High milage explorers?

[schadler]

I personally expect cars to last 100K without having to replace major components like driveshafts. I've owned many cars and 2 trucks, most of them foreign, and never had problems like this. A/c's quitting and ball joints are somewhat acceptable at 80K, but you've got to admit that a $400 brake light and having to replace an entire driveshaft because it has an integrated bearing is just stupid engineering. The cruise control button light was also a stupid idea...replacing an entire module because of a bad bulb. If it is a module on the Exlorer, then why a separate bulb on the Taurus?

$32,000 buys you a heck of a lot more in a VW, Honda or Volvo.

 

[schadler]

97 XLT

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the front brake caliper slide seals suck, and 1 let water in at about 40K, causing the slides to corrode and the pad with the non-telltale tab to wear faster, cutting into the rotors...so new rotors, brakes and seal. THe other seals didn't leak, but the grease was non-existent at 40K, so all had to be removed, cleaned and greased.

 

[rfuree11]

95 XLT 166k miles
replaced so far:
fuel pump
hub

 

[bluestream]

I have had my 91 XLT since it was new. I have taken very good care of it, and drive very sensible. I have had the body oil sprayed, so I have no rust to speak of. The engine has run flawlessly for 221,000 Kms. I won't list all of the wear and tear items like brakes, tires, air filters, spark plugs, and exhaust work, but I have replaced the following items to date:

Radiums arm bushing (warranty)
Spare tire lift mechanism (warranty)
Fuel sending unit
Rear U-Joint (2X)
Air cond leaks (4X)
Rear Brake cyclinders
Rear emergency cables
Tranny rebuild due to rubber plugs!!!
Arm rest bracket
Rocker cover gaskets
Water Pump
Front crankshaft seal
Front outer U-joints
All four ball joints
Drivers side door hinge
Front Brake calipers
Starter motor (rebuilt)
New rad
Front shocks
Rear brake line (main line to rear)
P.S. pump

I still need to replace my rear pinion seal

I think that the people who have claimed to have only replaced tires and brakes and have driven over 200,000 miles are just kiding themselfs. No vehicle can do that.

Thge only thing that ticks me off is the tranny rebuild, $1800 because of those damn plugs.

 

[FMJ127]

'96 XLT V8 2x4 with 135k.

Radiator hoses
Water pump bypass hose

Regular maint items:
Brakes - ceramics
oil - Valvoline high mileage 5w-30
Tires - p235/70r15's all terrains
oil filter - Motorcraft
intake filter - Fram

Runs great till I try to tow our camper, then it runs limp. Will only cruise when towing our camper, which isn't large only 17 foot, at 65 mph. I know it ought to run better than that.

 

[schadler]

high mileage explorers

I can understand someone thinking no car can last 200K without major repairs if all they buy is American. I've had 2 hondas, a nissan and a VW that all lasted between 180K and 220K without anything other than shocks, tires, brakes, filters belts hoses and fluid. I've had an AMC, Cadillac, Chevy, 2 Fords and all had major repair or recall issues before 100K. I'm convinced the majority of American designed cars are for people who like to be buddies with the repair man. Say all you want, but for $34K, you can do much better.

 

[Pete]

'91 with 184,000. I bought it with 135,000 on it.

The big stuff replaced:
AC condensor $400
one of the AC hoses $150
water pump $60
both PS hoses $60
radiator $220
heater core $60
radius arm bushings $40 (I did the work)
stereo $200
a few batteries (the heat kills them here where I live)
both battery cables $75
alternator $140
fuel pressure regulator $115

Plus the normal wear items (brakes, hoses, belts, etc.)

Truck gets about 17 mpg combined with the AC on. Doesn't use any oil AT ALL over a 6000 mile oil change, not a drop. Has a bit of lifter noise and the infamous Ford power steering pump whine.

