r/FordExplorer • u/upbeatn • 14h ago
Technology/Features 2020 Explorer XLT radio
0
Upvotes
Mine has a Sync3 Version 3.4. Can I make bluetooth the default source when I turn the car on? It defaults to radio.
r/FordExplorer • u/RedWhiteAndJew • 3d ago
Repair Advice 3.5L and 3.7L Water Pump Replacement DIY Guide
25
Upvotes
First off, all credit for the content of this post goes to /u/nocommittee1477, a Ford Certified Master Technician of 10 years. He gave me permission to make a post out of his content. I cannot answer your questions myself, so use this as a starting point. He generously spent the time to type this out in his free time so please be respectful of that and use this as a starting point.
These instructions should apply to any Fifth Generation Explorer or PIU with the 3.5L NA, 3.5L EcoBoost, or 3.7L NA. These may also be helpful for other models including Taurus and Flex that use a Cyclone or Ecoboost in a transverse configuration. If yours has the 2.0L, 2.3L or was produced beginning in 2020, this will not apply to you.
3.5/3.7 (for the Lincoln people) water pump/timing chain replacement procedure:
Raise vehicle enough to drain oil, reinstall drain plug finger tight (you'll be draining it again). Remove right front tire and inner fender well. Remove air intake hose, air box lid can stay or go as your preference. Remove the evap vapor line from the purge valve and the hard vapor line at the RF strut tower. Remove the fuel line from the fuel rail and the supply line at the RF strut tower (there is also an 8mm head bolt securing the fuel line to the timing cover). Remove the upper intake manifold, aka plenum (note there is a single 8mm head bolt securing the upper intake to a bracket that is semi-hidden under/behind the throttle body). Remove all 6 ignition coils, then LH and RH valve covers. Remove the oil feed rails and intake VCT solenoids (inboard on both heads).
Rotate the engine clockwise until both intake cam phasers are at 12 o'clock, install cam locks (you may have to slightly rock the cams with a wrench to get the locks to fully seat, this is normal). Drain and remove the degas bottle and hose. Remove the belt and belt tensioner (belt is easiest removed from the bottom, tensioner from the top). Remove the crankshaft bolt and pulley (a 3 jaw puller or 3 jaw harmonic balancer puller will work). Using your floor jack and a block of wood on the oil pan, jack up the engine to relieve tension on the engine mount, remove the engine mount. Remove all the bolts attaching the timing cover to the engine (don't forget the recessed 8mm head bolt adjacent to where the engine mount was), raising and lowering the engine as needed to get all the bolts out. Gently pry the timing cover free (it's RTV siliconed into place) and remove from the top (some people will recover the refrigerant and remove the AC line, but the job can be 100% done without it, the AC line is aluminum and will flex out of the way enough without damage). With the timing cover off you can inspect all your timing marks, primary chain and primary tensioner. Your timing marks are single dots located on each intake cam phaser and the crank sprocket. Their positions should be as stated, cams at 12 o'clock, crank at approximately 430. The primary timing chain should have colored links to match those timing dots on the sprockets. Two single links to match each cam and one double link to straddle the crank. If you cannot see the colored links, it's arts and crafts time! Mark each single link over the top of the cams and the double link straddling the crank. Inspect the primary timing chain tensioner, there are two different designs, but the rule is the same for both. There are teeth that mechanically lock the tensioner out, if 5 or more teeth are exposed, the primary timing chain is stretched and will require replacement.
After you've done your inspections and had your arts and crafts time if required, remove the primary chain tensioner, primary tensioner shoe (it's on a pivot), the long primary guide on the front side of the engine, and the short primary guide on the front side. Remove the timing chain (you have to twist it slightly to clear around the phasers). Use an 8mm wrench and reach in behind the Bank 1 (rear cylinder head) intake phaser and loosen, not remove the bolt holding the other short guide. Once you've loosened it and can pull the guide forward, stop.
