Which year is the most reliable Explorer?

[94Eddie]

A lot of V6s do run for a long time but a lot of them don't. The main issue with the timing chains and guides is the repair cost due to the design of the engine. It typically costs more to do the repair than the vehicle is worth. I don't recommend buying a V6 because the odds of seeing this problem develop after 125k miles is just too high to take a chance on. Then add in the even more common 5R55 transmission failures and it just makes the risk twice as bad.

 

[mijd]

A lot of V6s do run for a long time but a lot of them don't. The main issue with the timing chains and guides is the repair cost due to the design of the engine. It typically costs more to do the repair than the vehicle is worth. I don't recommend buying a V6 because the odds of seeing this problem develop after 125k miles is just too high to take a chance on. Then add in the even more common 5R55 transmission failures and it just makes the risk twice as bad.

Sometimes I wonder if the V8s are any more reliable at least for the early and mid 4th generation. In a previous post I wrote that my 4.6L V8 (2006) started ticking about 140k miles. I've watched a ton of Youtube videos on this engine with similar ticking but those problems and fixes all seem to be different. I started by having the rollers replaced on the engine's right bank which quieted the ticking for a time and now it's back again. A few months after the repair the engine developed a rough idle... not constant. My mechanic now says it's a sticky valve and he doesn't want to touch it anymore. He says at 154k miles the cost for diagnosis alone would be more than the Explorer's worth. Same goes for switching engines.. he said about 5 to 6k including labor. The next generation Explorers are way expensive...even a used one with over 100k.

 

[Todd82TA]

Sometimes I wonder if the V8s are any more reliable at least for the early and mid 4th generation. In a previous post I wrote that my 4.6L V8 (2006) started ticking about 140k miles. I've watched a ton of Youtube videos on this engine with similar ticking but those problems and fixes all seem to be different. I started by having the rollers replaced on the engine's right bank which quieted the ticking for a time and now it's back again. A few months after the repair the engine developed a rough idle... not constant. My mechanic now says it's a sticky valve and he doesn't want to touch it anymore. He says at 154k miles the cost for diagnosis alone would be more than the Explorer's worth. Same goes for switching engines.. he said about 5 to 6k including labor. The next generation Explorers are way expensive...even a used one with over 100k.

A lot of V6s do run for a long time but a lot of them don't. The main issue with the timing chains and guides is the repair cost due to the design of the engine. It typically costs more to do the repair than the vehicle is worth. I don't recommend buying a V6 because the odds of seeing this problem develop after 125k miles is just too high to take a chance on. Then add in the even more common 5R55 transmission failures and it just makes the risk twice as bad.

Sigh, somehow I managed to get both quoted blocks right next to each other and cannot separate them, hahah... so I'll respond to both together.

94 Eddie... I reluctantly agree about the 5R55E. Although my 2002 is now... 200k+ miles on the same engine (at least 186k when I had it) with no smoke... I did have the 5R55E fail when it only had about 70k miles. I ended up having the transmission replaced. It killed me because I was 1/2 mile from literally having just moved to a new state over 1000+ miles away, and the transmission gave up its 3rd gear 1/2 a mile from the new house! haha... But after replacing it... the car was really the most dependable car I'd ever owned.

Mijd, I'm a huge fan of the 2001+ 4.6 SOHC V8s. I've never had an Explorer V8, I believe they have a 3Vs per cyl and are a bit more exciting than what I have in my 2002 Crown Victoria LX. I inherited a 2002 from my grandfather when he passed away in 2004. I really never drive it, it just sits in the garage. I've tried to keep the miles off of it, but it has about 50k miles on it now... still, runs and drives like new. That 4.6L V8 really pulls well. It's no Olds 455 big block... but a Coyote engine, but it's ridiculously durable. They use them in all the police vehicles. I suppose an engine is as good as it's taken care of. I cannot emphasize this enough, but a good synthetic oil will pretty much make an engine last indefinitely... it's all I use in my cars, and it would explain why the engine in my 2002 Explorer Sport is still alive today.

