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Ford Expedition

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  • duceduce Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the response. I think I'll wait for
    the 05's!
  • nckracernckracer Member Posts: 7
    From what you've seen, is the new DVD navigation system the same one that's used in the Lincoln Aviator. I know the Aviators have a touch screen that flips down with a 6 disk in-dash CD changer behind it.

    If it is the same as the Aviator, then it's ten times the system the current Expedition uses. The screen lacks a little color definition but the quality of mapping is wonderful. I live in a small town of about 4500 people, and my Dads Aviator's navigation mapped out 15 different eating establishments in this small town alone. I was really impressed with the features of this system, and looking forward to getting mine in August!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    There is no activity on the P & S Expy board, so I assume the Expy has no problems!!!

    However, a friend of mine just acquired a 99 with the keypad on the door. He doesn't have the master code though to use or reset it. Is there a label somewhere on the truck with the code hidden on it? I've heard they're under the dash? No trunk to look in. Anybody know?
  • davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Try the owners manual, that's where it is for our '03. I imagine 90 percent of folks don't realize that you should change the default keypad code or anyone who knows it (not unique to each vehicle) could enter like you never locked up. If you don't have the manual try the dealer or order one, might even be available online but probably not free. Good luck.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Unfortunately, this used truck doesn't have the owner's manual with it. But thanks anyway. And yes, it should be changed to a unique number.
  • alwaysfords2alwaysfords2 Member Posts: 339
    The keycode is under the dash on a sticker, but I can't remember where! My '99 is a year gone so I can't go out to the parking lot to look for you. A dealer should be able to look it up by VIN for you.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    You were exactly right on the location of the sticker, and it worked great! Very helpful.
  • sgtrockbsgtrockb Member Posts: 8
    I just bought an 04 Eddie Bauer with the heated/cooled seats. I took a 300 mile trip and found that the seat was very uncomfortable. Right where the forward seam is on the seat bottom feels like a heavy duty wire is stretched across it. A couple hours of sitting on this wire hurts, no matter how you shift your weight. Anyone else run into this?
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    We took ours on a 3k miles trip earlier this summer w/o any notice of the wire you are feeling in yours. Neither my wife or I have felt it and we drive in much different seat positioning. (Also very happy with the seat/mirror memory function.) We're in Houston and love the air-conditioned feature. You might have a defective seat. Meanwhile, next time I'm in the expy I'll check on the front seam and see if it's the way you describe in our truck, also an '04.

    Thanks for the previous post listing out the new features for the expy -- the one I'm envious of is the roof rack rails. I think it's a much better design than the elevated cross bars. The rails are sturdier and invite a better after market attachability (wd?) than the current model. Luckily I still have the thule set up from our '95 explorer eb, the towers slide right into the the '04 rack mounts that run the length of the truck. Now all I need is longer cross bars. we sometimes have both a cargo box and canoe on the top with bikes on the trailer hitch mounted rack. the clampetts...

    As far as the engine upgrade goes, am not sure that the 3v will actually return much better performance or mileage than the 2v. On paper it sounds better but I would have preferred another gear between 1st and 3rd for better "around town" or hill driving. The current top end is tracking pretty nicely at high speeds with low rpm's. Some time ago the explorer went the route of adding another lower gear and I think that helped.

    Also on the wish list is a better, less boomy 3rd row speaker. Am not at all fond the sound in the current speaker. Would love to find a midrange replacement for it. Our old eb with the jbl was just as boomy. When you tailgate, all you get is bass.
  • fx4fx4 Member Posts: 72
    2004, Expedition NBX. Yep, that is what the window sticker says if you take the time to read it carefully. Local tire store manager says the clad part should last at least a tire change or two before the clad part starts to dent, cause weights to fly off, look bad, etc. Worse than just painted black wheels for off-road use. What happened to the chrome wheels I thought I was getting--like my 2003 FX4 had? The clad chrome attached plate reminds me of the cheapest chrome wheel covers you could ever find at Western Auto.

    Hey Ford, I gave up standard XLT cast aluminum wheels and tire pressure monitoring to get the above clad chrome wheels at extra cost. I feel rather foolish when I discover some of Ford's latest cost cutting at increased MSRP.

