Bryan2k1
Member
- Joined
- March 31, 2001
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Knoxville, TN
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1999 Explorer SOHC
I bought my 99 Explorer used in early April with 85k miles (hey, it was cheap!), and noticed right away the symptoms of the 00M12 cam tensioner problem, the nasty diesel-ish clacking noise on a warm start. Unfortunately, I did not find out about the recall until AFTER the April 30th cutoff for X's over 72k, though I DID take it in to have the oil changed, and a couple of other recalls taken care of, and asked about the problem BEFORE the recall expired (this was mid April). They said they couldn't reproduce the problem, and that was that. Skip ahead to last month. I found out about 00M12 from this forum a few weeks ago, and took it back to the dealer to have it performed. They turned me away because of mileage. Now it's too late. I tried Ford customer dis-service, and the rep and her supervisor basically told me tough, since they didn't put in the April work order that I'd inquired about it, and didn't ask to have the recall done the first time it was in. Assuming I'm SOL, just how far past annoyance will this problem go, and any estimates on repair costs?
More questions for the experts:
1. The airbag light comes on with LFC code 36 (three blinks, pause/six blinks, pause/then solid after 3 cycles of this), but I strongly feel there is nothing wrong with the airbag itself. I've heard from some non-Ford mechanics that this is a general failure code, and one seems to think it's my alternator, since it doesn't always maintain proper output voltage (the LFC has to do with circuit resistance on the driver side airbag). The light is intermittent (didn't see it all summer), but I can make it happen by draining the battery a little with the motor off and sitting idle at the next start.
2. My ABS light comes on after 5 seconds or so of 70 or more MPH. If I'm in cruise, the car will lurch back and forth (like the speed is changing rapidly) and jerk a bit just before the light comes on, and I DO lose the ABS (a near accident proved that)
3. I get this NASTY whine/moan/groan when applying the gas above 30 MPH. It is most easily detectable when you gently touch the gas at 35-40 MPH. I was told by a friend it sounds like a jet taking off (though not as high pitched). It sometimes seems like I can hear air escaping too, but it sounds like that comes from the rear, and not necessarily the same place as the other noise. I drove a 98 XLT to be sure it wasn't normal. It darn sure isn't.
I would be thrilled if someone could help. Thanks!
More questions for the experts:
1. The airbag light comes on with LFC code 36 (three blinks, pause/six blinks, pause/then solid after 3 cycles of this), but I strongly feel there is nothing wrong with the airbag itself. I've heard from some non-Ford mechanics that this is a general failure code, and one seems to think it's my alternator, since it doesn't always maintain proper output voltage (the LFC has to do with circuit resistance on the driver side airbag). The light is intermittent (didn't see it all summer), but I can make it happen by draining the battery a little with the motor off and sitting idle at the next start.
2. My ABS light comes on after 5 seconds or so of 70 or more MPH. If I'm in cruise, the car will lurch back and forth (like the speed is changing rapidly) and jerk a bit just before the light comes on, and I DO lose the ABS (a near accident proved that)
3. I get this NASTY whine/moan/groan when applying the gas above 30 MPH. It is most easily detectable when you gently touch the gas at 35-40 MPH. I was told by a friend it sounds like a jet taking off (though not as high pitched). It sometimes seems like I can hear air escaping too, but it sounds like that comes from the rear, and not necessarily the same place as the other noise. I drove a 98 XLT to be sure it wasn't normal. It darn sure isn't.
I would be thrilled if someone could help. Thanks!