Yeah, American cars got their problems, that's for dang sure. Imports are not without their problems too - just go look over on the Toyota Tacoma owner's group site for example. A friend of mine spends more on one or two repair bills for her '97 BMW than I have ever spent on my Ex, en toto, in the 6 years I've owned it. And my mom's Fiat 124 was the biggest mechanical POS I have ever seen: oil leaks, three head gaskets, head had to be machined every time, it wouldn't start in the winter half the time, noisy, rattly, blah blah blah. Ugh... right up there with a Triumph 650. Care to guess how much a radiator costs for a BMW?

Another consideration: can I drive my Honda over the Mojave Road? No. Can I tow a trailer with three vintage dirt bikes plus gear from Bakersfield to Hollister with my VW? No. Can I get to my favorite hunting spots in my Nissan? No. Can I haul a trailer load of demolition crap to the dump with my Camry? No. I do all this and more with my STOCK Ex.

Like everything else in life, cars are also a tradeoff. If I only drove on road, hell no, I wouldn't have bought this Ex - I would have bought a Camry. But I have multiple various needs that the Ex fills quite well. Would a Land Cruiser do all this? Sure - at 2.5x the cost of the Ex. I think I paid for that cost difference a long time ago... OK I'm off my ammo box now.

 

[Peter]

way to go pete, you make our name look bad

 

[J Zee109]

From my point of view, if you want a car or truck with big balls, than buy American. If you want a car with a small engine that is gonna last very long with minimal repairs, buy a Honda or VW. A Mustang will beat the crap out of a Civic any day, but the Civic will also last 150k Miles longer. They both have thier pros and cons.

 

[98Explorer4x4]

I have a 1998 Explorer XLT 4x4 with 86,500 miles. I had the intake manifold gasket replaced, driver side fog lamp replaced, and the usual vehicle maintenance such as oil changes, tire rotations, had the transfer case drained and refilled, transmission drained and refilled, and now at this time there is a recall out for the driver's seat reclining bolt needs to be replaced.

UPDATE
106,216 miles and just had the lower ball joints replaced and front left wheel bearing replaced. New Reflex shocks put in (installed myself) and two new tires (due to bad ball joints and shocks in the front). Still love driving my baby!

 

[01EB5.0]

Re: high mileage explorers

Originally posted by schadler
I can understand someone thinking no car can last 200K without major repairs if all they buy is American. I've had 2 hondas, a nissan and a VW that all lasted between 180K and 220K without anything other than shocks, tires, brakes, filters belts hoses and fluid. I've had an AMC, Cadillac, Chevy, 2 Fords and all had major repair or recall issues before 100K. I'm convinced the majority of American designed cars are for people who like to be buddies with the repair man. Say all you want, but for $34K, you can do much better.

Recalls? Your complaining about recalls? I am so happy when I get a recall notice. it means they gotta fix something for free...something that I don;t have to pay for down the road....hell they can recall my entire drivetrain if they want...I wouldn;t mind a new drivetrain at 70,000 miles

Plus your agument has many sides, many experiances. maybe you just got luckey. We had a VW and my parents vowed never to buy another. It was the worst vehicle we have ever owned, and was not even safe to drive and it only had 8,000 miles on it. It was a 1986 VW Vanagon. Here's what had to be worked on in the first 8,000 miles of ownership. 2 sets of front brakes, had major engine problems (never really got fixed) and the steering sucked. The van ended up stalling out on my Mom along the interstate during a winter storm, and VW said all the problems were our fault and told us we were out of luck. Keep in mind this was a NEW vehicle with only 8,000 miles (no exaggeration). They had the vehicle towed to the VW dealer and then drove to the ford dealer and bought a 1988 Econoline conversion van....never had problems with any of our fords since.

My Dad has also had a95 Volvo 850 GLT that had electrical problems quite often. It would cause erratic shifting in the trans.

He then got a 99 Mercedes C230 Kompressor. One day he started it up and heard a screeching and the engine stalled in the garage. Ends up the alternator bearings melted at 52,000 miles (Keep in mind the warentee expires at 50,000) So Mercedes was going to charge my Dad to repair it, but somehow they worked out a "deal".

Now he drives a 2002 Volvo S80 and it blew off a turbocharger hose at only 25,000 miles due to a bad solinoid.