    ..these wheels, the mismatching ContiTrac SUV spare, suspect OEM ContiTrac TR tires on the ground..it's depressing to see such junk on what is otherwise a fairly high quality vehicle in the NBX model..Will someone please refund my money?
  • jrc346jrc346 Member Posts: 337
    It's been awhile since I have chimed in here, but just got back from a trip up north to Mackinac Island with the family (we took the Expy). The last 1000 miles have been slightly troublesome depending on how you look at it. I now have 106,000 miles on it and it still runs and drives great. However as age sets in, so do problems with these complicated vehicles.

    Over the past month I have had to bring it in for a check engine light, in which my local garage found two vacuum leaks. No big deal, and a relief that is wasn't a lot more. Then the 4X4 light stated to flash. Took to dealer and was told I need both hall effect sensors replaced. Ok, it's gunna cost $300.00 to fix, but still over the life of the truck I still haven't spent much on repairs. Then finally of all things to break, my spare tire crank mechanism broke. I had to put my spare tire on to fix a flat, and when I went to crank the flat back up underneath the truck, the wire (which looks like a steel high tension cable) unraveled and tangled in the the box which it spools into. So another $80 bucks there. Anyway, hopefully the storm has passed, the truck has been and still is a joy to own. Though I am getting really concerned about the rust on the bottom of the doors. It has gotten pretty bad (I am aware that this is a common problem) however it won't show on the exterior becuase it has a small piece of trim there. I am more worried about the rust effecting its resale value, and I am not sure what to do if anything at all. Anyway, again, still very pleased and highly recommended.

    Take care all:-)
  • andywierlingandywierling Member Posts: 2
    Just picked up the 2004 Expedition - Eddie Bauer... Has most extras... Thanks for any info you might have...

    1) The Premium stereo has buttons for Satellite radio control... the manual says to see the dealer for satellite option... Is what they have the same as what I could get from Circuit City/Best Buy, etc ? Or is it something specifically for the Expedition ? Is it under-dash, on-dash ?

    2) I didn't even realize until recently that the stereo has no cassette player... While I don't usually listen to cassettes, I used the cassette in my old Explorer to listen to my MP3 player... Is there any hidden audio input (RCA or headphone-type jack) I could use to connect the MP3 player ? There is an "aux" button on the front of the stereo... I know I could use an FM modulator, but do not like the thought of the loss in sound quality... I have the DVD player in the ceiling - can I use the video/audio input from that ?

    Thanks !

    Andy W.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    " I would have preferred another gear between 1st and 3rd for better "around town" or hill driving." Doesn't the 05 get the new 6 speed automatic as well as the 3V engine?

    "Also on the wish list is a better, less boomy 3rd row speaker. Am not at all fond the sound in the current speaker. Would love to find a midrange replacement for it. Our old eb with the jbl was just as boomy. When you tailgate, all you get is bass." Funny - one of the things that keeps me in Ford SUVs, is that great sub-woofer in the 3rd bay....I just love it!!! YMMV.
  • 69mach169mach1 Member Posts: 60
    Have a 98 Expedition with 109,000 miles omn it. I've been told that to change sparks plugs will be around $800 dollars. Is this true?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The Edmunds Maintenance Guide says it should cost around $85 (for my zip code anyway). $350 for the entire 120,000 mile service. What did it cost when you changed the plugs at 60,000 miles? Or maybe you didn't own it then?

    Anyone do a 60k or 120k service lately for a '98 Exp?

    Steve, Host
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    The bass sound from the front seats is fine, even darn good. It's just in the back that it is overwhelming. The middle starts getting a little boomy, the 3rd row is tough on these old ear drums. I know, I know, so don't sit back there!

    Think the '05 expy keeps the 4 speed auto. have not heard anything about a 5 speed or even 6. The explorer added a gear between 1st and 3rd back in '98 (I think) and with the new engine, it helped a lot in terms of hilly terrain. The top end stayed the same, which was fine. Personally, a 5 speed with a console mounted, semi-auto shifter would be ideal.
  • 69mach169mach1 Member Posts: 60
    Purchased vehicle from a friend, who was the second owner. My friend was a little a afraid of the vehicle because he was told that it would cost $800.00 just to change the plugs on the car. I didn't buy that story so I offered him a fair price and he took it. Vehicle runs great, but I was just wondering how much it would actually cost to change the plugs and if I could do it myself. I've heard that it uses Iridium plugs, so what else is new since 1994 or 95?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Well, I suppose it could cost $800, especially if they've never been changed and they've seized, but I think it's unlikely that you'd have to pay that from a reputable mechanic.

