Project Vehicle - 1998 Explorer Limited

[Mr. Alligator]

So much of the aftermarket stuff is complete junk. Last year I bought aftermarket door hinge bushings... complete junk. Of course, I learned this after removing both front doors for installation.

Should have bought 20 year old salvage parts.

Why do we tolerate this garbage?

 

[GLOCKer]

I'll check again on binding but I don't know what to adjust to get any binding to stop. I have sprayed a ton of lithium grease into all of the moving door parts and it had gotten a little better.

To turn off the auto-lock feature, I need FORScan, right?

I've left the stock bracket in and it makes it a little harder to change the actuator.

 

[gmanpaint]

Nope on the forescan. Read this 1st post for directions on the locks.

All you need to know about keyless entry

 

[GLOCKer]

Nope on the forescan. Read this 1st post for directions on the locks.

All you need to know about keyless entry

Thank you!

PS- Dope trailer!

 

[CDW6212R]

Any binding is usually from some bending of one or more of the rods, say from handling someone was rough with them and ended up bending a rod a bit. It doesn't take long to check that the rods all move without rubbing on anything. With it all together, it shouldn't take too much effort to open any latch by the inner or outer handle, just a gentle very mild pull. A bad actuator is usually locked up or very hard to operate, the new ones should take mild effort to operate.

 

[GLOCKer]

So before I removed the old actuator, I checked and it seemed like all of the linkages where pretty tight in their movement. But when I got the old actuator off, everything moved really nice and free absent the actuator. I installed the new one after wrestling with it and everything works beautifully! I'm wondering if they sent me a better actuator because the linkages that came with it seemed to have a nicer finish and it also included a bolt and lock-nut; I'm assuming for those that drill out the rivet.

On a down note; I took the opportunity to try to solve another problem while I was working on the driver door again. All of the passenger windows wont work off their respective buttons. But they all work from the driver door. I took apart the connector to check the wires and couldn't find any broken.

I'm fairly certain I've corrected that rattle though, that started when I slammed the driver door out of anger.

 

[CDW6212R]

Well done, new parts make the vehicle much better to drive.

...

On a down note; I took the opportunity to try to solve another problem while I was working on the driver door again. All of the passenger windows wont work off their respective buttons. But they all work from the driver door. I took apart the connector to check the wires and couldn't find any broken....

If all three windows are doing that, then I'd check the power feed wire to those doors, which is unique power coming from the master switch. That large rear switch controls that power wire, it's red/blue I believe. Play with that switch now and see if any of the other windows will work. If that doesn't change anything, then you'll have to remove a door panel to get at that wire for testing.

The master switch runs all windows with the main blue/black power wire, the other switches get power from the master switch. Chances are it needs a new master switch.

 

[GLOCKer]

Well done, new parts make the vehicle much better to drive.



If all three windows are doing that, then I'd check the power feed wire to those doors, which is unique power coming from the master switch. That large rear switch controls that power wire, it's red/blue I believe. Play with that switch now and see if any of the other windows will work. If that doesn't change anything, then you'll have to remove a door panel to get at that wire for testing.

The master switch runs all windows with the main blue/black power wire, the other switches get power from the master switch. Chances are it needs a new master switch.

Are there parts on the market for that or do I need to find a junk yard?

 

[CDW6212R]

I meant not having any nagging issues like rattles or stuff that doesn't work right. My 98 I'm using for work I'm avoiding putting some new parts in, so I don't hurt those before I get the truck restored. So I'm putting up with flaky door actuators, a window switch that doesn't work most of the time, rough seat, the faded wood grain trim etc. I look forward to not having this for work use, and begin installing some of the many new parts I collected over several years.

You're down to a few little things I think, and/or it's time to upgrade some stuff like stereo or suspension etc.

 

[GLOCKer]

I meant not having any nagging issues like rattles or stuff that doesn't work right. My 98 I'm using for work I'm avoiding putting some new parts in, so I don't hurt those before I get the truck restored. So I'm putting up with flaky door actuators, a window switch that doesn't work most of the time, rough seat, the faded wood grain trim etc. I look forward to not having this for work use, and begin installing some of the many new parts I collected over several years.

You're down to a few little things I think, and/or it's time to upgrade some stuff like stereo or suspension etc.

Oh for sure, I agree with you. End links and shocks, and a rear-end new bearing kit made the BIGGEST difference! Little things like digging the auto-headlamp rear view mirror out of the garbage and putting all that back to right, and fixing the stereo screen, and new rotors to replace the warped ones that shook my front end make the vehicle more civilized.

