Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

explorerx4 · February 2004

i don't like your 'handle', but having an '02 also, there is some kind of tsb, or whatever, to replace the sway bar bushings. had mine done, and haven't had the creaky suspension noise since.

gregb5 · February 2004

EXPLORERX4 is correct. The creaking in the front is likely the sway bar bushings. Ford replaced mine twice. The second set has been quiet. Check into that.
Don't know what might be happening in back.

mbednorz · February 2004

Thanks for the info on the memory and mirrors, everyone. (Apologies to Bob Hope.)

Steve, I'm glad I've found the correct forums.

We are very impressed with this '02 Explorer.Previous SUVs: 89 Isuzu Trooper, 91 Toyota Landcruiser, 94 Toyota Landcruiser, '00 Eddie Bauer Expedition, '01 Isuzu Trooper. We did a ton of research, and Explorer really fit the bill for us. It's the perfect size, and the fold-flat rear seat really sold us.

As for the odor, I've been through this with other cars before, and just wanted to know if this was common. If so, it'll make it a little easier to try to get it deodorized under warranty.

See ya' around the forums.

mbednorz · February 2004

We need a second key for the '02 we just bought. Dealer quoted us $110 (includes the blank and the programming). I'd heard that these "chip" keys were steep, but wasn't expecting that. I searched online and on e-bay, but nobody carries the blanks. I found a remote, and I know how to reprogram that, but no joy on the key.

Anyone know of any alternatives other than the (gulp) dealer?

akangl · February 2004

I saw a guy on Ebay that was selling the blanks and programming, but I remember him saying that if you didn't have 2 keys already then the dealer would have to program the new key. I think he was getting like $10 for the blank.

rbudn83510 · February 2004

well....i think im going to sell it! The car would suddenly "jerk" driving along on the highway. I took it in to the dealer and said one of the bands in the transmission was frozen and couldnt be adjusted and that i needed a new transmission!!. I have 29,000 miles on it and they are all easy highway miles driven by my wife. They are going to install a remanufactured unit and the whole repair is under warranty but i have lost my confidence in this vehicle. I have owned lincolns and mercury's exclusively by my wife and I including many sables, a couple of villagers and currently i have the LS...but i think this trans problem has me convinced to finally leave the ford line-up. We are thinking of trading it in for a subaru outback H-6..this will be our first japanese car but reliability is paramount to us over most other variables. The shame of it all is that we loved the ride and performance of the mountaineer but the constant litle failures were awful. The PCM had to be reprogrammed twice. Sway bushings changed twice. Clunking front drive shaft upon deacceloration is a constant annoyance. Many more minor rattles and squeaks. I really want to trade in for a 2004 awd V8 in hopes that these problems have been solved but its wifes car and she is so freaked out about the transmission going that she wants to run away from ford products forever. Thank god this happened 6000 miles before warranty end...i could only imagine the cost of this repair. Everybody happy with 2004's?

explorerx4 · February 2004

the blank may not be an oem key.
we had to get a new one back when we had a taurus, a few years ago. the story goes, my wife had to visit the facilities at a park. when she sat down, the keys fell out of her sweathshirt into the toilet. she stood up up retrieve them, but it was an automatic toilet. Whoosh they were gone!

jrc346 · February 2004

When it comes to making the wife happy I totally understand your situation. However, if you are still a Ford fan then try to explain to the wife that the 2002 Explorer and Mountaineer were first year models. There is always the risk in buying a first year model with design flaws and the like. You could also reasure her that there have been many programming updates for the transmission (though I think yours going out is the result of a defect from the factory). As for the sway bar bushings, I believe the latest update with those has fixed the bumping issue. At least that is what I have seen on these boards. Anyway, just some thoughts here. You always want to be comfortable with what you are driving, and if to be comfortable that means switching to Subaru, then all the more power to ya

wijoco · February 2004

Sorry about your Mountaineer. It's a shame Ford can't seem to get a grip on quality control because the new Explorer/Mountaineer are really great vehicles. But if you've had continual problems with it, then you'll likely continue tohave problems throughout its lifespan. Sometimes the best thing is to get rid of it. Hope your next SUV is better to you, you're certainly in line for some good luck!

akangl · February 2004

Mine seems to have a weird vibration at 65-70 mph, under 65 its gone, over 70 its gone, take it out of o/d it goes away, put it in neutral it goes away, let off the gas it goes away. Of course none of those solutions make driving practical.

