QuestionQUESTION: hi,
i bought a 2003 Xplorer xlt with 40k miles on it and since a got it i'm noticing o few things going wrong with it. i shipped it to africa where i live and taking it to a ford dealer will turn out to be way to expensive... my major problem occurs when i slow down and try to pick up speed again by stepping on the gas pedal. when i do so, the car surges and acts like a "low rider", idle goes up and down and seems like i'm running out of gas and that it's going to shut off. This happens also when i make a turn. i was suspecting the MAF sensor or the O2 sensor. if so is it possible to clean them before replacement? where is located the o2 sensors on this car? or maybe is it the fuel pump? what do you think? by the way, my service engine light is on...
My 2nd problem is electrical, when i put the car on "P". when i turn on the fog lamps idle drops and car stalls. second problem happens even when driving, when i turn high beam on or fog lamps on, my driver side low beam gets very weak and my left turn signal on dash board lights up (not flashing, it lights up green). i changed my factory light bulbs when i got the car and replaced them with HID looking like bulbs that produce a white light like xenon (it has nothing to do with xenon, the bulb has a blue film on it that filters the colors and makes it white, i took them off but still the same) do you think having the light getting weak or the car stalling when i turn on fog lamp on Park can and up being a huge costly repair? or can it simply be a weak battery or altenator or maybe something else?? please tell me all you know about these matters so i can check them one by one until i find the problem. Last thing, i live in a country where gasoline is very bad quality we run on non unleaded fuel and it's very dusty here.. do you recommend a fuel line cleaner or injector cleaner?
thanks for your answers, i'll try to make it shorter next time lol!!!
ANSWER: All of this most likely is caused by the gas. American made vehicles, are meant for unleaded regular gas, but since youre using leaded the engines idle controls are completely out of wack. Why might being in park and turning your fog or high beams on cause the engine to stall? I think it is stalling because the gas is causeing the idle to be out of wack, which in turn when youre in park the eninge is idleing, thus when you turn those lights on, you put a "load" on the engine, and since the gas is leaded, and of poor quality, your engine dies because it simply cannot handle that amount of current draw that those lights are requiering. Now why doesn't this happen while driveing? Simply put as when your driving your giving the engine gas, and turning the RPMS up and allowing the load on the engine to be minimized.
And as far as the fuel goes I'd try getting some kind of fuel addative to increase the gas quaility. I hope this helps.
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QUESTION: hi, thanks for your answers.
all cars over here are actually meant for unleaded and most of them run fine even thaugh some problems can occur with time. whe change oil, air, fuel filters as often as possible to make them run the way they are suppose to. My Explorer have a very good idle when on P and it is very stable when driving but my driver side headlamp and fog light dims even when i'm driving and turn my fog or high beam lights on and lits up my dashboard left turn signal. it always happens to the driver side lamps. what would be your advice if the car was still driven in america? bad switch? ground wire? if so where is it located please? alternator? battery looks ok and new.. as for the MAF, do you recommend cleaning it? how? checked my air filter yesterday and found it very dusty and something that looks likes dust mixed with oil!! will change it asap!!
Once again thanks a lot for your answers!!! your saving my life!! lol
alan
Answerid clean the MAF, and have your alternator tested at an autoparts store near you. and as far as the stall thing goes, i talked to my shop teacher(ASE master tech and NATEF certified) and he said that its hard to diagnose problems with vehicles over seas, and when i first told him about the problme he said you have a big more serious problem. Personally with the given situation id take it to the ford dealership, and at least have them look at it. Itll be worth the money. sorry i wasnt able to help you further. also are your fogs wired into your fuse panel or directly to the battery? if theyre in your fuse panel id try running them directly off of the batery terminal. also have your alternator tested before you go and take it to the dealership
