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Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    in my personal experience, idle vibrations have been loose stuff or exhaust clearance problems. one on dad's old suburban was so vexing and bad that I finally had to chock the vehicle down so dynamite wouldn't move it, get signals very straight indeed with Dad, and crawl underneath while he put it in gear.

    WARNING, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. DO NOT TRY THIS ON JACKASS, THE MOVIE, EITHER. WHAT THE HELL I WAS THINKING, I DON'T KNOW. even though this was a high-clearance 'burb, it's a stupid, idiot idea. get a hair-aisle hand mirror, a roll of duct tape, and tape the thing to a garden hoe for inspection like you were working at the emissions inspection station.

    anyway, the exhaust pipe was whacking directly back into the transmission crossbrace. still the OEM. once this was discovered, it was easy to show the shop guys that the little hickey on the pipe matched the edge of the crossbrace. finally fixed.
  • 4dunes4dunes Member Posts: 12
    Jackka,

    You are welcome! I don't wish these problems on anyone else. Which is why I do not feel that I can sell it to an individual.

    Operahouse-Thank you for the information on the rear door locks.

    I currently have transmission problems, a/c problems(twice in shop, still not fixed),suspension is terrible, need to have that checked for an "official report", a roaring noise which occurs even when vehicle is sitting still, and I hear a noise(with a/c turned off as it is still messed up) which sounds to me like an air noise. I do not know squat about cars, but it sounds like vacuum or compression to me.
    With all that I have read at this site, I am afraid of this engine-and will not drive the thing except to get to and from work.
    Currently have an old (14 yr.) car in shop to get driveable so that I can put Explorer back in transmission shop. Guess after that I will get all other problems investigated. I do not want to take to Ford Dealership, as the codes will come up-but then again, I really do not want to sell this car to an individual.

    Right now I feel like I have an expensive piece of scrap metal parked in my garage.

    Does anyone know if we have any rights under Lemon-Laws? How many miles can they have on them?
    Does all work perfomed have to be done by Ford to qualify?

    I had no intention of trading this car for my typical 7+ years. Can not wait to get rid of it.

    Thanks!
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    Anyone know what the average Explorer brake life is? I have a '00 Explorer, 23,000 miles, and I can feel it is time to have the front brakes replaced. A fellow co-worker has a '97 Explorer, 55,000 miles, still on original front brakes (although the rear brakes were replaced at 50K).

    When I had the car inspected a couple of months ago, the shop said the front brakes would be good until about 30K and then need to be replaced. Now, 3K miles later, they do not feel safe (vibration and rumbling noise/feeling when braking). Probably needs front rotor work and new pads.

    What are the rest of you all experiencing in terms of brake life?

    Other than that and the worthless rear wiper, no new problems.
  • smily1smily1 Member Posts: 104
    I replaced my brakes all around at about 45k. It didnt need it at the time (still had another 12k) but wanted a higher quality pad. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! I didnt even need to turn the rotors. Stops on a dime now. Only negetive side effect is excessive break dust on my rims.

    If you feel pulsing in the pedal then chances are you need your rotors turned.

    "vibration and rumbling noise/feeling when braking"

    That sounds more like a poor quality pad. You can always put new pads on first and if that dosnt solve your problem then you can look at having the rotors turned. Just dont be cheap on the breaks....you get what you pay for in my experience.
  • bioman3bioman3 Member Posts: 37
    I replaced the front brake pads on my 99 XLT at 24K. I did not have to, but I had purchased the pads thinking that they would have to be replaced at about 24K. I had about another 5-7K left on the OEM pads, but since I had already made the purchase I made the change. The rear pads, checked last week, are at about 50% with 31K on the odometer. The rotors are in fine shape. No scoring or pulsating. When I rotate the tires I use a torque wrench to adjust the lug nuts to make sure I do not do damage to the rotors. If I had to work on the rotors I would rather replace them than have them cut. Why play with your life? Rotors are relatively cheap. Since you are doing the work yourself, well worth the investment. If you factor in the cost of the cutting, you are not paying that much more for new rotors. You just have to make sure you purchase quality replacement rotors that have been properly cured.
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    i have 2000 exploder and now im at 47000 had the fronts turned and new pads. got the brakes looked at monday and still i have enough pad left and the fronts r fine. i think i will replace rotors in the rear but think its a leased truck due back in 8-03 so think???????.
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    seeing that me and a whole lot of people here have exploders built in st louis. i do believe we have similar but not the same problem with the rubber band trucks. i have squeaks like njdevilsrn in mine also bumps they come out you hear it and you dont. but anyway the clock and calender is ticking 8-03 will come soon enough and might i say hello volkswagen? hahaha lease ends in 03 august that is so man whatever you do DO NOT BUY OR LEASE A FORD UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. CARS OR TRUCKS PERIOD.THATS IS IF YOU WANT YOUR SLEEP AND NOT SITING IN THE REPAIR SHOP ALL THE TIME IF NOT OH WELL
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    If you don't want to spend time in repair shops then you should avoid a VW. I unfortunately owned a '99 New Beetle for a short period of time and will have a hard time ever considering a VW ever again. VW repair shops are not a good place to spend any time anyway. They do not do very good work (there are some good VW shops, but they are far and few between).