My truck has about 2500 miles on it, so far the only real quirk it has besides the transmission forgets what its doing sometimes and hesitates or slips a little.

I just hope that the vibration isn't the dreaded driveline vibration I keep hearing about from 02 Explorer owners.

BTW, I really do like my truck, very nice to drive, just wish that loud vibration would quit it, thankfully its more intermittant than anything.

jrc346 · February 2004

Is your vibration like a rapid thumping feeling that shakes the whole truck? Or is it more like a buzzing or humming?

akangl · February 2004

Its a loud humming noise, almost sounds like its running 4WD but I know it isn't (dry pavement, straight, flat road).

jrc346 · February 2004

Huh, almost sounds like you have the bad rear axle problem that has been and still is a plague with these new Explorers. Does the sound seem to be coming from the rear? If not I would say that you either have exhaust resonance (or the exhaust system contacting something under your truck), or an out of balance driveshaft. Couple more questions for you. Does the sound come on suddenly or gradually? Does it stay at the same volume while you are in that 65-70mph range? Has it done it since you purchased it? Has it gotten worse if it has?
I would say that if it gets worse, take to the dealer (I know, what a pain) and have them look things over. If your rear axle is making the noise, then have them hold off for a month as there is a new revised part to fix that problem about a month away. What a bummer though, it frustrates me when loyal Ford owners get their loyalty tested by such events/issues. Heres hoping that they are able to fix it and get you back on the road for 100,000+ trouble free miles:)

akangl · February 2004

It sounds like its coming from near the front of the truck, like right below the front seats. It comes on pretty suddenly around the time I hit 65 and stays the same volume until I cross 70 and then it goes away.

It didn't do it when I bought it, started this about 1000 miles ago. Its doing it more frequently these days. I'm ignoring it for the moment to see if it keeps getting worse.

I still like my truck, its just a quirk like a lot of new vehicles have.

mbednorz · February 2004

It's got all the symptoms of an out of balance driveshaft, except for the issue of "going away when you take it out of overdrive". Driveshaft rotation speed is a direct function of the speed of the car... not the gears or the transmission or engine speed. Not sure why going out of overdrive at the same indicated speed would cause the problem to stop.

If the tech at the dealer knows what he's doing, it's a pretty easy job to use the stick-on weights to balance it out.

Also, if you take it to the dealer, be SURE it can be reproduced easily. Nothing worse than the dreaded "could not reproduce" on the service ticket at the end of the day!

nvbanker · February 2004

That is SO true!

akangl · February 2004

I'm waiting for it to get worse, if it stays the same and is not easily reproduced, I'll learn to turn up the stereo, jump up to 75-80, and ignore it. There is NOTHING I hate more than wasting my time at the dealer and then getting a *cannot duplicate*.

Nope, been there, done that, even a couple times when I *KNEW* they were lying and I showed them the problem, they still pretended not to notice. How the heck do you not notice a major brake pull?? Read: Step on the brakes, steering wheel yanked out of hands and truck makes a mad left. (this was on a 94 Mazda Navajo) I'll never know, but I still glare at the service manager from the Mazda dealer whenever I see him.

My Explorer pulled its first trailer today and did pretty good, the trailer was horrible though, borrowed snowmobile trailer. Normally we use our big flatbed trailer to haul snowmobiles on, BUT, hubby wrecked his V10 Ram yesterday and the Explorer cannot pull that big flatbed trailer.

jpreis · February 2004

I posted the saga about the lemmon law return of my '03 Explorer and I constantly see posts making excuses for Ford and dangling the carrot for the fix of the balance of the drive shaft issue (this is what causes the harmonic/whine/hum in the cabin specific to 60ish to 70ish). I was told there would be a fix in December of '03. Well, gues what?

NO ONE every apologized for selling me a lemmon. No one apologized when they REFUSED to try and fix my car a fourth time. Ford Corporate mishandled the reutrn of the vehicle and displayed ZERO professionalism during the whole process.

My wife and I tried to do the right thing by buying the lesser expensive American made car. Ford let us down on all fronts.

