04 XLT Stopped midway and started again

[GregV8]

Bad news:
my engine stopped again today!

So apparently my theory about current draw doesn't stand.

I was able to restart it without taking the key out. The only light that came on was "service engine soon".

It was a different road but very similar to the usual one. I also noticed another common thing between these places where my engine dies: besides being a soft downhill, they also curve slightly left! At about the same angle. Now, just a moment before my engine stopped I could feel the ride became rough. Felt like when 4x4 is locked.
Could this have something to do with my rear whine + binding issues (crow hopping in 4x4 AUTO) ?

@rasesh: is your road straight or turns also? did you notice any difference in the ride before the engine stopped?

Greg

 

[jsbaker]

# 4 with the stalling problem has arrived in the stock 2002 - 2005 forum. OFr the record mine has not done it again.

 

[ISULarry]

Stalling

I had the problem but it's fixed. I posted the solution I found here:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=194982
hope this helps. It was a pain but a very simple solution.

Larry

 

[GregV8]

Larry: Great, thanks for the update. So it needs a new fuel map software, I suppose?
Pardon my ignorance but what is a "fuel map"?

thanks
Greg

 

[ISULarry]

Fuel Map

Greg,

A fuel map is basically the software that tells the on board computer how much fuel it should be supplying through the fuel injectors at a given rpm/speed. What the original map was doing was supplying too little fuel when I was coasting down to 35 and it would create a lean condition so bad that the engine would sometimes stall out. At the shop they just needed to hook up to the truck and find out what version of the fuel map they have in the computer and then upgrade appropriately.

Hope that helps!

Larry

Larry: Great, thanks for the update. So it needs a new fuel map software, I suppose?
Pardon my ignorance but what is a "fuel map"?

thanks
Greg

 

[raseshkumar]

'jsbaker', were you going downhill (may be with a curve) when your explorer died?

 

[jsbaker]

Actually we had just come out of a bank drive through and were basically going down hill on the drive way. The truck did not actually die until we were fully on the street and had been going for a short ways.

 

[raseshkumar]

Wierd, it is.

Ford service guys were not able to find the problem, all they did was to reflash (reload/refresh) the Transmission module (software). They said, they were not sure but this might help. Fortunately since my visit to the Service Station the car has NOT died. But this thing does not have a pattern, so I cannot tell if it is resolved or not. Will update this thread later in future.

 

[raseshkumar]

Sorry for posting this so late...

First, GregV8, I missed seeing the post where you asked me if I was on a curve when my X stalled. Yes, I was on a slope and a curve (towards my right) doing around 25-30 mph when usually it used to stall.

Now, ever since I have gotten the Transmission module reflashed my X has NOT stalled. And I have driven it a few thousand miles after that.

I do not know if reflashing Transmission module helped or not (I do not have any logical explanation to it), but ISULarry's explanation seems logical.

So, I would suggest that if you ever have to go to Ford Service about the stalling problem ask them to update the fuel map and also ask them to reflash the transmission module as well, just in case.

 

[ljn21]

my 04 EB 4.6 does the same thing - doing down hill with cruise on, between 30-40mph - stalls. Can repeat every time. Happens every day in the same place on the way to and again home from work. Yesterday, it was snowing and was really slippery and it died on me (now that I know to watch for it, I take the cruise off before getting to the hill and keep an eye on the rpm's but yesterday due to the snow, I wasn't paying attention to the rpms - to much to watch at the same time I guess - it stalled, and I was about 1 inch from drilling another car at the intersection at the bottom of thill due to having no power steering and brakes - I was screaming at him to move and trying as fast as I could to move to neutral and get it started again...scary) I have had it to my dealer 2 times already and have paid more than $500 in diagnostic time and they agree that something is wrong but have no idea what to do to fix it...they wanted to replace the throttle body last time but I said no - I am not paying for diagnostic time and random replacement parts unless they know for sure it will fix it...I am pretty pissed overall...only a matter of time until this issue kills someone - hope its not me or my family involved in it when it does happen...dealer reflashed pcm and trans mod and it didn't help (but sure cost a pretty penny!!)

everyone else having this issue - do you have an aftermarket intake kit - like KN or Volant or whatever - on your Ex? I was thinking of taking mine off the see if that helps..althought for 40K it has been fine with the KN on there and now..no...from what I was able to glean off the internet - some thoughts on what the issue is:

vapor management system
throttle body
ground connection
battery cable connection
Fuel map
xmsn programming
leaky intake manifold gasket

anybody have any resolution to this??? I am taking my explorer back to the dealer again on monday and I am not paying a cent until It is fixed - and then I will only for the actual fix...it is ridiculous for th dealer to say - yep, we can duplicate the issue but we have no idea how to fix it...then the car is a lemon and should be handled as such
HELP!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[GregV8]

I still have no solution and it happened to me on two occasions last month. Unfortunately, there is very little support for this truck here in Switzerland so playing with various software versions is not an option.
I have a KN filter only and a custom muffler otherwise stock. As far as I can remember it was already producing the error before these were installed.

I found a guy on Youtube, demonstrating the same issue. Funny video by the way. He since already updated the text with a solution (which worked for him). I tried to comment and get him on the forum but youtube's comment system was down or something coz I couldn't post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez4NsUaiBx4

Greg

 

[ljn21]

GregV8 - that video on youtube is exactly what my 04 EB is doing!!! Maybe I SHOULD let them change the Throttle body - I am guessing that will not be a cheap part to replace...

 

[PG in TN]

The video won't come up for me. Has anyone found anything else out with this problem? I have a 2004 EB V8 that has done it once and started to do it this morning but it didn't die...just dim lights and all around weird.

 

[Donner]

I don't see anything on that link related to an Explorer. It's changed, and kinda questionable.

 

[GregV8]

Yeah it seems the guy marked the video as private. I can't see it anymore either. (he recorded himself driving through the same bridge several times with the engine always stopping at the same place)

FYI, all we know for sure is it happens when cruise control is on and you're going downhill (or very flat). Someone suggested earlier it might be the TPS and I think I agree.

 

[OutwestCalgary]

2005 Explorer stalled out twice while driving

I was reading people who have similar issues. Still no recall from Ford? Twice now in two days (on the way to a vehicle inspection but we thought it ran out of gas), the vehicles warning lights all came on and it stalled, power steering stopped and I had to force it to the side of the road. All lights and warnings cycled through (check engine, check gas cap, etc). Has that fix posted from 2007 worked for people?

 

[kschlege]

my 2002 4.0 stalls while driving. were any of you able to fix your stalling problem?

 

[kschlege]

I think I found my issue. The connector to my inertia switch is melted. I checked it before, but never pulled out the connector. No idea why it would have melted.

So until I get a new plug and inertia switch, I just shorted the connection with a wire. Hopefully I won't roll it over or get into an accident in the meantime.

So a 50cent part has cost about $700. I've taken it to ford dealer twice, midas once, replaced the fuel pump and a ton of sensors, etc... Some stuff needed to be replaced anyways, but I spent about $300 at ford and midas having them trying to diagnose the problem.

Before I had just pulled the cover off and checked the connection, but never removed it ... stupid me ...