I have a 2002 Eddie Bauer edition with the 4.6L V8 engine. I discovered a problem, thanks to a couple people on this forum, that I'd be willing to bet others are having or are going to have. Especially if you have an 02-05 Explorer with the V8 engine!
Recently, my A/C stopped working. I noticed that the clutch wasn't engaging on the compressor. I checked the coolant and noticed that it was still full. I checked all of the fuses and relays related to A/C. All were fine. I jumped the low pressure switch and still, nothing. Finally, after asking on this forum, somebody messaged me about a wire harness on the 4.6 that runs underneath the oil pan. This harness runs right under the aft side of the oil filter. If you look up right in front of the front differential, you can see where it is rubbing on the drip tray for the oil filter. Sure enough, it had chaffed all the way through the plastic shielding around the wires and had cut through the wire going to my A/C clutch. It was cutting through the wire going to my starter as well. Check it out. I'll bet anybody with the 4.6L is having the same problem. Mine only has 65,000 miles on it.
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There is no way you can really get in there to work on it, so, you'll have to disconnect it in a few places and pull it out through the left wheel well. You'll have to disconnect it from the A/C clutch. The best way is to get at it through the right wheel well. I didn't need to remove the wheel for this. You'll have to disconnect it from the starter. Best way is from underneath, obviously. Make sure you disconnect the battery first!!!! There is a metal bracket that comes next. I found it easier to just bend the metal that was holding the wire harness, than it was to take the nut out holding the bracket in. There is another bracket like it closer to the drivers side. Just bend that too. Then, there is a small wire coming out of the harness, that goes to some sort of sensor for the engine coolant. You'll need to disconnect that one as well. It's a PITA. After that, you can remove the front, left wheel and pull the wire harness out. You can see how it cut right through my compressor wire. The rubber shielding was the only thing holding it together.
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I'd guess that you all have this problem if you have the 4.6L. Crawl under there and check it out. If yours hasn't cut through yet, you might be able to stick something in there and stop it.