    My brake work will be the first trip back to the Ford dealer for any kind of work in quite some time (6 months, actually). That's not bad.
  • catch22catch22 Member Posts: 5
    98 XLT, 52K miles.

    The original OEM pads are still good.
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    the passatt not the bettle r u sure. reliability they r good r there not? vw german made not american put it like this they r not like ford cheap parts rubber bands on a car. i think some what like toyota and honda what do you think or what should i get i want a family wagon consumer reports said the passatt is the best in it class what do you recommend?
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    i got a 2000 xls and them mileage is 47300 the problem is when i shift the gear to drive plus when im in traffic and when i have my foot on the brake i hear a loud vibration from the engine and thru out the truck. i have had more exhaust problems on this truck than you can imagine. so my mine question is is this normal and has it happen on others? took it to ford well a ford dealer and they said normal. im taking it to the dealer i got it from monday just to make sure if they say its normal then im not responsible when i return it when the lease is over so if anyone knows about this let me know.
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    Hi. I am not going to recommend anything. Just relaying my VW experience. VW quality/reliability is very hit or miss whether the car is a Beetle, Jetta, or Passat. The universal complaint regardless of VW model is the generally poor service the VW dealer network provides. Consumer Reports does not impress me. I find their advice questionable at best and do not let it influence my choices. Some of the most reliable cars I have owned have been on their "avoid" list.

    When I had my car at the dealer on Friday, I looked at the new '02 Explorer. I was very impressed with the comfort and build quality and plan to give it serious consideration as a replacement for my '00 Explorer. This was a new dealer for me in terms of service and they were absolutely wonderful. It was very refreshing to find a competent dealer for a change.

    No car is perfect, it is just a matter of finding something that you like and can be comfortable with owning for many years.
  • swn1swn1 Member Posts: 27
    Here we go again folks. I have a 99 Explorer XLT which as we all know had the Firestones recalled and replaced with Ford recommended Goodyear AT/S. Here's my story. Last Wed I was on my way home on the PA Turnpike and heard a noise similar to that of a stone in the tread coming from the left front tire. The noise stopped and a short distance later I stopped for gas and to inspect the tire. What I found was a section of the tread about the size of my fist had separated and was gone exposing the inner belts, just waiting for something to puncture them and blow out, etc, etc. Fortunatley this did not happen. The noise I heard was the hunk of tire flapping on the road and finally breaking off. I changed the tire and took it to my Ford Dealer the next day. He was more than willing to replace the tire with a brand new one for free forgetting about pro-ration on the tire that had 38,000 miles but he could do nothing about the other 4 tires since they showed no signs of being defective. He agreed the tread had partially separated and should not have done so and was a defect in the tire.. I refused his offer and took the tire back. I did not feel safe or didn't think it was wise to risk the safety of my family on his determination even though he never saw the other 4 tires. I replaced 4 tires with Bridgestone's. The Bridgestone dealer also said the tread had separated and the tire was defective and was more than willing to give it back to me. I contacted Goodyear by e-mail and I received a call from a Dave Johnson in customer service, 330-796-6522, who I surmise is a little further up the ladder than a typical CSR. Bottom line is he said there is nothing Goodyear can do since I replaced their product. All he offered was to pro-rate and replace the defective tire and have the other 4 inspected for defects, if they showed signs of defect, whatever that means, they would be adjusted. My interpretation is the problem is mine, not Goodyear's which he did not dispute. If you have any of the problems I described I would suggest you call Mr.Johnson and file a complaint with at least the NHSTA. I have found articles on the internet accusing Goodyear of knowing about and covering up this problem in '95-'97 according to one article I read. If enough people complain we all may be getting recall notices on the tires that replaced the first recall. This could go on forever. I will be interested to see how many others post their experiences and hope they were not serious.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    I think I'll take my tires off and cast concrete around the rims. let 'em make the roads of rubber :-D
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    Hi,

    Interesting you should mention your Goodyear problem. I am glad that no one was hurt when the tire failed.