 

[94Eddie]

Sometimes I wonder if the V8s are any more reliable at least for the early and mid 4th generation. In a previous post I wrote that my 4.6L V8 (2006) started ticking about 140k miles. I've watched a ton of Youtube videos on this engine with similar ticking but those problems and fixes all seem to be different. I started by having the rollers replaced on the engine's right bank which quieted the ticking for a time and now it's back again. A few months after the repair the engine developed a rough idle... not constant. My mechanic now says it's a sticky valve and he doesn't want to touch it anymore. He says at 154k miles the cost for diagnosis alone would be more than the Explorer's worth. Same goes for switching engines.. he said about 5 to 6k including labor. The next generation Explorers are way expensive...even a used one with over 100k.

I base my statement on personal experience and what I have read here in the forums for almost two decades. I owned two 1st gen explorers and the old puchrod V6s were very reliable based on my experience. I owned two 3nd gen and one 4th gen all with V8s. I have had no internal issues with any of these engines. I did have a 5R55 failure at 120k miles. I sold my 2002 with 116k miles in part due to my previous experience with the 5R55 failure. I have had the 4th gen for a little over a year and the engine and transmission is good so far. Right after purchase, I did change all fluids in it to hedge my bets on future longevity. I bought my 2007 Mustang GT about 1.5 years ago which has virtually the same engine as my 2010 Mountaineer. I don't baby this engine at all and it has been issue free so far. Also, the track record of the 4.6L V8s across the board is very good. These engines have been in so many Ford vehicles and have been proven to be extremely reliable, in general. The ones in taxis routinely go 300k-400k miles with just routine maintenance. Also, there are a very large number of 2005-2010 Mustang GTs with around 200k miles on them still running strong and many of these engines have been flogged all their lives. Heck, I have seen many 100k+ 4.6L GTs get a blower installed on them and just take it in stride. The 4.6L Ford V8 is considered one of the best engines ever made.

Peruse through the forums here and you will see post after post of V6 SOHC timing chains/guide failures. I see very few posts about 2nd through 4th gen V8 internal issues. Even then the overwhelming number of the issues reported are much, much easier to repair than timing chains/guide on a SOHC V6. It is a shame that the SOHC V8s have this issue because other than this these engines are very reliable, IMO.

 

[94Eddie]

Sigh, somehow I managed to get both quoted blocks right next to each other and cannot separate them, hahah... so I'll respond to both together.

94 Eddie... I reluctantly agree about the 5R55E. Although my 2002 is now... 200k+ miles on the same engine (at least 186k when I had it) with no smoke... I did have the 5R55E fail when it only had about 70k miles. I ended up having the transmission replaced. It killed me because I was 1/2 mile from literally having just moved to a new state over 1000+ miles away, and the transmission gave up its 3rd gear 1/2 a mile from the new house! haha... But after replacing it... the car was really the most dependable car I'd ever owned.

It would be interesting to know the percentage of 5R55s that fail before 150k miles. IMO, I would be more worried about a transmission failure in a SOHC V6 vehicle than a timing chain/guide failure. The same thing we see in these forums are repeated in the 2005-2010 Mustang forums regarding this drive train. I think the dilemma for failures this costly to repair for a 10-20 year old vehicle that probably has a multitude of other repairs looming, due to age and high mileage, make if unreasonable drop a large sum of money on major repairs. Say the chains and guides are replaced then there remains a ticking time bomb transmission repair looming or vice versa. Then add the inevitable radiator replacement, wheel bearings, coils, AC, blend door etc. and I think it is better to throw that money at a more reliable vehicle. This is why I sold my 2002 and bought the 2010 as it has a more reliable drive train and eight tears less wear and tear. Not to mention it is far better optioned than the 2002.

 

[Todd82TA]

It would be interesting to know the percentage of 5R55s that fail before 150k miles. IMO, I would be more worried about a transmission failure in a SOHC V6 vehicle than a timing chain/guide failure. The same thing we see in these forums are repeated in the 2005-2010 Mustang forums regarding this drive train. I think the dilemma for failures this costly to repair for a 10-20 year old vehicle that probably has a multitude of other repairs looming, due to age and high mileage, make if unreasonable drop a large sum of money on major repairs. Say the chains and guides are replaced then there remains a ticking time bomb transmission repair looming or vice versa. Then add the inevitable radiator replacement, wheel bearings, coils, AC, blend door etc. and I think it is better to throw that money at a more reliable vehicle. This is why I sold my 2002 and bought the 2010 as it has a more reliable drive train and eight tears less wear and tear. Not to mention it is far better optioned than the 2002.