    Steve, Host
  • tourguidetourguide Member Posts: 190
    While it IS true that changing the spark plugs on these Triton motors is a PITA, $800 is without question more than double what you should have to pay. I would guess this mechanic just didn't want to deal with it.

     With proper direction someone who is handy can do it, but I have heard most novice DIYers can end up blowing half to one full day on the job. The reason for this is that there seems to be lots of stuff that has to be removed before you can get to the plugs themselves. I think a dealership will want a little more than $300 to do the job, but you should be able to find a mom and pop fix it shop to do it for less (probably much less).
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Two issues make it difficult - one, the engine sits back under the cowl a long ways, which contributes to the superior balance and handling of the truck over say, a Tahoe (although the new GM trucks have copied the same design now). So the back 4 plugs are hard to reach. Secondly, this truck has state of the art "coil on plug" design, meaning that the plugs are sitting on the top of the engine at the edges of the intake manifold, with an individual coil on top of each plug. This eliminates the need for spark plug wires, with all of the downside of same. No power loss, electrical noise or spart jumping, and no deterioration of performance as the wires age. No static to the AM radio either. BUT, you gotta take off the coil pack from each plug before you even get to the plug. Special tools may be needed. I wouldn't change the plugs until the engine seems to need it - they are supposed to go 100,000 miles at least anyway. No way I'd pay anybody $800 to do it either. If it's running fine, just drive it.
  • 69mach169mach1 Member Posts: 60
    Thanks for the info, I'm not afraid of a little work, can't be all that hard if I ever have to do the job.

    Guess you mean by "running fine" it doesn't miss and passes emissions.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Yes, and mileage hasn't deteriorated, etc. When it needs plugs, it'll start either idling rough, or will run rough on acceleration.
  • terry2terry2 Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody know what if on the 2005 Expedition interior seats,that the material is going to be changed or are they going to stay the same as the 2004 Expedition. The 2004 material on the seats look cheap, so I dont know if I should wait for the 2005 models or go for the 2004 with leather.
    Thanks.........
  • sgtrockbsgtrockb Member Posts: 8
    Just took my new 04 EB 4WD on a trip from Oklahoma to Florida. The seat problem I mentioned earlier is gone - apparently several thousand miles of sitting will wear it in. I just traded in an -03 Mountaineer V6 AWD on the Expedition and I realize I made the right choice. I also made the right choice on rear seat selection. I took two 11-year-olds on the trip and debated on captains chairs or a bench seat. Well I guessed on the bench and I was right. The bench seats recline as do the captain's chairs. But, the girls reclined their chairs and moved the center chair forward so they would have something to lean against. They both agreed that it was the most comfortable position for them.

    I did notice the wheel vibrating at high speeds that some of you pointed out. I do have the continental tires, so I'll probably be visiting the dealer for a new balance. I'm not going to mess with the alignment because I've never had good luck with alignments. They always seem to get the steering wheel off-center.

    The 5.4 V8 was way up to the task of a cross-country trip. Setting the cruise at 75 it never missed a beat. Gas mileage was 17ish for the highway, which was better than I thought for a brand new car.

    For those of you living in the south, get the front windows tinted - it makes a big difference in cooling that monster down.

    As for the guy with the Sirius question, the EB stereo has the SIRIUS button on it. You have to go to Best buy or some stereo shop to get the antenna installed, then pay the monthly 11 or 12 bucks for the service. My sister has XM which is similar, and she loves it. Going cross country I could have used it, instead of hunting for a station every hundred miles, or going through CD's. I drove a lot at night, and I like talk radio, so it would have come in handy with all the different talk stations on it.

    By the way, Destin Florida is apparently Expedition Mecca. No other SUV was more apparent.
  • andywierlingandywierling Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the Sirius info - one clarification question - you say I need the antenna from Best Buy (or wherever)... Are you saying that I ONLY need the antenna, and that the built-in stereo acts as the Sirius front-end, or do I need one of the Sirius "boxes" as well ?

    Thanks !
  • davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    SgtRockB,

    Glad you like your Expie and our not so little town of Destin. I wish I'd known you were coming so I could have washed ours. Right now mother nature is doing a pretty good job of it herself.