If your '03 or '04 Explorer is humming or whining, make them fix it and don't believe the fix carrot. OR make them buy it back. We did.

DO NOT BUY FORD PRODUCTS.

nvbanker · February 2004

For your next car.

explorerx4 · February 2004

what are you going to get next?

jpreis · February 2004

for your next demonstration of criticism

jpreis · February 2004

My wife and I pick up Honda Pilot in about an hour from now. Again, a little history. My wife and I had decided to buy the lesser expensive vehicle. The Ford was $10K cheaper than the Pilot when we looked back in August of '03. We really didn't want to spend that much, but in our case we got much less than we paid for.

I'm not expecting the Pilot to be perfect, I've scoured the forums. The leather appears to sag prematurely, it's got some other defects that appear to be consistent, but it like the new Explorer is a second year model.

My frustration with what happened with our Explorer comes from two sources; one, the quality of the car and two, the complete mishandling of the entire situation by the dealership and corporate.

Thanks for asking.

Disclaimer: Grammar and spelling not checked. It's a forum about cars. Not an essay submitted for grading.

brian211 · February 2004

I'm considering an explorer. Also envoy, trailblazer, durango, pilot, 4 runner, endeavor et al. Are those of you who bought the explorer happy with your choice? Or do you wish you had bought something else?

akangl · February 2004

I recently purchased a 2004 Explorer XLS Sport V6/Control trac. I like the truck, its not without quirks and small annoyances, but over all very nice. Lots of power, handles great, fuel economy is nice, and it was a great value for the money.

I traded in a 1997 Explorer Limited V8/AWD, it was a gas hog, seemed to lack power, handled horribly, I was never really thrilled with it. It was a pretty good truck until it hit 55k or so, then it decided to start falling apart, then again, I think age hurt it more than anything.

brian211 · February 2004

That's what concerns me. It fell apart after 55k. That doesn't seem to be very comforting. People have told me 4runners run a lot longer before they start showing age and having problems. Envoys seem to have electrical problems. I've been impressed with the value of mitsubishis new endeavor. But have questions about the company. Also its all wheel drive. Which system is better, I don't know.

jpreis · February 2004

Brian -

Don't want to rewrite my novels :-) Please read my posts 2396 and 2320. Then buy anything but the Ford.

The enticing thing about the Ford's right now is the extremely low price that you can get one for. When we added our employee discounts, the Ford was $10K less than the Pilot. Today it would be more like $13K less. That's hard not to take into consideration. I admit that everyone will not have the same experience that I did, but MANY will.

IMHO, you are taking two risks. One, vehicle quality and two trying to work with Ford in the event there is a serious problem.

Within the last 24 hours, I had a cubemate ask me for the "how to return a lemon in North Carolina" synopsis. Three guesses for what kind of car?

As I've stated before, the '03 Explorer was my 3rd FMC vehicle. All related experiences to my first FMC vehicle were apathetic at best. It only got worse from there. I kinda feel stupid buying three cars from them, but my patriotism and former allegiance to the blue oval was hard to say goodbye to.

akangl · February 2004

Keep in mind it was a 7 year old truck, miles aside, age is usually what kills a vehicle in Alaska. Lots of idling time, rough roads, and it was city driven (by prev owner) for the first 41k of its life. I'm guessing that contributed to its demise. I traded it in at the Ford dealer and they resold it, so its out there somewhere still kicking around. I just didn't want to drop money into a 7 year old truck when the deals on the new ones were so good.

explorerx4 · February 2004

i live in the northeast. there are zillions of explorers around here, including a lot of old ones. it's not a perfect vehicle, i have the vibro at 65 mph. i try to drive either slower or faster.
it just has some many great features and is so practical, that i think it is the best out there, overall. i have an '02 loaded eddie bauer version.
not to dis the pilot, but i have noticed, just from my own observations, on snowy days, if the pilot drivers show up at all, they leave early.
could be coincidence, maybe your experience is too.

wijoco · February 2004

Generally, with RWD driveline vibrations, if throttle position doesn't matter, it is a "rotating mass" problem like an out of balance driveshaft or worn yoke bushing. If throttle position does matter, it more likely is a differential bearing problem. A lot of the new Explorer differentials have been replaced/rebuilt. The problem unfortunately isn't just isolated to the driveshaft.
Sure is depressing that they can't get their you-know-what together.

