Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

meredith · April 2000

This topic is a continuation of Topic 774....

Perpetual Ford Explorer Woes - II. Please
continue these discussions here. Thanks!

Front Porch Philosopher
SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host

sanandton · April 2000

See previous post regarding unpredictable, dangerous stalling in perpetual Explorer Woes I. So far approx. 500 mi after replacement of a thing called a VZV valve and fuel cell cannister in the gas tank and no stalls. This could be the end of one of my Explorer headaches that have plagued me for 31k mi. For those of you with unpredictable loss of power or stalls this might be the answer. You can post here if you need more specifics. And I will call my local dealer to get better info.

stacyellen · April 2000

Help! We have a 1994 Explorer Ltd with 160,000 miles on it. My husband loves this vehicle, but we are having problems with the stering; i.e. there is some play in it when you turn to the right and then back to the left. Anyone have this kind of problem? Also, about a year ago the A/C went - we're not sure why, but he's thinking it's the compressor. Anyone with experience in these areas??

Thanks

stacyellen · April 2000

kfreagan,
we also live in the Atlanta area and are looking for a good reliable Ford service location - who do you take yours to?? Thanks - return e-mail "PurrPalace@aol.com"

fordmaybe · April 2000

I had the same problem with a ford taurus V6 wagon and it ended up being a fuel pump going bad. After the pump warmed up, and was then shut off for only a few minutes, it would vapor lock the fuel line, and the pump did not have enough power to pump thru the vapor lock, and the car would not start until it had cooled down and the vapor lock was released. It also happened on very hot days with the air-conditioner on, the engine would just quit while driving. It would basically run out of gas because of the vapor lock in the fuel line.

sneezer · April 2000

To the person buying from Budget-Rent-A-Car, maybe it's just me, but never in my life has anyone I know or myself treated a rental car with respect outside of wrecking it. I would tremendously fear the abuse it has taken, especially if it's ever been in my hands. I would expect a lower than average price, and wear and tear that may only become visible over time.

thomas37 · April 2000

The transmission fluid disappears. No sign of leaking. No sign in the water or oil. No smoke. It must be burning the fluid -- but how does it get in the exhaust ??

swschrad · April 2000

a classic cause of losing tranny fluid is a leak in a vacuum control to the tranny... the fluid is then sucked into the manifold and burned in a small enough quantity to not make the car look like it's fogging for mosquitoes. If you have vacuum hoses to the tranny, pull them and stick a Q-tip in the tranny end. If it doesn't come out clean and dry, have those modulators replaced.

tallimeca · April 2000

I just purchased a 2000 explorer sport last night, trading in my bronco. This morning , after all paperwork has been filled out and I picked up the truck the previous night, I get a call saying there is a problem with my trade. They told me they allowed too much for my trade because it had a reconstructed title, and that they refused to send in the application for title to the registry of motor vehicles untill I went down and paid them the difference in what they now though my trade was worth. My father and I went down to the dealership to meet with them. They explained the situation. I told them right out that I already have the truck, financing went through, and that the deal is done, 3 people at the dealership had that title right in front of them , no one made a point to point out there was a problem with a vehicle haveing a reconstructed title....the deal was done-their loss. The guy begain to argue with us and we told them it was there problem, not ours and to send the paper work in, which they continued to refuse to do. The arguement continued to the point where they couldn't come up with any other excuse as to why I wasn't notified about this problem before everything was finished.....and we were asked to leave. After contacting the attorney general, the registry and various other agencies.....none of them had an answer....I went to my lawyer and had him get rolling on the case because I wouldn't have been able to continue to drive the vehicle unless it was registered. Finally, we got through to the owner of the dealership. After numerous phone calls back and forth, he finally agreed that his people screwed up and that it was their fault and they would have to suffer........which is what should have been decided at the beginning. They are supposably sending in the paperwork immediately. Just a bit of advice to future purchasers........don't buy a vehicle with a reconstructed title, because according the the dealership, when you want to get rid of it, no one will want it. # 2....do all the registry work yourself.....don't let the dealer hold that last bit of the puzzle over your head. Shame on York Ford in Massachusetts for trying to stick it to a young purchaser who works hard to try to afford such a vehicle....and then have the dealership try to squeeze more out.....and when they don't get it....they treat the customer who just dropped almost 24 grand in there like dirt!!!!!!

