Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

masonmi

You mentioned you just had the 60,000 maintenance done, did this occour after the maintenance was done? how did they service your tranny at the 60,000 maintenance point? could this have been something the dealer may have caused?

sjk1

Good point. I'll look at the bill and see what they did. It could be related.

masonmi

I remember seeing in some old old postings on this topic or a related topic that isn't around anymore about explorer problems, most people said their tranny failed not to long after the O/D light started flashing, it just seems strange the O/D light would come on if it occured after the maint. work was done.

bri66

I am on my third engine on my 2000 XLS 4.0 V6. The next time anti-freeze intrudes into the oil Ford will eat it.

d1w1

I have a 2001 explorer sport with 12,000 miles. Was told that the front end was out of alignment so bad that they needed a cam kit to fix it. The rear end is also out of alignment. Has anyone else experienced this?

sadatx

When you received your 2nd engine, did you notice any difference in acceleration, vibration, or harshness in the ride? How about your 3rd engine? Reason being I got an engine replacement as well. It is not even close to being as smooth as my original engine. Dealer has tried everything in the book as well all the suggestions I got on this message board but no luck. It seems like my engine seems to vibrate/grind between 2 and 3rpms only. Any feedback would be great!!

ace10

explorers are well known to alignment shops. they often do require a shim kit to get them within specs. our exploder needs an alignment every 8K miles, or so. do yourself a favor and DO NOT go to the dealership. they will only guarantee to the alignment for 3 months MAX. shop around, some places cover the alignment for up to 12 months. and do it soon! your tires are getting worn badly on the edges. ours were down to the belts the first time, after on only 10K miles. i now inspect regularly. we do not have any problems with the rear end, though.

make sure you mention that you have an explorer to the service place, b/c the price that covers alignments usually does not apply to explorer b/c of the need for additional parts.

sorry for the bad news. i love my f.o.r.d., don't you?

ace

ace10

never! not are here. dealer charges $160 for just the fronts. all that and a 3 month guratee to boot! haven't gone back since the first two. i think the last front-end only was about $80 after really, really shopping around.

the rears on our '97 f.o.r.d. p.o.s. with 34K miles have always been within the tolerances.

if the rear is out of spec, then yes, absolutley get them fixed.

ace

bri66

My first two engines had no power but they did run smooth. My third engine starts hard and vibrates at all rpm's and speeds. My second engine was still while the Explorer was in production so I received a crated engine from the assembly plant, right down to the oil filter. The third engine is a re manufactured engine seeing they no longer equip the Explorers with the type of 4.0 liter I have. I'm not happy at all. I'm thankful I purchased the extended warranty when I purchased the truck. It's good talking to someone that has gone through the same problem. Everyone I talk to that has an Explorer has never heard of this problem. I did talk to a machine shop about re building my 4.0 V6 in my 94 Ranger but he claims this 4.0 and 2.9 liter engines are famous for cracked heads. Hope this info is helpful. Good Luck.

stu55

I had almost exactly the same experience at the same miles as SKJ1. It shifted roughly as has been described. It took me three trips (each time the light starting flashing with the rough shifting) to the dealer and cost me about $900 in total for repairs but I didn't have to get a new transmission. I have put over 15,000 miles on it since with no problems. Bottomline, I would not ignore the light flashing.I think the 3 separate repairs were: transmission piston(s) were replaced; changing the thermostat for temperature control of the transmission fluid;and replacement of some type of major module(PCM?). The module was the most expensive ($450)and last repair and seemed to be the key. So I guess the decision is whether you would just as soon have a new transmission as pay for separate repairs such as I did. It worked out ok for me. Sorry I don't remember more details about the repairs.