    Getting 17 MPG is great at 75 but over a dozen intra-Florida trips in our 5.4L 2WD Eddie-B at an average of 80-85 MPH (thank goodness it's red so no one notices, not really), I can attest it drops about 1 to 2 MPG for every 5 MPH over 75 even with cruise on. Hope you enjoyed our local radio stations (next time try 96.5 pop, 102.1 old fart rock, 106.3 for jazz). If you can convince your girls to try the third row sometime they may feel it is the roomiest and most private although getting savvy at raising and lowering the second row seats requires a degree they're not quite ready for yet. You may want to ask for a rotation along with the re-balance. Best of luck, looks like you made it back to OK OK.
  • sgtrockbsgtrockb Member Posts: 8
    As for the Sirius, I don't know if you'll need a Sirius box or not. I'm sure they would be able to tell you at the dealer or at Best buy.
  • sgtrockbsgtrockb Member Posts: 8
    I was getting 16-17 cruising at 75-80 on the highway. There were some 2-lane roads that I had to take at 60, and my mileage at that speed was a lot better - 18 or so.

    So, was I wrong or is the Expedition THE SUV of choice in Destin?
  • davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Sarge,

    You are correct, we have may XP's and Chevy's too in NW FL. The main reason you saw so many is that folks like you enjoy taking them to their vacation destination since SUV's are modern day station wagons. If you're feeling retro and don't mind half the cubic feet, Chrysler and Cadillac offer modernized wagons (they look like mini-hearses to me) but only do about 2-3 MPG better than the XP.

    Enjoy, come visit again soon, we need the money.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    At what mileage has anyone changed their accessory belt? after learning the hard way a few years ago on a Mustang GT, I thought it was 50k.
    I checked the book and it says to "inspect" at 60k+.
    It is a '00 5.4 Triton.
    Lemme know.
    Thanks.
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    What is the status of the special tax break for business who buy SUVs with GVW over 6000lbs? Is it still in effect?
  • darlakdarlak Member Posts: 1
    I have owned an 04 Expedition for about 45 days, and have had numerous problems. My main issue, for now, is that during parking lot maneuvers, usually while backing toward the right, the front end makes horrible grinding noises. Of course, the dealership said they could not re-create the problem, and then when they were with me and could not deny the problem, they are saying this is "normal." Has anyone else had any similar experience? Other problems that I have had are: leaky transmission, fuel sensor failure, wind noises from the right hand side at 35 MPH, (they say the side mirror is warped...awaiting replacement) Thanks for your help.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I am so sorry! Unless the "horrible grinding noises" you are describing is just a brake chatter, it is definitely NOT normal.... I would politely keep insisting that it be remedied. Try a different dealer if you can, if they don't help you, and escalate to the Ford Rep if necessary. Some dealers are amazing, some are not in the service dept. All those other problems would freak me out too! Stay vigilant with the dealer, make him fix it all, and you should have a nice truck when they're done, but sheesh....that is really too bad.
  • lenrlenr Member Posts: 13
    I wonder if my Horrible Grinding Noise is the same as the one during backing up? We have owned an '04 XLT 4x4 5.4 for less than a month. It has 1400 mi and we love it. I get a Horrible Grinding Noise only when it is cold (less than two miles of driving). It occurs when I startup and turn either right or left while accelerating from the stop. This is driving in 2H on solid pavement. Not only can the noise be heard, but the vibration can be felt through the seat. I am trying to get a little more experience before going back to the dealer, so that I can make it repeat. It will be tough because I'll have to leave it parked at the dealer to cool down and then demo it when cold. Anyone have any ideas? I wondered about the limited limited slip axle misbehaving when cold.
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    I think you might be on the correct path. Differential was the first thing I thought of. I know Ford has had some issues with their LSD's.
  • ccermakccermak Member Posts: 260
    I'm in the market for a used XP, something in the 10-15K range. That means like a mint 98, or a 99 or 2000. Any reason to pick one year over another? What year did they switch to the new version, 2002? Are any of these older XP's known to be nice and reliable? I currently have a 2000 Nissan Maxima and many say the 96-99 version was a better car. I'm wondering if same is true at all on XP?? Anything to look out for is also greatly appreciated. I didn't have time to search the board for this info so forgive me if this is already a common topic. Thanks.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    It's just a notion - could this be the ABS diagnostic function? If so, it will only happen once after the vehicle is started, usually the first time it's put in drive and accelerated...
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    There weren't any bad years, really. Try to get the 5.4L Triton engine. The 97, 98 only put out 230 hp which was a little weak for my taste. In 99 they went up to 260hp, which was quite adequate for my needs.
  • lenrlenr Member Posts: 13
    The noise isn't all that horrible. Just unusual. It usually does it two or three times, almost never just once. It does it only on turning and accelerating at the same time, and only within two miles of home. I also don't recall it making the noise/vibration except after it has set for 16 hours. I'll give it some tests to see if it does it without turning, but I don't recall it happening on straight ahead acceleration.
  • deanctdeanct Member Posts: 10
    Yes, the rules for 2004 are the same as they were last year which is why I bought my 04 expedition 3 weeks ago.
  • samnoesamnoe Member Posts: 731
    Take a overview here:

