3.5 NA reliability

[blwnsmoke]

I call BS on this. I had a 2014 XLT with the 3.5L and on the highway 18 - 19 was all I ever got doing 68 mph. With my 2016 with the 2.3 L Ecoboost, I get 25 - 26. I've never seen a 3.5L Explorer get 23 unless you live somewhere in the mid-west where the roads are flat. You won't even approach that in WV.

Can't say 23mpg but I average 21mpg mixed (80% highway) with my 3.5.

 

[XLT16]

Edmunds says the 2016 Explorer gets 24 mpg on the highway, guess my 22/23 doesn't match theirs on my long trips down the I75 to Florida.

2016 Ford Explorer Base 3.5L V6 FFV 6-speed Automatic MPG

 

[Sixonemale]

I get 10% better mileage with the Explorer. Getting about 22/23 mpg on the highway is not bad for as big a vehicle

That's consistent with the MPG that I was getting on the highway and with OEM Hankooks and may have even reached 24 MPG occasionally. I have not tested the Michelin Defenders yet, but I'm guessing it will be very close, perhaps slightly less.

Coolant flushes were roughly every 50k. I used only Ford coolant. I had the trans changed roughly every 75k. Again not flushed.

Thanks for the response. It looks like you cut the Explorer maintenance requirements in half for the 3.5L engine. More specifically, the Explorer maintenance manual requires a coolant flush at 100k and the automatic transmission fluid to be changed at 150k. What you've done makes more sense then the maintenance manual for peace of mind, especially for as many miles as you put on your vehicle per year, living in a four seasons climate and also based on a mix of city and highway driving.

 

[TommyBoy2011]

Nothing I consider major on our 2011. It's got 110K and the biggest issue it's has had are a bad cat and the motor mounts. Still get a check engine light every now and then, if my wife fills up with gas at Kroger. Not sure why Kroger gas causes it, but it does. I do have a few minor concerns, like the little bit of engine oil that gets into the air filter box...

 

[peterk9]

........ I do have a few minor concerns, like the little bit of engine oil that gets into the air filter box...

That was a known issue and was addressed by changing to an updated valve cover; Oil Found In Air Filter

Peter

 

[TommyBoy2011]

Probably not something Ford is fixing if your the vehicle is out side it's warranty though?

 

[peterk9]

Probably not something Ford is fixing if your the vehicle is out side it's warranty though?

I'm sure they'll fix it, but you'll have to pay for it.

 

[XLT16]

Direct injection engines tend to have a problem with oil mixing in with air and showing up in the air filter assembly. Much discussion on the Corvette forum over the same issue, tons of back and forth on whether a catch can is the answer. Not limited to Ford by any means. I put a catch can on my C7 and get about 1/2 ounce of oil out of it every 1k miles, that would end up in the air filter assembly if not for the catch can. Here a link to a discussion around the issue that might explain it better. I haven't installed a catch can on my Ford and don't intend to. I drive it differently than the Vette and think it is less likely to have the issue. If you push an engine hard it is more likely to see oil that bypasses the PVC system. Good explanation here:

http://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/engine/catch-can-why-direct-injection-makes-them-a-must/

 

[peterk9]

The problem here was with the valve cover which was modified to correct the issue.

 

[tjhuber]

That's consistent with the MPG that I was getting on the highway and with OEM Hankooks and may have even reached 24 MPG occasionally. I have not tested the Michelin Defenders yet, but I'm guessing it will be very close, perhaps slightly less.



Thanks for the response. It looks like you cut the Explorer maintenance requirements in half for the 3.5L engine. More specifically, the Explorer maintenance manual requires a coolant flush at 100k and the automatic transmission fluid to be changed at 150k. What you've done makes more sense then the maintenance manual for peace of mind, especially for as many miles as you put on your vehicle per year, living in a four seasons climate and also based on a mix of city and highway driving.

You’re right. I was conservative - to some it might be a waste of money but to me it was peace of mind.

 

[peterk9]

The biggest problem with the 3.5L NA engine is that it's a gas hog. Ford has done a really poor job of gas mileage with this engine.

