2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Engine Problems

TOOK VEHICLE IN FLUID CHANGES, COMPLETE CHECK, AND TO INVESTIGATE A LEAK UNDER VEHICLE. AFTER "COMPLETE" CHECK SAID THEY FOUND BAD SERPENTINE BELT, AIR FILTER AND BUT NOTHING VALVE COVER GASKETS AS CAUSE OF LEAK. COST TO REPAIR GASKETS OVER $1000. WHILE DOING REPAIR THEY CALLED AGAIN AND SAID THEY FOUND THAT THE REAR TIMING CARTRIDGE WAS BROKEN AND PIECES OF IT MISSING. TOLD ME THAT BOLT WAS WORE HALF WAY THROUGH AS TIMING CHAINING WAS RUBBING IT. SAID IF IT BREAKS BEFORE REPAIR ENGINE WILL "BLOW" AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. TOLD ME IT WOULD COSTS OVER $2,500 TO REPLACE THIS CARTRIDGE. TOTAL COST WAS NOW OVER $4,000. I ASKED WHY PART WAS BAD WHEN ENGINE ONLY HAD 84,000 MILES AND WHY THIS WASN'T FOUND WITH THE "COMPLETE" CHECK. MECHANIC STATED ONLY SAW IT BECAUSE HE HAD THINGS APART TO FIX VALVE COVER GASKETS. TOLD ME IT WAS A PLASTIC PART AND EVEN WITH LOW MILEAGE THE PLASTIC DETERIORATES WITH TIME. SAID PART ONLY DESIGNED TO LAST 100,000 MILES. IF I AM TO BELIEVE THIS FORD MECHANIC, FORD USES A PLASTIC PART IN A CRUCIAL PART OF THE ENGINE (TIMING) AND IF THAT PART FAILS THE ENGINE WILL "BLOW". AND THEY CANNOT KNOW THE PART IS BAD UNLESS THEY HAVE THE ENGINE APART FOR OTHER MAJOR REPAIRS. SO IF THE VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE NOT LEAKING THE ISSUE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDETECTED BY THE FORD MAINTENANCE "COMPLETE" CHECK UP. IN ADDITION FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A WARNING THAT THIS ENGINE WILL POSSIBLY "BLOW" AFTER ONLY 100,000 MILES IF THIS PART NOT REPLACED BY A $2,500.00 - $3,000.00 REPAIR. FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY DESIGN A VEHICLE THIS WAY WITH NO WARNING TO THE BUYERS/OWNERS. IF I AM TO BELIEVE THE FORD MECHANIC THERE IS NO WAY TO REALLY KNOW YOU MAY HAVE A PROBLEM. HOW ARE WE TO PROTECT OURSELVES? MY FRIEND SHOWED ME THIS SITE AND DID SOME SEARCHING ON OTHER BLOGS/SITES DEALING WITH VEHICLE ISSUES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CASES OF THIS UNACCEPTABLE ISSUE. *TR

MY ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY 140000 MILES ON IT WITH NO WARNING. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND THERE ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY WITH 100000 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME OVER 3200.00 FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. *TR

FAULTY CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING A THROWN SPARK PLUG, AND A BROKEN COIL PACK. *TR

ENGINE & MULTIPLE PARTS IN 2003 FORD ARE NOT 2003, THEY ARE 2001 & 2002. 2002 ENGINE AND EARLIER HAD A TSB FOR THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDES & OILING. EVEN THOUGH TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THAT COMPLAINT, MINE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 2003, NOT AFFECTED BY THOSE PROBLEMS, SO SERVICE DID NOT REPAIR FOR TSB. LATER ON TIMING JUMPED BECAUSE GUIDES NOT REPLACED, BENT VALVE AND RUINED THE ENGINE TO TUNE OF $5,000, PLUS PARTS SPENT TO GET TO THAT POINT & RENTAL CARS. SHOULD BE NOTED THE FIRST REPLACEMENT MOTOR INSTALLED BY FORD RAN ONLY 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT BLEW FROM TIMING CHAIN DEFECT/POOR MANUFACTURING. HISTORY: BEFORE END OF 75,000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY I TOOK THE SPORT TRAC INTO THE DEALER TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE LITTLE COMPLAINTS. ONE COMPLAINT WAS SLIGHT RATTLE TYPE OF SOUND WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD/COLD MORNING. DEALER SUGGESTED AN ENGINE FLUSH & TO SWITCH TO FULL SYNTHETIC OIL. THAT DID HELP FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES. ENGINE RATTLE CAME BACK, ONLY VERY OCCASIONAL BUT WORSE SOUND THAN BEFORE ON REAL COLD MORNINGS. WAS COASTING TOWARD RED LIGHT, LIGHT CHANGED & I GAVE IT GAS, ENGINE STARTED MISSING SEVERELY AS I TOOK OFF W/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. LIMPED THE CAR HOME. PUT CODE READER ON & STARTED REPLACING PARTS CALLED FOR, MOSTLY TUNE UP, THEN EGR COMPONENTS, ETC., NEW CODE THROWN AFTER EVERY REPAIR. SMOG PARTS FOR 2003 DID NOT FIT, I HAD TO TAKE THE PARTS BACK & EXCHANGE THEM FOR 2001. WHEN ENGINE WAS CHANGED SERVICE REP TOLD ME ENGINE IN CAR WAS 2002, EVEN HAD TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT HOUSING BECAUSE ROUTING WAS DIFFERENT, ANGLE INCORRECT, NOT 2003, I TOOK PICTURES OF BLOCK & #'S, NOT A 2003, IT IS 2002 (PICTURES SHOW MY ENGINE, NO DIRT ACCUMULATION AT ALL). CARB STATES I CANNOT INSTALL AN ENGINE OLDER THAN THE CHASSIS INTO THE CAR, MOST ESPECIALLY OLDER SMOG COMPONENTS. CAN FORD? CAN FORD SELL A CAR AS NEW, SPECIFIC MODEL YEAR, BUT USE LEFTOVER PARTS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS & STILL CALL IT A NEW CAR? ISN'T THIS FRAUD? HOW CAN VEHICLE BE REPAIRED, TSBS FOLLOWED, ETC.? *TR

