Discussion thread- stranded

[GeorgeH]

So here’s a question: other than being disabled by wrecks, how many times has your explorer stranded you to the point of having to be towed? And what happened? Any warning at all?

I had a fuel pump go out in a 2006 4.0 xlt, but it was in my carport. Other than that, I can’t recall being stranded.

 

[D Hook]

Zero, nada, zilch....(knocking on wood).

 

[Mbrooks420]

In 15 years and 300k, once. And all because I was stupid. Front driveshaft failed, and I assumed it was a t-case or differential.

These 5.0s are stout.

 

[Tech By Trade]

0, nursed mine home 100 kms after a morning of white tail hunting with the timing chains rubbing on the insides of the heads. Made a 50 dollar mistake of stopping by a shop to get an estimate on the repair on the way home. Should have known better.

 

[JungleSkunk]

Ive never been stranded by my explorer. I have busted both of the front shocks and had to drive 40 miles off road with them removed but that wasnt so bad haha.

 

[MrQ]

Stranded three times, once when my A4LD burned up on the highway on my first, first gen. Second time on the same first gen when the water pump gave out and my on the spot repair stripped a bolt out requiring me to be towed home. Last time was on my 2nd first gen and that was because I was a dumba$$ and didn't have a connector fully seated.

Broke down...too many times to count.

• Once was a PAT's issue in the parking lot of a Moab, UT restaurant, 2nd gen just decided randomly to erase the transponder codes of my key.
• Fuel issues in general (fuel pumps, fuel tanks, fuel filters, fuel gauge dropped below a quarter tank and the engine would die on left hand turns).
• Had an issue coming back on another trip that when I went under 40mph the engine died.
• Dead batteries and bad battery terminals,
• blew up 3 differentials,
• u-joints on the front driveshaft went out on the highway (drive shaft stayed in place, but nearly wobbled me to death),
• fuel line connector blew out on the road
• heater bypass valve broke off and dumped out all my coolant on the highway,
• collapsed motor mounts,
• shattered cast exhaust manifolds,
• completely smashed my rear exhaust requiring it to be cut off so the engine would run,
• accelerator pedal broke off the firewall while on the road (wound up idling into work)
• lost rear brakes when the line to the caliper started leaking profusely
• Cruise control cable got stuck and held the throttle wide open on the road (turned the engine off and bounced onto the curb

These are just a few things off the top of my head...half of which could have been prevented if I had paid attention and some of which I think is just really bad luck.

To put it in perspective, though, I am a little hard on my vehicles and I have had only one that has held up to my abuse and I sold it.

 

[GeorgeH]

Broke down...too many times to count.

• Once was a PAT's issue in the parking lot of a Moab, UT restaurant, 2nd gen just decided randomly to erase the transponder codes of my key.

Now that's interesting - I had a glich of some kind trigger the PAT's once in the yard on a fourth gen. It started after a hour or so and I haven't been able to duplicate it. It was a aftermarket key, and to be safe I changed to a ford key.

Was yours a Ford or Aftermarket key? And did it ever reoccur?

 

[MrQ]

Ford key. Had a friend there with an NGS that manage to use my key and another friends mountaineer key to reprogram PATS.

Turned out I had a loose ECM connector and we believe that's what caused it. Never had an issue since.

 

[07EddyB]

No way are you getting me to jinx myself. As I type this the Ex is sitting to my right about 6 feet away. The screen is turned away from it but I'm not taking any chances

 

[GeorgeH]

No way are you getting me to jinx myself. As I type this the Ex is sitting to my right about 6 feet away. The screen is turned away from it but I'm not taking any chances

Lol, yes I hesitated to start this thread

 

[MotorCityFats13]

my only indecent was with my 98 when the engine started pouring coolant from the back of the engine while arriving at work "25 mile trip" so I didnt risk driving it home even though it was cold as hell that night at 11pm ..... my mistake was when I shared a pic on facebook with my odometer reading 200k wondering how much more miles I had with the comment "Lucky 200,000!" and this was way after my 5r55 lost reverse at 145k and started slipping at 180k neither problem fixed I just dealt with it.... and the big answer was 205k and I didnt even care to find where it was leaking from I just called the junkyard and took my $200

here is the infamous picture

 

[XxReAp3RxX]

Only happened once and luckily happened 8 miles from destination, 300 mile road trip. The infamous plastic thermostat housing busted in the seam. Easy to replace Autozone was next town over