vanhoy · April 2000

I own a 97 ExplorerXL at 76,000 miles started having a noise like a diesel engine. Mechanic replaced plugs, wires, pcv valve, fuel filter, replace serpentive drive belt and tensioner, replace plenum gaskets and both timing chain tensioners, repaired wiring at downstream 02 sensors. All this recommended by Ford Company. The problem did not change anything. The Ford Co. still does not know what the problem is. Nothing shows on the scan EEC system. Recommended maybe a 3rd tensioner problem that will cost approx. @ $2000. I understand this seems to be a problem with a lot of Explorers.

billiam70 · May 2000

I have a 99 Explorer XLT AWD V8 with 21,000 miles on it. So far I think it's been a pretty decent vehicle. The engine and transmission are both smooth and responsive. I do find the leather interior a little hard. When on long road trips, they become very uncomfortable to sit in. I haven't had any major problems outside of the rear wiper motor needing replacement, twice, and the two recalls. However, I think improvements still could be made in build quality. My truck already has front doors that squeak and rattle, along with the dashboard. This has been "repaired" under warranty, but the problem persists. I also have an occasional chirp from the back of the truck, a whistle from the engine when cold, and brakes that occasionally like to force the truck to the left. Those are little problems, and I am not complaining. Like I said, I do like the truck. I just wish it had a little more refinement that was comparable to the Japanese brands.

berik · May 2000

Help! I'm in immediate need of a vehicle and a '94 Explorer I've found meets the bill. It has had only 1 owner and has 90,000 miles on it. It is an XLT w/roof rack, a/c options. Body looks great, interior is clean. No record of accidents. The price is a fixed $8,000. I can get warranty coverage through Wynn for around $550 (12 month/12,000 miles) or $925 (24 month/ 24,000 miles). I will only use the car for about 8 months before returning overseas, so I want something I can sell easily. If you are knowledgeable about Explorers, I'd appreciate hearing from you ASAP whether this sounds like a good buy or not. Also your thoughts on whether the warranty is worthwhile (seems to cover just about everything major except seals & gaskets).

Anything else I should consider before buying this car?

Please reply to me directly at <<A HREF="http://BStoops@pactec.org">BStoops@pactec.org>. Thanks!

lmc5 · May 2000

I also have a 1997 "EXPLODER" XLT and have had the same deisel sound. I took it to the dealer and they could not find the problem at first. They then told me it was the timing belt cassette, which they replaced, and it did not fix the problem. I took it back and they said it was the timing belt tensioners, which they replaced and it still makes the noise on occasion. I have never owned an american made car so I purchased the extended warranty(best thing I ever purchased). This vehichle has been in the shop at least 15 times and I am taking it back today for the brakes, which were supposed to be fixed a few weeks ago. This vehichle is a piece of junk not to mention I have taken it to three dealerships and the service has been terrible. They try to make it sound like its my fault they have a crappy product. This will be my last FORD and probably my last american made car. I have a 1993 Toyota Camry, 177,500 miles, no problems.

blueseat · May 2000

I own a 97 explorer xlt. Dealer has replaced the cassette, etc. but still have the noise. My question for this group is, " has anyone experienced engine damage yet as a result of this or is it merely an annoying noise?"
If more serious problems have resulted, at how many miles has that happened? At 45K, no significant problem other that the ANNOYING RATTLE/PINGING noise. Anyone with similar experience? Have gone to three different dealer and all scratch their heads and do nothing.

lmc5 · May 2000

The diesel sound started on my vehicle around
45,000 miles. I don't know of any further damage it may have caused, the service departments at Ford would not tell you if it had. This does not sound like an isolated incident. Ford has to know they have a serious problem but they won't address it. Hopefully I can get rid of the vehicle before any other damage occurs. I have written a letter to the corporate office about these service issues and have not received any reply. "Live and Learn,
I Have Learned, Never Buy Another Ford"

bstone2 · May 2000

You know what - I was considering buying an Explorer but after reading these posts - no way. I don't think I have read such negativity on any vehicle in the Edmunds forum. Unbelievable engine and drivetrain problems for vehicles that are 2-3 yrs old. Considering how many of these vehicles Ford has made they should be the standard for all other SUV's - they obviously are not. Now if Nissan or Toyota would take the Xterra concept and pricing and expand it to the size of an Explorer - I would buy today! .Thanx to all who input their problems - it does make a difference - hope someone at Ford reads this - see ya!