What I meant is, are there aftermarket parts to fix the potential window switch main power issue or will I have to find a junkyard?

 

[GLOCKer]

Oh yeah. One nagging thing I really need to get fixed is the rear hatch sensor. I have to slam the tailgate shut very hard to get it to recognize it's closed. I don't want to be slamming it like that and it's also annoying! Even more annoying is that after I have searched for the part I can't find it.

 

[CDW6212R]

The master window switch is a part you should want to replace with a new one. It's important and so old now that used parts are not that good of a choice. I bought one new from Ford for about $55 years ago, and one other on eBay that was part of the trim panel, for about $40. I've collected other used spares too, plan to put the new stuff on before the paint work at the end.

So locate a new master switch, even if yours is okay but slightly flaky, long term you will want a new one.

The rear latch sensor is just inside the hatch under the trim. I think those are very reliable, but there is a slight adjustment possible with the two mounting bolts. So it might be fine and just need adjusting. The trim will have to come off for that.

How do your rear hatch strikers look, the plastic bushings just like the door strikers? My 98 hatch doesn't shut perfectly squarely, so it needs more force to shut fully, and it wears out the strikers too fast. Mine will require new hinges, which is a bigger job I'm not ready to do yet. My 98 Mountaineer shuts beautifully, always has, and it has the original strikers on it with 206k miles. I just took one of those out last year to see if the OEM part is better than the Dorman replacements. They are, so I found 2-3 OEM strikers to put on later.

 

[GLOCKer]

Hopefully during my next days off I can look at the door hatch issue. I also need to adjust the parking brakes. If I ever get a boat to tow with this thing I'll want my parking brakes working on the boat ramp!

 

[GLOCKer]

Ughhhh. Just had a minor scare with the Explorer. I was rolling into the Dunkin Donuts drive-through for a coffee a couple of minutes ago and the driver window wouldn't roll down. All of the other windows worked fine, but it was like there was no power on the driver window. I parked and went in for my coffee and when I came out and restarted the Explorer, the window worked fine!

Being we're in the Spring season, I need to be able to open my sunroof and roll all of my windows down to cruise to the lake!!!!

On a side note, is it okay to drive with the rear hatch open? With my past Explorer (2003 Eddie Bauer 4.0) I only did that with loads sticking through the back. But with this nice weather, I'm wondering it it would allow more air to flow through the Explorer and cause less buffeting inside.

 

[GLOCKer]

Okay, please help.

The driver window is not working again. This happened last week, but when I shut off and exited my vehicle, and then returned 5 minutes later it worked again.

All of the other windows work from the driver panel. When I hit the driver window button, I hear a relay clicking in the dash but nothing else happens. Where do I start?

 

[Spudhut]

Just a few thoughts to help.....

Maybe you have a relay that has gone bad? Its has to be a failure in an electrical switching source.

Easy to do but when you have the panel off - disconnect the window motor and use a cordless drill battery to test it up and down several times. I had a similar problem on my 97' and I just ended up replacing the complete motor/window regulator from one in JY and fixed the issue for me.

If motor is good - then the issue is from that connection point back to switch.

I have seen master switches fail before anything else over time. The part where you mention exiting the car and returning and it works - the door closing/jolting is making the connection work again (kind of like using a big hammer to make it work)

Wiring would not likely be the equation for failures as that is highly unlikely (not saying this is always the case - i never experienced an issue at that level), unless something was tapped in under the dash.

 

[gmanpaint]

To add..... There might be a semi broken wire in the Drivers door jamb wire can. This is also a common issue, with many posts over the years about it.

 

[CDW6212R]

As long as there are windows working at a given time, the two main wires going through the LF door jamb are fine at the moment.

There is a relay box under the dash visible up in the gas pedal area. There is at least one relay there related to the windows. But I'm not sure that affects just the LF, while the GEM module does have the auto-down function in it for the LF window.

Has the LF window motor gear section been serviced lately, the plastic pucks etc? Those are the weakest links, the switch panels next, then the door jamb wires, and the relays last(including the GEM module(which is full of relays and electronics). Age is a much bigger factor now that these are all around 20 years old.

 

[GLOCKer]

Ugh. I went to trouble shoot it this evening but it was working again. I did take apart the door jamb connector and clean all of the connectors and put it back together. If the problem never happens again I'll be happy.

 

[GLOCKer]

My AC is also still not functioning properly. It is ICE COLD until I start cruising on the interstate. Once off the interstate it gets cold again. This is frustrating.