Powertrain dead at 42,000

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Ford SportTrac Forum

Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
H

HD BoB

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
Location
, TN
I'ts been years since I posted but I have an 02 4x2 with only 42,000 miles on it. AS I was driving up a small hill on new years eve the engine just quit, no horrible noises, no check engine lights and no signs that anything drastic had happened. I take it into a non ford dealer and they say they got a crankshaft position sensor that went off and that to even doagnose if the cranhshaft is broken or if either of the two timing chains are damaged that they have to pull the entire engine and dismantle it just to see the problem. they are suggesting I replace the entire engine.



I am havign a hard time believeing that the powertrain failed at 42,000 miles.



Anyone else experience such a short life on a explorer engine?



I am a couple years past warrant but only a few thousand miles past the mileage warranty? Anyone have a reccomendation for a Ford person to call to see about some help or do you all think I am up a creek without a paddle and that Ford wont even blink an eye at me.



The Ford dealer wants $140 flat fee to "diagnose" the issue but I have to have towed again in order to do that. I really doubt they are going to turn a single wrench for $140. I imagine they will hook it up ot the computer just like it already has been done to be diagnosed and I will recieve the same verdict.



any ideas guys???
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Good to see you around,



Honestly they are jerking your chain, If the engine cranks and makes no weird noises, I bet it is a sensor or something like that. There has been rash of follower failures causing valves to drop into the engine, But if you heard nothing, I fond it hard to believe the engine is dead...



Have a second shop look at it...

It could be a fuel pump, something electrical..



Todd Z
 
From other boards I am on, Broken cranks on the 4.0 are not unheard of.(very rare tho)

They make no noise as they shear just behind the damper.

When you crank the engine, do's the serp belt Turn?
 
well they/FORD, will diagnose the problem, (you get a copy of that) then tell you what it's going to take to fix it dollar wise. That 140 will be applied to the bill of the costs to get it fixed, if you choose to have them fix it. aT LEAST with what FORD gives you, you can take to another shop...not the one that says they have to pull the engine, but another one and tell them what FORD found. See what another shop will charge you AFTER you get the diagnosis from FORD.



Something else to think about if they/FORD, fixes it and it is the drive train..that might get you under the 100 thousand mile warranty on the drive train. That is something to talk to the dealership about as well.



You could call a mom and pop shop, (sometimes they have their own tow trucks, they might be cheaper)



and we all agree, that is just not right that something fails with 42,000 mls on it...I tell ya for that reason alone FORD should be ashamed of themselves.



Just how small was the hill? I put OD off every time I climb a hill. or If I need to slow down on a hill.

 
Bill - I'll have to go to the shop to check the belt turning, I'll be over there later today with my friend who works on Ford Ambulances. He is bringning a diagnostic tool to run some tests of his own.



The hill couldnt have been 150 yards long and the speed limit was probably 25 mph. Its just a little up and over no stress on the engine whatsoever.



I'm having a hard time believeing it could be the cam or either of the timing belts based on the mileage. And I just dont see how it could have blow up with no noise or lurching at all. Even after it died I tried to start and it acted like it was turning over but getting no gas.



I have been having some goofy idling and I replaced the IAC a while back seemed to improve the idle.



Since I dont have my owners manual with me I cant check, but I was under the impression the bumper to bumper warranty was 3 years 36,000 miles and I thought the powertrain warranty was a little longer.



I cant really find an apporpriate number or email for Ford to call or write, the dealer I bought it from said I should drop the $140 and take it to my closest dealer. I guess I need the second opinion even if it cost me another $200. I am out $300 for the current tow and diagnostic and another $200 for the rental car, looks like I might be $700 in the hole before I get a "real" diagnosis. :(



Man this sucks!
 
I take it you do not have the Ford ESP extended warranty? That sucks to hear the 1-2k it would have costed you, would have probably paid for itself in 1 visit (towing,rental, diagnosis, repairs).



Chad
 
Last edited by a moderator:
My insurance covers towing now!, I added it for $12 a year tat went effective last night. I might call back and see if this "new" tow would be covered.
 
Can also remove the oil fill cap and look to see if the cam is turning while cranking to confirm at least 1 chain is still good...



ALSO listen to the way it cranks... IF there is a dead spot or a strong hesitation, then it releases... then there is something internal wrong..



