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Ford Explorer Maintenance and Repair

6241 messages,  Last post on Nov 24, 2009 at 9:06 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer

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#61 of 6241 91 Explorer front brakes by cobra71 Jun 22, 2000 (1:49 am)
I own a 91 4 door XLT 4x4 that is destroying front brakes pads every 10,000 miles. I have replaced the calipers, the flex hoses, the master cylinder, flushed the entire system (all 4 wheels), replaced the rotors and even manually adjusted the rear brakes at each tire rotation to ensure the rear brakes are doing their share of the job. The vehicle only has 80,000 miles on it and other than routine items (tires, brakes, exhaust etc) has not given me any major problems. Does anyone know what the problem is with these brakes and how to fix it?? The dealer said there is no bulletin or major problem that he has heard of with this vehicle's brakes (I doubt this). I bought this car new and it has been very well maintained. I do notice that the brakes drag more on this vehicle than other cars I own when the car is on the jack and you spin the front wheels by hand. Any help is appreciated.
#62 of 6241 erubin by rsmtom Jun 22, 2000 (4:21 am)
Call a local 4X4 shop and ask if Warn makes a manual hub to fit your Explorer. They do for some of the Rangers (not the newest), and I assume the same auto hubs were used by Ford on both the Ranger and Explorer. Ford went cheap and used plastic internal parts in the hubs--apparently heat soak from the brakes can cause an early death for the hubs. There is some loss of convenience in manual hubs, but you get much superior reliability. If you plan on an off-road trip, simply engage your hubs in the driveway before leaving. It won't hurt the front end to drive with hubs engaged and t-case in 2WD. You could also leave the hubs engaged if foul weather threatens.
#63 of 6241 Brakes by dwfmills Jun 29, 2000 (4:51 pm)
If anybody has brake work done, do not use Ford rotors. Use aftermarket rotors. Ford rotors are JUNK!!!!!! The aftermarket ones will outlast Ford's 3 to 1. With all my experiences with Ford on my 96 Explorer you can almost rest assured I will NOT trade for a new one this fall. Quality is NOT job 1 for them, and service is job $$$$$$$$$$. It all comes down to the bottom line. It's all BS.
#64 of 6241 Looking at a Ford? by mkt1204 Jun 29, 2000 (5:45 pm)
I am looking into buying a late model (95-99) Eddie Bauer and would like some advice on any problems that owners are having. I currently own a Japanese car and I'm not sure if I am ready for the problems that come with owning a domestic auto. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but there are a few misconceptions in my book.   1. A car SHOULD run for 150,000 miles without a major service, with exception to brakes and timing belt changes.   2.What some people consider "runs well" could mean "oh, I've only had to rebuild the transmission, or replace the A/C, or this is only the second engine." ---lets face it people, these are not common problems, a "WELL" build auto should last with no major services except for routine maintenance. --and no, replacing the transmission or engine is not routine maintenance, due to what some may think. --People who have never owned a well build car figure that these expensive repairs and constant services are normal, thats because that's all they have ever known! --But, due to the criticism I still plan to get into the American market and purchase an Explorer, at least it's cheaper to repair and it's the trendy thing to drive. Who needs to save money. Replies to this message: ryanjm183 (Mar 28, 2005 11:39 am) tidester (Mar 28, 2005 1:23 pm) xlorere96 (Dec 01, 2005 4:44 pm)
#65 of 6241 suspension by boken Jun 29, 2000 (7:49 pm)
I have a 96 explorer Limited Edition that needs suspension work. My mechanic told me it needed new torsion bars which would be $370 and new ball joints which would be $420 (parts +labor). Is this a reasonable quote for this type or work?
#66 of 6241 ABS Light by magchase Jul 01, 2000 (9:46 pm)
The ABS light on my '94 Explorer XLT (54,000 miles) will remain lit after starting, but not on the initial start in the morning. This is erratic, and will not always occur. It seems to stay on during the hot months (it's been happening for about 2-3 years. A local mechanic feels it's nothing to worry about. The ABS system still works like a charm in the winter weather. Any suggestions? Or...do I simply ignore it? Thanks!
#67 of 6241 magchase by mazman1 Jul 03, 2000 (2:18 pm)
The reason the light does not go on with the initial start is that the computer doesnt know there is a problem with the ABS until you start driving around... If the ABS light is lit, the ABS system is offline, and will not function. Have all the sensors been tested for continuity? There might be water in one of the connectors, and a bit of dielctric grease will fix that. Next step, I'd have another mechanic or even a Ford dealer look at it. Good Luck
#68 of 6241 SOHC or OHV? by jrc346 Jul 03, 2000 (8:47 pm)
ALot of people metion dieseling on their V6 engines but its not metioned if its the Sohc V6 or the Ohv V6. Any information is greatly appericiated. I just took lease on my 2000 explorer and i love it. Thanks
#69 of 6241 jrc346 by anonymous Jul 04, 2000 (5:30 am)
The "dieseling" was a characteristic of the old OHV V6 design--something related to poor quality control in manufacture of piston wristpins. The SOHC V6 has its own issue(s)--most complained about is a "rattling" noise coming from camshaft drive components, and is noted in vehicles as recent as the '99 model. You will have to check around to determine if the design defect has been remedied. Some folks have complained of multiple repair attempts for this issue, but that could have been due to incompetent dealer service departments.
#70 of 6241 INCOMPETENT SERVICE by tomsr Jul 04, 2000 (12:07 pm)
USE TO BE A GUY COULD REPAIR HIS CAR HIMSELF JUST BUY A BOOK SOME TOOLS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.NOW WITH COMPUTERS,ABS,AIRBAGS,AND SECURITY SYSTEMS YOU NEED TO BE TRAINED AND SKILLED.HERE'S THE PROBLEM, DEALERS DO NOT WANT TO PAY WHAT IT WOULD COST FOR A MASTER MECHANIC.I WORK IN THE COPIER REPAIR FIELD AND IT IS TYPICAL TO TRY GET THE CHEAPEST TECHNICIAN. AS A CUSTOMER I DON'T MIND PAYING $60 HOUR FOR QUALITY SKILLED PEOPLE BUT OFTEN THEY ARE TRAINEES.MY EXPLORER HAS BEEN PERFECT FOR 26K MILES AND IF IT DOES NEED WORK I HOPE THE MECHANIC KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.

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