    http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=11- 23&press_section_id=403&press_subsection_id=421

    Any photos of the new instrument cluster anywhere?
  • davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    OK, I'll try this a third time and remain politically neutral. What tax rules? I know the Expedition is big but does it qualify for a second home, business deduction, 401K, do tell?
  • alwaysfords2alwaysfords2 Member Posts: 339
    The tax break (I can't remember the specific IRS section number) is for people who use heavy equipment for their personal businesses. It was originally inteneded (in the 70's I think) to offer tax incentives to farmers and the like to assist them in buying new equipment. It started out as a 25k deduction, and more recently has been moved to 100k. The loophole for SUVs comes in because the code states that vehicles over 6000lb GVW qualify. The tough issue for every day people off the street is justifying that the vehicle is used exculisvely for business purposes. You don't need to actually prove anything up front, but should an audit come around it might be hard to explain why taking the kids to soccer practice is part of a business.
  • tyresmokertyresmoker Member Posts: 266
    Saw an '05 Limited over the weekend..Holy Navigator! The only thing really missing is the floor shifter..Anyway, the dash really does not look that much different than the '04 dash. I think perhaps it is an exact duplicate of the F150 dash now, with little to no changes.
    It is a pretty good looking package, with the 300hp engine, it presents a pretty good arguement to think about a new one, just have to wait for the $$ rebates....
  • 307web307web Member Posts: 1,033
    What about torque? Does the 2005 have more at lower RPM?
    300 HP at high rpm is not going to make the Expedition feel any less sluggish at normal city speeds!
  • rs6rs6 Member Posts: 3
    My local dealer got one this week. It looks nice but I was surprised to say the least to see plastic wheel covers on this top line model. Is this a joke or what?
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I just don't get the "sluggish" remark - I've never felt the Expedition was sluggish.

    And the plastic hub caps? Let the decontenting begin!!! OH, I see it has!
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    While not a porsche, our '04 expy eb is not at all sluggish. However, I do not tow anything bigger than a hitch mounted bike rack. Perhaps the new engine might help performance, but I doubt by a lot more. Perhaps it will achieve another 1-2 mpg?
  • wkohlerwkohler Member Posts: 74
    Saw an 05 XLT the other day. Didn't have time to look too much, but didn't notice any changes to the exterior except for the center wheel caps. Looked like plastic. The interior sports a new dash area for the driver, plus I noticed that the interior door handles and the A/C surrounds are now chrome plated vs the "satin" finish on previous models. The dash now has two round gauges with the RPM on the left and Speedometer on the right. Each "pod" contains fuel guage, oil pressure, coolant temp, and battery just below the RPM and Speedo readouts. The digital information area has been moved to the upper center between the RPM and speedometer, making it much easier to read. All radio, A/C "stuff" appears the same. This vehicle was equipped with sunroof, 2nd row captains chairs, premium radio, Dual EATC, 4X4, positraction, etc and stickered for a little over $41M. Of course it had the 5.4L 3V engine. Was able to view the owners manual and noticed there was no mention of the 4.6 litre engine??
  • jeff88jeff88 Member Posts: 94
    Apparently Ford has dropped this for the Expy in '05. All engines are going to be the 5.4 3V. (The 4.6 will likely be still the v8 for the explorer.)
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