lukacs · May 2000

I have a 2000 Explorer and the engine developed the diesel sound at 3000! miles. I took it back to the dealer and they said they couldn't find the reason why it's doing it, but they are throwing a new engine in it. Hopefully, I'll have more luck with the new engine. I also told the dealer that the doors were not painted on the bottom and I found out that this was "normal" at Explorers. Well, if that is normal at Ford then it tells me something about Ford. The bottom line is: This is my last Ford.

angush · May 2000

I had the same problem. It would not turn over
after driving in traffic and trying to restart
within an hour or so. I took it to the dealer the
first time and he said it was loose cables!
Obviously it wasn't that. Next time it happened
we took it in (after being stranded miles from
home) and the dealer actually replicated the
problem. I told him it was probably the fuel
pump (after reading of the problem here, thanks)
and he ignored me. They replaced the EEC valve
after replicating the problem, and obviously
that was not it, because it happened again and
left us stranded even farther from our house.
This is all on a 1996 XLT with only 36,000 miles.

Other problems:
Broken passenger door latch
Broken Odometer
Broken hood handle
Broken CD player
Broken heat sensor ($$$)

They obviously have no clue on this problem
and can't even fix it after seeing the problem
for themselves. Not like they tried that hard
or even cared about customer service. Needless
to say, this is the last Ford I will ever buy.

kjg6 · May 2000

I have a 97 AWD XLT with 34k miles. I noticed that the driver front tire is wearing on the outsides. I have had the vehicle back to the dealer two time with no solution to my problem.
The dealer blames the wear on low tire pressure.
The tires are kept at 32psi. I do not want to purchase new tires until problem is corrected.
Any suggestion?

gdtargee · May 2000

Can anyone help me with a suggestion on what might be causing a gas mileage problem. I have a '94 Explorer with 70000 miles. It has always gotten excellent gas mileage (14-16 town, and 20-23 hwy), but recently changed drastically. We are now getting 10 to 13 on the highway. We have been to several mechanics, including the best Ford authorized guy in town, and have done all suggested repairs. These included the Catalytic Converter and many other things -- all to no avail. I've spent $1,500 trying to fix this, with no luck. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and might have a suggestion.

swn1 · May 2000

I have posted all kinds of annoyances with my '99 XLT and it continues. I had the dieseling noise also but the dealership was successful in fixing it for now anyway. They replaced the cam tensioners, lousy $12 parts. In an effort to fix various squeals and squeaks they have replaced hub seals 3 times, rear shocks, ground the rotors twice, replaced brake pads, taken apart doors and the like. Seems they fix one and it moves somewhere else. Ford is well aware of all these problems but they aren't going to do anything but try and patch them up knowing full well they will continue to lure customers and sell new vehicles. If they came out tomorrow with low financing or big rebates most of us would probably buy another if we were in the market. The higher quality SUV's like Toyota don't need to do this but also charge a premium. The extra $3-5,000 sticker and higher finance charges will keep most of us at bay for now. The worst thing we can do is quit taking them back for repairs under warranty. Pick out every little thing and make them fix it. I know they have billed Ford in excess of $1,000 for my vehicle and I'm just starting. That's the only recourse we have. It helps to stay on the good side of the dealer's shop foreman, they are not to blame.The one I go to has been just as frustrated as me but is working with me to fix everything. So before jumping up and down and screaming at him, remember he can be your best friend in the battle. No, I'm not a shop foreman or know any other than the one I deal with who goes out of his way,partly I'm sure because I treat him like a person and not an idiot.

