2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC Engine Problems

TOOK VEHICLE IN FLUID CHANGES, COMPLETE CHECK, AND TO INVESTIGATE A LEAK UNDER VEHICLE. AFTER "COMPLETE" CHECK SAID THEY FOUND BAD SERPENTINE BELT, AIR FILTER AND BUT NOTHING VALVE COVER GASKETS AS CAUSE OF LEAK. COST TO REPAIR GASKETS OVER $1000. WHILE DOING REPAIR THEY CALLED AGAIN AND SAID THEY FOUND THAT THE REAR TIMING CARTRIDGE WAS BROKEN AND PIECES OF IT MISSING. TOLD ME THAT BOLT WAS WORE HALF WAY THROUGH AS TIMING CHAINING WAS RUBBING IT. SAID IF IT BREAKS BEFORE REPAIR ENGINE WILL "BLOW" AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. TOLD ME IT WOULD COSTS OVER $2,500 TO REPLACE THIS CARTRIDGE. TOTAL COST WAS NOW OVER $4,000. I ASKED WHY PART WAS BAD WHEN ENGINE ONLY HAD 84,000 MILES AND WHY THIS WASN'T FOUND WITH THE "COMPLETE" CHECK. MECHANIC STATED ONLY SAW IT BECAUSE HE HAD THINGS APART TO FIX VALVE COVER GASKETS. TOLD ME IT WAS A...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ENGAGED AT 68 MPH WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND SOME SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSING UNIT BEING CRACKED OTHER THAN FOR BEING DEFECTIVE, COLD TEMPERATURE OR HIGH HEAT THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH IT. THE HOUSING UNIT SHOULD NEVER SPLIT APART. THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT WAS LEAKING. THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE AND IT ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION IN FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING...

MY ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY 140000 MILES ON IT WITH NO WARNING. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND THERE ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY WITH 100000 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME OVER 3200.00 FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. *TR