Hi. I just bought a 1996 Explorer and have a few questions about things that obviously aren't "quite right."

1) This morning when I started it up, I was fooling around with the cd changer in the console. Well, I put in two cd's, but when I hit cd on the radio, it cycled through them and said "no cd." What is wrong??

2) While I was doing that, I had it in park, all of a sudden my engine started lurching. Well, the O/D light came on. I cut off the engine and started it back up and it was fine.

3) The Service light came on last night. Is this related to #2??

4) The back doors won't open from the inside. I took the child safety lock thing and pushed it up and it still doesn't work on either door. What is up with that??

I just got it yesterday, and I love the feel of it and all, but this morning I was very depressed. HELP!!!! Thanks.

 

Well, I guess that everyone on this board is either 1) too busy to help a new Explorer owner, 2) no one here owns a '96 Explorer, or 3) no one here responds to new guys/owners. Maybe I should have bought a Tahoe????? Now that should get someone's attention I hope. Come on guys, give me your input on my problems. I found out what gives with the back doors, and I am having that fixed today. I have also noticed that it doesn't automatically go into gear when it has sat a long time. Do you guys think it needs a new transmission fluid filter?? It also sometimes shifts/lurches forward around 40 m.p.h. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Well I am a 89Bronco II,93 AWD Aerostar & F150 owner. With the transmission taking awhile to go in gear and lurching sounds like some internal leaks due to dryed out or overheated seals, orings, clutch disks. What color is the fluid? If it is dark brown or black it has been overheated. If it is red it is OK unless the dealer or person you bought it from just changed the fluid in hopes of fixing the problem. How many miles on it and has it been used to tow. I don't mean to be the barer of bad news but I was taken in on a smilar set up with the fluid red but some one had toasted the transmission in the past. My two cents worth.

 

Thanks for your input. Well, it doesn't leak any fluid at all. The dealer I bought it from had not changed the transmission fluid. I have a Wynn's 36,000/3 year warranty, so if the transmission itself goes out, I am covered there. It has 128,000 miles on it. I don't think whoever had it abused it because the interior and body are in such great shape. I think someone with a family had it to be honest with you (it is the 5 door version). Anyway, I am going to the Ford dealership today and paying a $100.00 to get the transmission fluid changed. I am hoping that this fixes my problem. If not, I gues I will have to go and get the transmission itself looked into in great detail. Anyway, does anyone here have any idea about the cd changer?? The tape player works fine, but I am wondering if maybe the cd magazine is bad or something. Any ideas on that or my tranny?? Thanks in advance guys.

 

It is really easy to put your CDs in upside down on this changer. Done it on my '95 EB. Try flipping one over just in case you haven't yet.

 

The child saftey locks on my '99 broke on the inside of the doors and I had to have the dealer go in a fix them.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate it a lot.

 

I'll address only your problem #4 (rear doors don't want to open from the inside). There is a somewhat poor design in this area and have experienced the same situation on my '95 & '98. It's not that the doors won't open, but I've had passengers give up too soon. Some times you have to pull the handle so far out you think it's going to break (some day it may, but mine haven't yet). Maybe someone knows an adjustment or where to lubricate to improve the action. Good Luck, ROY

 

So what was the fix for your rear door problems. I have a similiar situation. The child locks were on in my doors, and now it seems that the rear door handles are stuck in the half way open position. I can open them from the outside, but passengers inside cannot do anything.

Any help appreciated.

Kevin.

 

The stock 6-cd changers are typically very problematic. I had to take my wifes' apart 3 times to retrieve cd's and finally gave up and replaced it with a sony. You have to buy a wiring adapter from Crutchfield though if you want to use the factory cd controls. My brother's '98 4-door had the same opening issues. He removed his door panels and lubed all the mechanisms with Tri-Flo, and it was greatly improved.

 

Don't think that it was a lubrication problem. I had the passenger rear door problem first. Then for some reason I cut on the child lock on the drivers side rear. Well I don't know if someone pulled to hard and now they are broke or is there a reason why it would be stuck in the half way point. You can't pull them out or push them in further, so I don't think that lubrication has played a role here.

Kevin.

 

I recently had the same problem with the rear door handles. There is a small tab of plastic that breaks inside the unit and it no longer functions correctly. I replaced mine with a new handle (around $10-$12 bucks from the dealer) and it works fine. Not really difficult to fix, but does involve removing the door panel.

 

Don't know about the cd, but my 98 has a similar problem with the rear doors. Doesn't seem to matter which position the child locks are in, if the rear doors are locked, the rear passenger can not open the door. If the driver or front passenger unlocks the doors before the rear passenger(s) try to open the rear doors, they work ok. But if the rear passengers are really anxious to exit and pull the handle first, the door has to be opened from the outside!
Since there are rarely rear passengers in my explorer, I have just dealt with the problem as described.

Winford

 

as far as the cd issue is it a regualar cd or is it one you burnt, if it is a cd r/rw your changer probally isn't cpable of reading either being a 96.

 

oh man, thats rough. i'm not sure if i can offer u any help, seems like the guys have tried to offer u some advice. when i bought my explorer, the locks did not work at all with the remote or power buttons. had to use the key. cost me only $200 to get those fixed at my body shop. my left passenger side door handle does stick sometimes, u have to just pull it out as far as possible and it'll let go. i guess that one and the driver's side were just used most often. and unfortunately, even after the lock repair, this door's lock only works manually, will not work with remote.
i also have problems with my CD player, skips with every tiny bump (thats a suspension problem tho, she's due for new shocks, struts and i'm going to put a heavier sway bar kit on her). also sometimes i will load up the magazine and it will say "no CD" i take the magazine out, blow into the slots, reload the CDs and try again. that usually works, just some dust and stuff in there. it's the original system, and it isnt top-quality. i am also looking into installing a Sony system once i get the suspension done. the older CD system just isnt up to par anymore, it does not play burned CDs, cant read them.
as for your transmission, hate to say it, but that may be your problem. mine needs a new gasket, its not leaking much fluid, as in its not on the ground, but i can see that the gasket is in need of replacement. and i figure i'd better just replace it before it drops all my transmission fluid on the ground! she starts fine, never had problems with the O/D.
wish u luck, hope it dont put a huge dent in your wallet!

Tyger9791
'96 Ford Explorer XLT "Tonka Truck"