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I had thought about going to the junkyard and trying to find a replacement lock module after I traced down the wiring. Just one more thing to my summer project list.
Thanks, in advance, for the input.
if not, dragging sounds, squeaks, and knocks on turns will soon appear.
Yesterday my wife started our Explorer and it proceeded to fill the garage with gray smoke. The vehicle was cold (off for a few hours). It continued to do it for a few minutes until she turned it off. We had it towed to the dealer in case it was something major. When they put it on the truck it smoked a little (blue smoke) and didn't smell very good.
Got a call from the dealer telling me they think it was because the oil hasn't been changed for 7000 miles. They put new plugs in and are changing the oil. The vehicle was going in this week regardless for the 15k service (16,500). I know it's late but we have been busy.
I have a really hard time beleiving that this problem is caused by old oil that looked pretty clean to me on the dipstick last weekend when I checked the level. Also I am surprised that Ford's diagnostic equipment can not provide any better information. Other than very slight hesitation when starting lately it has been running fine with no decrease in mileage. Sounds to me like this dealer is looking for a quick fix that will cause me to go back again for this problem.
Any thoughts? Thanks!
i tend to agree with heintz. I would check your coolant level and keep an eye on that for the next several months. Also check the receipt carefully when you get the car back to see what else they may have done.
It is the V6, and up until this eposide the truck has run great. Much better than our 2000 with the underpowered V6, that's for sure.
I agree with all of you...don't think it is an old oil issue either...even though that is what the service department sent me away with. Unfortunately they didn't look to hard either. About the only thing they did was change the plugs to see if they were fouled and charged Ford for new oil. What burns me is that they charged me for an oil change as part of the 15k service too, but that's another story.
Thank you for the suggestions regarding it being related to head gasket. I will keep a close eye on the coolant. Guess we'll have to wait and see if it happens again. Also, as always I'll keep an eye on oil consumption to see if I'm loosing it somewhere. It's running smoothly now, so we'll wait and see.
Something else: has anyone noticed that Ford Service Techs can't check tire presure...even after the issues with Firestone etc. Drives me crazy when I pay someone to rotate tires and then to discover my fronts are at 35psi and the rears are at 30psi! Easier to take care of it myself than go back to the dealer, but seriously...how hard is it?
Thanks!!
Tom
Hopefully it won't be as drastic as a rebuid. Thanks.
If it will make you feel better, write a letter to the owner of the dealership with copies to the regional and district managers detailing your experience with the service department. A check engine light is pretty easy to diagnose and fix.
SHOULD - meaning some folks couldn't find their backside with either hand and spotting them four fingers placement by a trained medical professional.
DIAGNOSE - this involves recognition of something after looking at the car.
FIX - this involves action.
the EASY part is putting it on the back lot all day, and writing NTF on the report when you didn't get to it because there were lots of takers for replacement of parts obviously broken in half.
than 15mpg. i drive 75% hiway, 25% city, i do NOT have a lead foot,
and i calculate mileage every time i fill up the old fashioned way
(trip odometer, gallons til full & calculator). this seems dismally
BAD but would like some other opinions. is this a problem with my
vehicle or are others out there getting similar numbers??
How many miles do you have on your Explorer? When was the last tuneup? I mean full tuneup not just replacing the spark plugs. Do you carry any unnecessary weight? In the truck,not personally. What type of tires do you have on the Explorer?
Any experiences/comments to share? Thank you.
Also, I think it's a good idea to change the tranny fluids every 30,000 miles.
before computer-controlled braking systems that actually apply braking pulses on the wheel running free, you had to have some friction in the lubrication itself (!). the friction modifier added to the diffs does this... as do the fibers in Dexron ATF. it basically gets in the way just enough so the U-spring and effectively-clutch in back of the loaded gear start that gear turning, and it takes some power and keeps you going.
I just had my transfer case and diffs lubed in my 2000 exploder AWD, and the dealer certainly did charge me for the 4-ounce tubes of friction modifier, as they ARE SUPPOSED TO if there is a complete fluid refill in the diffs. if you had a little gear lube added, you don't need more genius dust added.
since you had a full refill and the dealer didn't put it in, they screwed up. you will have performance problems equivalent to not having a limited-slip differential with the genius dust not added. guaran-damn-teed.
Try taking a look at the Chevrolet Blazer/Trailblazer message boards to see how they feel about their trucks...I owned a 99 Blazer LT for just 3 years before DUMPING it off to buy a 2002 Explorer. You can't imagine how terrible this SUV was from everything from the tires on up to the roof rack. No kidding, I replaced oil cooler lines, fuel sending units, on board computers, door latches, pinion seals, intake manifold gaskets, ball joints, you name it. This in only 45,000 miles. Please do not consider the GM product.
I remind passengers getting in routinely, reach up and use the grab handles, those arm rests will break and dump you on the sidewalk if you lean on them.
if there was some metal to back them up it wouldn't be so bad, but they're not designed to carry a load larger than about 10 pounds, and that distributed across the rest, not in one spot.
There are folks out here with 160k miles complaining about doing some maintenance!
There is NO statistical evidence here that these vehicles are not designed and built well.
Since we are just telling stories here, I'll give you mine:
I own '98 XLT great vehicle. Never failed. Been to the shop only for scheduled maintenance and Ford's recalls (if Ford wants to replace something that is functioning just fine, with a part they say is better at their expense, then that's OK with me).
Neighbor owns '92 200k miles. Says they would do a Ford Explorer commercial if asked.
Co-worker # 1 '91 200K miles. Retired to use as ranch vehicle. Still works hard every day
Co-worker # 2 '92 130k miles. Says everything works fine but the kids are bored with it. Kids want a new Honda or Toyota (what do kids know).
