Got some real strange things happening when it's below freezing outside and the dealer just can't seem to find the causes. It's a 2001 and does it every year about now. Mind you, they all go away when it warms up.

First, the oil gauge shows 0 pressure and the warning light comes on even though the engine has adequate pressure ...if it didn't have pressure you'd hear the lifters for one thing. Dealer says gauge, sending unit, etc. checks out OK. Drive about a 1/2 mile or so, longer when it's real cold, and it works fine. Never have the problem above freezing.

Second, the trans (the sound comes from that area anyway) whines just as its getting ready to shift and sometimes you'll also hear it as you cruise at about 50-60 . Again, when it warms up after about 5-10 miles it's fine...and it never happens above freezing, either. BTW it's an all wheel drive and can be switched to 4x4 and does when left in typical AWD; the trans fluid & filter was changed this past summer by the dealer, too.

Finally, the darn thing takes 10 miles to really warm up in the cab...the air just doesn't get warm coming out . From then on and throughtout the day, even if parked for several hours, it fries you. This is never a problem above freezing, either. It has the rear heat/ac if that makes any difference in figuring it out. My 01 F150 will cook you a quarter mile down the road so I don't think it should take that long.

Bought the thing on Oct 2001 and the first winter was fine...these problems started the following winters. Other than that no complaints, except I can't get my wife to wash it cuz she says she can't reach half of it .

 

You might want to check my post in the Cooling System forum. I have a 2000 Exp and it started to overheat when the cool weather arrived. The first sign of the problem was cold air in the cab. Once the thermostat released it was Ok for the rest of the day. Just got diagnosed with a head gasket leak which was creating air pockets in the cooling system. Once it warmed up the leak in the head gasket sealed itself. Ford dealer confirmed head gasket leak by putting some chemical in the antifreeze which turns blue when combustion gases present. Prior to that they changed water pump and thermostat without fixing the problem.