2003 Ford Explorer ran hot
10

Asked by HarrisA Sep 20, 2015 at 08:06 PM about the 2003 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 2003 ford explorer 4.0 V6 driving
one day it all of a sudden got hot pulled
over immediately and shut it off. Had it
towed home changed the thermostat and
put a new water pump on it . It is running
rough like a fouled plug or vacuum leak. I'm
going to drive it down the road tomorrow to
see if it runs hot anymore. Had it started at  
an idol in the yard and I left it running for
about 30 minutes and it did not run hot and
the gauge did not go up however my
service engine soon light is blinking off and
on and it is running rough . If I do take it
down the road and it runs hot what could it
be? I only know what my brothers have
tought me so any help would be greatly
appreciated thank you
Amy

3 Answers
74,180

OJ answered 9 years ago

If it is low on coolant again check the plastic thermostat housing for leaks, they are notorious for warping and leaking after the engine overheats. If it is leaking it will need to be replaced. Forget the plastic replacement, they cost about a hundred bucks (for plastic!!). They make after marked aluminum ones which will last the life of the vehicle. For only a few bucks more.

Mark helpful
140

xaxo7008 answered 9 years ago

You might pull the spark plugs and see if any of them look wet, if one does do a compression test on it and if it fails you probably have a blown head gasket, is there white smoke coming out of the tailpipe? This is a good indicator of that.

Mark helpful
10

HarrisA answered 9 years ago

Thank you everyone. I have changed the water pump, new thermostat, flushed out the radiator and new spark plugs. Back on the road and running great. !

1 people found this helpful.
Mark helpful

Your Answer:

Related Questions

  • 2003 Ford Explorer ran hot 3 Answers

    I have a 2003 ford explorer 4.0 V6 driving one day it all of a sudden got hot pulled over immediately and shut it off. Had it towed home changed the thermostat and put a new water pump on it . It ...

    2003 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6

    -

    Maintenance & Repair

  • 03 explorer ran hot 2 Answers

    I have an 03 ford explorer 4.0 v6 ran hot about 2 months ago. Changed water pump and thermostat new plugs ran great made about a 3 hour trip yesterday and got off the interstate and at about my 4...

    2003 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6

    -

    Maintenance & Repair

  • 2003 ford explorer transmission 5 Answers

    on my 2003 ford explorer, the check transmission light came on, what could be the problem, or the most likely

    2003 Ford Explorer Limited V6

    -

    Maintenance & Repair

  • 2003 ford explorer 7 Answers

    I got an awesome deal on a 2003 Ford explorer with 14,000 ORIGINAL miles. Mint condition in and out. The only issue is seller said it only needs a fuel pump. I did some checking and online abo...

    2003 Ford Explorer

    -

    Maintenance & Repair

  • 2003 Ford Explorer XLT. 2 Answers

    Hi everyone, having trouble finding specific replacement battery cables, apparently ford no longer makes this type of battery cables for a 2003 Ford Explorer XLT . Any advice. I'm trying to shop aro...

    2003 Ford Explorer XLT V6 4WD

    -

    Maintenance & Repair

Explorer

Looking for a Used Explorer in your area?

CarGurus has 2,024 nationwide Explorer listings starting at $2,999.

Postal Code:

Shortcuts

Search Ford Explorer Questions

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    OJ
    Reputation
    31,060
  • #2
    TransAm77
    Reputation
    7,890
  • #3
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    7,340
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford F-150
299 Great Deals out of 15,725 listings starting at $1,712
Used Ford Expedition
30 Great Deals out of 812 listings starting at $7,888
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
18 Great Deals out of 745 listings starting at $5,995
Used Jeep Grand Cherokee
113 Great Deals out of 3,318 listings starting at $4,995
Used Toyota Highlander
31 Great Deals out of 718 listings starting at $2,495
Used Dodge Durango
38 Great Deals out of 2,318 listings starting at $7,995
Used Honda Pilot
47 Great Deals out of 1,226 listings starting at $2,133
Used Toyota 4Runner
13 Great Deals out of 337 listings starting at $9,900
Used Ford Escape
121 Great Deals out of 4,529 listings starting at $2,995
Used Chevrolet Silverado 1500
171 Great Deals out of 5,940 listings starting at $3,995
Used GMC Yukon
26 Great Deals out of 754 listings starting at $4,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.