nvbanker · February 2004

Still pushing around a 94 Explorer with 120,000 miles on the clock - and it runs very well, is totally dependable, and has no real issues. I am on my 3rd Mountaineer, and have ordered a 4th - all of them from perfect to extremely satisfying. No, I don't work for Ford, or own stock. I'm just very satisfied.

akangl · February 2004

Other than the quirks I've talked about here I love my Explorer. Just turned 3000 miles today, I've had it 1 month 2 days. Very handy truck, hauled a pickup tailgate in it today WITH the kids sitting on the back seat.

Would definatly buy another Explorer, this one is #3, well, more or less, had a 1994 Mazda Navajo (Explorer Sport), a 1997 Explorer Limited, and now this 2004 Explorer XLS Sport.

jrc346 · February 2004

Sometimes I wonder. I will post the story that I have posted many times before (I hope those that have been on this board as long as I have don't mind :-P) I have owned 3 Explorers. I buy them because they are good trucks. Yeah I have had a few problems, but nothing really expensive, and never one thing after another.
1996 Explorer Sport
*Needed Fuel Pump @ 90,000 miles
*91,000 miles needed new front shocks
2000 Explorer XLT (was lease, tuned in @ 30,000)
*Timing chain tensioner (covered under recall)
2000 Explorer Limited ((Currently Own)@ 61,000 Mi)
No rattles, and even slightly more quiet than my Expy.
*Timing chain tensioner @31,000 (covered/recall)
*Thermostat @ 40,000
*Brakes (all 4) @45,000
*Ball Joints (Lower) @ 51,000
*2 Front Edelbrock shocks @ 48,000(just to soften up the ride)

Thats is, not to bad of a list.
My Expedition on the other hand has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned (incl. 5 Honda Accords), knock on plood)
Currently has 96,000 miles on it and these are the repairs that have been done.
*@65,000 Battery and Alternator (Shorted Bat= Melted Alt)
*@90,000 first brake job
Incredible!

So my Ford Experiences have been more like First On Race Day than Fix Or Repair Daily. Surely 4 good vehicles in a row has to be more than just luck?

swschrad · February 2004

and I just replaced the battery. wasn't dead yet but acted like one cell didn't have much power left in it, so I took care of it before it stranded me. that's IT for failures, period, on mine.

outside of the normal wear and tear items (oil, filters, lube, one set of front brake pads, wipers, fluids, outside bulbs were shotgunned when a marker light went out) I have not had one issue with it. this HAS been a year for fuel-line icing up here, so I've had some four-crank no-starts that cleared up right now with a bottle of isopropyl fuel de-icer. the AWD has been awesome, and the replacement General tires from the "customer satisfaction initiative" have a real good grip, whereas the original => KILLER TIRES! tm <= Ford decided to get off the road on their own dime were not real good in any category of performance.

I liked the way the 2002s all handled and rode as well when I went to a No Boundaries Expedition day a couple years ago and drove 'em all on an imitation backcountry course.

good truck. tows real well up to the 3000 pounds I have had on it. would get a new exploder or mountie at the drop of an insurance check if somebody slid through an intersection and totalled me out.

jpreis · February 2004

Explorerx4 -

I'm trying to find the words to say this nicely but I can't. Your proposing that the driver alters his or her driving to accommodate (sp?) a defect in the vehicle that one has plunked down tens of thousands of dollars for? Not trying to be adversarial here, but c'mon.

Can you help me understand the context of Pilot owners showing up and leaving early:? I might have missed something.

PS - Got the Pilot on Friday. It now has 500 vibration free, silent miles on it.

rhaddock · February 2004

I just purchased a '02 MM and noticed that going over speed bumps makes my front end bounce. I also get a lot of side-to-side swaying going over bumps, driveway entrances, etc. I have 40k miles. Is this a common attribute of the MM? Is there a way to stiffen the suspension so it doesn't rock so much? What about new shocks? Would this help and if so which ones are recommended?

gregb5 · February 2004

The traits you describe will not be changed significantly with new shocks. They are low speed maneuvers where the springs have more effect, as well as center of gravity, etc. Shocks dampen the movement of the springs when at speed and won't do much on driveway bumps.

