My friend is trying to sell his car (Olds Aurora) and wants to replace it with a truck, but he found a late-'90s Explorer for sale locally that he's interested in, given the price she wants for it.

I said I'd go with him to look at it; we both know a bit about what to look at in general, and I know a little about Explorers in particular, but are there any weak spots on these late-'90s models? Stuff that you'd think is cheap and easy to fix and winds up costing a fortune? Where are they most prone to rusting?

Thanks!

john112deere said:

My friend is trying to sell his car (Olds Aurora) and wants to replace it with a truck, but he found a late-'90s Explorer for sale locally that he's interested in, given the price she wants for it.

I said I'd go with him to look at it; we both know a bit about what to look at in general, and I know a little about Explorers in particular, but are there any weak spots on these late-'90s models? Stuff that you'd think is cheap and easy to fix and winds up costing a fortune? Where are they most prone to rusting?

Thanks!

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Other than the occasional rear diff howl, there hasn't been any glaring concerns with the explorers. They all will have the ordinary failures, but nothing stands out.

Thanks, that's about what I thought.

He thought he had the Olds about sold, but that fell through, so I'm not sure if he's going to look at it still or not. I'm halfway tempted to go look at it if he doesn't, even though it's an automatic. Really can't afford it, though, so I probably won't.

I've got a 98 Explorer with radio problems. It seems that there is problem with some of the solder joints inside the radio that once they break the radio will work but you can no longer see the display. As a result you can't see the time or what station you are listening to. It's a big enough problem that there are several companies that will fix it for you but it's rather expensive. It's my understanding that this is a common problem for a few late 90's years - I know for a fact it is a problem in 98.

blacksnapon said:

Other than the occasional rear diff howl, there hasn't been any glaring concerns with the explorers. They all will have the ordinary failures, but nothing stands out.

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yeah the exploders have the radio problem and the rear of the vehicle tends to sag over time. the rear diff howl is also common. other then that nothing really wrong with them. JUST MAKE SURE TO KEEP YOUR TIRE PRESSURE UP TO SNUFF!!!!

Forgot about the radio thing on those...Fords have been doing that a long time, though- Dad's '89 Escord, my aunt's '89 F-150, and a friend's '86 Aerostar all have/had non-lit cassette deck displays.

The other stuff I didn't know, but seems like what you'd notice on a test-drive.

Thanks. He's got to sell his Olds, or he'd buy it tomorrow (assuming it is as advertised). Me, I shouldn't, and don't want an automatic (this is) but it's a one owner that looks really good in pics, and I DO kind of want an Explorer...

john112deere said:

Forgot about the radio thing on those...Fords have been doing that a long time, though- Dad's '89 Escord, my aunt's '89 F-150, and a friend's '86 Aerostar all have/had non-lit cassette deck displays.

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If I remember correctly those radios you can change the bulb in them. I used to change bulb all the time in the radios and I think those were them.

Yeah, probably- it's the same radio as in every '80s Ford I ever rode in.

All three rusted past serviceable years ago (though two are still in the road ), so I don't think it's worth taking the time to fix them now.

Would have been nice to fix the Escort when that one broke, Dad drove it for years like that; though at least that car had a separate clock.

bobf100 said:

I've got a 98 Explorer with radio problems. It seems that there is problem with some of the solder joints inside the radio that once they break the radio will work but you can no longer see the display. As a result you can't see the time or what station you are listening to. It's a big enough problem that there are several companies that will fix it for you but it's rather expensive. It's my understanding that this is a common problem for a few late 90's years - I know for a fact it is a problem in 98.

Click to expand...

The radio problem is on the FM/Cassette/CD models. The DC to DC power supply board for the display is the problem.
The PCB doesn't have an internal ground plane, and relies on the RF shield to provide ground from one end of the board
to the other. ALL 4 solder tabs for the RF shield were broken on the radio I repaired (and some other fatigued solder joints)
as you can see from the pictures below:


BEFORE:







AFTER:

I have a 2001 with over 100,000 miles on it. The only issue I have had since I owned it was the thermostat. I have replaced it twice now. Grrrr!!!

My clock in the CD player works. The radio does (I can hear the noise when it gets turned on accidentally), but I have no clue if the CD player does.

Other than that...no issues at all (so far).

Well...the 4X4 lights all blinked at one time. Took a battery disconnect to fix that. LOL

No clue on rust. Not much of that around here. The sagging butt syndrome seems to be all of them. A set of shackles or add a leaves fixes that. A common fix for the "explorer sport" (2 door with mono leaves) is the 4 door 4X4 rear springs.

And if you get the 4.0L SOHC...the much-dreaded timing chain tensioner is something to check. Sounds like a "marble in a can." It is the quickest of the engines though, and I've had not a problem out of my truck since I got it.

Thats the engine I have. I forgot about that on the older ones.

There was a recall by ford on some of the older ones. If the recall was done...it should not be a big issues for years to come. By the time mine came out...they were supposed to be repaired at ford. Guess I will find out, but so far so good.