I WAS GOING BACK HOME TO MIAMI AND MY CAR 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE EXIT OF THE MIDTOWN TUNNEL IN NEW YORK CITY. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT MOTOR AT THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE POLICE USED 3 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT ALL THE EFFORT THEY DID WAS NOT ENOUGH. MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. THE MOTOR, THE SEATS , ALL THE INTERIOR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROY BY THE FIRE. THE FIREMAN ARRIVED AFTER A FEW MINUTES, BUT IT WAS TO LATE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR CASH BRAND NEW FROM SAWGRASS FORD IN FT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA. I DID NOT HAVE FULL COVER AND I LOST EVERY THING.. I WAS IN NEW YORK WITH MY FAMILY AND WITH NO CAR TO GO BACK HOME.. I CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPEN TO THAT CAR. I AM SURE THIS IS NOT FAIR TO ME OR TO ANYBODY. THE CAR WAS A 2003 AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 46,000 MILES. *JB

VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING---BOTH LOW AND HIGH SPEED--BRAKES, STEERING, ELECTRICAL, GAS--ALL QUIT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE CAR WILL START AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. DEALER, VISTA FORD, SAYS NOTHING WRONG/CAN'T DUPLICATE. *NM

CONSTANT LOUD SQUEAL COMING FROM SERPENTINE BELT, REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP AND I HAD TO PURCHASE, STILL SQUEAL, WARRANTY AND REPLACED, STILL SQUEALED DEALERSHIP CALLED FORD, FORD SUGGESTED STRONGER BELT THAT NORMALLY DOES NOT GO IN THIS TRUCK. CURRENTLY NO SQUEAL. TOTAL BELTS: 4 *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2003 SPORTRACK IN DECEMBER OF 2002 FROM SUNRISE FORD. I DROVE MY SUV HOME, PARKED IT AND WENT INSIDE FOR LESS THAN 20 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT TO DRIVE DRIVE MY GUESTS AROUND THE BLOCK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I CALLED SUNRISE FORD AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SENT THE SALES PERSON TO MY PLACE RATHER THAN A MECHANIC. HE BASICALLY BELITTLED ME INFRONT OF MY GUESTS BY TELLING ME I DID SOMETHING TO MY CAR. IT WAS EMBARASSING ENOUGH THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START NOW I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SALES PERSON, WHO AS IT TURNS OUT KNEW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THE SPORTRACK, TELLING ME I DID SOMETHING WRONG TO MY VEHICLE TO MAKE IT NOT WANT TO START. HE FINALLY CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, HAD A MECHANIC COME OUT AND THEY TRIED TO START IT. NO LUCK. LONG STORY SHORT I FOUND SUNRISE FORD'S SALES AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE VERY HARD TO WORK WITH RIGHT AFTER MY SALE. I FELT MISLEADED. FROM ARRANGING A LOANER BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM TO GETTING A QUALIFIED PERSON TO DIAGNOSE MY VEHICLE. I HAD HAD THE CAR NEARLY 1 WEEK BEFORE THE PROBLEM COULD BE COMPLETELY SOLVED. MY NEXT PROBLEM BEGAN IN AUGUST OF 2003, ROUGHLY 9 MONTHS LATER. IT IS NOW STALLING. MOST CASES HAVE BEEN WHILE STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT. OTHER TIMES JUST AFTER LEAVING THE STOP LIGHT OR SIGN, IT USUALLY STALLS IMMEDIATELY WHEN I ACCECELERATE. THE WORST CASE HAS BEEN WHILE ON THE ON RAMP TO THE FREEWAY. IN ALL CASES I LOST ALL POWER, EXCEPT FOR THE RADIO, AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. AFTER HAVING THE FORD DEALERSHIP RUN A DIAGNNOSTIC TEST ON MY VEHICLE THE FOUND NOTHING...*AK

VEHICLE ENGINE MISSING AND LOST POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ONTO ON-RAMP. ATTEMPT TO RESTART FAILED. HAD TO CALL FOR TOW. DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *NLM