njdevilsrn

Hello all. A quick question about oil for these trucks. I've read a lot of people have had good experiences with synthetic oil. I OWN a 2000 Explorer and I plan on keeping it for about 10 years (hopefully). What are the benefits to using the synthetic vs. regular oil. I asked the guy at my dealer and he said "the jury is still out" as far as whether one is better than the other. I religiously change my oil every 3000 miles (lots of stop and go driving in Central NJ) with regular oil. Does synthetic afford you the ability to go 6000 miles between changes? Does it protect the engine better over the long run? How much should it cost for a synthetic oil change at the dealer ($19.95 for regular oil at my dealer)? At what mileage can you start using synthetic (I read somewhere you should use regular oil for a while before switching, I'm for the 9000 mile service tomorrow)? THANKS!

mazman1

First, there is a very extensive discussion about Synthetic oil in the "Maintenance & Repair" section of this Edmunds site.

Second, I use Castrol Syntec 5w30 oil in my 2000 since 6000 miles. Some people like Mobil 1... some like Royal Purple. Some poeple use a Synthetic blend oil, which is A LOT cheaper. What I can say is that the synthetic oil costs a bit more ($4.50 per qt).. cheaper at Costco.. it does run quieter in my vehicle and I don't hear that load metal on metal whine when I start up anymore. Synthetics leave less residue, and can go longer between oil changes, so if you put a lot of miles on your vehicle, synthetic oil will allow you to go 6,000 safely without changing.. but keep in mind that the oil filter will probably fall apart beyond that mileage. ... Buy a good oil filter.. not FRAM.

Synthetic oil may also get you a mile or two more per gallon in mpg.

Good luck

whr23

I've noticed a small leak in the bottom of my 1999 Explorer as I investigated the cause of a large area of greasy residue on my garage floor. It looks like it is seeping thru a rubber stopper in between where my oil and transmission fluid are and I don't know what it is. It is a darker greasy substance(almost sludgy). I don't think its oil but I don't know for sure. Does anyone have an idea of the kind of fluid I'm leaking or if this is a common problem. A guy at local dealership said it is normal that the Explorers will leak a little fluid(?)

ace10

for "guy at a local f.o.r.d. dealership" to say it's "normal" for an exploder to leak. THIS IS NOT TRUE. MODERN VEHICLES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO LEAK ANYTHING!!!! lubricant leaks are bad. plain and simple. wherever the fluid was, it needs to be there. unless you happen to have just had an oil change and the idiot dumped the filter onto your engine or something.

did you speak with a svc person or a salesdrone?

ace

gregb5

It is not trans fluid, as opined above. Trans fluid is red and thin. Sounds like you have a leaking differential or transfer case, with its gear oil leaking.
It's not supposed to leak. Ask the service guy to show you what manual says it is and he'll probably change his tune.
Good luck!

njdevilsrn

I took the Explorer to the local Lincoln/Mercury dealer tonight for the oil change. The service writer there said they rarely keep synthetic oil in stock, and he maintained that they use regular oil as recommended by the manufacturer. He reported to me that the engines and components in the current vehicles were designed with regular oil, not synthetic in mind. Anyhow, I bought a package of 5 oil changes for $60 including tax. Comes out to $12 an oil change. I was in and out in 5 mins.

BTW...They had two new Mountaineers outside the dealer. WHAT AN UGLY TRUCK! I'm sure the front end of it will give me nightmares. Haven't seen a new Explorer up close yet.

Also, I took your idea and used the gumout extra. Made almost 19 mpg on a round trip to Albany (NY) this past weekend - over 400 miles total.

mazman1

Keep in mind that the dealership makes money only when you have service problems and / or when you have to buy a new truck... REMEMBER THEIR MOTIVATION. The dealer is not there to help you. Rather to seperate you from more of your money.

Synthetic oil does not void any warranty and you can call Mobil or Castrol or any other oil manufacturer and they will send you their literature and tests of their oil vs. the performance of dinosaur oil... in any car. All retail oil sold has to have the SAE and API certification. Those labels are printed on every bottle.