    I recently had a front-end alignment done on my '00 Explorer. The dealer performed the alignment, but advised me it was their opinion one of my tires has a "thrown" steel belt and I should be conscious of the fact I may have a tire issue. My truck has Goodyear Wrangler RT/S tires that were on the truck when I bought it new 18 months ago (23,500 miles ago).

    I have already had one of the tires repaired (by a Goodyear dealer) as it picked up 2 nails in the tread. I wonder if the repair helped contribute to the "thrown" steel belt, or if the tire is simply defective (I think it is the same tire). I have never been all that pleased with their perfomance as it is.

    It may be time to take the plunge and simply get 4 new tires (I will keep the Goodyear on the spare; not a big deal). The Continental ContiTrac SUV tires are very affordable and supposedly pretty good. Yokohama Geolandar AT's are supposed to be decent as well.
  • bioman3bioman3 Member Posts: 37
    At this point I am wondering what kind of a Ford Dealer would let you drive away with a tire on the Explorer that "may have thrown a belt". By telling you that: "you should be conscious of it" this dealer is not giving you good advice. If indeed the tire is bad, the dealer should be a little more proactive in affecting replacement of the tire. At this point I would put on my spare and take the tire to another dealership or Goodyear and get a "second opinion". This sounds like a potentially dangerous situation that requires immediate attention!
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    The Goodyear Wrangler tires (AT/S, RT/S, etc....) are not the best tires for the Explorer. I think people buy them because of the Goodyear name and the association with auto racing. I have had two tire cup on my Explorer. It makes an awful noise.
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    Hi!

    I don't think the dealer wanted to deal with the tire issue, and not being a factory Goodyear "store" I guess I can't blame them. I would like to think if it was an urgent isuue they wouldn't have let me drive away on that tire.

    The tire seems fine to me for now and I am not exhibiting the drift to the left they claim the tire is causing. When the truck nears the 30K mile point in the next 4 months or so I am definitely getting new tires all around. The Goodyears aren't going to make it through another winter, they were barely adequate on a dusting of snow a few months ago.
  • dixaronedixarone Member Posts: 21
    I'm going to be replacing my tires at the end of summer on a '97 Explorer 4WD...currently have Wrangler RT/S's.

    Any recommendations as to the "best tire" for this vehicle? If I go ahead and replace the tires, I will be planning on keeping this vehicle for the extra-long run. Therefore, price will not a huge consideration when I buy the new set.
  • bminderbminder Member Posts: 2
    HELP. I have a 96 ford explorer XLT, V6, four wheel drive. About a year ago I noticed hearing a whirling noise that seems to come from the driver side front wheel. At first my mechanic suggested new tires but this did not cure the problem. The noise seems to be more noticeable in warmer weather, after I have driven several miles, only between the speeds of 15 to 30 mph. It happens slowing down and speeding up. My mechanic has looked at it and said it does not act like a wheel bearing, the Universal Joints looks OK, and since this has been going on for over a year it must not be tied to anything major. The 4 wheel drive seems to work fine. The dust shield for the rotors are fine. I don't notice a warped rotor when braking. Any good ideas would be appreciated.
  • jrc346jrc346 Member Posts: 337
    I had a front wheel bearing go on a 1996 Explorer and it made a wirring sound starting at 15 Mph. However it didn't stop making the noise at any speed it just got louder and louder. I think at the time it had 60,000K on it. Goodluck with it!
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    if you jack up the car and spin the wheel, you should be able to discern the noise of a brinnelled bearing quite clearly if it's loud enough to hear in the cabin. just grabbing the top of the tire and pushing it towards the engine and away from the engine should be telling.. if the bearing is worn enough to be a danger, that wheel will flop on it, clunk clunk clunk.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    ford spent billions replacing >= KILLER TIRES!tm =< on spec... many millions advertising nationally and locally that they're your local multi-brand tire shop... and they don't drive for the replacement? that dealer either doesn't stock the Goodyears or doesn't want to handle them.

    during the "owner satisfaction adjustment" period, my service advisor told me that they got a lot of "eight-ounce" Goodyears... that's how much weight they had to use to balance them. it's a lot of wheel weights. the tires will probably not ever cause any trouble, but it means a lot of semi-retired molds and long shifts were used to meet the tire demand.

    my General 550 replacements have a fair amount of weight on one side, too, but no issues so far.