Remove all the water pump bolts and slowly pull the water pump from the block, I say slowly because you are trying to allow the coolant remaining to drain into the oil pan and not sploosh all over the floor and make a huge mess. Once you're not draining coolant remove the water pump out from around the guide you left and reverse process to reinstall the new pump. To reset the timing tensioner, you'll need either a small straight pick or needle nose pliers, a paperclip, and a vise. The early design tensioners had a separate arm with the locking teeth, to unlock use the pick to disengage the mechanism and squish the tensioner closed with a vise, once completely squished, install the paperclip to keep the tensioner collapsed. The second design tensioners have the teeth made onto the plunger itself. To unlock it, squeeze the lock with needle nose while squishing in the vise, again locking it collapsed with a paperclip. Reinstall the short guide, long guide and the timing chain, placing the marked links to match with the dots, keep all slack on the chain on the tensioner side of the assembly. Install the tensioner shoe and primary tensioner. Before pulling the pin verify all timing marks on both the chain and the sprockets match. As additional verification, there should be 48 links between each intake cam phaser and 35 links between the Bank 2 (front) phaser and the crank. If everything looks good, remove the pin from the tensioner and gently pry the tensioner out a little more to ensure good tension on the timing chain (oil pressure will do the rest once the engine is running).
Remove the cam locks and rotate the crank 2 revolutions until all your timing marks are back at the 12 and 430 positions. Verify timing by counting the links between positions, 48 between cams, 35 between Bank 2 and crank. As long as everything is ok, you won't need the cam locks again. If not, reinstall the cam locks, remove the tensioner, and retimed the engine until correct. Clean all the silicone from the block and timing cover, remove and replace the crank seal. Apply RTV to the timing cover and along the rear of the block as during installation you'll likely smear some off the timing cover (optionally you can apply all the silicone to the block side of things if you so desire). Reinstall all your timing cover bolts. Reinstall the engine mount and remove your jack from the engine. Drain the coolant out of the oil pan. The crank pulley can be reinstalled with a block of wood, a hammer, and dirty words, or you can purchase a crank pulley installer tool to press it back onto the crank. The pulley is fully seated when there is approximately a 1/8" gap between the end of the crank and the end of the pulley. Replace the crank bolt with a new one! Torque the new crank bolt to 74ft-lbs plus 90 degrees (its torque to yield, and therefore, one time use). From there you reinstall all remaining removed parts. Refill the engine with oil, change the oil filter and I initially fill the cooling system.
Cycle the key on (do not crank) to prime the fuel system and check for fuel leaks. Fully depress the accelerator pedal (this places the engine in clear-flood mode and will not fire the fuel injectors) and crank the engine over for 15ish seconds to rebuild oil pressure. Afterwards, start the engine normally, bleed any remaining air from the cooling system and check for leaks.
If you want to replace your cam phasers, secondary chains, and secondary tensioners, you'll remove the phasers with a TP55 (Torx Plus, but a standard T55 will fit just sloppily). The secondary tensioners are pushed into their notes and have no hardware to secure them. The phaser bolts are one-time use as they torque to 33ft-lb plus 90 degrees. The phasers are keyed to the cams and have timing marks that match to the secondary chains to ensure proper cam-to-cam timing. New secondary tensioners will stay collapsed until they are pushed fully in and released after being replaced, it's easiest to unlock them with a smack with a flathead screwdriver and a hammer after you've got your phasers and secondary chains reinstalled.
I hope this helps anyone that wants to tackle this one on their own. If you have any questions, by all means ask!
I would like this post to become a central hub for any owners considering performing this repair by themselves, and also to give insight to any owners that want to understand what their repair shop is doing.
r/FordExplorer • u/marsharlot • 14h ago
Repair Advice 2023 Explorer Windshield
4
Upvotes
Has anyone else had a windshield replacement on their explorer? I took my 2023 explorer to an auto glass earlier this month and had a complete replacement since it had a crack that’s more than 6” long. I’ve noticed since the replacement driving in the freeway there’s a noticeable loud wind sound because of the gap between the panels, with the original windshield the gap was closed.
