2001 Ford Explorer Fuel System Problems

GAS TANK SUPPORT HANGER RUSTED AWAY AND TANK FELL OFF. *TT

THIS WAS AN INCIDENT. NO CRASH, AND NO INJURY. THE IAC (IDLE AIR CONTROL) VALVE FAILED DURING START ATTEMPTS ON THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE: 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT, 4.0L SOHC ENGINE, MILEAGE = 39,000. THE VALVE FAILURE MODE WAS CLOSED (NO IDLE AIR) SO THE ENGINE WOULD NOT IDLE UNLESS THE PRIMARY INTAKE THROTTLE PLATE WAS HELD OPEN BY MAINTAINING PRESSURE ON THE THROTTLE. FAILURE OF ENGINE TO IDLE DURING A MOVING CONDITION MAY CAUSE LACK OF VACUUM FOR BRAKE BOOST AND UNUSUALLY HIGH BRAKE FORCES, AS THIS VEHICLE HAS A VACUUM BRAKE BOOST. FROM REVIEWING VARIOUS ON-LINE FORUMS, IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE IAC VALVE, WHICH IS USED ON SEVERAL MODEL/YEAR/ENGINE FAMILY COMBINATIONS. *NM

I HAVE HAD POOR FUEL MILEAGE, STALLING OF ENGINE FROM STOP SIGNED INTERSECTIONS AND ENTERING HIGHWAYS FROM SIDE ROADS. COULD CAUSE MYSELF TO STALL IN FRONT OF AN ON COMING VEHICLE, OR FROM GETTING OUT OF WAY OF A DRUNK DRIVER OR ACCIDENT. I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS. INTAKE MANIFOLD SEALS WERE REPLACED. THE SOHC 4.0 V6 PERFORMED SOME WHAT BETTER, BUT I'M STILL HAVING SOME OF SAME PROBLEMS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT PREVIOUSLY SHOW ANYTHING WRONG. IT NOW READS CODES PO174/ PO171/ AND PO442 READ BY LOCAL AUTO PARTS DEALER WITH SCANNER FOR OBD11...HE SAID BANK 1 AND 2 WERE RUNNING TO LEAN AND EVAP SYSTEM WAS SHOWING A SMALL LEAK. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIND LEAKS IN FUEL RETURN LINES BUT UPON SOME DISSASEMBLY NOTED THAT AIR INTAKE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY MATE SURFACES DID NOT MATE PROPERLY. SAYS THAT IT LOOKED LIKE IT MAY HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM COVERED UP BY THE MANUFACTURER. A DEFECT THAT WAS JUST CHEAPLY AND TEMPORARILY SOLVED JUST TO GET VEHICLE TO THE SALES LINE. ANYWAY, RUBBER SEALS THAT HAVE NOT LASTED EVEN 3 YEARS. JUST A RUBBER STUFFING TO GET THE VEHICLE THROUGH INSPECTION UNNOTICED IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME. THIS COULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN A DISASTER AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY. IT STUMBLED WITH MYSELF AND MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER UPON ENTERING ONTO A 4 LANE STATE HIGHWAY WHERE TRAFFIC SPEED IS 65 MPH, AND IT WAS A CLOSE CALL AT BEING HIT BROAD SIDE. FROM OTHER FORUMS ON THE INTERNET WHILE TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET AN IDEA AS TO THE PROBLEM FROM OTHERS, I FOUND THAT MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME SITUATION AS MYSELF. LOCATING THE CAUSE AND GETTING IT REPAIRED..*AK

VEHICLE IDLES TO LOW AND CAUSES IT TO CUT OFF. TOOK TO DEALER 4 TIMES, AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WOULD NOT LOCK, ALSO CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING POOR GAS MILEAGE.. *YH

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SPURIOUS RADIO EMISSIONS IN EXCESSIVE OF 10 METERS FORM THE VEHICLE. THE RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE CAUSES NEAR TOTAL DISRUPTION TO RADIO FREQUENCY EQUIPMENT OPERATED WITHIN 10 METERS OF THE VEHICLE. THE TROUBLE HAS BEEN ISOLATED TO THE FUEL PUMP. TESTING INDICATES THE FUEL PUMP IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS BEEN ASVISED BY FORD THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT BUT FORD REFUSES TO ASSIST. *JG