Advance Trac - Do I have it?

[eddiev8NZ]

Hi guys, excellent forum by the way, used it extensively already!

I just got a 2005 Eddie Bauer 4.6. Made in Missouri, it somehow managed to find its way all the way down to New Zealand!

Anyway, this might be a stupid question but Wiki says "Ford's AdvanceTrac RSC (Roll Stability Control) system became available as a standard feature on the Explorer for the 2005 model year"

According to the VIN mine is definitely made 2005. (in fact I think June). But I don't have the car skidding symbol on the dash cluster lights, or anything else to suggest the car is fitted with it. Is there any other way of telling whether it has it?

Also, while I am here, I have this black box thing with two antenna things sticking out stuck to the back window. Does anyone know what it could be? Just not sure if its an aftermarket thing or not, but I'm scared to let the kids fiddle with it in case its important!

Anyway, thanks in advance for any ideas, I'm sure this will be the first of many post!

Cheers

Rob

 

[WaterBrat]

Welcome Mate,
My ex is also a 2005 EB 4.6L V8. On mine it has an RCS label on the tailgate and on the center console there is a button to turn AdvTrac off and on. I think there is only a symbol on the guage cluster when it is turned OFF. I will verify in the morning on my drive to work. My ex also has the class 4 tow package and is 4WD. Maybe it is a feature that comes with 4WD as it uses the wheel speed sensor from the ABS to auto engage the 4WD if needed to equalize the speed between wheels. A skid will cause the wheel on one corner to be different from the others.

The thing on the window looks like some kind of antenna. Probably aftermaket, and my guess is sat radio or cell phone.

Hope you come to trust and love this forum, although at times can be quite the scrum.

Regards,
Skipper in TX

 

[eddiev8NZ]

Hi Skipper thanks for the quick response! Definitely love and trust the forum already, its pretty hard to get someone down this way who knows much about these cars, so the forum is a life line.

Yes I read that if fitted with RCS its indicated by badges, and also the owners manual shows the "skiddy car" icon on the optional instrument cluster. When I turn mine on all the lights show up and it isn't there. All the articles I have read indicate it come standard on the 2005, thats why I thought maybe they didn't bother advertising it after 05 as they all have it. But not having it on the cluster to show when its engaging is a pretty good indication it doesn't have it. Mine is also the 4x4.

It was one of the reasons I wanted the 05 rather than an earlier model, any additional safety for the family always welcome... Have to say though, I have always looked at other Explorers as they go past, and have never noticed an RCS on the tailgate, maybe it wasn't an option for export.

Thanks for the idea on the window antenna, I figured if others like you don't have it it mustn't be a factory thing. There is no sat nav or cell radio installed so they must have removed those and left the antenna. At least if the kids play with it I won't be so worried now

Thanks again for the reply, much appreciated!

Cheers Rob