The biggest reason for using synthetic is to lengthen the time/ miles between changes.
The second reason that synthetics may (I said MAY) protect your engine better, especially in cold climates - when you first start the engine.. before the oil can circulate.

I put Syntec in my Explorer at 6,000 miles. It runs quieter and has maybe 1-2 better mpg. I put Mobil 1 in my brother's 10 yr old Acura that was burning oil and now it does not burn as much or have blue smoke..

Check out the posts in the "Maintenance and Repair" sectionof Edmunds in their Synthetic oil discussion.

masonmi

Hi,

Has anyone had a rocking chair noise or creaking type noise from their front end of their explorer?
I notice a rocking chair sound whenever i pull away from a stop light or come in for a stop I wonder if its a suspension problem, can anyone assist?

alvarajl

The Headlights and fog lamps on my 1995 ford explorer just stopped working. All fuses and power distribution box have been checked and are o.k. I can turn on my high beams as long as I hold the flash switch but they turn off if I let go of the flash switch. My next step is the switch or the multi-function switch both of which are a pain to remove. Has anyone encountered this problem?

mazman1

Please check out the article in www.blueovalnews.com
which discusses a problem that Ford is having with the new plastic gas tank on the 2002 Explorer. Apparently, if the vehicle is struck broadside, the tranny can (and has) ruptured the gas tank...

mazman1

I still think it sounds like a fuse. The high beam flash runs on its own fuse.. different from the regular headlights and fog lights.

The wiring harness in the column may be suspect, but I dont think so. If you dont have interior or dash lights as well, then it is definitely a fuse.

wgrafer

My '98 2wd Eddie Bauer has had intermittent 'creaking' or 'rocking chair' noises for over a year. At one point it was so bad I stopped into an out-of-town dealer and asked for a front-end mechanic to tell me if it was dangerous! It was loud! He said not to worry, just needed some torqing and lubing, so I brought it in for warranty work. Of course that day there was no noise to be heard, so back it came creaking the next morning. This happened 3 times, and of course now it's out of warranty and it's still creaking , but not always. I had a tire store guy look at it and he said his friend's F-150 had the same problem - he solved it by spraying the heck out of the tie-rods (I think) with a lubricant (he says Ford seems to have left the lube points conveniently out of their design, so he pin-pricked some rubber to get it in). I tipped him and went on my way - creaking returned in about a month. Does anyone have any idea what a real fix might be??? Sometimes it gets so loud it overpowers the radio. My guess is that it has something to do with the front left brake, maybe not releasing...any suggestions?

njdevilsrn

The benefit of having the 1999 Explorer I owned (notice the past tense) was getting to know what sounds meant what part had a problem. That creaking you hear is probably the ball joint and/or control arm in the front end. The way the mechanic at my dealer diagnosed it (or showed me) was literally bouncing the truck on the affected side (pushing up and down on fender to rock the truck). It was under warranty, but I think it was about $200 or so if it wasnt. Good luck!

fuzzywuzzy

I am in need for a SUV to tow stuff with. I want a 5 Speed manual. I do not want to spend alot. I am looking at other older SUV's for this purpose. Do the older Explorers have any major issues? Also does anyone know how the 5 speed manual is? Maybe someone can pont me to another board, if no one here knows. Thanks

sjk1

It was the throttle position sensor and not the transmission. The harsh downshift was caused by this also. No transmissions problems found. Only $81!

chuxdad

I have a 2001 XLT 4.0 SOHC V6 4X4. It currently has over 5,300 miles (3 mos. old). I have noticed a "fluttering" noise coming from the engine compartment (seems to be from the left side). When I get to about 1,500 RPM's or so I feel the engine bog down and I always hear that fluttering sound. When I get above 2,500 RPM's it goes away. It does it in D, OD, 2 and 1st gears. I do soetimes notice that the tach. gauge fluctuates also. That sound is starting to annoy me. Anyone have any input?