If you choose to replace them there are several good brands out there: Edelbrock, Bilstein, KYB, etc.

Good Luck

explorerx4 · February 2004

i bought a 1st year model, which was a complete redesign, so i am not suprised there are some bugs. pretty minor, considering how great everything else is.

what i meant about the pilots i see at work is that i guess their owners don't have much confidence when the weather gets bad. i think you figured that one out on your own. might not be the vehicle. we have plenty of people that don't come to work when it snows, but then if driving in a snow storm bothers you that much, why buy a pilot? buy an accord.

hhaddock - check your tire pressures. a tire with tall sidwalls and low pressure can flex a lot.

wifemm · February 2004

Can someone tell me what is the normal idle rpm for a 02 AWD 4.0L Mountaineer/Explorer?

I just put in a K&N hi-flow panel air filter, the idle is about 750-800, just want to check if this is normal, I forgot to check it before replacement.

Immediate impression is the throttle response is better, although I did not get on the highway yet.....thanks.

dpfks · February 2004

I'm contemplating going to an All Wheel version of the Explorer...I'm presently driving a 4X4. I only use 4X4 for snow/ice/poor highway conditions. Anyone have experience with both types under this type of use?

dpfks · February 2004

I've been dealing with chronic problems with check engine light. We've replaced the air flow sensor twice. The computer message says that the fuel is running lean. Ford Service says the only other thing it may be is a failing fuel pump, but don't want to change it out until we know for sure. Any suggestions?

bigalds · February 2004

I've had 3 explorers, and worked on them from end to end.
First 2 were the early models a 91 and a 93, I bought them when they were 6 years old, in those years their was no choice of engine or automatic transmission. Engine was 4.0L V6 OHV and transmission was either A4LD 4 Speed Automatic or Manual trans. The engines were reliable, but underpowered at 160 HP. The automatic transmissions were nightmares, as they are basicly a C3 LIGHT DUTY transmission, I had to replace those twice in each vehicle. They can't take any abuse or hard driving, that's why mine went out, I'm a hard driver and need a strong transmission.
The other Explorer is a 97 with the 5.0L V8 , a VERY excellent vehicle, I bought when 5 years old, with 100K Miles, has good strong reliable engine with 215 HP and a good strong automatic transmission, a 4R70W. I had to put new bearings in the rear end, but it has been fine since then. This vehicle is a dream to drive, I really love it. Too bad it is my wifes vehicle, as I drive a 99 Blazer, which is ok, but not quite as nice as the 97 Explorer.
I buy them about 6 years old and drive them for 6 years. That's about the best you can do when you only have 9K to buy a vehicle with.

swschrad · February 2004

I bought the AWD exploder because it's safer on mixed (snow, ice) pavement... that is... you only clutch in the front wheels when you need 'em, as you need 'em, automagically. traditional 4x4 locks the differentials, which means both wheels turn at the same rate. this makes the outer wheel on turns a slow-running impediment, and it can skip or even turn the tire under at high enough speeds.

I've ridden in a four-by over mixed stuff that "went wild" and barely came back to control before the ditch due to being pushed too hard (accidentally) and having a patch of road appear in the ice under a front wheel. I'll pay five bucks at the amusement park if I want to go there again.

the newest versions of the explorer/mountaineer feature the drive system option I would have paid $5000 extra for in 2000. base system is AWD, and you have the option to lock diffs for traditional 4x4 high and low.

AWD is not all that useful in extreme conditions... a mud bog, snow up to the door handles, rocks as big as toasters all over the road... and that is where 4x4 shines. when there is only occasional traction at any wheel, locking all four together is the best idea. of course, if you use that to get into a total impasse way back in nowhere land, you had better have put a winch on your system as well and carry extra wire rope and some U-splice bolt sets.

so that's the way I'd go if I got T-boned and had to replace mine today... with the explorer or mounty having the AWD/4x4 drive option. and I'd search dealers or special order to get it, driving a pig rental if I had to, until mine came in. I'd also insist on the V8 and towing packages no matter what, but that's just me and my life.

jrc346 · February 2004

Dpfks: What engine does your Explorer have? I am guessing the V6 seeing as how you mentioned that you have 4WD and not AWD. Also important is how many miles you have on your truck. I highly doubt that you have a fuel pump going bad unless you have the other following problems.
1. Hard starting
2. Reduced engine power after engine warm-up.
3. Lugging or surging while driving, or stalling while at stoplights/signs
OR
4. Erratic idle.

