Pic up a 2000 Excursion - what should I know?

[SableGTO]

What are things to look for and address right away?
Common issues?

I have seen some modded rides on here. What are your recommendations?
Plan to use it to tow my cars and would like to get the best mpg all things considered....

[SableGTO]

Well, I sprinted out of the gates with this project.

First, replaced all the bad bulbs all around the truck. This included 3 brakes lights and all four bulbs and sockets on the running boards. It was hard to find the sockets for the running boards but I managed to find them here. Source Products.com Loading, Please Wait...
Only place on the internet that seemed to have them and service was great (part number 99-8452 for anybody who needs it)

Next I jumped into the electrical. I had to remove and dismantel and clean the 6 disc changer. Finished it up and reinstalled it. Changed the fuses out and it now works again without issue. I found a bunch of change inside it! LOL!

Moved on to the VCR/LCD unit. Managed to get it to power up but I had to take the VCR apart and clean it and reassemble it to get it to work. But now it is working. Just wish there was an easy way to get it to work through the radio speakers and not just through the headsets. (I will us an FM modulator for an easy fix for now...)
PS - Turned out this was the last owners aftermarket unit not a OE Ford install.

Reverse Sensor fix - Also aftermarket from the last owner. Unit seems to be a POS. one sensor is missing and it just always beeps and says warning crash!! So I just disconnected it.

Stearing - The truck seemed to have a lazy feeling to it when you turned which was amplified on the freeway. Jacked it up and tested the ball joints. Sure enough they where shot. So I spent all Saturday replacing them with Moog lifetime warrantee replacements. This job was a beast. Ended up having to order 6 seals due to it being a 4x4 and replace those also and they were not cheap! ran me about $125 for just the seals. Not to mention dissassembly was a major PITA. Rusted parts suck. My friend PB blaster and the good old sledge hammer got her done though.

Brakes - replaced the rotors and pads all around the vehicle. When We picked it up we knew the front left caliper was seizing and negotiated that into the price. So we replaced both front calipers to keep it even braking upfront. Besides, we plan on towing our cars to and from the track so the added peice of mind is good.

Got a spare key and key fob on order via ebay as the truck only came with one set. Guess I am stuck paying the dealership to program it. Damn....

Battery - the current battery is on it's last leg....if you leave the doors open for 20 minutes the battery will be dead and your lucky if you can get it to crank over. So this is on the list next.

[SableGTO]

I plan on looking behind the radio to see if the door lock code is there. saw that in another thread. I hope it's there.

[phantom_smack]

If you gotta pay for they key program they should give you the code at the same time.

[SableGTO]

Got a new battery.
Still having some weird electrical issues I can't figure out.
Sometimes the speedometer just stops working and the check engine light comes on and the Overdrive light on the shifter handle flashes. I have been able to reset everything by undoing the battery sometimes but others it doesn't work. There is a aftermarket alarm on the truck now and I suspect that it may be the culprit of the problem. I am going to remove it and see if these problems will subside.

Any suggestions?

[theoldwizard]

I bought a spare key fob on eBay and was given instruction on how to program it. My car is old and I know they changed it but ask the eBay seller.

Why are you ignoring the Check Engine Light ?

Most large auto parts store will pull the Diagnostic Trouble Codes for free.

Super Duty 4x4 (same suspension as your Excursion) are known for requiring ball joint prior to 100K. Keep those Moog ball joints lubed (Ford Lubed for Life, sure a short life !) and you will never need that lifetime warranty !

[SableGTO]

I also picked one of those up but the manual for the Excursion says you can not program additional keys without having the two originals.

I will give it a try anyway though and see if it will work.

I am ignoring the check engine light as it is only a result of the electrical issue. I will check the code thrown next time it pops again. (problem is it only popped once and hasn't done it again....even when the speedo fails.)

[SableGTO]

Well, the electrical problem seems to only happen when it rains. I talked with a friend who happens to be a Ford tech and he thinks it's a problem with the over drive switch on the transmission. He said it was fairly common for them to short out and cause the symptoms I am seeing. Next time it acts up he's going to scan it for me and see if he can diagnose the problem more accurately.

I can't seem to find the cause for a water leak in the cabin either. Water is dripping out from the front left of the dash as though there was a leak in the windshield. I took everything apart and could not find any spots that leaked. After some further investigation it appears the water is coming through the AC tubing in the dash. But I can't figure out how it's getting into the AC tubing and I really don't want to remove the entire dash to find it. Guess I really don't have a choice though.

[theoldwizard]

Originally Posted by SableGTO

After some further investigation it appears the water is coming through the AC tubing in the dash. But I can't figure out how it's getting into the AC tubing and I really don't want to remove the entire dash to find it.

A/C makes water (condensation). normally there is a tube that lets it drain outside the car.

[crazyuke]

another possible problem for the electrical problem could be the vss (vehicle speed sensor) on the trans. if it is cracked just slightly, when it rains it gets wet and does some weird stuff. had a crown vic that had the same issues and when the tech went to remove it, the vss broke in half. check that out.