masonmi

Well I went to the dealer this week and they couldn't duplicate the creaking sound I even went on a test drive with the mechanic and of course there was nothing to be heard, he did check the ball joints/suspension and everything was fine, now i'm thinking maybe it was in the drivers side door when the weather warmed up? since last year i had to get the left side rear door fixed because it sounded like something was broken inside the door everytime i went over a bump.
has anyone else had problems with their doors making noise?

lrmet

In response to the Buying an Older Explorer question -
I'm driving a 1991 currenlty has 135K miles on it. I'm looking at new vehicles now, but I'm going to move up to a bigger vehicle since I tow a boat in the summer. Up in Minnesota we like to haul boats around from lake to lake, and the Explorer has done it for me for 10 years. I bought it used with 14K miles in 1992, Ford Executive vehicle, whatever that means. It's an XLT with Automatic. Automatic is recommended for towing, if you get a manual tranny it really cuts down on the towing capacity.
To give you an idea of my maintenance - New shocks (Do this if you haven't yet >100K miles - got some $30 gas charged at Fleet Farm supply and worth it), Tranny was rebuilt at 80K, heavy duty torque converter added, tranny fluid and filter twice since rebuild(comes out to every 40K), changed coolant every 30K, oil 4 times a year, just bought/installed a new alternator (pep boys $120). There's the spot of rust that every Explorer gets under the drivers side passenger door (they now cover that up with a plastic molding), and a little rust under the lift gate. The 4X4 front hubs have been troublesome. Back in 1995 they were making a rattling noise. Brought it to Ford where they overhauled them. There was a recall on some of the parts, some parts were covered, some I had to pay for. It's my everyday commuter vehicle. I like that it's paid off and no payment!

lrmet

This is an excellent resource for maintaining your Exploreer. I use it as much as my Haynes manual and it's usually better. Lots of opinions and who did what to fix problems.

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

swn1

I had a similar problem on my '99 Junk Explorer XLT only in the rear. Shop foreman replaced sway bar links, twice to fix. He said there was also a TSB for the front sway bar links on some vehicles. Have your dealer check it out.

swn1

It didn't take long for more of that FORD "special quality" to show through. When trying to track down on of the many rattles in my '99 XLT Explorer I happened to look at the inside of the rear bumper and saw a nice even coating of rust has already formed. When I asked the shop foreman about it he said that FORD has not painted the inside of bumpers for some time. When I asked him why my '91 Explorer doesn't have this same built in "quality" he didn't know but said I could look at any vehicle on the lot and will see the same thing. I also noticed when I popped the tailgate window, the supports and mounting brackets attached to the glass are so rusty and pitted it's a disgrace. Just thought I'd give you all something else to look for and see that most of the money we wasted on this junk went right into FORD's pocket. How else could they give their stockholders over a BILLION dollars last summer and employees an average $8,700 bonus this year.

tm32

new to this forum and after reading all of the posting I have seen my problem mentioned but no fixes. I have a 95 explorer that has just lately started having a problem. When I try to start it, it turns over but will not start. I have taken it to the dealer and was told they didn't know what was wrong because it wouldn't do it for them. It started out only doing it every few weeks and then would start after waiting from 30 minutes to an hour. It has now got to the point where it is not starting every few times I try it and I am having to wait longer periods of time for it to decided to start. I was able to determine today that it is not getting a spark, so I don't think it is a problem with the fuel.
It will be going back to the shop tomorrow and hopefully it will not start for them and we can figure out what the problem is. It is now a question of keeping the car or trading it in on something else if they can not find out what the problem is, it has left me stranded to many times.
If anyone has any advice for me to take to the dealer I would greatly appreciate it.
will be checking back on this forum or you may email me anytime at morgan@ruralcomm.com

jrc346

I dont know if this will solve your problem with hard starting but I have a book in front of me that says hard starting or long crank times may be caused by the Idle air control valve sticking. It says this for 1996 explorers but it could also affect your 95. I have a 1996 explorer and have not had any problems but the drivers door power lock went out. I think ill just buy a new lock silnoid and fix it myself. Otherwise pleased with my explorer. Good luck with the starting problem.