The car overall was really good to me... I bought it in 2008 cash for $7,500? with 32k miles on it, and donated it in Aug of 2019 w/ 186k miles on it.

This is everything I did during the life of the car:

1 - Replace 5R55E with a reman in Aug of 2011. ~$2,400
--- everything else replaced after 120k miles ---
2 - Replaced body-mount bushings (all around) $~120 (labor was all me)
3 - Replaced front control arms (to replace bushings) and ball joints, maybe $300 in total.
4 - Replaced front and rear shocks
5 - Water neck
6 - Belt tensioner
7 - Fan clutch
8 - Fan
9 - Coolant hoses
10 - Brakes


With the exception of the transmission, the other things weren't required, but more either
- elective (wanted to make the car like new)
- parts of opportunity (fan and clutch were out when replacing the neck, so why not?)
- or improve ride quality and safety (body mount / control arm, bushings, etc)
- Normal maintenance (brakes, batteries, shocks)

I owned the car for 11 years... with maybe $13k into it... and probably 5 weekends of labor. In the end, that seems like a pretty good deal to me. While I loved that car, I was also harsh with it. I took that car on several road trips, went to the beach with it almost every weekend when I lived in Miami, and used it to haul lumber, mulch, and construction materials (including boxes of tile and drywall) in the COMPLETE top to bottom renovation of two ~2,300+ square foot homes. Really, that car was spectacular... I couldn't really ask for much more. The transmission did bug me... but cost vs value, it still came out way on top.

 

[94Eddie]

I think a lot of people with V6 3rd and 4th gen Explorers have your experience but a lot do not. Getting yours with such low miles is a big help in keeping a vehicle reliable. Your transmission replacement probably made more sense at 70k miles. If it happened at 150k miles and more age on it would you have made the same choice as easily? I see so many people come to these forums having bought a higher mileage SOCH V6 and are devastated because they have engine/transmission problems not long after purchasing them. Then end up being told they have a timing chain/guide repair or a transmission replacement that costs about what they paid for the vehicle. Then their dilemma becomes whether to do one of these repairs when the second could be just around the corner. These people might have spent all they had on this vehicle and now it is an albatross around their neck. This is why I can't recommend vehicles with a SOHC V6. It is a BIG roll of the dice to own one. Even you had a transmission replacement well before it should have been necessary which goes a long way in making my point.

This risk is greatly mitigated if one can do all, or a good amount of, the wrenching themselves. However, the vast majority of people can't do this and this makes repairs requiring engine removal and/or installing/purchasing a remanufactured transmission much, much more expensive. Especially when factoring in all the other repairs a typical 3rd/4th gen Explorer/Mountaineer sees as the miles rack up. I consider it a minor miracle that you never had to replace at least one wheel bearing in 186k miles. Also, consider your five weekends of labor at say 16 hours a weekend would be 80 hours. At a reputable shop this would be $80-$100 per hour and added $5k-$6k in repair cosst to your numbers.

 

[Todd82TA]

I think a lot of people with V6 3rd and 4th gen Explorers have your experience but a lot do not. Getting yours with such low miles is a big help in keeping a vehicle reliable. Your transmission replacement probably made more sense at 70k miles. If it happened at 150k miles and more age on it would you have made the same choice as easily? I see so many people come to these forums having bought a higher mileage SOCH V6 and are devastated because they have engine/transmission problems not long after purchasing them. Then end up being told they have a timing chain/guide repair or a transmission replacement that costs about what they paid for the vehicle. Then their dilemma becomes whether to do one of these repairs when the second could be just around the corner. These people might have spent all they had on this vehicle and now it is an albatross around their neck. This is why I can't recommend vehicles with a SOHC V6. It is a BIG roll of the dice to own one. Even you had a transmission replacement well before it should have been necessary which goes a long way in making my point.

