedEx. When I called the service number for Ford, I was told that my service manager was the best one to deal with this problem. This is ridiculous because the problem is that the service manager cannot get the part from Ford—which I clearly stated was the reason why I was calling Ford....

rjkunkle

Call your service manager and ask him to get a hold of yuor district/regional rep. and that they need to get the part from the factory or vendor.
I had a PATS module go bad the 2nd week I had my truck. FOrd, in michigan, did not have any of the part so they had the vendor ship one out overnight. Took a week to get the truck back, but they got it fixed. Nag and bug them to get it fixed.

Good Luck

mrbmw

kinda funny that someone mentions brakes going out because after having 16,000 miles on mine already, they are grinding like im down to nothing with brakes. i scheduled it to go get check so if anyone is interested in the results, email me and i can tell you what it is if you are having the same problems.

dolphins66

Your wait is nothing to what many have posted including me. My husband and I ordered our ST late February and did not receive our ST until the last Friday in May. And YES, it IS worth the wait even with all of the silly problems.

mrbmw

just to inform current and future sport trac owners, my speedometer is off my 3 miles per hour which is resulting in more miles reading on the tack than i am really driving!! so next time you go on a trip on the express way, check the miles markers and or check your speed the next time you go through a radar in town that tells your speed! especially if you are leasing!!!

fordsporttrac

Yep mine is about 2-3 MPH off too. It reads 60 when I'm actually going 57-58. Could be the bigger rims/tires causing the difference.

BUT I haven't verified that the odometer clocks the mile wrong. I'll have to check it out next time I'm on the Hwy. It could just be a needle error.

However if your correct and the mile is short, at 3 miles per hour error, that would work out to a 500 mile error every 10,000 miles at 60 MPH. Humm but who can do the math on this cuz as speed decreases the error rate increases if the error rate remains constant through out the speed curve.

If you do clock the mile you'll need to verify it at more than one speed to confirm a consistent error rate. If the error rate is consistent than that points towards a needle error and not an odometer error.

If its only a needle error it may save you a speeding ticket. :-)

sportee

Yesterday the ABS light went on solid on my ST and stayed on during the rest of the drive. Next trip the same day, the light did not go on, and hasn't since. The same thing used to happen in my 96 Windstar. Maybe just a Ford brake "feature"? I'm waiting for a part to come in (I won't hold my breath!), so I'll wait until then to ask about the brakes. So far my ST has had every reported problem except the low speed "shake", purchased mid April.

ayres7

Received my ST on July 21 and am very impressed by the comfortable ride and unique features Ford has built into this vehicle. Like alot of you, the underside on 3 of the 4 door have not been painted, and my gas door rubs on the side of the truck. The dealer has said he will correct these problems this week.
My question concerns the ability to tow a trailer with the rear tailgate down, and the cargo cage extended.I was intending to haul a small trailer
while carrying a dirt bike in the back with the cargo cage extended. Is this possible???

londonscott1

Melvint - Tonneau (ton-o') is French - it is the word for barrel.

I'm not getting much help from my dealer on this one -- I factory ordered last Monday (17 July) Any on with similar timimg have any idea as to when I should expect a VIN, build and delivery date?

traction

I measured my speedometer by using my onboard Trimble GPS receiver. At 60 mph indictated, my GPS says I am going 60.3 mph. At 30 mph indicated, my GPS displays 31 mph.

mraff

I have read about 1000 of the various comments and questions about the ST over the last 4 months,

My ST has just clock 8000 miles, its a 4 by 2 with leather. I purchased it off the lot and paid $1300.00 off sticker on 4/4/00. I traded in a 96 Dodge Dakota ex/cab SLT and could'nt be happier.

Here now is the good and the bad for thoose who are keeping score.

1, I too have a shimmy in the steering
2, The Roof leaked. (Thanks to all, My service manager also thanks you)
3, My single cd radio as well as all 4 speakers have been replaced. The pre amp failed and blow the speakers.
4, The bottoms of my front doors have not been painted.
5, The motor in the rear window has been replaced. It froze after 3 weeks.


Thats the bad, now for the good

1, Added a Hidden Hitch receiver, $120.00
2, The Soft Tonneau from Ford was a breeze to install. ( I will order the hard cover now that I received the letter). The soft one will go into storage.
3, Ed from Ford is a stand up guy, Thanks for listing to all of us.
4, The leather seats cleanup great ( I have a little one).
5, Gas milage is around between 17city and 20 highway. You can't ask for better in NYC.

bigtoe52

After 2 months of searching the internet, chat rooms, etc. I finally found the truck I ordered April 6, 2000 on July 24, 2000 with no assistance from Ford. I did all the research myself and low and behold I finally hit on what I truly wanted to begin with. The only problem is I have to figure out how to get the truck from Pennsylvania to Texas. Does anyone know someone in the transportation business?

hciaffa

I don't have a ST but I have a Ranger and I follow this group with interest as I may purchase an ST in the future.. Those of you having the brake problem.... this is a serious defect that should be brought to the attention of the NHTSA. Go to there site, nhtsa.dot.gov and go to the safety problem reporting site and post your problem. There seem to be a lot of people with the brake problem as well as the steering shimmy which can result in future steering problems. Both problems can create a nasty unexpected result. Maybe if the Gov gets enough complaints it will get Ford to get off their [non-permissible content removed] and correct the problems now and not after someone gets killed and law suits start piling up.

hakkapeliitta

May 30, 2000 Placed Order at 100.00 Below Dealer Invoice

4X2 Sport Trac W/Payload, Convenience Group, Leather Comfort Group-Graphite, T-Cover, Estate Green.

