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2015 Explorer base tips/noted/upgrade prospects

Vchat20

New Member
Joined
January 22, 2023
Messages
3
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1
City, State
Columbus, Ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
2015 Explorer Base
Hello!

Jumping in here as my mother recently acquired a 2015 Explorer. Around 115k miles. 3.5L non-EB with the factory tow package and 6F55 transmission. Best I can tell it is just a very basic model. I have been unable to locate any noted trim monikers. It's definitely no frills. No Sync, just the base 4" screen with AM/FM/CD, manual climate, manual 3rd row, manual liftgate, no ACC, lane keeping, etc..

Personally I own a 2013 C-Max Energi and since owning it I have become very fluent at least on the electrical/electronic side of Ford's with plenty of experience with Forscan so that should all help with the Explorer. Mechanically is another story here.

Curious if there's any good tips or notes I should be aware of? So far the big ones I've come across:

1) Water pump - Any warning signs I should be aware of to catch it before it gets bad? Any approximate mileage range they like to fail?
2) PTU - I plan to be a stickler about making sure the fluid on this gets changed at the first oil change and 30k thereafter. I'm assuming since it is just used for lubrication there's no harm in jumping on this if it was never replaced prior in the vehicle's life? How's accessibility under the vehicle without jack stands or ramps?
3) Transmission - I know a lot of mechanics stick by not changing the fluid on high mileage auto transmissions if it was never done before. Any comments on this with this particular vehicle?

I'm also looking into potential OEM upgrades where I can as long as no significant rewiring is involved. I'm find with doing some minor wiring work if necessary.

  1. Remote start is top of the list. I am aware with these Explorers it is a simple job with just programming new fobs and enabling RS in Forscan in the relevant modules. Have new keys on the way. I see mention of XLT trims and the missing hood switch. Any clue where I can find this under the hood? What's involved in adding if necessary? Is a harness/plug already available under the hood for this? EDIT: Found where the hood switch should be and there's just a blanking plate holding the pigtail underneath. Found the switch available for an inexpensive $20 direct through Ford Parts so that's on order to go to my dealer.
  2. I'd like to add Sync in some fashion. I do have an old MFT APIM and screen from my C-Max when I upgraded it to Sync 3. I figure I can use this in the interim before going to Sync 3 if all goes well.
    1. I understand with the Explorer's the models equipped with the 8" screen only had auto climate bezels so a new auto climate HVAC module is needed.
    2. Will need a conversion harness I'm sure. I see a number on eBay for the 4" to 8" conversion but that assumes Sync 1 was already installed. Any clue if the main APIM harness connectors exist on the base model to facilitate this?
    3. No microphone I have found. I don't mind trying to acquire and add in the OEM one. What about the wiring for this? Does the connection to the main harness exist in the headliner in the correct spot?
    4. USB hub should be fine. I will need to locate the smaller hub. I have the original from my C-Max but it is the larger unit with the A/V connections.
    5. Steering wheel controls - No phone/voice buttons of course with the base model. Upgrading shouldn't be too difficult here. Anything with the SCCM needing changes beyond AsBuilt stuff?
  3. ACM - I happened to acquire a newer ACM (HD Radio + the newer SiriusXM tuner) from a 19/20 Fusion for the original purpose of trying to upgrade the one in my C-Max. Unfortunately being a C1MCA vehicle it just isn't compatible. But being CGEA (per Cyanlabs' AsBuilt db, in theory it should be able to be switched to 1.2), in theory it may work out better? Anyone got a clue on the viability of this? I am particularly curious if the base trim with no APIM involved will be viable here? Specifically I'm imagining some potential compatibility concerns with the FCDIM at least with the HD Radio side. It seems to be aware of Sirius functionality being available.
  4. Reverse camera - From what I have found so far here on the topic it looks like the tailgate side of things should be relatively easy. The main harness in the roof line has the wiring but the tailgate harness needs replaced but shouldn't be too difficult and the factory camera comes on the trim piece with the license plate lights and swaps for the blanking plate that's there now. Have I read incorrectly on any of this? The FCDIM from what I've seen on Sync equipped vehicles does do the RVC so I'm imagining the base model should work the same unless Ford was dumb and decided to build the same screen but different versions. Any clues on the wiring harness up here to get that functional? I'm concerned both with the 4" screen now. The 8" screen should be good to go with the available conversion harnesses barring the original connector is there to work with.
  5. This is more a pipedream/long shot: But looking into some of the other driver assist functions like ACC, LKA, potentially parking sensors, etc.. I figure if these are largely just adding the relevant modules like the front radar and the camera behind the rearview mirror, maybe some minor wiring work, and then activating stuff in Forscan, it should be a decent project to play with down the road. Any tidbits or more detailed info here? Anyone else try stuff like this before? Any other interesting OEM part upgrades others have done on these that I haven't mentioned?
I did manage to grab a copy of the workshop manual from some random website and it has most of the stuff but I'm missing a few pages and the 'component location views' (ie: The vehicle cutaway views with annotations pointing out various connectors, harnesses, parts, etc.) are entirely missing so I need to look for another copy. I've already done this for my C-Max and managed to get a CD from eBay that had the full 'Service Information' software and not the PDF copies. I've been trying to track this same thing down for the Explorer but haven't been lucky. But this has definitely been an amazing resource for my C-Max and would like it for the Explorer as well.
 






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