Thinking of buying a used Explorer. What to look for??

[Hawk312]

I am planning to take a look at a 2014 Explorer that I am really interested in. I know the more traditional things to look for to spot any issues. But I am wondering what in particular to look for for this year/model, as I am relatively new to the Explorers, besides what I have seen browsing and searching threads here. I have read about the exhaust smell in the cabin issues, but it seems that is mostly the 2011`s and 2012`s that are having that issue. I have also read about the paint bubbling issue, but I can easily spot and remedy that. I have read some complaints with the myford touch??

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!:exp::exp:

 

[foxtemple]

Check to see the fit between the dash and the door trim on the passenger side if misfit trim bothers you. Also, I would probably take the car over a few speed bumps and over some bumpy roads on a test drive to see if there are any weird suspension noises. Front end suspension noises seem to be pretty common. There's probably no way to look for this but my ex and a friends ex both had leaks that allowed water to drip into the third row. I would also make sure the clips on the headrests of the third row are secured since they are a pain to re-secure and I have seen them hanging off in a couple of rental cars.

As for MFT, after the updates, I honestly have not had a single problem with it. Maybe you could try and see if you have to most up to date firmware.

 

[Rayray808]

From being a part of this forum, I also learned (apart from what u mentioned)

1) the engine cooling fan is very pronounced and can be heard at least from 25 feet away
2) the engine hood is made of aluminum, therefore, corrosion is inevitable..the remedy
is possibly to properly paint the underside of the hood as well (so basically the ENTIRE hood, which the Ford factory warranty does not cover) :thumbdwn:
3) assuming you are buying it used, check the aftermarket hid setup if the previous owner installed some..A host of problems, most of which originate from the "auto-on" setting
4)hit and miss if you will like notchy turn signal lever (I don't mind it)
5) occasional "no engine key detected" or car will honk twice if passenger leaves vehicle with engine running
6) the placement of the "third pedal" might take some time to get used to...I haven't yet adapted to it, lol
7) cooling seats are kind of loud when on high
8) the "limited" model has power folding third row and sport does not (go figure)

Btw, I have a 14 sport with 16k miles and I love my sport

 

[Sgt1411]

I would copy down the VIN then come back and do a insurance agency search or whatever type of CarFax type search you can do in your area.

Then log onto SyncmyRide.com or Ford Owner.com and use that VIN to create an owner account. That will give you some history on it, or at least SYNC history.

The 2014 model year had most issues fixed but some still linger. This forum is good for a basic education on what's still outstanding on the 14 units.

Dont worry about MFT once you have v3.7 loaded with the latest navigation SD card A6 its stable.

 

[ECinEI]

I have read about the exhaust smell in the cabin issues, but it seems that is mostly the 2011`s and 2012`s that are having that issue.
Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!:exp::exp:

I wouldn't let "new to you" car fever cloud your vision. I can tell you that I learned this past weekend, after a spirited blast up to 80 MPH to merge onto the Interstate, that my wife's 2015 Sport (build date 12-14) has the exhaust smell. I had thought we weren't going to have that issue, but was wrong. My take away after reviewing the 86 page, 1730 posts, 462,000 page views thread on exhaust smell in the cabin, is that the issue is not only limited to early Gen 5 Explorers.

While you may have read this, the thread linked below was a similar question to yours and has many helpful links.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=429300

Now to be totally fair, my wife, who is unaware of this forum and I've not said anything to her, absolutely loves her Sport. The exhaust smell does not yet appear to be an issue with regular day to day driving.

If you can, test drive the 2014 your looking at. See if you can find a place that will allow a spirited run up to 60-70 MPH and see what happens.

 

[Hawk312]

Thanks guys. This helps alot!
I am surprised I only got one response about the exhaust smell. From what the interwebs say, you would think that this affects nearly every one of them.
Anyone succesfully deal with/remedy this issue? It would seem it has to be some kind of exhaust leak forward of the converters?

 

[Ecobeast]

Thanks guys. This helps alot!
I am surprised I only got one response about the exhaust smell. From what the interwebs say, you would think that this affects nearly every one of them.
Anyone succesfully deal with/remedy this issue? It would seem it has to be some kind of exhaust leak forward of the converters?

I have 3,000 miles and no issues. I do not have any exhaust leakage to the cabin. I love the power, ride and refinement. My only gripe is the smaller gas tank. And that's more of just an inconvenience when your on road trips or towing than an actual problem. Great vehicle coming from the boat anchor Durango.

 

[Ecobeast]

Thanks guys. This helps alot!
I am surprised I only got one response about the exhaust smell. From what the interwebs say, you would think that this affects nearly every one of them.
Anyone succesfully deal with/remedy this issue? It would seem it has to be some kind of exhaust leak forward of the converters?

And, take what you read on the internet with a grain of salt. You're reading a forum where people post problems. People usually do not go out of their way to post if there are no issues. 95% are just driving their Ex's and not reporting anything, as there's nothing to report. You can do research and find bad on ANY vehicle ever made. In the end, if you have gotten this far something about the Ex has caught your eye. Enjoy it. And for the price for what you are getting, you are not going to find many better bargains.

 

[GSX-WE4]

We have 16,000 miles on our '14 Sport and LOVE it! We have had zero problems and not a squeek or rattle. I think when you read about issues some folks have, consider that those are a miniscule percentage compared to the overall owners. On a forum, people who have legitimate issues post them (if we had an issue we'd post it too) but think about the approx. 2,000,000 Explorers built since '11 that have not had any exceptional issues. It truly is a great SUV and with a Sport, it has power to spare

 

[ECinEI]

I have 3,000 miles and no issues. I do not have any exhaust leakage to the cabin. I love the power, ride and refinement. My only gripe is the smaller gas tank. And that's more of just an inconvenience when your on road trips or towing than an actual problem. Great vehicle coming from the boat anchor Durango.