They can do a fuel line pressure test to see if the fuel pump is the actual culprit of your lean comp. reading. I am dissapointed that the service dept. didn't to this already. Then what would they do if the new fuel pump didn't solve the problem? Sounds like gross inexperience to me.
If your truck is high on mileage then the O2 (Oxygen) sensors might be getting lazy. For your Cat. converters to operate efficently the engine has to opperate in constant fluctuations between rich and lean fuel mixtures. When these sensors become lazy, they just indicate that your truck is running lean all of the time triggering the Check Engine light. I actually had a lean reading cause the check engine light on my Explorer to come on (@50,000Mi). Though I started with cleaning the Mass Air Flow sensor and that has done the trick for about 10,000 miles now (no check engine light). Though replacing that should have solved the problem if that was the problem on your truck.

Another problem that could be causing your Check Engine light is a vacuum leak somewhere in your intake. If you have the 4.0L SOHC V6, there have been numerous cases of intake manifold gasket failure do to warpage of the plastic intake. This will cause a lean reading as well. I think that this issue if covered under a Ford Extended warranty until 100,000miles. There is a recall on this part, but only if the part(s) go bad.

I know not every garage has a Genesis OBD II computer reader, that can pretty much tell you anything you want about your cars performance actively, but any Ford garage that is farmiliar with Explorers, should know more than to just say "Fuel Pump." There is nothing worse than just throwing parts at cars, hoping to fix it.

All of this gobbldy [non-permissible content removed] I just wrote you aside, your problem may very well be your fuel pump, but it seems like more tests should be run before making that final deduction. Can you try another dealer, or is there any independent shop in town that you trust that might be able to help. If so, try those places next. Or, I guess you could just live with the Check Engine light. But if you are like me, that little bugger distracts me more than a cell phone would. Goodluck! Hope this helps.

wijoco · February 2004

What was the exact code? I'm guessing it was one or two banks lean, there is no "fuel running lean" code. The only way they would know you need a fuel pump is by doing a pressure test, like JRC said.

nvbanker · February 2004

I'm with you, pal!!

jpreis · February 2004

Explorerx4 -

I have high expectations for the performance of the Pilot in snow/rain/ice. I'll let you know how she does when I get my "chance". (I'll also go read the forum de Pilot.)

<<<ON THE TOPIC OF AWD/FWD>>>

I think we should separate the people that are looking better traction on the road during adverse weather versus off-road capabilities; the two are different fishes if you will. After having several 4WD and AWD vehicles my opinion is that AWD does quite well for the driver seeking extra confidence in slick conditions and snow. The 4WD can kinda do double duty with 4WH and 4WL, BUT (I was the model fool for this next sentence) most people that buy 4WD vehicles never come close to either using them at all or to any significant percent of their capability.

I learned this by buying a $40K LandRover because of the awe I had for its off-road abilities. I used those abilities, uh, almost 3 times in 3 years ;-) Ahhh the lessons of youth.

Bye

troyben · February 2004

We have the '02 Mountaineer, 1st yr of redesign. Does anybody know if the middle seat in the 2nd row can be retrofitted with shoulder belt, as the middle seat only has lap belt in '02? Thanks

daryll40 · February 2004

I am wondering if any of you '02 or '03 Explorer/Mountaineer owners have noticed the leather is deteriorating rapidly on the left side of the driver's seat...where you apply your full bodyweight in getting in and out? I am at 20,000 miles and can see that in not more than another 20,000 this is going to be nasty. Even if Ford replaces the panel, won't it wear out
again in 20K more miles. In other words, is there some more permanent fix...like using a better grade of material or something? Or is this a "live with it" problem? Shouldn't be this way on a $38K vehicle.

nvbanker · February 2004

I have 30,000 miles on ours, and it's fine. Does yours get wet a lot?

daryll40 · February 2004

Never.

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