Ford Excursion :: 2003 Truck Drifts Left And Right While Driving
Jun 28, 2016
I purchased an 03 Excursion with 87K miles strictly for towing back in January. I've been driving the tuck once a week since, just to have it not sit in the driveway. I've noticed while driving down the road the truck will wander left/right randomly and I have to micro manage the wheel to keep it straight. It's more noticeable at higher speeds. It's more noticeable while towing.
My camper is 6K empty and loaded 9k. I put water in it once at campgrounds, so I don't drive with all that weight, so I am somewhere in between. 6 and 9. While towing and I hit a woop in the road, the truck comes out pushing me other than straight. If I let go of the wheel, it drives straight, meaning alignment feel true.
I am not a mechanic by no means, but here is what I've gathered so far;
From my door sticker, I have D code springs in the front and G code in the back.
My front stabilizer shock is looks wet. (OEM or after market?)
My shocks look original, I should replace.
My front bump stops are gone.
While towing, I am riding on my rear bump stops.
If and when I need to replace parts, should I go with OEM or aftermarket? I am probably getting a head of myself, but; Is it possible to add leafs to rear, or not even worth it. Would it be cheaper to buy the smallest lift kit vs. changing springs?
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My 2003 F250 6.0 pulls to the right when driving at any speed. In order to keep it going straight the steering wheel must be slightly tilted to the left, not much but a little. When the brakes are applied hard it will go to the left slightly if you are not holding the wheel good. Neither of these are terrible, just a nuisance. I'm worried about uneven tire wear too. One front wheel bearing was replaced a few weeks ago. It had this problem before that and still does after. Does this sound like an alignment or maybe something more?
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I'm getting tired of this. Bought my Ex in April 2013
Realized in June '13 that truck would pull to the left a little when I braked. Replaced pads and rotors. Factory pads and rotors looked normal but whatever.
December 2013 - shimmying when braking downhill (not towing). Replaced rotors, pads and calipers with Power Stop.
September 2013 - Everything was good but I now have the the left pull about 35% of the time when I brake. After extended downhill mountain driving (7%+ grade for 15 miles) I get the shimmying. I only get the shimmying in this situation.
When I had my tires rotated (reputable shop) I was told I only had a 2-3k miles left on my pads.
I do drive aggressively so I'm not surprised I need to replace my pads more often, especially on a large vehicle. That said pads wearing out at ~10k miles normal?
I was going to just order new pads and install them this weekend but what is going on. Ex currently has about 64k miles on it.
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My wife is having issues with her Corolla. Her car has about 50k miles and we got new tires and at the same time an alignment. After the alignment her car has been having the steering issue a lot of others have been having. It steers itself/drifts left and right without moving the wheel. We brought it into the dealership and they say they performed the TSB however the issue is still there.
When we spoke with the service department on the phone earlier that day they did not have the power steering computer in stock and it would be a couple days. We dropped it off and the same day they said they were able to replace the computer. Not sure if I trust they actually did the job since the computer was supposed to be out of stock and the car is out of warranty but they did not charge for anything. Also, we don't notice any improvement. Is there a way I could tell if the computer was replaced? I'm hoping it has a date on it, but I don't know where the computer is, just that the dash needs to be taken apart.
Does this TSB always work, or have others still had steering issues even after replacing the computer? Since this all started after the alignment it seems to me that if we put the alignment back the problem would go away. Is there an alignment setup that would solve this issue?
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The car was in an accident last spring where it went off the road and side swiped one of those cable barriers between the sides of a highway. It actually spun around backwards, hit the barrier on the rear passenger side corner smashing the tail light on that side. Then slid the whole passenger side into it roughing up that side and knocking off the side mirror.
Amazingly both passenger side doors work, the trunk works and it was able to drive away. I drove it around gingerly for a bit and it seemed to be fine. I took a big 4 hour trip up north in it and it had zero problems (other than looking like hell).
I had new tires put on before the accident and are nearly at factory new tread. I can't see any noticeable uneven wear on them. This winter however, every time there is fresh snow on the roads it feels like the back is shifting back and forth like its out of control. Its not vibration like unbalanced tires or ice on the rims. It feels like the rear is swinging back and forth about a foot about every 3-4 seconds. At first I thought maybe a wheel was loose so I jacked up the car at each wheel and wiggled them, they are solid. There is no play in the steering, so i don't think its rack and pinion. I've gone around corners purposefully quick on snow to see if its a grip thing, and it doesn't slide.
