My check engine light came on in my 97 Explorer Sport. I looked in the manual and it said something about the emission control system. Is there like a million things it COULD be or just a few to check before I drag it to a dealer to have it checked out? It's running just fine and have been driving it for a week now since it came one. Everything seems normal. Any suggestions would be great before I get majorly ripped off. Is there any way to turn this off without going to a dealer or could something major be wrong? It has 98K on it now.

Thanks so much!

Heidi

 

There are like a million things that can cause your CEL (Check Engine Light). Not really, but there are several hundred things. You can get your Explorer scanned for free at Autozone. Be sure and write down the codes that they pull. Post them here and someone should be able to give you a good idea if it is serious or not. Until you know the codes, there is no way to tell (unless you hear very bad noises, soon followed by sudden silence). It could be as simple as a loose or bad $10 gas cap to a bad $50 O2 sensor (which could eventually destroy your $800 catalytic converter).

 

mine does it too auto-zone scanned mine was a erg valve in exess??? could be two parts for total of $180 they couldn't narrow it down on the actull vavle or the selinod for the egr valve I have not noticed any difference in my truck.. I'll reset the computer and it's good for 4,000 miles then comes back on.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Dec-02 AT 08:13 PM (EST)]Could be as simple as having put fuel in the tank with the engine running. Something to do with my alarm system tripped mine. You need to get the codes scanned, but in the meantime try taking the battery cables loose for a few minutes. While you're at it go ahead and clean the connections and then hook'em back up. If nothing is "really" out of whack the CEL may not come back on. If the computer is seeing stuff it doesn't really like it'll come back on. If not it'll stay off.

 

My 1996 5L V8 Explorer has the same excess EGR pressure code. It runs fine but after resetting the light is back on after only a few miles. Anyone know if the problem i serious or have an idea what to do to correct?

 

r2v14250 - I just replaced both the valve and the solenoid on mine. If you are continually getting the code - even after resetting the PCM - I would replace the solenoid first and clean the valve and intake elbow. Reason being is the solenoid is only around $15-$20, replace the cheap part first. When you take off the valve, make sure to look at it and see if the plunger is sticking or is blown.

 

the EGR valve is like 35$ at autozone, i just replaced mine 3 mos ago. it seems easy to do but it's not easy, replacement is normal switch parts but god help you if you break that tube connected to the egr valve and the Y pipe its 85$ and a dealer only part, unless you find a boneyard that has one. strangely after my CEL came on i then got a TPS sensor code and after replacing that too i am starting to believe my truck is possesed or something. because a code scanner reports 111 (system pass) on all sensors. but nonethe less i still have that eerie glow to the left of the steering wheel. (CHECK ENGINE)
i am thinking O2 sensors or a fuel pressure regulator. i have heard the fuel press regulator is a common issue with explorers (4.0L) over 99k ( i have 135k) but no serious issues.

 

How did you remove the EGR??

Mine is located on the back of the intake (next to firewall). The lower mounting bolt is tucked back in a little hollow underneath the valve, impossible to get to!

I'm also coding P0402 (excessive flow). Changed EGR vacuum solenoid and position sensor (that sits on top of EGR), but no help.


Thanks

 

Okay we took it to Ford and they hooked it up and it came back as CMP Failure?!?! Or I read it wrong. Anyway, they said the sensor and syncronizer needs to be replaced. He said it has something to do with the timing. My boyfriend said he'd try it and they sold him something, don't know what, for $54.00 and they said to try that first. Something like an eye sensor or something that has to do with the timing? They said if that's it then the light will go off. If not it's the other thingy. Anywhoo, we said screw it and disconnected the battery for a bit and hooked it back up and drove it and started it a bunch of times and it hasn't come back on.

Should we take the part back or I wonder if that damb light will come back on? My Explorer runs fine. The dealer said that my car was running on the home mode just to get me back and that it will just die on me and I'd have to have it towed. Well I told him I'd been driving it for like two weeks like that with no problems. I had other people tell me just to disconnect the battery to reset the puter and see if it comes back on. If nothing goes wrong I'm only out $22 for the puter check at the dealer.

If it's real bad I'd think it would come back on....right? Ha ha!

Thanks!
Heidi

 

Are you an engineer?

yes, CMP is your cam position sensor (tells the computer where your cam is). If it goes bad, your engine will stop because computer doesn't know where it is. Same goes for your CKP (crank position sensor down near the harmonic balancer). So if you've been driving for 2 weeks & computer code is CMP, it's an intermittent problem. Check the wires to sensor, clear the code & see if it comes back. If so, replace.