It goes to show, no car (foreign or American) is problem free, and every car is different. My Explorer may outlast my neighbor's civic, or vise versa, but I can doa lot more with my truck and it is a lot more durable, not to mention safer.

 

[Jeff]

I posted this in the "Common Problems by Year" thread and it probably should be here instead. Here is my cut and paste.

'97 XLT with SOHC

There aren't enough 1's and O's to describe the problems I've had. I'm not even going to tell you how much I've spent on repairs not covered by the warranty but here's a quick list of what has gone wrong.

The highlights:

1. Crankshaft snapped - new engine cost $5k

2. 4WD engaged while on the freeway owing to short circuit in engagment sensors - $1.2k

3. Drivers door solenid broke away from the door. Haven't fixed that yet.

4. Blend door - will be fixed on this coming Tuesday for $900.

5. Seat recliner on passenger door - covered under warranty.

6. Water pump at 40k miles - $400

7. Timing chain and leaking intake gaskets - warranty

8. Tailgate right hinge on passenger side is breaking/cracking from the truck body. I have no idea what it will cost.

9. Buzzing from the steering column when using the turn signal. This is the dreaded short. I haven't fixed this yet.

10. IAC - I don't remember what I paid to have this fixed.

11. Annoying buzzing and flapping noise coming from under the dash. Dealer tried fixing but still is a problem. Warranty work.

12. CD player quit right after the warranty expired.

Do you all see the pattern? This doesn't include all the annoying little things such as cracked leather, fingerprints inside the gauge consule, having money from the ashtray stolen at the dealership while there for repairs, more than a thousand dollars in rental car fees, other recalls, shocks that were leaking at 50k miles that have to be replaced, oil on the carpet after repairs and if I got out all the paperwork I'm sure that there are others.

I can categorically say that despite my best maintenance efforts, this is the worst vehicle I've ever purchased and I regret doing so. Funny thing is that a Ford official just sent me a letter offering me some huge discount and great financing on a new Explorer because I'm a loyal customer. I wrote back and said that I'm not loyal to Ford because Ford hasn't been loyal to me. I invited him to look up my VIN and asked if he wanted the vehicle back. He didn't respond and I'll take that to mean that not even Ford officials want to drive their own POS vehicles.

 

[Pete]

Not sure where you live but I'm pretty sure you qualify for the Lemon Law. Most states have lemon laws nowadays. Check with the Dept of Consumer Affairs or some such in your state and you should be able to find the lemon law rules.

I am truly sorry for all your trouble. Unfortunately we are all familiar with stories like this from all the vehicle manufacturers. A girlfriend of mine had a Ch*vy Beretta which was plaqued by problems just like this and they lemon-lawed that one.

 

[Jeff]

Pete,

I would agree with you if all this happened while under warranty but it did not. The expensive stuff happened after it expired and in case anyone is thinking of an extended warranty, it was beyond that too.

That's why it is perturbing because you'd think before anyone from the Ford family would allow their name to be put on a product that it was should last long enough that the customer doesn't feel like a dope for buying their vehicles. It's called pride in doing what you do and Ford doesn't have it.

I understand wear and tear and all that but this vehicle has never seen a dirt road or driven in the snow. The only time I've used 4WD was on a wet grass parking lot at a football game. Otherwise, we're talking about drive to work and household errands. Nothing more. No oversize meaty tires, chips, intakes, exhauts or anything else. Zip. It is just about as stock as you can get.

Well I got the blend door problem fixed yesterday and it cost $847.03. They said that they found metal filings in the lines and suggested that my compressor was going out. This means big dollars but further shows that the X is terribly designed. I haven't had AC for 18 months and the compressor is going bad...

Turns out the mechanic was wrong because it was accumulator filings, caught by a filter, caused by a cracked fitting that was leaking R134. Another $67 for this part.

Here is the good part. To fix the rear hatch hinge that it cracking out of the body it will only cost $1,400. The official Ford position is that this is not an uncommon problem but it comes about solely because of customer misuse of the product. To avoid this problem Ford asks that you shut the hatch with both hands evenly spaced between the exterior latch handle and the corners of the hatch as though you were bowing in homage to Ford himself.