Co-worker # 3 '96 130k miles. Everyday vehicle for family. Says it's a great vehicle
Co-worker # 4 '97 80K miles. Not one failure. Very well maintained.
None of us have been contacted by Consumer Reports or JD Powers. How does that work?
Remember, Ford has built and sold over 800,000 of these vehicles each year for the last 10 or 11 years. The fact that there are a few folks out here repeating over and over how they don't like their vehicle is a testimony to just how good they are! Only these few bad ones out of millions! Look at the statistics--the Explorer outsells most other SUVs 3 or 4 to 1! So, if there are a few more complaints out here, than others, just remember how many more of them are out on the road.
1. Auto Transmission should be serviced every 30k miles! This is absolutely vital, and as important as regular engine oil changes!
30K mile service should include:
A. Transmission service: clean and flush, replace fluid with Ford specified synthetic trans fluid.
B. Fuel filter
C. Radiator flush and fill
Why fuel filter? Because as the filter gets dirty, it forces the fuel pump in the gas tank to work extra hard and possibly burn out.
2. Turn the overdrive OFF! Do not use your overdrive for city driving, around town, short trips, trailer towing, or going downhill at less than 50mph. DO use your overdrive ONLY on the open road or highway!!! Turn off when approaching a steep hill in anticipation, and leave off until you have topped the hill. The transmission cannot see that you are climbing a hill, it only responds to the pressure on the gas pedal.
For example, recommended way:
See steep hill ahead, at base of hill, turn off overdrive, transmission downshifts, engine revs to 3k rpm, very comfortable for engine and trans. Maintain speed, leave off until at top, turn back on, transmission upshifts. 2 shifts total.
Other way: Approach hill, vehicle lugs, step on gas, automatic hard downshift, vehicle accelerates, runs up on slower traffic. Let off gas, Transmission upshifts, slow car gets out of the way, step on gas, transmission downshifts, vehicle accelerates, ease off gas vehicle upshifts. Crest of hill is steep, one more downshift (hard one) over the top, upshift.
6 total shifts!!!!
Believe it or not, you will get better gas mileage the first way! It is much better for an engine and transmission to rev a little, than lug.
Do you realize how many shifts you will save over the course of the life of a vehicle. Your transmission can and will last with a little service, and thoughtful driving.
and radios that went blank, almost forgot that one.
I haven't had issue one with my 2000 xlt except a squeaky seat, and that's probably because I have it ramped up almost all the way.
.
Tire fiasco:
I have replaced the original Freestone's with Cooper Discover. Did you know that Cooper is the only American owned major tire company? It is a fact. Anyhow, I like them so much, I replaced the tires on our other vehicle with Cooper's as well. (Found out later that Cooper is a big client of the company I work for, so it turned out to be the right thing to do). The bottom line here, is: There are so many of these vehicles on the road that are performing just fine, and long term reliability is as good as any vehicle out there.
they have had a few spates of "tires can fail" in CR recall pages like most other outfits, because radials are still not trivial to make. I sorta laughed at the recall notices, because it was quantities like 87 and 378 tires, meaning one mold was having issues. we all know the drill these days on how to minimize the risk, after the => KILLER TIRES! tm <= fiasco.
Maintenance could have something to do with it but I am not sold on that argument either considering there has been many transmissions that have failed under 30k miles and other have failed even though the fluid was changed in accordance to the manual.
My mother-in-law has to replace her tranny in her 97 Explorer and she is not a hard driver at all. And she has all the maintenance done at the dealership on the prescribed mileage. Explain that one to me.
kjpk: Ford has sold over 400,000 each year not 800,000. And because they build them at different plants, in so many combinations it leads to problems. it's hard to control quality when you have over 500 combinations. I understand how one person can have a flawles Explorer whle the person next door is cursing theirs. I have a 96 V8 Explorer with 138k that has been very good. Some minor problems as of late (brakes) but that is more to do with age and mileage then being an Explorer.
I'm surprised to hear about the console cracking. That was a issue with the first generation Explorer. I know the addressed it with the 2nd generation. I'm a pretty big guy (weigh quite a bit more then 10 pounds) and I lean on my console all the time to get out of the vehicle. As far as tire replacement, you don't have to use the factory OEM. As a matter of fact, with the exception of the Michelins, I would not recommend replacing with the OEM tires. I just replaced my tires with Dayton Timberline L/T for $68 per tire (out the door). Top rated by CR. As opposed to $90+ for the Wrangler RT/S. They are not very good tires after you loose that initial tread. Quiet, yes but poor in rain or snow and wet road traction is critical in these vehicles.
Well, there is a delay from PARK to REVERSE and DRIVE to REVERSE and sometimes when I put it in reverse and give it some gas, it will make a loud clunking noise-but the noise is not like it is trying too hard to engage, but it actually happens when it is reversing. And then what prompted me to get it checked out is that the other day, while engaged, it made that clunk noise and then squeeled...like gears were half engaged-it was a metal on metal sound. who knows, hopefully the Tranny shop can figure it out.
of his 2002 & 2003 Explorers. My early 2002 4X2
has the same sound and can also be felt in the
wheel. You can rock the steering wheel from side
to side, while in the garage, and hear a similar sound. I have had someone rock the wheel while
under the car and you can feel it in the rack of
the Rack & Pinion steering assembly. Put a long extension or screw driver on the rack, with the
other end in your ear and you can hear it as well. Using this method of "listening" the knock gets progressively fainter as you listen to steering components that are farther from the rack. The dealer folks can't hear it or feel it! (I just had the car in to have the Exh. Gas
Rec. Sensor replaced.) There is no obvious free play in the steering, but something certainly is knocking at the door.