    I think the dealer just wanted to try and make a buck that month in chassis, not break even on delayed warranty payments.

    and yeah, I might go along with it, but I would also have the spare mounted up right away, or do it myself in the parking lot. I had the Firestone GM-TPC 500s with belt wires sticking out all over the edges of the tread area, way back when michelin made radials and everybody else made mistakes, and don't believe in God protecting fools any more when tires are concerned.
  • larryk5larryk5 Member Posts: 25
    Changing jobs and need to buy my own car for sales. Am leaning towards Honda Accord V6 @ $22k and 4.9% but have a local Ford dealer that has quoted me $25k @ 0.9% for XLT 2wd with leather. I will be putting 40k miles a year into it and get 13.5 cents per mile to maintain it. I live in Texas and will be putting a lot of open road highway miles along with stop & go city driving.

    Know what to expect with the Accord as this is what I currently drive and would expect it to make the 180-200k mile mark without a problem. Need some feedback from you 02 Explorer owners on comfort, reliability, MPG, and if you feel this SUV can make it to 200k miles without becoming a money pit.

    Need to make a decision next week and would really appreciate your feedback. I am posting on all the Explorer boards for max exposure so sorry if you run across this more than once.

    Larry
  • stuartboniastuartbonia Member Posts: 56
    If you don't need to carry a ton of stuff for work, don't drive in places you need 4 wheel drive, forget the SUV.

    40,000 miles a year! It will cost almost twice as much in gas to run the Explorer than a car.

    If you don't care about running costs, get what floats your boat.
  • dfwhalldfwhall Member Posts: 11
    To all Exploder owners looking at tires. Owned (past tense!) '99 Exploder Limited. Bought Michelin LTX M/S the day I took delivery (59 miles). Never had a problem with them,I've never had a problem with Michelins for the last 20 years! At 55K, needed tires. Looked at Goodyear Fortera's and decided to try them as I liked the tread design versus Michelin Cross Country. LONG STORY SHORT!!! 3 COMPLETE SETS of tires later, they still would not balance well and give a smooth ride over 50mph. Called Goodyear customer service so much that they knew me by name. Last set of tires installed took 13 TIRES to get a set that did not have a noticeable "hop" or "tread squirm". And this is supposed to be Goodyears premium tire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, during this ordeal, I had the pleasure to experience Goodyear factory store service. Most of them were ok and sympathetic. THE ONE I WOULD AVOID AT ALL COSTS IS LOCATED IN EL PASO TEXAS!!!!The only co. store in El Paso. They had opposing wheel weights on the same wheel (2 of Them!)and had air pressure reduced to 23 - 25 psi. Did not find this until I had driven to Dallas. They were extremely rude and would not allow me in the service area to watch, if they had, I would have at least noticed the wheel weight situation. Everyone take this for what it's worth. It all boils down to personal pride in your work.
  • enforcerenforcer Member Posts: 40
    During a recent oil change, my mechanic noticed a slow leak from my front (differential) pinion seal on the drive axel. He said the seal should not be failing at 48,000 miles on my 1997 Explorer.

    Has anyone else had this problem? Has Ford issued a TSB or a hidden warranty for this problem? I have an extended warranty that would cover the fix, but it has a deductible.
  • 4dunes4dunes Member Posts: 12
    I just had a complete transmission service on my '97.
    The servos were replaced, as well as the TPS-Throttle Position Sensor. Is this the same as the throttle kickdown?

    I am getting all service work done to prepare to sell this thing. I had a tune-up at 72K with platinum plugs, then I can not find it listed in the manual until 100,000. Isn't this a long time to go without a tune-up?

    Also, even though I have had this work done, the idling is rough. I am taking it in tomorrow to have this checked. Any ideas what the cause could be? Fuel filter has been replaced also at 72K (currently has 89K on it).