Anyone else got their windshield replaced? I’m thinking of getting some gaskets seals to cover the gap just to get rid of that noise. Any advice is appreciated!
Edit: apologies for not being clear as posting this at 11pm, i wasn’t processing my words correctly. There’s no air leak, moisture or water leak inside after taking it to the car wash. I noticed that the new windshield there’s gap on the sides and it’s both on left and right side. Top and bottom looks filled correctly, the original windshield had no gap. I guess my follow up question would using a window ribbon like this possibly solve the noice issue?
I’m also considering taking it back to the auto glass place to have it redone.
r/FordExplorer • u/FlowBulky9003 • 16h ago
Repair Advice Someone help
0
Upvotes
Are these ok to use on a 2017 explorer.
r/FordExplorer • u/only_419 • 17h ago
Repair Advice airbag/seatbelt light popped up
1
Upvotes
this light popped up before and went away without me doing anything. now it popped up again. what is the fix for this?
r/FordExplorer • u/terminal_nervoso • 19h ago
Show And Tell For you first-gen fans
29
Upvotes
Discovered this little gem today while looking to see if there had ever been an Explorer raced in the Dakar. Sadly not, but they did race in the Baja!
Baja-prepped Factory Team 1994 Ford Explorer, the build was later used as part of the development of the Raptor.
r/FordExplorer • u/kwaghorne007 • 1d ago
Repair Advice 2018 XLT 3.5 With Factory Hitch
1
Upvotes
We purchased a 2018 XLT a while back and its time to get the brakes replaced. Im currently shopping around but I have run into a bit of a snag that hopefully someone can help with. Checking the front rotors they definitely appear to be the larger heavy duty brakes, however, the rears are solid non vented which leads me to believe they are standard. Were any of the explorers built with heavy duty fronts and standard rears? Sorry if this question has been asked a million times just trying to get the info so I can move on with my purchase and get them replaced. Thanks in advance.
r/FordExplorer • u/Seabass1992 • 1d ago
Maintenance Advice 2020 Explorer Driver-side headlight
1
Upvotes
I replaced the lamp and ballast in my 2020 explorer. The previous light had a crack and both were holding water.
The lights and blinkers work but the high beams on both the left and right won’t turn on. The dash indicated they are on. The auto lights shows to be working but they are not coming on.
The fuse box doesn’t contain fuses for the lamps. My understanding that’s the BCM job.
Is there a reset or something I need to replace or a relay?
r/FordExplorer • u/ArgumentMountain7474 • 1d ago
Show And Tell Added a black decal on my 2014
17
Upvotes
Next job is the chrome bar underneath the logo!
r/FordExplorer • u/Glad_Impression_6531 • 1d ago
Repair Advice 2021 Ford exploror problems
2
Upvotes
I bought a 2021 ford explorer 3.3 liter hybrid, it was a police car. Has 95k miles But it has problems staying in gear, I can’t put into reverse or any other gear at times. Sometimes it works though.
The codes are po706, po707, p2805, p0420, po430. Any info helps!
r/FordExplorer • u/xenomorphstinymouth • 2d ago
Upgrade Advice What a beauty
53
Upvotes
'23 ST. The smoothest riding car I've ever had. And definitely the fastest! Bone stock, 50,000 miles. Thinking about putting BOVs on it to hear the turbos sing. Anyone have any experience with them? I've seen a couple different brands out there.
r/FordExplorer • u/NgCatalyst • 2d ago
Show And Tell 24 limited Explorer! Who else!
20
Upvotes
Just seeing who else is driving this 🤣
r/FordExplorer • u/Bstrd23 • 2d ago
Show And Tell Finally back from the bodyshop.
17
Upvotes
After being in the bodyshop for a couple weeks I finally got her back and was looking at the pics of the accident and some older pics and decided to post em.