rblissett · May 2000

I just bought a 98 Explorer XLT. Test drove the beast twice, without incident. Took it home, and the next day when I go to start it, it sounded like someone came in the night and replaced my V6 SOHC engine with a diesel. I wish I had of read these posts before buying. Anyway, I did buy it off a dealership on a lease return, and so far they are claiming that they will have it repaired. However, it looks like it will be difficult to pin down the exact problem from all the posts I've read. If anyone knows for sure what it is please forward me the information. Likewise when I take it in tomorrow, if they can actually rectify this problem, I will post the answere for everyone else.

lmc5 · May 2000

See post #15 of 24. Well I took my Explorer in for my brakes again on 5-2-00. They were making a woofing sound when I turned to the left. This did not happen until they turned my rotars about a month ago. They did not charge me for this repair and they assured me that I would not be back for this problem. Well today is 5-11-00 and it is making the same noise. Has anyone had this problem before and if so what was it? I keep thinking that I just got a bad vehicle but when I read the other comments about the same problems, I think the problem lies with Ford. Like I have stated before, I have written a letter to Ford but received no response. Does anyone know what I should do next besides push it off a cliff?

explorer97 · May 2000

I have a 97 Explorer XLT with 6 cylinders with 45K miles on it. My engine also made what we're all describing as dieseling/pinging sounds. Mine started at about 37K and is now in the shop with a blown cylinder. There is no doubt Ford has been having problems with these engines. Got in touch with the Regional/zone manager as a blown cylinder for an engine with 45000 is rather uncommon and indicative of a defective engine. Evidently Ford agreed since they're picking up tab

bcollison · May 2000

was your engine the SOHC V-6 or the push rod motor? What did they say caused the blown cylinder? Thanks in advance.

whinro2 · May 2000

We own a 99 explorer purchased new. It now has approximately 17k miles. Although, on the whole we have been pleased with it, we had a problem with the brakes that was not handled very well. With only a few thousand miles I started picking up a little vibration when braking. This progressed to the point where it was very noticeable and annoying. Being somewhat of a decent mechanic I knew that the rotors were probably the problem. When we took it to the dealer it was discovered that, indeed, the rotors were warped and needed to be turned. The aggravating part of this is that the brakes are only warranted for 12,000 miles and we had to pay for the repair. We were charged $106.00 for something that I could have done for $15.00 had I known what course of action would be taken by the dealer. Even more maddening was that the service manager blaimed us for the problem i.e. we are very heavy footed on the brakes. He also said that when we go to the mountains ( we ski a lot) that we have to drive differently. What a total crock! The vehicle is driven with kid gloves wherever it is driven. We do not hammer the brakes. In fact,it has not been subjected to even one panic stop. By their own admission the brakes showed very little sign of wear, still were warped badly. This is a definite contradiction. How does one abuse the the brakes so badly that they warp,but show very little sign of wear.

tomsr · May 2000

I just read in an auto column in the newspaper
Explorers rotors can be warped if the wheels
are put on with an air wrench and the torque
setting of the wrench is too high.If you had your
tires rotated at a gas station or tire place where they either don't know or care then that might be it.I once had my tires rotated at a tire
place and when I went to change a flat I
discovered a cross threaded nut and had to break the stud to remove the tire.I went back to the
tire place and they apologized and replaced 2 studs that had been ruined.

tallimeca · May 2000

i read a post a while back about how someone said that their explorer seems to loose traction while driving over a bridge on the grates. Some one responded saying that that doesn't happen and how it is the person driving the vehicle that is making it happen. I must admit, I tended to agree with this person's rebuttle until the same thing happened to me on my brand new explorer last night. The ground was somewhat wet and at 40 mph, I should not be fishtailing........... I was told that these firestone tires that come on these truck are horrible and i should get rid of them. I'm gonna call the dealership this week to see about changing them in reguards to affecting any kind of warrenties.

sanandton · May 2000

I continue to monitor this site even though I was able to get out of my last woeful explorer hoping to help some of those still driving them (there are a lot). My take on the firestones is they had excellent tread life, but were loud, rough, and produced noticeable road roar which only got worse as they got more miles on them. I suppose they are a hard compound tire, which might explain the tendency to loose traction on the grates mentioned previously, but also accounts for the extended life. I guess Ford chooses them for a mixture of possible uses (on or off road) and cheap price. I even had a few firestone dealers inspect them due to the noise. They told me that the noise was normal for this firestone tire and they were wearing in an excellent pattern. If you can afford new tires already, think about the Michelin LTX or HT. Great for on road situations, and much, much quieter. Good luck.

eldridge1 · May 2000

I recently purchased a 98 Ford Exp XLT with 26000 miles. It has developed a noise that sounds like squeaky bed springs. I don't experience this sound all of the time, but it doesn't seem right.