I did a test on mine this morning when driving into the city. Once I was on the highway I reset the Instant Fuel Mileage reading at drove approximately 15 miles on cruise control at 75 mph and the reading was 8.2L/100 km or 28.69 mpg U.S. Reset again on the way back at 70 mph it read 9.2 or 25.57 mpg U.S. The trip into the city was slightly downhill some of the way.

Peter

 

[XLT16]

Interesting Peter , thanks !

When I measured my mileage on both the Acadia and on the Ford it was a straight 2 day run to Florida from SW Ontario, about 1200 miles most all of it on I75. Exact same run each time, twice with each vehicle. A bit of stop and go in around Atlanta usually but not much. Lots of flat areas thru Ont & Ohio, rolling hills in Kentucky and small mountains thru the Smokies in Tennessee. All four lane. I use the cruise control as much as possible and probably drive around 70 mph for the most part. With the Acadia 19/20 mpg and 22/23 with the Ford, basically the same engine displacement both V6's. Hard to get a better comparison , the difference the Acadia was a 2011, the Ford a 2016. Could be a combination of tranny and engine but no doubt the Ford has improved mileage.

By comparison as I mentioned my C7 'Vette gets 33/34mpg, however it reverts to 4 cyl mode when on the highway cruising. I have read despite its 460 HP engine that due to it's weight, low profile , very little wind resistance it only needs 55 HP to maintain 70 mph on the highway. Who would have thought a decade ago that you would buy a high performance sports car and get Toyota Camry mileage on the highway Going from 8 cyl to 4 cyl mode you wouldn't even know it is happening, I have display that shows it on the dash but you don't feel it. Step on the gas and the sports car is back !!

 

[MarioMatos]

120,000 Miles Here (192,000KM) (XLT 2012 AWD)

No Problems For Now

Only Change:
Spark Plugs
Serpentine Belt and Tensioner
Transmission Fluid (In 2 Stage) First 4qt And One Week After 4qt More (No Flush)

No Coolants Issue I Think The Water Pump Is Fine

My Worries Are:
Water Pump And PTU Unit

Avg 15/16 City Hwy 20/22 Mpg

 

[pozi240]

I call BS on this. I had a 2014 XLT with the 3.5L and on the highway 18 - 19 was all I ever got doing 68 mph. With my 2016 with the 2.3 L Ecoboost, I get 25 - 26. I've never seen a 3.5L Explorer get 23 unless you live somewhere in the mid-west where the roads are flat. You won't even approach that in WV.

LOL... not BS at all. I live in Ottawa which is not that flat and very urban. I routinely get 10.1 - 10.4 L/100km (which comes out to just over 23MPG avg). I even saw 9.8L/100km cruising a long trip on the 401 highway between Kingston and Toronto. And I wasn't even trying to hypermile. The key with these 6 speeds is not push the speed too much, i typically don't set the cruise higher than 110km/hr (68mph) and when driving on urban roads, average between 70 - 80km/hr. I have co workers with the same Explorer (2016, 17 and a few 2018's) and they average closer 13.5 -14l/100km (17-18 mpg), but, they have much heavier foots than I and average 130km/hr when on the highway

 

[Forddealz]

I can tell you personally the 3.5L N/A is a solid engine if it wasn’t for the internal waterpump. I have abused my engine for 7 years and 4 months. I have taken vast long distance road trips about 2K miles roundtrip each time. I have towed a 2003 Ford Taurus hatchback with 7 people in the car and I was probably well over the gross vehicle weight limit but it did it fine. I have floored it a lot. I even went speeds of 110MPH.

The only thing I had regarding the engine was a misfire but that was due to the spark plugs being so out of gap at 86K miles. So replaced them and the engine ran like new, and floored the throttle with no issues.

I’m at 95K miles now and the engine still runs like brand new. I think if I can abuse my engine this much and the car still runs with no performance loss, it would be solid for a long time as long as the waterpump is replaced as preventative maintenance. The only thing is the waterpump is 1,500 USD to replace... I’m going to replace mine once it hits 100K miles.

Before this I used to lease 2013 XLT. I also have that speed demon in me sometimes. When the new body 16 came out, I decided to test drive the 3.5 Sport. Wow a difference in acceleration in made, I could not resist and had to finance it to try to hopefully keep it long term.