I'm a first-time new Ford owner.

Got this new 2k3 Explorer XLS; nothing fancy. V6 engine. About 3K miles on it now.

I am having what I percieve as a problem. Perhaps other Explorer owners can let me know if I am just picky or what.

Main problem:
It idles rough. Not all the time, just most of the time.
Let me explain:

My experience with V6 engines has been GM until now. When a GM V6 is idling, you can't typically feel the engine idling.

With the Ford Explorer V6, idling in PARK, it feels like I'm sitting on a bench with someone who has nervous leg syndrome.

It idles better the colder the weather is, almost as if the Mass Air Flow Sensor is having a hard time measuring air density properly and not issuing correct information to the ECM unless the outside temperature is cold (30-35 degrees).
I can drive it 10 miles and in 10 stoplight instances, it wil idle smooth, then next light it will be rough then at next light it will idle unevenly (I watch the TACH fluxuate betweek 725 and 775 RPM)

Additionally:
It sometimes almost dies on me at stop lights, almost like the TPS is flaky. It does this daily. Sometimes the engine idle will suddenly drop to 500RPM then recover and jump up to 8 or 900 RPM. It's been to the dealership, Covery Ford in Austin, who seems to be either unable or unwilling to take the time to troubleshoot this.

I know there is something wrong to make the thing almost stall sometimes, but this vehicle and a 2K2 I drove as a loaner with 15K mikes on it both idle roughly and inconsistently.

It is puzzling and I was trying to find out if anyone else has noticed this.

I drove a third 2K3 Explorer for 3 days before I bought this one and I don't remember it idling roughly.

Its been to the dealer who claims 1: That's the way they idle; 2. Unable to verify complaint; 3. Reprogrammed the ECM.

Do I have a lemon?

Constructive feedback appreciated.

 

my 02 xls idles a little rough sometimes , but never stalls, sometimes it starts rough , takes one or two trys but always fires up. i think its the nature of the SOHC engine

 

I have the 4.6 V8 SOHC in an 03 Explorer. I haven't experienced any of the problems you saw - idles smoothly, always starts first time (even at -15F), never comes close to stalling.

I don't think its acceptable for a new vehicle like yours to be almost stalling on a regular basis.

 

we have the 4.0 SOHC
lucky you has the 4.6 V8

i think its a ballance thing with the V6

 

My '97 4.0L SOHC has no idle nor stalling issues even with 102,000 miles on it. Unless Ford went backwards with their designing and made the 4.0L SOHC worse something must be wrong. I had a '95 Chevy Astro with a 4.3L and my '97 Explorer idles a bit smoother than my Astro did.

 

the 97 4.0 is different then the 02 4.0

 

...for all the replys.

I take it back to the dealer Tuesday evening.

A "field engineer" from Ford is supposed to be looking at it.

I'll post thre results of the repair, if conclusive, when I get it.

Regards
2K3

 

keep us posted

 

The block, emissions control equipment and engine management are still the same. Ford did change the fuel return system to/from a returnless fuel sytem. The transmission has been updated to change the gear ratio of 2nd gear on the V6 5-speed auto, the V8 5-speed auto is entirely new.