14’ Sport driving issues. | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Tygold

Member
Joined
June 7, 2019
Messages
14
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0
City, State
Texas
Year, Model & Trim Level
2014 Explorer Sport
I bought a used 14’ Sport in January with 86k. Love the power of my car, I added a K&N cai and Diablo Sport tune. At 90k I had my passenger front wheel bearing changed. 99k a/c compressor, dryer, orifice tube, and front strut mounts. Thank God for extended warranties! I’ve only paid $100 for this all. Since getting it back ive put about 1000 miles on it. The car has been driving horribly since. The first time it was pulling left very hard, dealership checked the alignment 3 times... spot on the first 2, 3rd time the toe was slightly off. Realigned it and the car drove better. Then I noticed the horrible torque steer, only on light acceleration.I know the car DID have it before, but only with excessive acceleration. After going back and forth with the service manager, he took me for a drive in a 19’ Explorer saying it drove the same. I made him get in and took him for a ride so he could see it first hand. He still said nothing was wrong. I basically told him I wouldn’t leave until something was figured out. After the head tech, service manager and myself went for a drive in my car the tech agreed something was wrong. He put it on the lift, I watched them check everything under and above the car as well. Everything is tight, my car still wanders all over the road, I feel like I’m constantly having to give steering input. The car feels like it wants to do a circle in the highway if you don’t grab the wheel when you’re lightly on the gas. The dealer tech knows something is wrong, they are getting a direct call from a tech at Ford corporate to see if they have saw this issue before. That will be more than likely the end of next week. Has anyone had this issue before? The car feels very unsafe. My tires are almost new, pressure is 35x4. No cupping, wearing or broken belts. The service manager, tech and myself are all at a loss. Please give me some input! I love my car but I will be trading it in if this can’t get fixed. The whole driving dynamic has changed since the strut mounts were changed.
 



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I wonder if it’s possible, a few months ago my stability control light and traction control light came on, and the terrain management dial wouldn’t allow me to change the mode. It went away when I turned the car off and hasn’t been back since. Hopefully it gets resolved soon, I took a 4 hour trip today and passing anyone was a nightmare!
 


















Has your dealer checked the Ford Website for software updates and issues. I would ask them to reload my systems from Ford to ensure the BCM and Steering modules have all the latest software updates patches.
 






I will recommend this to them. It’s just strange it came up after the strut mounts were changed. It’s stuck at the shop now waiting on backordered rear toe links. ‍♂️
 






Okay so I finally got it into another dealer, they told me the front diff is leaking and needs to be replaced. Does anyone think that could be the cause for the pulling issue I have? The new toe links changed nothing, like I suspected. I have to go back after I get off today and take the tech for a ride as they couldn’t recreate the problem. I will update after I take him for spin! I’m hoping the diff is the cause and it will finally be resolved!
 






I thought I read another member's post that said the Explorer doesn't have a front differential. I checked some parts sites and there is no listing for one. Did a quick Internet search and only found rear units. Could he have been talking about the PTU?

Peter
 






I bet they're talking about the PTU. My dealer (oil change section) didn't even know what a PTU was.
 






They very well could have meant the ptu, they kept referring to it as the front diff. I will see when I pick it up tomorrow. I brought it into this dealer for a second opinion and they found the leak while looking for the steering issue. Also perhaps someone could shine a little light on the meaning of this? Its what the dealership who originally did the repair was sent from the contact (engineer?) at Ford. I love my car but it’s been in the shop far to many times since January! Lol

7F9A80B5-51AD-4043-9357-E112AFD6D38C.png
 






Unable to read that very fine print....sorry
 






I apologize about that! Hopefully this is a little more legible. For some reason I’m having trouble posting a clear screenshot of the email.

91317E00-A1F3-4C2A-912C-872F68CFB079.png


E2EBDA6C-84E8-44E4-BDB8-5840530C44F7.png
 






The first part are just directions to the technician as to what to look at and what to do. I see that they are able to replicate the problem but it doesn't look like anything was done. No parts were replaced.

Peter
 






I was more confused on “neutralizing” the Powertrain mounts. It also says something about rotating the strut mount to the right. I’m wondering if that could be the fix as it didn’t start until after they changed the strut mounts. The dealership that replaced those can’t get it back in until 7/26, I would have to pay out of pocket elsewhere to have it looked at. My extended warranty company says the dealer who changed the part has to warranty it as well as the labor otherwise I would have to pay full price out of pocket on the labor.
 






After being ignored by the original dealership that did the mounts, for 3 days via phone I finally went and talked to them in person. I take it in Tuesday to have the alignment checked again, Ford sighted the cross camber in their email I posted above. The service manager finally agreed that could be the issue after I asked him to re-read the email from Ford. He then told me he would get the specs pre strut mount change as well as after. How convenient for me that they had no alignment records for my car. I’m going to an independent shop in the morning to have them check it out and realign if necessary. Hopefully it’s just an alignment issue and not an untrained alignment tech who overlooked the proper cross camber. I’m very close to trading it in, and not happy about that.
 






I think I figured it out, a lousy alignment tech or a machine out of calibration.
 






I see now why they didn’t “find” the old specs.

44E58C50-D10A-486B-86D0-26DC4EAEFBB8.jpeg
 






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