This risk is greatly mitigated if one can do all, or a good amount of, the wrenching themselves. However, the vast majority of people can't do this and this makes repairs requiring engine removal and/or installing/purchasing a remanufactured transmission much, much more expensive. Especially when factoring in all the other repairs a typical 3rd/4th gen Explorer/Mountaineer sees as the miles rack up. I consider it a minor miracle that you never had to replace at least one wheel bearing in 186k miles. Also, consider your five weekends of labor at say 16 hours a weekend would be 80 hours. At a reputable shop this would be $80-$100 per hour and added $5k-$6k in repair cosst to your numbers.

Yeah, not a single wheel bearing... also, I think I went through like 3 sets of tires. The brake calipers were still original also.

But I routinely did the maintenance. I flushed the brake lines (completely) twice during the life of the car, replaced the fuel filter twice, crank PCV valve, umm.... original oxygen sensors. I did replace the catalytic converter with a Magnafow "Direct-Fit" high-flow catalytic converter with mandrel-bent tubing.... but I did that around 50k miles, and not because the old one needed replacing, but because I wanted a bit more horsepower and efficiency on the highway. I never ended up changing the differential fluid, though I'd wanted to several times, but never got around to it. I never changed the transmission filter, though I sucked out and flushed the fluid twice during the time I owned it. I also flushed the cooling system twice. I used everything from Castrol GTX to Royal Purple... all synthetic. And I think I went through ~3 or 4 batteries.

I was not easy on the car either... I mean I really beat the piss out of that car. I was a lead foot, and would floor it quite regularly to pass (never any burn-outs or anything)... but every toll plaza was like the Grand Prix of Miami.

Never had any timing chain rattle. My neighbor also had a 2-door Explorer (though an older one than mine.. pre-2001, and he finally had a head gasket blow at 230k miles. It was before I ever got my car.


Big take-away for me though is that people should never expect to buy a really old beat up car, and not have issues with it. I don't think this is particularly unique to the Ford Explorer so much as it is a used car in general with high mileage. When I buy a "new" car... I always shop for something that has 35k or fewer miles, and is no more than 7 years old.

We've all been at a point in our lives where we don't have a lot of money, are just starting out, etc. When I was in my early 20s, I'd have to go to the used tire shop to get cars. I empathize with what you're saying... and it's unfortunate that people would buy something old, worn, and unknown, expecting to get long life out of it. If you take care of a car, you'll get a lot of years out of it. But if you get something really beat up... expect to spend some time and money.

EDIT: Total tangent here... but I just started (and drove around the block a few times) my 2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX. Last time I started it was about 8 months ago I believe... possibly longer. It was well before COVID was a thing. I tried to start it earlier in the year, but the battery was dead, so I charged it a few months ago, and just not got around to starting it. It was less than 1/10th of tank of gas (maybe some had evaporated) and it started right up. I filled the tank with a Jimmy can that I just bought today... car started right up... I was so impressed. I was thinking of selling the Crown Vic (it's all original, has 50k miles on it), but after driving it around, it had so much power and runs so smooth and quiet, I pretty much changed my mind... ugh.

This is what I drive now, 2009 Ford Explorer Sport (picture from early 2020):

And this is my 2002 Crown Victoria LX (older picture taken in 2014, I've since moved, but it's exactly the same... just been garaged):

 

[100%forddriveway]

the best advice I could give everyone looking for a vehicle, is patience. study to find what is good for you and has a track record. do not jump at your 'dream vehicle', but consult with others. Our "all ford" driveway has cost 22k. I cannot believe what people pay nowadays for a vehicle. My baby '97 F250HD 7.3' is pristine. I looked at trucks for a good year before dialing in exactly what I wanted. I believe there has never been a better looking truck. Then, I did same with my sweeties vehicle. After looking for months I knew the answer was a 2010 Explorer with the V8. The V8 is harder to find. Then it became a matter for finding it. Craigslist...offerup...and more....I would review each morning before I began work engineering airplanes. Found a flawless 2010 explorer with the V8...on a Friday and texted the owner (don't ever buy from dealer). Messaged I was ready to buy when could I drive? Next morning. Met in parking lot...drove about a minute around lot...and said yep to full price. Was driving baby #2 home in less than two hours. Both vehicles have not had a hiccup. The reason I say don't buy from dealer is so you can talk to owner. The explorer was bought from original owner so I could ask all the questions. My truck was bought from second owner at 280k when I learned he was a Ford diesel tech.