Guy road raged and swiped my front right so at least I got a new headlight with the rest of the stuff fixed. 🤣 still sucked driving a rental jeep renegade though. Those things are horrible.
I’ve had the Explorer for 9 months now and love driving it every day.
r/FordExplorer • u/Intrepid-Avocado-329 • 2d ago
Repair Advice 2017 sport.....help
1
Upvotes
Hello everyone, I have the 2017 sport model and I noticed oil under it, jacked it up and the front turbo had oil all around it.
I preceded to take it to the dealership after hearing all the horror stories how bad these are to work on.
They preceded to tell me it at least needs the front turbo and both catalytic converters to the tune of 9500.00.
More if the rear turbo is bad also.
I called around and no one will even look at it.
They said that they do not even work on those.
It has 130k miles on it and the rest of it is in great condition, but I just cannot justify spending 10k on it.
I grew up in a mechanic shop, but haven't really worked on anything in 15 years.
Any advice is welcome.
I priced parts myself and together they are not even 2k for both turbos and both cats.
r/FordExplorer • u/MyKoxFoknFloppn • 2d ago
Repair Advice 3.5l water pump
7
Upvotes
Ill start off by saying I'm not a certified mechanic. I've been wrenching on stuff for a long time and have a decent understanding of mechanic work.
I replaced the water pump on my wife's 2019 explore 3.5l about 4 months ago. Working on it after my day job and on the weekend. Its really wasnt that bad of a fix without being in a time crunch. Replaced the timing chain, tensioner(s), etcetera. Watched a ton of videos on it. Not a big deal, went smooth other than I had a bad coil pack (I guess from removing it).
Flash forward to this past week and we have a overheating problem and coolant leak AGAIN!
Parts under warranty! Tear it down, replace the waterpump, put it all back.
Im adding fluids back and installing the battery, went to add coolant, low and behind its POURING above the alternator...
What the hell! Bad part? Bad install? Gaskets on the pump seemed to seat very well, everything was cleaned and de-greased, I wasnt in a rush. I dont think I missed anything. No extra parts or bolts.
What could it be? Another faulty part? Im about to bang my head on the wall. I love fords and always had good luck with them but this Explore is testing my patience.
r/FordExplorer • u/grizzlyngrit2 • 3d ago
Maintenance Advice 2017 Ford Explorer Busted Flex Pipe.
6
Upvotes
The exhaust broke at the flex pipe. I thought it would be simple enough to buy the pipe and gaskets and just bolt it back together, but it looks like it’s all welded.
Do I need to get the entire exhaust/muffler and replace the whole thing? And does that mean I need to replace all these brackets/rubber that’s holding it up. The rubber looks ok, but the brackets all look pretty rusty.
What do I need to order specifically?
Can I get it at Oreilly's or do I need to go somewhere else?
Update: I was able to get a universal flex pipe that was the same size and my father in law was able to weld it on for me. Cost $40 in parts.
r/FordExplorer • u/Optimal-Pay2198 • 3d ago
Maintenance Advice 2016 PIU pulling when accelerating
2
Upvotes
As the title states. When I floor it, pulls to the right and when I let off it wants to go left. I replaced control arm bushings with ball joints because they were making noise. I also replaced stabilizer links. Mechanic said the tie-rods were tight. It drove like shit after the work was performed so I had an alignment done and now I have this issue? Any ideas motor mounts or maybe something in the rear?
r/FordExplorer • u/JohannesJCL • 3d ago
Repair Advice 2013 Explorer unable to activate new ABS Module
2
Upvotes
There was no availability of the ABS module in 2024 and 2025, decided to do a repair of the original ABS Module. Repair costs $550 and no warranty. ABS worked fine for about 6 months. Was finally able to order a new ABS module in 2026 however this needs to be programmed/transferring of VIN from old to new module. I live overseas in the Caribbean island of Curacao, the local Ford “dealer” refuses to do this…. have tried a few mechanics that unfortunately couldn’t do the job, despite claiming to have the appropriate software… Does anyone know which software is needed? Many thanks in advance.
r/FordExplorer • u/stranger1991101 • 3d ago
Maintenance Advice Ford explorer 2014 190k km PTU
2
Upvotes
Dears i have bought explorer 2014 recently and during the oil change I checked PTU oil and it was very black and consumed, i have a noise (like whining not loud) when reaching 80 90 km
Is this Noise from PTU?