    I had the intake gaskets replaced prior to the recall. When I took it to Ford for the camshaft chain pretensioner recall they listed -replaced intake kit and c shaft. Does this mean that they again replaced the intake gaskets? Well, if so, THAT shouldn't be the problem! I am very nervous about this engine 4.0 SOHC v-6. I am trying to do everything I can to get this vehicle in shape to sell.

    (still have to go back to a/c shop)!~

    Thanks!
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    I was looking through an Auto Trader magazine (is it just a NC thing?) an noticed that Hertz Car Sales was selling 2002 XLT's 4X4's for around $24k. Is it a good deal, or should I stay away from it?
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    the throttle position sensor is a variable resistance that tells the computer how hard you're mashing the gas pedal. it replaced all the linkage and plates on carbeuretors. there really is no reason to put it on top of the engine any more, except that they have a couple big springs and a long cable to make it "feel" like the accelerator on every other car you ever drove, not the speed lever on a $200 treadmill. but it does exactly the same thing.
  • 4dunes4dunes Member Posts: 12
    For the information. I didn't know if the throttle kickdown was the same as TPS-want to get everything done that is necessary maintanence, has been in and out of several shops, so a bit confusing!
  • njdevilsrnnjdevilsrn Member Posts: 185
    I went through 3 sets of pinion seals on my 1999 XLT. Ford definitely knows of a problem with these parts (or at least they did 2 winters ago when I was having problems). My problem happened when the grease in there solidified at cold temperatures, causing a "whirring" or "whistling" that would get higher in pitch and louder as speed increased.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    sounds like a diff crying out for synthetic in the cold, I will remember that if I start hearing rear end noise in the cold. so far, not cold enough to put on the long johns in the 1-1/4 winters I have had my 2000 Limited AWD.
  • nickm2nickm2 Member Posts: 11
    Has anyone had a problem in their 2002 Explorer or any other year for that matter with a rattle in the B-Pillar of the driver's side door? It is not consistent when the sound occurs, sometimes it happens when you go over a bump, and sometimes it doesn't. This inconsistency is having me dread bringing it in for warranty work as I can just imagine the "could not duplicate" response and nothing being done on it. Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks in advance
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    a number of folks have rattled on (hee, hee, hee) about the door rattle issue. some have had misaligned lock/striker issues, some have actually had bad welds that the dealer had to redo. some have had good response, some have given long rides to deaf technicians who got away from the office legally. good luck with yours, I haven't had it.
  • maternlamaternla Member Posts: 1
    Stereo Display area (Mode/Station/Clock Display) went out on '99 Explored Limited. The stereo works otherwise. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • dtobiasdtobias Member Posts: 5
    I own a '00 Expl. XLT 6 with 34.5K (has the towing package).

    At around 18K I had the tranny replaced because of a vibration that would occur during heavy acceleration between 50-60. The tranny also started having problems shifting from 1-2 occasionally. This seemed to fix the problem for a while and again the vibration returned. I had it in a few months ago for the 30K service and they suggested that the problem wasn't the tranny, but somewhere in the drive line, they thought re-indexing the driveshaft would solve the problem, so I gave them the go-ahead. Of course they told me it was fixed, but it wasn't. I also feel a strange bumping at around 30 during heavy acceleration, feels like its also in the drive line, its not a slamming, like when the hubs lock during slippage, just a mild bump???

    Its going back again, but I'm not sure its going back to the same dealer. I should also mention that I've had numerous other problems to date: paint (twice), door sqeaks (passenger), leaking water pump, stale odor from the defroster/AC, brake squeal and the front end clunk that only happens when I'm in the car, same as the door squeak.

    I'm now contemplating an extended warranty, Ford's or Warranty Gold. My dealer offered me a 'deal' on the Ford, $100 off....so generous, that should cover the frustration of not having had my car for almost 3 weeks since I've owned it due to these problems. Anyone else out there used the Warranty Gold? I hate to spend more on it, but I'll lose too much money selling it now, need to run it for a while, so the warranty route seems to make sense.
  • gregb882gregb882 Member Posts: 75
    Yes, I had the Warranty Gold on a 1999 300M. I was VERY happy with it. I did buy their top plan which is an exclusionary plan. That means they tell you what it DOESN'T cover as opposed to what it does - a much better way to go. They pay the repair shop with a national credit card so the shops have no problem with using them. Of course, because I had a good warranty, I didn't have enough claims to completely pay the cost of the plan, but it worked perfectly every time I used it.

