Help a girl out, i don't have a clue what to do

[Blacksheep Josh]

As someone stated all ready, it may need a new battery, and/or new battery cables going to the starter and to the solenoid on the firewall to the left of the battery (looks like a circle on a square). It's a normal problem a lot of people with Explorers experience, the cables will get crappy and not let enough current through them. I know this from experience, it was why my Explorer wouldn't start at times. I thought it was the starter, but even with new starter it wouldn't go, then I used a new wire and poof, perfect start.

Good Luck. Keep us Posted.

 

[KCJones08]

actually, no I don't think so. I know the back two match but they are all the same size and pretty new I think, I just got the ones that were on it when i bought it. It felt like just the front end, like in the engine.

 

[seth247]

Id do like someone already said and check the fuel pump relay. It's undernthe rectangular. Fuse box under the hood on the pass side fender next to the air box.

All those relays are the same so swap One that works into the socket for the pump relay and try again.

 

[seth247]

I'm still confused on the drop

Did the front acually lose altitude? Or was a loud clunk that felt like something on the car fell on something else?

 

[shaggymane]

Heres the problem, I bought a used '94 4wd Eddie Bauer Explorer at an auction.............. and it just died and locked up without reason. Managed to coast to the side of the road and let it sit. It wouldn't start at first but after 15 minutes or so it was fine and I made it home. eek:

Um, "lockup" to me means the wheel locks and my brakes get hard and my gas pedal drops.

So how then did you manage to........

coast to the side of the road and let it sit.

Please confirm. Are you saying that the wheels locked up, skidded, left marks on the pavement? I mean, if your vehicle had a manual tranny, motor quits, rear wheels lock up and skid, you'd have a motor that froze up. You wouldn't coast any where with out pushing the clutch in.
If you managed to have your rear wheels lock up with an auto tranny you've got a bigger mystery.
You haven't said for sure it's an auto tranny, everyone assumes because it's an EB, I guess.
Back to:

the wheel locks and my brakes get hard and my gas pedal drops.

Did that actually happen? How could you tell the brakes got hard?
Did wheels actually skid? Back ones? Front ones? feel like both front and back? Could be the RABS unit going nuts.

That so many things go cattywhompus at the same time makes me think the PCM is going out. For the life of me I don't know how it would happen but part of me wants to think your 4wd is kicking in on it's own and binding the drive train up. But that could be coming out of *The bad idea factory*.
Were you ever turning a corner just before this *dies and lock up thing* happens? Did it turn the corner funny? Like, wanna go straight, then turn, then wanna go straight, then wanna turn? you know, like engaged 4wd acts on dry pavement.

The won't start part means I get in it and turn the key and I don't hear the fuel pump turn over, it will crank but not as you said fire and run.

This is better information. As has been suggested; Swap the A/C relay with the fuel relay and listen for the pump running.

I don't want to get rid of it cuz

Never said that. I'm all for solving the big mystery


I"m in a GEN 1. Don't know if that included the 94's. It's been suggested go to AutoZone and get the codes pulled. Write em down. Maybe one of these other guys would know if the codes can be pulled by using the CEL. (and tell you how to do it.) You wouldn't have to risk going anywhere.

 

[seth247]

what she means by locked up is the engine quit, therefore she lost the power steering/brakes and then coasted to a stop.

 

[shaggymane]

Ok, I got it. The wheel she's talking about is the steering wheel.

 

[Shen2187]

@KCJones08 - Some questions..

Were you accelerating when the engine quit?
Did you brake after the engine quit? (I imagine you did)
Have you engaged 4WD in the vehicle before?
Did you hear any abnormal sounds when the engine quit, or when the front dropped?


It's very hard to diagnose without physically inspecting the vehicle.