Todd Z
 
I take it you do not have the Ford ESP extended warranty? That sucks to hear the 1-2k it would have costed you, would have probably paid for itself in 1 visit (towing,rental, diagnosis, repairs).
Click to expand...

Shouldn't have to have an extended warranty if Ford built more reliable vehicles. Especially for the power train. That's one reason I just bought a new Suzuki for my son. Came with a 7 year/100,000 mile power train warranty.
 
HD_BoB, while you are there check your fuel shut off switch on the passenger side kick panel. May be the culprit. Just a though from what you descibed on your second post.;)
 
I take it you do not have the Ford ESP extended warranty? That sucks to hear the 1-2k it would have costed you, would have probably paid for itself in 1 visit (towing,rental, diagnosis, repairs).
Click to expand...

(Rant mode ON!) I can't believe how many people feel that "purchasing" an extended warranty is the answer to getting decent service life from a vehicle. Every time there's a potential problem there's always someone that suggests that "if you had only purchased that extended warranty...." No wonder Ford is no longer #2, it's customer feel like an extended warranty is a much needed option. I wonder how many Toyota owners purchase extended warranties. I bet those numbers would be a real eye opener to those that think purchasing an extended warranty is needed. I've said it once and i'll say it again, if I don't get at least 150K miles of service out of mine it'll be the last $ Ford gets from me. (Rant mode Off)
 
Little red,

You have your opinions but you are also the person that I have laughed at, when I am at the dealer and you are writing a huge check to the dealer to pick up their car. Telling the dealer "if I don't get at least 150K miles of service out of mine it'll be the last $ Ford gets from me". And the cashier says "ok sir that will 1500.00 dollars before you can take your ST home".. And then proceeded to pay for your rental car as well.



And I walked up handed the cashier the keys for the FREE rental car, and she hands me my keys and just says " Have a nice day sir your all taken care of"



Well sorry to break your bubble but Ford just got your money for the vehicle and all the parts and service, so Ford got more money from you, before 150k.





I am sorry this has gotten of the original topic HD_BoB, but the Little man has hit my nerve once again with his juvenille comments..... My post was not meant to belittle anyone who does not have an ESP, it just sucks to hear some of the issues people have had, unless they sound like little red.



 
I have never purchased an extended warranty. Nobody in my family has ever purchased an extended warranty. With literally hundreds of new Fords in my family, none have ever been run less that 100,000 miles. None hae eer needed an extended warranty.



My uncle finally sold his 2001 F-350 4x4 Dualie. After 350,000 miles, he got a new F-450 4x4. In about 350,00 to 400,000 miles he will get another.





Tom
 
My one comment is that, the only Fords that have broke down or left me stranded, were. The ones I tore up myself. Drag racing or pushing components beyond their breaking point. That wasnt very often compared to all the Fords I have owned and built in 40yrs.



Does anyone think that forums for other makes, put down theirs with the nit picking? All brands have their weak points. It is a machine they break. Iam not accusing anyone. The one thing I have discovered in all my years with hotroders and spirited drivers. They never tell the whole truth of what did or might have led up to a breakdown. And that includes me..:lol:
 
Eddie,



I did blow the tranny on my 1992 Escort GT. I tried doing a burnout in reverse. Dropping the clutch at 7000 RPM in reverse destroyed the tranny.



Can I fairly blame Ford for it? Not at all.





Tom
 
You tried to pull off the so called arabian burnout with an escort? Aren't they front wheel driven, so you can just play with the emergency brake to get the burnout effect, without the drive train trashing?



I don't have much experience with these fun activities, as my ride was destroyed before I developed interest, and I can't play around with my ST as I want to :(



However, I do know that when I drove my friend's 1999 malibu and put the emergency brake on when I parked it, when he got in the car and felt the brake resistance, he basically floored the gas pedal, did a semi-cool burnout, and then panicked and thought he broke his car.....he didn't know what an emergency brake was for. (His parents told him that only "old cars" needed an emergency brake....and that his "new" car came with one so that it would be equipped for when it became an "old" car....don't worry, their family doesn't believe in logic lol)



 
I could do a forward burnout in that car with ease, even without the e brake. Reverse, now that is a different thing.





Tom
 

Latest posts

Top