Problems With Explorer

[Jason94sport]

94 XLT Auto

The AC seems to work & then not work. It's strange. It will work fine then I turn the truck off with the AC still on & it doesn't start back up. Then all of a sudden it will come back on. Any ideas?

Cruise doesn't work either. Horn works fine so I don't think it's the fuse. Actually I haven't checked any fuses yet. I've been too busy to look at it.

The temp gauge doesn't move from COLD. I guess it a stuck thermostat stuck open. Could that have to do with the AC shutting off? And is it ok to run the truck like this for a few months? It's South FL, so it's in the 80's all day.

Thanks

 

[MrShorty]

I suspect the intermittent operation of the AC is due to a bad connection somewhere. Get a wiring diagram and inspect the AC control circuits.
As for the cruise, after checking the fuse, I'd check the vacuum hoses to the CC servo.
As for the thermostat. When the t-stat is stuck open, the engine runs cold, the computer stays in "warm-up" mode which means it runs a little rich. Running rich will hurt gas mileage, could foul plugs, if it runs rich enough long enough it can plug the catalytic converter. You could probably go a few months without irreparable damage. However, the price of gas being what it is, I would fix it. Thermostats are cheap and not too difficult to replace. It would only take 1/2 a tank at reduced gas mileage to start losing more money than it costs to replace a thermostat.