Has anyone else had this problem? I would like to know what to tell the dealer.

mugsy3 · May 2000

I have a 97 Explorer V8 with 50,000 miles on it. Ever Since I purchased the truck, I have heard a constant clicking/snapping sound from the front suspension. The problem seems to worsen when braking. Many different Ford dealers have replaced the bearings, joints, cv joints, etc (under warranty) but the problem always comes back.
Other problems:
* The right rear door won't open
* The intermittent wipers go at "their own pace" and not the selected intervals, they also increase speed under hard acceleration
* Trasmission--The transmission gave out last month and I had it towed to ford for repair,,under warranty. They decided to call in an Ford "investigator" to see if the damage was driver induced. They then claimed the truck was involved in an accident and would not replace the tranny under warranty. We threatend to get lawyers and Ford Re-evouluated the claim, and fixed my truck, after two weeks. 3 weeks later, the transmission is shifting rough and the gear selector is very tight and hard to move. --Whatever.
*-----
Any advice on the front suspension thing, other than blowing my car up or donating it to a Monster Truck Show????

lmc5 · May 2000

Well I took my Explorer in on Monday the 15th and told the service department that my brakes were still making a woofing sound and I would like it to be fixed because I am tired of bringing it in for the same problem. The Technician rode with me and he heard the noise. When we get back to the service department the service rep. that I have been dealing with asked me who details my car and I asked why. He said that the tire dressing that they put on the tires may be causing the noise. This is a crock of you know what. I told him the car has not been washed since they supposedly fixed it a few weeks ago. They kept the car overnight and called me yesterday and said it was definitely the armor all that they put on my tires when I get it washed. He said they are spraying it into the tire and it is getting on the rotors. I hung up the phone and immediately drove to the dealership and asked to speak to the service manager. I told him what his service rep told me and he just shook his head in disbelief. I told him if this was causing the noise wouldn't every dealership in the USA be backed up with people having brake problems and why is it making the noise on the left side only, I get all four tires cleaned at the same time. I also told him that they spray the dressing on a rag and wipe it on the tire. Then I said to myself, why am I explaining this to him because it has nothing to do with the problem. The manager assured me the car would be fixed and he would address this "tire dressing" issue with his rep. I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle and three Ford service departments but this takes the cake. I know whoever reads this will get a kick out of it.
Has anyone else been told this? I am wondering if it is standard practice for Ford to treat their customers like idiots.

sanandton · May 2000

Does anyone know how warranty repairs are paid for at a ford dealership? Are they paid on a case by case basis (ie: do the work, submit the bill, get paid for what you do) or are they paid an allocation for all repairs in a lump sum. They would then have incentive to keep feeding us the BS we always get in order to avoid warranty repair and avoid dipping into the service proffit. It seems they would be eager to fix things or at least make an attempt to do so if it was not a "HMO" for autos set up.

kc_flynn · May 2000

Friend of mine had a '96 Explorer. Needed whole new engine at 65,000 miles. He traded it in for a new Honda Accord LX. It's painful to think people spend $30K on a vehicle that gives them nothing but trouble for 65,000 measly miles. He says never again will he buy a Ford.

