Hi-new girly with a question

[sarah2210]

Hi everyone

I posted this question originally somewhere else and got directed to you guys. I have had a good trawl through the posts and have had a giggle at some of them but have not found the answer to my question and now have square eyes so I thought I'd repost it here too.

My husband has a 1998 (R reg) Explorer XLT and has recently noticed an unusual light on the dash. We have had the car off the road for a while until we start getting better weather and he can replace the control arms and anti roll link. Anyway, a fiend has offered to do the work in his garage so my husband charged the battery up so that he could get the car started. After he did this, he noticed the light. Sadly, we don't have a manual for the car so can't look it up and all the dashes on the US versions are different so the online manuals haven't helped us so far.
The light is red, looks like either a key or electrical cable in a circle and has a line through it. Any ideas guys cos it has us and our 2 local dealers stumped!

Thanks
Sarah

 

[MikeRWK]

Take a pic.

 

[Howard]

If you mean the one just to the right of the right hand indicator light then it is the anti-theft system. Why it is active will depend on whether you have the single button remote or the two button remote. They changed in 1998, the single button is the earlier type.

 

[sarah2210]

Thanks Howard,

I have just gone out and looked at the dash, it is definitely the anti-theft light and we have single button remotes. The light is flashing but the car starts, is that easily sorted?

Sarah

 

[Howard]

Pressing the button should disarm the system and put the light out, as well as opening the doors. Check the battery in the remote first. Else the unit may have lost it's programming, which would mean a trip to the dealer!

 

[sarah2210]

Hmm, trip to the dealer it is then as the light is still on regardless of which of the fobs we have used! Mind you, we have to get it roadworthy again before we can manage that! :frustrate

Thanks for that, can't believe that it took me 2 days of looking for the light to find you guys and get it dealt with so easily. :notworthy

 

[DuncanOfEngland]

Light

It's the immobiliser light. Quite often it flashes when the engine is running when the battery charge is low. Kind of a 'you need a new battery soon' light.

Duncan

 

[sarah2210]

Hi Duncan,

Thanks for that. Both reasons for it flashing make sense to be honest. At least I can tell my husband both the possibilites and let him sort it out. I just find the answers to these problems, he deals with them. After all, it is his baby!

 

[janolsson]

Hi everyone

I posted this question originally somewhere else and got directed to you guys. I have had a good trawl through the posts and have had a giggle at some of them but have not found the answer to my question and now have square eyes so I thought I'd repost it here too.

My husband has a 1998 (R reg) Explorer XLT and has recently noticed an unusual light on the dash. We have had the car off the road for a while until we start getting better weather and he can replace the control arms and anti roll link. Anyway, a fiend has offered to do the work in his garage so my husband charged the battery up so that he could get the car started. After he did this, he noticed the light. Sadly, we don't have a manual for the car so can't look it up and all the dashes on the US versions are different so the online manuals haven't helped us so far.
The light is red, looks like either a key or electrical cable in a circle and has a line through it. Any ideas guys cos it has us and our 2 local dealers stumped!

Thanks
Sarah

Ah so you found us. goodo.

On the control arms, are they rotten because unlike a lot of european cars the bushes can be replaced. Also the ball joints can be replaced. FYI
Regards

 

[sarah2210]

Hi Jan

Thanks for that bit of info, my husband thought that he needed to replace the control arms with the bushes and ball joints, not that they could be done separately. I guess that makes it a less expensive and easier repair?

Sarah

 

[janolsson]

Hey
you can get some stuff off ebay but apparently the cheap ball joints (£10 each) don't last that long. I would go for moog if you can find them for the ball joints, bushes and drop links. You could google USA Automotive (used them b4 and good service) or jeepchryslerpartsuk and give them a call for stock and prices. There is a sticky at the start of the US part of the site you originally posted that shows how to change the ball joints. also a search on youtube reveals loads of video.
Lastly if you want any help from your local Ford Dealer you have to go armed with the full part number or get them to show you the exploded diagrams and know what you want as not many of them have a clue ford ever made something called Explorer!!!

 

[sarah2210]

Hi Jan

I've found the control arms on jeepchryslerpartsuk and have a local mechanic lined up to do the work for us. He's the husband of one of the girls I work with so has been very generous with his quote

As for the Ford dealer, we are quite lucky in that one of our local ones has a technician that specialises in Explorers so we'll probably pester him a whole lot if anything goes wrong in the future as well as my friend's husband of course. I'm exempt from working on his toy as I am too short to even scrape the ice off the windscreen

Thanks again for your help

 

[janolsson]

If you are short you are nearer the control arm!!! so get your hammer out and have a go LOL
PS usautomotive have the drop links for £12
and the bushes for £19

 

[Stenasev]

Going back to the light, does it flash then go constantly on or does it just continually flash? Does it flash out a code at all e.g. one flash pause two flashes pause one flash?
If the car is running then I wouldn't worry about it!

SS

 

[petetheengineer]

Hey if you ever need a hand with the explorer give me a shout as im just down the road in horley and have 2 explorers that i have rebuilt both the engines on.

 

[SB98UKexplorer]

shocking that makes me your nearest neighbour lol

 

[BIGHVM]

Er year, That light is indicative of a warped outer flange, if you have a code reader- you will see 98456- this means- I am kidding and you need to smile for me now!

 

[sarah2210]

Er year, That light is indicative of a warped outer flange, if you have a code reader- you will see 98456- this means- I am kidding and you need to smile for me now!

I am always smiling, except for when I'm grumpy!

 

[BIGHVM]

Yikes!!!