Using one hand to hold the stuff that you just took out of the cargo area and closing the hatch with your free hand, while very normal and understandable, is wrong.

Unofficially, the service adviser says that it's a crappily designed product that doesn't normally break until the warranty expires.

I'll keep the X until she blows and I'll continue with regular maintenance until then. I do not have a death wish for this car and I can afford something nicer and new but I'll be so outa here when she finally has a case of colon blow.

 

[01EB5.0]

Originally posted by Jeff
Pete,

I would agree with you if all this happened while under warranty but it did not. The expensive stuff happened after it expired and in case anyone is thinking of an extended warranty, it was beyond that too.

Well, now if it is after the warentee, and after an extended warentee then it means it has 100,000+ miles on it and things are bound to happen after 100K with any car, no matter where or how you drive. The liftgate thing sounds like a crock I have owned 2 explorers and have been a member here for years, and I never heard or see that before.

Blend door...thats common...sorry to say. The engine, well 97 was the worst year.

Granted some people have major issues, like you, but some have great trucks that give no problems. I for one have 70,000 on my truck and all it has needed is normal wear and tear stuff. Now my truck does go off th ebeaten path, it does drive in snow up to the bumper, and it does tow, but it just keeps coming back for more. With my 95 the worst problem it had was the tranny going out, but I knew it was a fault that was bound to happen. When I was looking at newer trucks, i had gathered the problems with that SOHC V-6, and I was tired of the slow OHV V-6 so I got the V-8. Granted it may cost me a little more to operate, but at least I can depend on it.

 

[Jeff]

01EB5.0,

I am glad that other members aren't having as many problems as I have but I also think that anyone would have to agree that in determining if a vehicle design is a good one, regardless of manufacturer, you need to look at people with few problems and compare them with people like with tons. Doing the math gives the informed person some of the answers they are looking for.

In my case I'm bringing down the numbers in a big way. There is no other sane way to say it.

The tailgate hinge isn't that much of a mystery. How many members are here? How many Xs are out there? To me, it isn't surprising that the service advisor sees a few more problems than we might. Furthermore, the service advisor said that there was a TSB for the plate that the strut attaches too that is attached to the body but no TSB for mine. Not enough people have had the problem to make it worthy of a TSB, he says. That doesn't mean that he's hasn't seen the problem before and he tells me that it could have been better designed. He explained how the body shop fixes them and the way he explained it wasn't as though he was blowing smoke and making up the stuff as he went.

You said this problem sounded like a crock. Come over to my house and you can see that it's a crack - many of them and not a crock.

 

[sjjones]

94 V6 4L Auto 4X4 w/110,000 miles since new. Live in Alaska and love the 4X4 in the winter.

Really good maintenance and change the fluids often. No serioius off road but our roads are pretty rough natually.

Decided to keep this vehicle for as long as it will keep ticking - so at 100K replaced the radial arm bushings, complete new brakes/rotors/drums/lines. Only other thing I've done is to replace the air conditioner compressor as the bearing went out.

At this very moment the vehicle is dog gone near perfect except for a very minor rough idle which I'm methotically working on - but friends think it idles just fine. I can remember the time when I sometimes didn't know if the engine was running it idled so smooth.
Zero rust and paint job looks like new.

Of course, I'm not listing the ongoing normal maintenance.

 

[XonDubs]

well, i just bought my 92 sport lastweek and pretty much every day somethings gone wrong with it....first day it was starter, then alternator,then coolant started leaking and my dad fixed it....all the tranny fluid came out somehow so i put more in and its still in(that was trippy, i dont even know where it came from) and now there is oil coming from where the steering pump thingy is....:shrug:....it has 133k miles on it and it wasnt beat when i had it....

 

[XonDubs]

oh, and i dont know if it actually goes in 4wd or not....is there a way to tell? when i was stuck in mud the front tires didnt spin at all that i know of...

 

[evilX]

I just bought my 91 about 2 months ago with 188K for $500.00 and have only done a tune up and tires. Soon to be lifted too .