mazman1

Why not leave the vehicle overnight with the dealer and have them try to start it first thing the next morning.
The symptoms you describe can also be caused by water freezing in the fuel line. It can also be caused by some solid matter clogging the hose. Have you tried a drygas product? What about flushing the tank?

tm32

first, thanks for replying to my first message.
Hopeful we have the problem fixed, I was able to duplicate the truck not starting for the dealer and he found the answer right away. It was the fuel pump relay switch. Replaced it so hopefully I will not be having anymore trouble.

eddiebauer1

Help please. Have 4.0 SOHC V6 Engine with 5 speed automatic transmission - 4 wheel drive. Noisy groan on acceleration since I can remember. Transmission was "rebuild" at 40,000 for burnt clutches. Now have whistling noise on acceleration from either transmission or engine. Vehicle has 50,000 miles with 25,000 left on Extended Warranty.

smdumont

I am in the market to buy my first SUV. For years the Ford Explorer has been rated one of the best values for your money. Consumer Reports has recommended Exporers for years, except for the 1999 model. It is on their "unreliable used cars" list. Does anyone know why? I'm not sure if I should shop for a '98 or 2000 model instead or maybe another SUV all together. Any advice would be appreciated.

sanandton

Explorer. It was as bad as my 97. If you can find a good 96 with low miles, I would go for it over any model 97- 2000.

ace10

anything BEFORE the '97's. a happy explorer owner will most likely have an older one.

ace

georgiam

I have a 1998 Explorer which has the "creaking" sound. I have complained continuously to my local dealer. They have great service and really take care of me, but they have never been able to fix the creaking sound. At first they didn't believe me until my salesman stood between the passenger and drive doors, put his hand on the roof rack a pushed the truck back and forth. It sounded like a wooden ship creaking on the high seas.
I have 57,000 miles on my explorer and have made my last lease payment. I have always felt that the quality of the suspension on my Explorer was less than good. Too many noises and rubbing sounds when I would turn right or left.
My dealer also replaced my transmission at 34,500 miles. I diagnosed the bad transmission myself in that the shifting pattern suddenly changed and would "clunk" in between gears. I have heard that the transmissions in 1998 Explorers have had alot of problems.
I just leased a new Chevy 2002 Trailblazer. We'll see if Chevy has a better suspension.

smily1

I have a 98 XLT V8 AWD with 41k and have had no major problems to speak of. I have taken it off road in the snow, sand and creeks. Never been stuck and I havnt experienced any suspension noise. No interior noise either. Overall I am very pleased with the preformence of the entire package. Although I drive it hard I am meticulous with the maintenance, even filling it with synthetic. I can say from experience that creaks in the suspension are typically caused by rubber bushings that are without lubrication. I rebuild a 68 firebird and encountered the same problem when I installed new bushings without a film of synthetic grease. This caused a loud groaning noise when moved. Penetrating synthetic lubricant directly on control arm and sway bar bushings may alleviate an annoying groan. I hope this can help anyone out there with the same symptoms as georgiam's 98.

mazman1

Ford lost their Quality is Job 1 ad campaign and with it the quality control motivation. I am not saying that the explorer is junk, but just that very little is done to make sure that things are put together correctly before going out the door. There were some design problems, like the timing chain tensioners and gaskets on the SOHC engine, but most of the problems I see and read about here are related to poor build... even the Firestone problem shows that Ford is more concerned with cash than your safety...remember that they recalled the same defective tires in Saudi Arabia in 1999, a year before in the US.

xtrackdog

I have a 97 XLT and have experienced ALL the "usual" problems and more. Fortunately I have a good and responsive dealer.

Has anyone noticed that their Explorers squat even with the lightest load?