    I'll also admit that I bought Ford's top plan on the 02 Explorer I bought back in October. It was close to the cost of Warranty Gold and they would roll it into the 0% financing so I took it. Haven't had to use it yet but I'm sure it will be fine when I do.

    Good luck!
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    how do you clean the intake valves on a 2000 explorer? or can you do it or a mechanic has to do it. not getting no power so i think it could be the intake valves r dirty any help thanks.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    ha, ha, ha ha ha, hic, oops sorry.

    SERIOUSLY, you've got to have been burning the old boat and lawnmower gas of everybody in town to have gooped up valves so soon, assuming you are 30,000 or less miles.

    my v8 AWD has plenty of zip, albeit I have noticed a little stumble at idle, a/c on, humid days, with the wheels crabbed and slowly backing into a parking spot. since I have a tow coming up into the middle of no-goldarned-where, MN, at the end of the logging trail, I am going to replace plugs and any wires that arc when hit with a refreshing mist in a dark garage (so I can see where they are damaged inside.) you can also go hunting for bad plug wires by taping a neon bulb to the end of a dry yardstick and passing that over the wires.

    and yes, the cost of factory wiring harnesses and double-platinum plugs is obscene and repulsive, thank you for asking. my dealer is routinely taking advantage of new flexibility from Motorcraft by whacking the list prices down 30 to 50%.

    it is also a big help to clean the wires first with a wet rag to get salts and dust off them.

    is your air filter clean? 90%-plus of what enters the cylinder through the valves is air. if that isn't flowing freely, you will have issues.

    is your oil clean and the right grade? it helps.

    all this stuff about 120,000 miles between plug changes and 30,000 between air filters and so on is frankly sales nonsense. yes, the car will run within normal standards. no, it won't run like new.

    as for the valves, if you really want to do something about them, pour in a can of Chevron Techron cleaner and follow the cleanup routine on the bottle.
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    well man good laughs hee hee well check this out 4-03 or 5-03 ill will not have this thing no more. so i guess i was curious i did put chevron with Techron in and well it did it. just curious that intake valves is what make cars & trucks get power plus the engine. to my oil ac delco filter castrol sytec. air filter changing i think i need to. what is a cabin air filter? other than that thats all she got 48300 on her so as you see not new last thing rear brakes sqeaking looked at the pads fine. rotors little rust should i replace them before next yr see ya
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    I had a little brain fade as well, gooped injectors can also cause loss of power, and the techron will clean 'em out. didn't think you had so much mileage.

    the cabin air filter, where availiable, is an inner filter in the ductwork that traps material down to dust and pollen that would otherwise be blowing out the bezels into your face. taurus has 'em, exploder doesn't, I think the escape may also have them. wish I had one.

    however, it appears to me from descriptions that this actually is placed between the evaporator and the cabin. real dumb move. you are still going to plug the a/c evap fins with tree seeds, cottonwood fluff, bird feathers, random dirt and guck, and the usual mess that costs hundreds and hundreds to have the a/c disassembled and the yuck blown out.

    in fact, damn dumb move. it should be the basic minimum of design engineering that there should be at least a paper filter between the air intakes for the body and all coils. trap all the crap before it gets anywhere.

    sometimes the collective herd instinct of car engineers causes me to boil over. times like this, I could take two or three of those pretty little pills and an extra beta blocker, and have an unscheduled nap.

    grrrr grrrr grrrrrrrrrrrr.

