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Ford Explorer

The three-row SUV that defined the class in America. Later EcoBoost generations bring turbo-era codes to a family truck; the water-pump-behind-the-timing-cover design on some V6es raises the stakes on cooling-system codes.

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Ford Explorer
Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 (external)

Generations

  • First generation 1990–1994

    The Bronco II's replacement, on the Ranger's chassis, with one engine and two gearboxes. Three-door and five-door bodies, and the generation whose tyre-pressure and rollover history became a federal investigation.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford UN46
    Engines
    • 4.0 V6 — COLOGNE · petrol · 116–119 kW (155–160 hp) · 298 Nm (220 lb-ft) · Cologne, pushrod
    Transmissions
    5-speed M5OD-R1 manual · 4-speed A4LD automatic
    Drivetrain
    Rear-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive
  • Second generation 1994–2003

    The V8 arrives for 1996 and the overhead-cam 4.0 for 1997, which is the engine whose rear-mounted timing chain guides are the era's expensive failure — the cassettes sit at the back of the block, so reaching them means removing the engine. The five-door ended in 2001 and the three-door Sport ran to 2003.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford UN105 / UN150
    Engines
    • 4.0 V6 — COLOGNE · petrol · 119 kW (160 hp) · 298 Nm (220 lb-ft) · Cologne, pushrod, to 2000
    • 4.0 V6 SOHC — petrol · 157 kW (210 hp) · 344 Nm (254 lb-ft) · Cologne, from 1997
    • 5.0 V8 — WINDSOR · petrol · 157 kW (210 hp) · 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) · Windsor, 1996–2001
    Transmissions
    5-speed M5OD-R1 manual · 5-speed M5OD-R1HD manual · 4-speed 4R55E automatic · 4-speed 4R70W automatic · 5-speed 5R55E automatic
    Drivetrain
    Rear-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive
  • Third generation 2002–2005

    Independent rear suspension for the first time, and the 5.0 Windsor gives way to the 4.6 Modular V8. The overhead-cam 4.0 carries over, and so does its timing chain.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford U152
    Engines
    • 4.0 V6 SOHC — petrol · 157 kW (210 hp) · 344 Nm (254 lb-ft) · Cologne
    • 4.6 V8 — TRITON · petrol · 178 kW (239 hp) · 382 Nm (282 lb-ft) · Modular, two valves per cylinder
    Transmissions
    5-speed M5OD-R4 manual · 5-speed 5R55W automatic · 5-speed 5R55S automatic
    Drivetrain
    Rear-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
  • Fourth generation 2005–2010

    Body-on-frame, rear-driven; the last of the traditional layout.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford U1
    Engines
    • 4.0 V6 — COLOGNE · petrol · 157 kW (211 hp)
    • 4.6 V8 — TRITON · petrol · 218 kW (292 hp) · 407–427 Nm (300–315 lb-ft)
    Transmissions
    5-speed 5R55S automatic · 6-speed 6R automatic
    Drivetrain
    Rear-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive
  • Fifth generation 2010–2019

    Unibody and front-drive based — no knowledge crosses the change of layout.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford D4
    Engines
    • 2.0 EcoBoost — petrol · 179 kW (240 hp) · 366 Nm (270 lb-ft)
    • 2.3 EcoBoost — petrol · 209 kW (280 hp) · 420 Nm (310 lb-ft)
    • 3.5 V6 — petrol · 216 kW (290 hp) · 346 Nm (255 lb-ft)
    • 3.5 EcoBoost V6 — D35 · petrol · 272 kW (365 hp) · 475 Nm (350 lb-ft) · Sport and Police Interceptor
    • 3.7 V6 — petrol · 227 kW (304 hp) · 378 Nm (279 lb-ft)
    Transmissions
    6-speed automatic · 6-speed 6F SelectShift automatic
    Drivetrain
    Front-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive
  • Sixth generation 2019–present

    Back to a rear-drive platform, with a hybrid variant.

    Body styles
    SUV
    Platform
    Ford CD6
    Engines
    • 2.3 EcoBoost — petrol · 224 kW (300 hp) · 420 Nm (310 lb-ft)
    • 3.0 EcoBoost V6 — NANO · petrol · 267 kW (358 hp) · ST
    • 3.3 V6 hybrid — hybrid · 213 kW (286 hp) · 353 Nm (260 lb-ft)
    Transmissions
    10-speed automatic
    Drivetrain
    Rear-wheel drive · Four-wheel drive

CAN data

Bus databases covering this vehicle, mirrored from the open-source opendbc project.

Service information

Information, not instruction

CarGeek is a reference, not a service manual. Its pages are written from public sources and from what other people have found, never from a manufacturer's own service information, so they can be wrong or incomplete for your particular vehicle. Some of what they describe carries real risk: high voltage, fuel under pressure, stored energy, hot and moving parts.

Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.

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