The vast majority of Ford products are garbage.

tomsr · May 2000

My 98 Sport has 24k miles and a seam in the leather drivers seat cushion is pulling apart.Does anybody else have this problem? Am I asking to much to get quality for the $24000 I spent? I thought leather is suppose to be more
durable than cloth. I hope nothing serious goes
wrong before next year.

skiest1 · May 2000

I own a 1999 ford explorer limited.
I have had similar problems.
The latest problem was.
Went over some railroad tracks on a main road
and then it stalled, tried to start it right back
but it wouldn't start, so I waited a couple of minutes then. it was ok after that.. Is this something that gets worse with age. I have 25,000
miles on it..

sanandton · May 2000

I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT AFTER I POSTED THE HAPPY NOTIFICATION OF NO STALLS, MY EXPLORER STALLED AGAIN WHILE TURNING ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE TRADED IT. IT WAS THE BEST FEELING I HAVE EVER HAD WHILE LOOSING 2K$. GOOD LUCK!

stevearino1 · May 2000

Ok, heres the scoop on everyone with a vibration on left turns ONLY. Ford is aware of this problem and they have a fix. Why these 'mechanics' are saying Armor All on the rotors blah blah blah are full of le crepola. The left side power steering hose must be replaced under warranty, the exhaust system gets a vibration dampening bracket and the PCM gets reprogrammed to change shift points slightly. AND IT WORKS, had it done after starting through the service managers BS, 'all cars have inherent vibrations due to the harmonics of blah blah blah' God its like the guy watched one too many Steven Hawking specials on Discovery channel or something. I am pleased to say the vibration is gone, and although its not perfect, I am satisfied to date with the explorer. Another thing to watch out for is those cam chain adjusters, have heard those are problem areas too and can cause that knocking noise some may here at startup. Could also be piston slap from too loose of piston to wall clearance but you would have to find out for yourself.
Get your explorer in and get it fixed...

stevearino1 · May 2000

Heard that replacement of MAF unit fixes this as well. Warranty? Do not know, but I do notice you can blip the throttle and get it to hang up before the revs pickup-sometimes. Anoying and dangerous for someone not expecting their motor to hesitate under a critical time. I am going to buy a set of matched fuel injectors, machined MAF and cold air induction assy, because it feels like a rich condition on the EFI mapping, but try to get anyone to check that out for you under warranty-NOT

staceytx · May 2000

Sorry to hear of all the problems with the newer 97, 98, 99, 00 models. Perhaps trade down like me....

I am on a budget and decided to trade my problematic 95 Saturn SC2 about a year ago for an 91 (yes 1991) Ford Explorer XLT. I am happy to report that after a little over a year of Hot Humid Houston Freeway Driving....it is running strong (very strong) at 130 k

Lucky for me - this was a solid buy for someone on a serious budget.

lmc5 · May 2000

I think my brakes may be fixed but then again I thought that a few weeks ago also. The service rep. that tried to blame my brake noise on armor all did apologize for making such a lame excuse for my problems. I got the vehicle back last week and I haven't heard the noise when I turn to the left anymore (fingers crossed). They replaced my brake pads and turned my rotors again. They only charged me for the brake pads (wholesale) and no labor charge.
I am taking it back in today for the diesel sound that it still makes. They had to order the part for it, thats why they could not fix it when they had it for my brake problem. They said they are going to replace the "timing belt guides" and this should stop the diesel sound. They also said this is the fourth upgrade on this part they have had in recent months. That tells me they know they have a real problem with these guides.
I hope this will keep me out of the service department for a while but going on the history of this vehicle, I think I will be back for something else. I plan on trading it next month so I hope it will stay fixed until then.

sanandton · May 2000

I sympathize with all of you still driving the Explorer and having problems. I recently traded out of my last one. After owning three, I had become accustomed to knowing the service writers on a first name basis. I am now pleased to say I haven't been to the service dept. with my new vehicle even once (unusual for my explorers) and I certainly wouldn't interrupt my dinner in a diner to speak to the service guy, because I don't even know if it is a male or female! What a great feeling!

swn1 · May 2000

Like StaceyTX I also have a '91 Explorer but an Eddie Bauer. It has 228,000 miles and climbing and it runs much better than my '99 XLT. Since purchasing Eddie in '95 with 44K miles, I have had no major problems. Sure I have had to replace worn out parts and invest a few grand but it has been worth it. I have more confidence in this and it is more fun to drive than the '99 cheese box clanker. I guess I got sucked in to buying the '99 by foolishly thinking it would be even more dependable than old Eddie, how wrong I was.

mkling · May 2000

My problem started at 20k+ miles. Pulley tensioner was replaced but did not help.

