1st Post-Normal Maintenance Questions

[GB1977]

Hello all,
This is my first post. We have a 2010 XLT that my wife drives. It's been a good vehicle. We've owned it about two years now, purchased it with around 130k miles, it now has about 150k. We've only done the normal oil changes on it.

I'm ready to get into some deeper maintenance on it. I want to drain/replace the tranny fluid, most of the other fluids (coolant, power steering, brake fluid flush, diff fluid, etc.). What else should I be looking at?

We have a few nagging issues with it as well:

• Airbag light is on (don't have a scan tool, anyone happy with the blue driver?) . It came on during a long trip, after I had adjusted the passenger seat. We had a dealership check it out about when it happend, and they said the passenger seat rail needed to be replaced to the tune of 800 bucks.
• Left rear door "sticks" sometimes when opening. To open it without a loud pop, you need to close it most of the way then open it again.
• brakes seem sluggish. You need to push pretty hard on them when stopping from say 60. Pedal is firm, not soft like air in the lines. She's used to it, but I notice a big difference between it and my ride.
• light thud when getting on and off the gas (u-joint starting to go bad?)
• has slight hesitation (misfire?) when climbing a steady low incline at low speed (1500rpm)

Forgot to mention, this is a 4.0, 2 wheel drive. Thanks for any insight!!

 

[Rcflyer330]

If you are looking for a scan tool the blue driver is nice (i dont have one but people like them and they work) for near the same price i think a obdlink mx / or mx+ adapter and forscan for pc or forscan lite is a better deal with way more capability for ford vehicles. The obd link can also be used for other vehicled but forscan is ford specific so you would need a different app or pc software for other vehicles.

Maintaince items if they have never been done spark plugs probally wires too. The brakes on the explorer are weird feeling but you may want to take a look at them and see how the pads and rotors look it may be time for a brake job. Check for any broken parts like sway bar links they tend to break every now and again. The transmission i would do a pan drop and change the filter then replace the fluid that came out don't to a flush.

For the airbag light get the code its probally the passenger seat sensor. There is a connector under the seat an can corrode over time causing the code.

I donk know on the light thud noise when getting on and off the gas. The door its probally a hinge but i am not sure.

 

[dacaur2]

Yea my explorer brakes are definitely "different". I dont notice it normally, but I have been driving my wifes car to work every day lately to save money, and when I got back in it this weekend I was like "Woa, has it always taken this much brake pressure to stop?" It is a pretty big suv....

Clunk is either a u-joint, or your rear diff going bad.

The door, tough to say without seeing it. Take a look close at the joint between the front of the door and the body as you open it and see if something is catching there. Open it a few times with your head at different spots and see where it is the loudest to track it down...

 

[Explorer_PL]

The clank in the door is typical at that age. Under the cylindrical cap on every hinge, there is a spring loaded mechanism composed of 2 "discs" with nothches that lock the door in open position. The whole thinkg is compresed with a 13 mm nut inside. When the whole hinge dries out inside, you get the clank. You can knock off the cap, take the nut and the spring off, and apply some grease.

 

[mounted]

Check under your seat and see if a wire got pinched when you moved the seat, or the airbag connector got knocked loose.

Grease the door lock mechanism as someone else suggested

Brakes on this vehicle are mushy. Some good slotted rotors and pads like EBC help, but don't make them race car firm

Thud could be a control arm or even possible a transmission mount, figure out where its coming from. This vehicle is deceiving, noises from the rear transmit to the front.

Replace the spark plugs and coils, misfires are common with worn plugs or non-working coil (only use motocraft on these two, dont cheap out)

 

[Mbrooks420]

At this age I’d flush out the brake fluid.

 

[dB2000]

I just bought an 09 but test drove several different 05 to 09s. They all required more foot pressure than my 01 cargo van and a bunch of new rental Ford cargo vans, 300 to 10k miles, I have driven in the last few months. So I think it is a normal feature of the older Explorers. All of them had a solid feel to the brakes without any gradual sinking of the pedal.

 

[dacaur2]

There should be no gradual sinking of the pedal on ANY vehicle...

 

[GB1977]

Thanks to all who responded so far. You deserve an update.

• The light thud/knock when easing on and off the gas was the front U-joint (Tranny to driveshaft) at highway speeds, which we replaced this weekend.
• We did the transmission fluid and filter a week or so ago, and it's shifting nice and smooth now. Hope that helps it last another 50k
• Took a look at the wiring under the seat for the airbag connection. Can barely fit my hand other there. How big of a deal is it to remove the passenger seat to get better access to the wiring connections?
• The cap on the door hinge-- Do I just pop it off with a flat screwdriver and hammer? or is there something holding it? I haven't messed with it yet.
• Brake Fluid Flush- Is it acceptable to just pull the fluid from the right rear, then when clear, move to the Left Rear, then Right Front, then Left Front, or do I need to bleed the ABS somehow? If I need to get into the ABS, it may be out of my mechanical ability. (I did buy one of those hand vacuum bleeders from Harbor Freight to help me).
• The other issues I haven't gotten to yet.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The seats come out extremely easy. 4 bolts, I believe. Took me 10 minutes.

You don’t need to cycle the abs pump. You don’t even need to pressure bikers them. Gravity bleeding is great for a flush, just keep the reservoir full.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Just use a screwdriver and a hammer, and they should come off. They may get a little damaged in the process.

 

[Littleant]

On your brake issue. There is a factory defect in the caliper mounting bracket. This defect prevents the caliper from moving back and forth freely. One pad will be worn more then the other.. Replace the bracket with one that states factory defect corrected. I purchased my brackets from 1A AUTO
online and they worked great. Did new rotors brackets calipers from them.