The way the check engine light works: if computer sees the same problem for 2 consecutive drive cycles (whatever that is - I think it's about 10 minutes of continuous driving), it lights the light. If problem goes away for 3 consecutive cycles, it turns the light back off (assuming no other problems). You can clear by removing negative battery cable for 5 minutes, but after that the manual warns that the car may drive rough for about 10 minutes while it relearns some parameters. I've clared mine about 6 times, & it's always run just fine.

The reason I'm trying to get mine fixed now is that for emissions testing in Georgia now they're going to start plugging into the computer & reading the codes directly. If you have any problems, they pick it up immediately & fail you (only 96 & later vehicles with OBD-II computer - just my luck). So if you have the same situation, at least take it to AutoZone & have them read codes for you - theyll do it for free & can even clear them out, but if the problem is still there, it will just code again after 2 drive cycles (so you have to fix the problem).

Good luck!
L

 

An engineer? Oh please...yeah right.

Well if that's the case then I'll just ignore it until the light comes back on. My dad (who might as well be an engineer) said the dealer was wrong by telling me the car will just die and leave me stranded. He said if it's running on the home mode (which he said was a bunch of crap) that it shouldn't shut the car down for that reason the mechanic was talking about. I dunno. He thinks he knows everything cuz he works in a garage doing electrical work. He'd be the first one I'd call when it dies on the highway. Ha ha!

It ran fine before the light came on so I'm not going to worry. If it comes on again we'll replace that part but hopefully it will be down the road by then.

The light went off therefore I'm happy. The truck is in the paper for sale as we speak. I think I'll go back to a car.

Know anyone looking for a sharp looking Explorer? Ha ha!!!!

Heidi

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-14-03 AT 08:35 AM (EST)]Please Help!!!

Okay people. When that light comes on from now on I'm taking it seriously! We reset the computer and the light never came back on so we just forgot about it. Well this morning when it was zero degrees out I went to start my Explorer and guess what, it wouldn't start. I noticed the last couple times I started it it wouldn't start on the first crank, like it would slip or something but it would the second time. Not a good morning.

Anyway, can someone please tell me where this sensor is located? The computer said it was CMP failure and we bought the replacement piece that looks like a cap. Does anyone know where exactly this is located? It's a 97 Sport. We don't have a Chilton manual for it yet as I'm selling it. Wonder why. Anyway, will replacing this part work or will it have to be timed afterwards? We're trying to decide if it's an easy part to get at or if we should just have it towed to the dealer. They said it very well could be the other part underneath that's bad too but to try this one first as it's the cheaper one to replace.

Thanks for you help!
Heidi

 

my wife has a 98 explorer and the light has driven us crazy. Autozone told me it was the oxygen sensors and sold me 4 for around $230. He tols me Ford recommended changing them at 60,000 mi. Well, they did not fix the problem. It starts when cold but will not idle until the engine gets hot. I was going to change the ERG valve next but my wife had to be admitted to the hospital so I took it to a garage well recommended. They told me I had put in the wrong sensors, ford replacement required, and they replaced them yesterday. This morning I went to pick the explorer up and it would not idle NO CHANGE!. he now claims he had to have done some work oon the intake and it will be $650-700 this afternoon. Well we are going to pick it up and if it does not idle tomorrow morning, we will stop payment on the check. I am about ready to buy a 64 Chevy and forget all these sensors. I could fix anything on them.

 

Dude I totally hear you!!!! I'm so sick of people saying, oh it's probably a sensor. You'll have to take it to a garage. I absolutely hate that! It just means more money you have to fork out because you don't have the computer to figure it out yourself. $22 my dealer charges just to tell me what's wrong. We bought the sensor from them but are going to replace it ourselves if it's even possible to get at without tearing half the car apart.

I love my 89 Probe. I'm sure it has a couple sensors in it but not like this Piece of ##### Explorer. I've had more problems with that since I've owned it for 10 months than my Probe has given me in 7 years. I've only put like 3000 miles on my Explorer and had to have it worked on like three times already. Put 110,000 on my little car and only gave it a tune up last year

I sure hope it sells soon!!! Ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess I better get it running first. Piece of crap.

Heidi

 

Well they fixed the cold start problem. They replaced the seals, about a dozen 2 inches in diameter between the intake and whatever. $607 and the check engine light came on again on the way home. My wife has taken charge as I want to give this guy a piece of my mind.
Maybe she can charm him.