It isn't a real problem except that oncoming drivers are blinded by my headlinghts and it looks funny.

njdevilsrn

I've owned a 1997 XLT, 1999 XLT, and 2000 XLS. They all sagged in the rear with even the lightest of loads. I'm talking like a 20 pound box of dog biscuits is enough to make it look different while sitting on the street. I always try to load stuff as close to the back seat as possible.

PS...I'm gonna stay in this room and talk about the Explorers built on an actual truck platform. The people in the 2002 Explorer room didn't take kindly to my comment that the 2002 looks like a minivan on Steroids. Hint, hint...park a Windstar and a 2002 Explorer side by side. Look at the slope of the rear ends on each. They also called our "old" trucks inferior. All I know is my rear window hasn't shattered for no reason as of late, and my truck has not yet exploded due to a fuel tank rupture.

mazman1

There are a couple of things that you can do that are not too expensive.

1- adjust your headlights so they aim lower... see a haynes manual for how to do that.

2- Next time you are at your mechanic, ask him to lower the setting on the front torsion bars, which will level the truck and make the rear end come up.

3- replace the crap ford shocks with something better.

mazman1

I saw that insensitive remark that that guy posted on the 2002 discussion, and I thought about replying, but it would probably start a war or something, he does not seem too bright... so I let it go and ignored him...

Yes, I agree that the 2002 Explorer is more a car than an offroad vehicle, but Ford realized that most of these vehicles are being used in minivan type applications, and do not need offroad capability, hence the less aggressive tires and the independent suspension.... but I was surprized how they cheapened the interior (wouldnt creature comforts be more important to that type of buyer) and one of the best things about my 2000 is the rear view mirror!

The 2001 is not an inferior vehicle to the 2002, just different, and you probably paid a lot less for it than a comparably equipped 2002 would be (and you don't have to be a test dummy for Ford) ... The 2002 is a different vehicle, with a accent towards a different type of consumer than say, a Jeep or Land Rover buyer.

smily1

That was well said. I too read the same post on the 2002 and agree that they are two different vehicles with unique applications. Those who are more interested in road manners can opt for the 2002 and those interested in more off road capabilities can opt for an older. I must say that I am very happy with my 98 V8 AWD and have no intentions of trading it for a 2002. No one persons' opinion should be expressed in such an aggressive way as to berate another for their own preference.

njdevilsrn

Anybody know anything about a 2000 Explorer with the OHV engine losing its coolant?

Last night at the gas station I noticed there wasn't a drop of engine coolant in the reservoir. I decided to let it sit overnight to assess the situation. After sitting all night I looked and same thing. I popped the radiator cap, and as far down as I could see (with the help of a flashlight) there was no coolant to be seen. Some of the coils were bone dry.

I can only think of 3 reasons for this...
1) There is a leak I don't know of
2) It's burning it or doing something else that it goes away without a noticeable leak.
3) There was never enough in there to begin with.

The thing has been to the dealer for maintenance 3 times (just turned 10000 miles), I'd be surprised nobody would notice it wasn't filled properly (or maybe I wouldn't be). Any thoughts?

mazman1

Your analysis is pretty thorough. But don't be surprized if the dealer drones did not notice the coolant level is down, unless they are asked to look at it...

When the engine is cool, there should be coolant in the reservior...when the engine warms up, the thermostat opens and allows coolant to enter and the reservior fluid level drops. Now.. do you notice anything different on your temp gauge?

There is a test to see if radiator fluid is in the oil... the dealer can do it... if there is.. the engine is trashed .. because there is water where the oil is and you will have rust in there soon.. Check your dipstick for rust particles... There is a gasket that may have been compromised and allowed the fluid to pass into the lower engine...

But it is entirely possible that there was not enough fluid in there to begin with. Have the oil test done soon.

Good luck and pls let me know how it turns out.

stever

If you have an '02 model anyway.

Ford recalls new S/UVs

Steve
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