June 5, 2000 DORA accepted by ford, on hold till June 16 for T cover

June 26, 2000 Order Submitted to plant again w/ T-cover

June 30, 2000 Order on hold-Due to Job 2 changes, Estate Green no longer available with Graphite Leather. Change to Silver Metallic w/graphite leather.

July 5, 2000 Order Submitted to plant with color change.

July 20, 2000 On hold again, due to leather seats. Told will be resolved in the next week.

I'll keep you updated.

traction

Has anyone upgraded their ST tires? If so, how big of tires have you put on?

m_bazz

Purchased my Sport Trac last Friday. I love this truck. Thanks to Edmunds and everyone here, I believe I made the right decision and got it for a good price. After some negotiating, I finally got the dealer to sell the truck for $300 over invoice, but… sense I’m a recent college grad, Ford is giving me a $400 rebate!! Which brings me to $100 under invoice.

My Sport Trac was on the lot. It’s Toreador Red with dark graphite interior with convince and cloth comfort options. So far no vibration in the steering, but do have the gas door problem and just remembered now to check the paint under the doors.

Will keep everyone posted.
Thanks
Mike

shiue1

I put on 31X10.5R15 BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A on my ST. It raises the truck by a couple of inches. It looks alot better than the stock firestone tires I had on there before. The fit is pretty tight with 31X10.5R15s in there. I'm not sure if you can go any bigger than 31s.

jcaustin

How is everyone who is replacing their tires doing this? Do you negotiate with a tire dealer to exchange your tires? I would also like to replace the tires when I get my ST (in a week or two) but can't imagine just tossing the factory tires and paying retail for a new set. Thanks.

shiue1

You can try to negotiate with tire dealers. Most won't exchange them at the retail value. To them its used tires. Most places will only give you $25.00 a tire. You might be able to sell them yourself for a better price. I got my tires from America's Tire Company and they gave me $125 for the 5 tires(4 plus spare). You can also try and see if the Ford Dealer will give you a discount on the price of the ST if you buy new tires yourself and bring it in to have them put it on. My Ford Dealer wouldn't do it.

db36

A while back someone posted a name of a salesman they dealt with at Findlay Ford. Can you repost it? What kind of deal did he get for you? Looking to head there in the next few days. Thanks!

ant_trac

I just ordered my ST on July 24, 2000. I oredered the 2x4, black, Confort-Conv-Sport group w/ Moon Roof, Cargo Cage, Hard Cover Tonneau Cover, and 6 disc CD.

1) I want to upgrade my order from a 2x4 to a 4x4 is it to late?
2) My dealer gave me a great deal and assured me there I will get my ST in 6-8 weeks w/ Hard Tonneau Cover... is he feeding me BS?
3) Do any one know any body with the Hard Cover? Does it leak?
4)Do you think people who ordered their ST by this date will see the same problems with the Gas Door, Steering, and sunroof.

I love reading thees emails but some of them makes me interested in a extended warranty!!

dovette2001

ok, purchased 4x4, white, totally loaded except moonroof, and leather,.. and now have 8100 miles on it, took it back country driving in the badlands and black hills of South Dakota for vacation,.. she did GREAT,.. just wanted to let you know, no more shimmey, i was told by a mechanic friend that it takes up to 10,000 miles for everything to really loosen up properly, and so far so good,... NO door scrapeing, but some of my slots of my 6-CD player has trouble taking the disks, have to try several times. brake light came on once and stayed on, turned off truck, restarted and it was off, no problems since, bottome of 2 doors are NOT painted, back doors when closing sounds as if they hit something, not catching very well, and the truck bed rattles like crazy now, only notice it when i have the back window down, speakers don't sounds very good, infact, i get the feeling, it's hard to describe here, but has if something has "blown", kind fuzzy, rattle sound at times,. turn signal will NOT engage unless totally straight, so have my appointment to have these all resolved hopefully for August 8th, couldn't get it in before that, has i use my ST, ALOT for work,
Also, a while back someone had mentioned no trim around roofing material inside, where it meets the front window, has anybody looked into that, to see if there is SUPPOSE to be one???? would like to know, because if it is, then i NEED to get them to put one on,....
STILL LOVING my ST, she's a beauty, just have been waiting FOREVER for my personalized plates to come in, arrrrrghhhh.

dolphins66

Dovette, you posted: "Also, a while back someone had mentioned no trim around roofing material inside, where it meets the front window, has anybody looked into that, to see
if there is SUPPOSE to be one????"

My guess is NO, there isn't supposed to be one. There isn't any trim in our '95 Explorer and never has been in any of the others that we've owned. Also, have a friend with a 1999 and 2000 4-door Explorer and there is no trim on either of them. Incidentally, there has never been a problem with the roof liner falling out either so there is no need for the trim, I suppose.

governor1f

Does anyone know the web page address for A.R.E.

I'm looking for a top for the ST

Thanks

shiue1

www.4are.com

ARE currently only have the LSII line(tonneau cover) available for the ST. they are suppose to come out with the Z line (caps) somtime soon.