2000 XLT steering column sensors

[donalds]

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Lower inspection pan remove and look for plastics in the oil pickup screen and pan
For broken parts

 

[J_C]

On many of Ford's connectors (not sure about airbag) there is a plastic insert in the back of the connector (sometimes different colored plastic) that you can remove, to pull the contacts out (while still attached to the wire), to clean them, and bend a "little" more spring tension into them to resolve poor electrical contact issues.

If there is no separate locking piece for the contacts, then it is probably just a sloped tab molded into the connector block and you could use a dental pick or similar tool to finesse the contact past that tab.

If there is corrosion you might consider putting a light coat of dielectric grease on them before reinsertion in the connector block.

 

[Sdgtp99]

^^^idr how many miles are on this Explorer but I do remember why I had to drop the oil pan. It was clear that this car was very poorly maintained.
The dipstick showed that there was way too much oil in the engine and it looked very old. So, time for an oil change, right? Well, when I unbolted the drain plug nothing came out. Nothing! So we had to drop the pan and see what was up. Found an 1-2" layer of sludge in the pan. We scraped that clean and when we got the engine running ran cleaning solvent in the oil then did another oil change.
We also had to flush all the coolant. Pretty sure the reason the heater core went bad was someone mixed dexcool, the factory anti freeze, with green anti freeze. Never do that. Mix those coolants and they coagulate.

 

[Charlie McDonald]

Thanks for the reply, you gave me a good laugh when you said you pulled the plug and nothing came out! I'll remember that that issue and fix for sure.

 

[Sdgtp99]

I feel like this particular Explorer never had an oil change. In its life.

Runs friggin' fantastic now.

 

[CDW6212R]

For the extra wire, sensor, often there are unused connectors in Fords for various uninstalled items. Hopefully that was that issue. For example, the models with an ARC system, those have a small sensor at the base of the column, which goes next to the round disc part that has many small holes around the circumference. The electrical connector may be installed in many other Explorers of the 95-01 models.