Regarding the exhaust leak, that's exactly what I thought at the three month, 3000 mile mark. Imagine my disappointment this past weekend. In general I totally agree with your comments regarding " internet amplification". What I have found disappointing with the Explorer is the issues present in 2011-2012 still seem to occur with the later models.

The Sport is also great fun to drive. You would just think some of these things would be better sorted out at this point.

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

Are Explorers perfect? no
Is any vehicle? NO

Good pointers above and keep in mind, sales wouldn't be increasing if every EX was an exhaust trap. Buy what you like and human nature is to complain vs. praise.

 

[Halwg]

The Explorer isn't a bad vehicle, but it's not a great vehicle, either. Fit and finish are mediocre, at best, and Ford transmissions tend to not be the smoothest in the world. The smell is a non-issue so don't worry about it. Just make sure it's the type of vehicle you need and want. Buying used, make sure it's been serviced and the price is right.

 

[kirstenb]

I have a 2014 xlt. One problem mine has that seems to be somewhat common, is the paint is rubbing off the underside of the driver door.

 

[HamHands]

I am planning to take a look at a 2014 Explorer that I am really interested in. I know the more traditional things to look for to spot any issues. But I am wondering what in particular to look for for this year/model, as I am relatively new to the Explorers, besides what I have seen browsing and searching threads here. I have read about the exhaust smell in the cabin issues, but it seems that is mostly the 2011`s and 2012`s that are having that issue. I have also read about the paint bubbling issue, but I can easily spot and remedy that. I have read some complaints with the myford touch??

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!:exp::exp:

The only thing I've got for you is to make sure your 2014 Explorer is to have Twin Turbos!!! Seriously, get an Explorer Sport! You'll thank me later...

 

[HamHands]

From being a part of this forum, I also learned (apart from what u mentioned)

1) the engine cooling fan is very pronounced and can be heard at least from 25 feet away
2) the engine hood is made of aluminum, therefore, corrosion is inevitable..the remedy
is possibly to properly paint the underside of the hood as well (so basically the ENTIRE hood, which the Ford factory warranty does not cover) :thumbdwn:
3) assuming you are buying it used, check the aftermarket hid setup if the previous owner installed some..A host of problems, most of which originate from the "auto-on" setting
4)hit and miss if you will like notchy turn signal lever (I don't mind it)
5) occasional "no engine key detected" or car will honk twice if passenger leaves vehicle with engine running
6) the placement of the "third pedal" might take some time to get used to...I haven't yet adapted to it, lol
7) cooling seats are kind of loud when on high
8) the "limited" model has power folding third row and sport does not (go figure)

Btw, I have a 14 sport with 16k miles and I love my sport

Did Ford change that option on the 15 Sport's??? Because my new Sport has power folding 3rd row seats for sure!

 

[Rayray808]

Did Ford change that option on the 15 Sport's??? Because my new Sport has power folding 3rd row seats for sure!

Yes sir, they sure did

 

[Cetoken]

So far so good

I just bought a 2014 Limited with 28k miles on it a month and a half ago. It's the base Limited, without the moonroof, power liftgate, power 3rd row, etc. I've put almost 1000 miles on it, and here's my take:

• Comfort and ride quality are excellent.
• Fit and finish are as good as any other vehicle I've seen in this price range.
• The V6 Ti-VCT has plenty of power for freeway onramps and hills.
• The cabin is impressively quiet at highway speeds.
• MFT is one of the best info systems out there - one of the reasons I chose Ford.
• Handling is great - this is my first SUV and I'm surprised at how nimble it is.
• Averaging 21-22mpg with mixed highway/surface street driving.

Now the bad...

• Previous owner lost the spare IAK fob, so I had to get a new one. $130 for the fob plus $65 for programming. I found the fobs cheaper online, but by then it was too late.
• Right-hand tail light went out, requiring replacement of entire assembly. Took two weeks to get part. BUT: covered under warranty, so that's good.
• Serp belt tensioner failed, causing belt to break while driving. It wrapped around the right-hand drive axle and actually snapped the axle. Dealer took four days to fix. BUT: covered under warranty.
• Brakes are squeaking on left side. Haven't had a chance to investigate, but I suspect sticky caliper slides.

I haven't experienced any exhaust in the cabin even under hard acceleration. Other than the brakes, no strange noises. One of the few design gripes I have is that there are only two tiedown cleats in the cargo area, and they're at the rear, so if you have the 3rd row seats down there's nothing to attach a strap to at the front without getting creative.

All in all I'm happy so far with no regrets!

 

[Atomikk]

Researching For Future Purchase. TIPS?

Hello everyone...

After weeks of thought, and my desire to go back to a Ford vehicle, I plan on buying a late model (13' 14' or 15') 4wd Explorer XLT or Limited in the coming months. Can anyone give me some tips, or direct me to the correct area of this forum for those us new to the Explorer Universe? I'm looking for info such as...

-What to watch out for when looking at used models
-Red Flags
-Whats considered a good price
-Any other things I should know, etc...

I would appreciate anyones help and I'm really excited about getting one!

Thanks, And I look forward to... "exploring" this forum

 

[Rick]

I moved your thread to our Stock 2011+ subforum. You should be able to find loads of good info here

 

[TinMan4154]

Most of the issues surround the quality of the vehicle, and more specifically the quality control at the factory.

Take a flashlight with you and take your time looking the body of the vehicle over. Go through the threads here and you will see the major issues.

I would be most concerned about the below:

1. Exacust leaking in to vehicle.
2. Paint issues (Hood, doors, rear hatch most common)
3. Bottom of doors showing corrosion.
4. Rear camera no longer working.
5. Roof rails leaking.