    anyway, that's what a cabin air filter is... half a loaf, and the cheaper cut, but it cuts the dust down where you sneeze. isn't worth thinking about cutting holes to try and retrofit one, you'll just whack off some damper doors and be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
  • g159g159 Member Posts: 23
    It is unfortunate that some have had trouble with tires. I recently replaced tires on my SUV with Goodyear Wrangler AT/S replacing Goodyear Wrangler aquatred. I have been happy with them, for the first 10 feet I was worried that I lost roadfeel with the all terrain design, but now that the tires have some miles on them It seems to have better handling. The ride is actually better with the AT/S, which amazes me. Havent seen snow yet, of course. The RT/S suprisingly aren't known for being very good in the snow, but have been standard equipment on Explorers, durangos,etc. The Michelin Cross Terrain might be the best new tire. The LTX M/S is a proven good tire. There have been recent consumer report tests that have rated the LTX M/S high, although I don't think they have tested the Cross Terrain yet. When I was at goodyear they seemed to mainly sell the RT/S and the Fortura. The main reason that I didn't get the michelins, besides likely being $100 more, is that there aren't michelin only dealers where I live. The telephone book lists Michelin dealers, but they arent the best garages in town. So it was basically buy Cross Terrains at Sears, (cross terrains are still expensive), or special order LTX m/s through tiresplus or buy LTX a/t at Sam's. I wasnt sure how convenient these places would be for replacement, free rotations or repair. So just wondering where you guys buy your Michelins at. If they had a standalone store, like Goodyear or Firestone do, then I would have considered them more. I still would strongly recommend the Michelins to others. I would also recommend the AT/S if you need the best snow and ice traction, but they may not last as long as the Michelins.
  • bioman3bioman3 Member Posts: 37
    COSTCO is the place to purchase Michelins. You'll get a very fair price that includes mounting, valve, balance and road hazard protection. They do a brisk business in the LTX's. I purchased a set of Michelins for my Integra, XGT V4's, and was very pleased with the experience. They even tighten your wheel lugs with a torque wrench!!!
  • hombreverdehombreverde Member Posts: 4
    Our 02 has had a rattle in the door pillar since it was new. Been in 8 times and still not fixed. The latest news from the Ford engineer is that it is a weld in the door skin and they want to replace the door which means re-painting on a car we didn't even get to wreck.
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    Sounds like the ordeal I went through with my '00 Explorer about 7 months ago. I had bad body seam welds and a misaligned b-pillar. Just make sure that if they do any work you check the vehicle closely when you get it back. My truck is starting to rust now (it is only 19 months/24,500 miles old) because when the dealer did the welding they didn't cover up the exposed painted surfaces. The sparks from the welding got on the paint and burned down through to the metal in little spots on the roof and my sport style running boards/step bars. Now, of course, the roof is starting to rust in the area around the top of the b-pillar. I have to treat it with cleaner wax to keep the area clear of surface rust.

    I am desperately looking to get rid of this truck, but can't really find anything that I like out there right now. As soon as I do, though, bye-bye Explorer.

    Best of luck to you in getting your issue resolved. I would have gone for the lemon law way before letting the dealer work on it 8 times.
  • vlanickivlanicki Member Posts: 2
    Have owned '91 escort wagon for 5 years and has been a good/reliable car. I was thinking of moving up to an suv; I looked at/test drove a '97 4dr 4x4 explorer xlt with the base model engine (4.0L ohv)and really liked it. I have since been reading many of these posts and now wonder if I should bother making an offer on this vehicle. Anyone who has owned this specific set-up '97 explorer, or anyone who has comments/advice, I would be glad to hear what you have to say. Has 69,000 mi.;asking $9,995; very clean. Obviously there won't be those engine problems they had with the SOHC V6, but are there other things I should be wary of? Tranny or suspension troubles, etc., etc.?
    Also, other than edmunds.com are there any other good sites with info. on explorers (used ones)?

    Thanks for your input mates!
  • jrc346jrc346 Member Posts: 337
    I own 96 Explorer with that same engine and transmition set up. It currently has 90,000miles on it and to this date I have had to put brakes on it once, new shocks, and a new fuel pump. I am very satisfied with this vehicle, although it rides a little rough. Consumer Reports gives the 1997 explorer with that engine set up an average reliability rating. The transmition on that explorer will run for a long time if you change the transmition fluid in it on a regular basis. I paid $11,000 for my explorer a year and a half ago with 59,000miles on it so that price sounds a little high. These are just my personal experiences and opinions (except for the consumer reports). Good luck with your new vehicle choice.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    Bought as a lease turn-in with 21K miles, now have 60K. OHV V6 with auto. No problems at all (except the CD changer skips when it's been playing more than an hour). Replaced brake linings, plugs, wires, and fuel filter plus trans fluid exchange at 30K and 60K miles. Oh, and tires. That's it. Probably do shocks soon although they seem OK now. Check engine light came on recently and indicated O2 sensor so that's probably next.
  • 11thcav11thcav Member Posts: 9
    Earlier this week, I, too, lost the radio display in my 1998 Sport. I called the dealer today and was told this was a common problem in '98 Explorers. I was told of a radio shop in the Scranton, PA area where it could be repaired, although it was not inexpensive. I called there and they would not quote a price, but was told to get it to them. Any feedback on this would really be appreciated.
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