Another major problem I had was a "warped manifold" which caused the check engine light to come on and the vehicle to sputter in the morning.

Still like the engine the SOHC is pretty smooth.

Anyway, try accessing Ford's "ownerconnection.com" for a direct response from Ford. I did and Ford contacted, the dealer, the dealer I purchased the vehicle from and me. All within 3 business days.

That impressed me.

Good luck. Still think it's a decent vehicle.

njdevilsrn · May 2000

Hello, owner of a 1999 Exploder XLT 4WD w/ SOHC with 13000 miles on it. In additional to the many headaches this vehicle has caused, I now believe it has started the dreaded "dieseling". If this is the sound I think you are all referring to, the truck sounds like a diesel after being started and at idle (in park or drive). Anyone know what the problem is? Potential for damage?

lmc5 · May 2000

I have had this "dieseling" problem for about a year. I took the vehicle to Ford in October and they said it was the "timing belt cassette" and they replaced it. About a month later the noise was back. I took it back and they said it was the "timing belt tensioners" so they replaced those. A
couple of months went by and the noise returned. I took it to a different dealership because obviously the one I was going to did not know what the problem was. I just got the vehicle back yesterday and the noise is gone. This service department told me that it was the "timing belt guides" and when they took the engine apart to replace them they said the other parts that were put on were broken and they had to have been installed that way because these parts can't break. That's encouraging knowing that another Ford service department put broken parts on my vehicle. They also told me that this is the fourth upgrade they have had on this part, so they know there is a serious problem with these "timing belt
guides". None of this work cost me any money because I purchased the extended warranty when I bought the car.
I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that it is finally fixed.
I hope this helps and I hope you get better service than I did.

djmb · May 2000

I have a '91 Explorer XLT with 92,000 miles. I am the only owner and have had no serious problems until this past year. The air conditioning doesn't work, the fuel gauge is broken and now the transmission doesn't always shift from second to third, plus the car makes a clunky noise when it goes into 4WD. As you must guess, I am ready to turn it in. The dealer will give me $1,500. on a trade in. I'd like more and am actually considering keeping it as an extra vehicle. Am I nuts??? The problem is I am considering a mini-van!!!!yikes!!! I need the extra room and don't feel like driving a bigger vehicle. Any suggestions?

wansley1 · May 2000

I PURCHASED A 2000 EXP XLT IN MARCH 2000. THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT IN APRIL 2000. IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW, IT HESITATE TO REVERSE.

hotrodski · May 2000

I am the original owner of a 1992 XLT with 156,000 miles. I had some problems in the early years while it was still under extended warranty. Like frozen brake calipers, leaking AC compressor, faulting ABS sensor and an electric switch for the 4WD. Since then its been routine maintenance and service. I was thinking of moving up and purchasing a newer or new Explorer but after reading some of these posts I think I will just fix rust that is starting to form and keep it. It runs great. Yes, its been off road in snow and mud.

swn1 · May 2000

When you say the A/C doesn't work if you mean it won't blow cool air then you probably need to do what I had done on my '91. The lines were leaking and replaced along with the compressor and a bunch of other related parts for about $1,200. Mine always clunks when going into 4WD but there is a problem with the switch on the electric models. The dash light comes on giving you the impression it's in 4WD when it's really not. After several attempts it usually pops in. I understand there is a TSB to fix the problem. Trannie sounds like it's due for a rebuild, $1,400+. All in all, if I were you and there are no serious problems with the engine, I would sink some bucks into it especially if they are only giving you $1,500 on a trade. You would be throwing away a lot of vehicle and getting what in return? I've mentioned before I have 229,000 on my '91 EB and no major engine or trannie problems and it's running strong. 140 miles a day and 20+mpg. I change the oil every 2,500 and all other fluids as scheduled. If you haven't kept up with regular maintenance, especially the oil, then you may want to reconsider. Good Luck.

tonyg2 · May 2000

Have all the '00 owners gotten their re-call on the wiper motor? The switch corrodes and produces fantum wipes and failures.

Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

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