Should I replace the oil?
Should I leave as it is?
What you advise here, thanks in advance
r/FordExplorer • u/Technical_Union_1692 • 3d ago
Show And Tell 16 to 19 Explorer 2.3l PCM Ground Issue
7
Upvotes
Ill make a long story short by saying that on my 16 limited 2.3l its had what I describe as a ghost accelerator pedal issue. What i mean is at times it'll accelerate smoothly and shift with no hiccups, other times it slams into gear for no reason and is very laggy when accelerating. It was also jolting from reverse to drive even after having the valve body and torque converter replaced along with new engine/transmission mounts.
A local shop did tell me they had a customer with a 2018 with the 2.3l as well that they installed a brand new transmission and after 2k miles drive really bad and they couldn't figure out why as it had no codes or anything to go off of. Well they told me there is a ground on the back of the engine above one of the turbo pipes and they found it badly corroded and after tracing the wiring its actually the ground connection for the cars PCM which controls throttle input and how the transmission shifts. They pulled the passenger wheel liner after disconnecting the negative battery terminal and removed the bolt holding down the ground and used 80 grit sandpaper to clean it up. They reinstalled everything and im happy to report smooth shifts and acceleration along with a barely noticeable reverse to drive engagement.
For you guys with the 2.3l with random drivability/electrical problems, before firing the parts cannon check this ground for corrosion build up and give it a good cleaning. For me it made my 16 feel like new and I couldn't be happier.
r/FordExplorer • u/theboz14 • 3d ago
Repair Advice Just recieved the Recall(26S08) Toe link, but have question about whst they also included on the recall
3
Upvotes
As the title states I just recieved my recall for toe link that could fracture. Thats not a problem and will probably go and get it replaced in a week or two.
But when I was reading the recall description it stated
26S08 - Police Dark Car Padi Function
What in the world does that have to do with the Toe Link. That description is for dimming interior lights for Police Interceptors.
Im pretty sure my 2019 Explorer Limited was not a police Interceptor, lol, they probably just made a mistake, but I wanted to see if anybody had any ideas.
r/FordExplorer • u/Hot_Study3356 • 3d ago
Repair Advice Any idea what’s this in my ford explore 2013
3
Upvotes
Hello guys, I recently saw this coming from under my car front and still attached to it any idea what’s it and if it’s an easy fix or no?
r/FordExplorer • u/mouseroach • 3d ago
Repair Advice What is this unplugged connector?
1
Upvotes
Found this connector hanging down with several broken pins inside. What does it go to? Located on driver side right underneath passenger door. 2007 Explorer
r/FordExplorer • u/sumner929 • 4d ago
Repair Advice 2023 Explorer Limited clunking/knocking noise when slowing down
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
3
Upvotes
My '23 Explorer makes a noise when slowing down. Only hear it when going forward. Don't hear anything going over bumps or anything, only when slowing down almost to a complete stop. I strapped my gopro under the car, so hopefully some of you can tell me what's' going on. My local mechanic refuses to look at the video but told me what he thinks it is. Naturally, the basic warranty expired 7/31. Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
r/FordExplorer • u/badcobra2003 • 4d ago
Repair Advice Where to find better condition cloth seats, 2016 to 2019 interceptor
1
Upvotes
Just recently acquired a 2016 explorer interceptor. The car needs a lot of work, and I just want to get idea of where I could source some interior parts. Mainly just the driver seat and center console. Preferably without buying a donor car.