The only conclusion I can come to is that the frame is tweaked or my suspension is messed up. On dry, or even wet roads everything seems fine. I do notice a bit of the "drift" when I hit a decent bump or pothole, although then it feels more like a slight "shift" at the rear.
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I have a little problem with my 1999 f250 7.3 power stroke diesel. Every once in awhile, while driving the truck would die completely but i switch it into neutral and started right up. What could be the problem?
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I have 2 F-350 4x4's and they both wander back and forth when driving. They feel like they don't have enough caster. One is a 2000 V-10 extended cab with 8 foot bed. The other is a 2015 6.7 diesel crew cab with 8 foot bed.
I have driven the 2000 for so many years that I have grown use to the very slight sawing of the wheel to keep the rig straight. When my wife got her 2015 it does the same thing. The 2000 is leaf spring and the 2015 is coil spring. This bothered me when I first got the 2000 (used) but I just figured it was part of
the charm of a big truck.
I know I could put a caster shim in the 2000 but there must be a better way to solve the problem. Both are stock, no lift and no heavy winch or stuff.
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I have a 2003 Excursion 4X4 V10 (6.8l) gas with 130K.
About six months ago, the truck started stalling at irregular intervals. The truck runs fine for weeks at a time, but will suddenly die. This happens at idle, and under power. After stalling, the truck usually starts back up, but there has been a few instances where I thought it sounded fuel starved. It has stalled as many as four times in a row (within 15 minutes), but shortly after it runs fine again.
I researched this board, and tried the following: cleaned the MAF, and replaced the IAC Valve.
But, it stalled again, so in late February I took it to the dealer; a AAA approved repair facility which means they guarantee the fix for two years.
The dealer claimed to have pulled a P0231 code. As a result, they replaced the fuel pump and assembly, along with the fuel filter.
The truck ran fine until two weeks ago, then it went thru a series of stalls again. In each instance, the truck started right up, and I drove it to the dealer.
The dealer took it in again and had it for six business days, but they could not replicate the issue. I suggested they test the PCM/fuel relay and the signal going to the fuel pump - they said everything checked out okay. No charge, the ticket remains open.
What could be causing this? I am not too good with electrical stuff; in fact, I know very little. Another member explained a way to test the signal at the time the truck stalls, but I am not sure if I could competently do it. I am thinking I need to start replacing part after part until it stops? I don't mind doing that, but would need to know which parts to focus on. Should I start with the MAF? I cleaned it, but do not know how to test it.
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I have a 2003 Ex 6.0 psd, 155k miles, and was on my way to work to a site 40 miles from nowhere. I was about 10 miles from my destination cruising around 65 when the Ex started losing power. I would say within a couple of miles power was gone and i had no choice but to pull over. I popped the hood, got out had a look around and saw no leaks or anything out of the ordinary. Let it sit for a few minutes and tried to restart it to no avail. There was no check eng light or any signs something was wrong.
I just so happened to have my OBD scanner with me and plugged it in and read for any extra codes. Three popped up on the screen: P0232, P0263, and P0278.
P0232 Fuel Pump Secondary (Feedback) Circuit High Voltage,
P0263 is described as a cylinder number 1 contribution/balance. In essence, this code is stating that the number one cylinder in the firing order is experiencing a fuel-related problem.
P0278 same as above for cyl 6.
Right away i thought the fuel/lift pump took a dump on me and was causing the fuel issues in the two cylinders.
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2003 Limited 6.0 130K. Just took a 1000 mile trip for spring break. While away, I noticed a small leak near the front passenger side of the truck. It is red so I assumed it was transmission fluid. It is leaking from, the best I can describe, a small housing that looks like it might be a filter near the tire (it looks like the old style canister oil filter housings). All the hoses are clean and where the hoses go into the radiator are clean. Is this an easy fix? I am a bit worried about trying to get the thing off without damaging the hoses.
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I have a 2003 Silverado 1500 with 198,000 miles. I was on the PA turnpike a few days ago and notice that when I take my hand off the wheel, the truck pulls to the left. I have to hold the steering wheel center to keep it straight. When I let go, it makes a slight turn to the left.
I did notice that I had a bad ball joint on the passenger side. So I replaced the upper control arm with a new ball joint included and did the lower ball joint on the passenger side since I already had everything apart. I just got my truck aligned this morning and still am having the same pulling issue. The dealership couldn't figure it out either. Here are the specs from the alignment printout:
Front Left Camber:
Before: -0.7; Actual: 0.0
Front Left Toe:
Before: 0.13; Actual: 0.01
Front Right Camber:
Before: 0.7; Actual: 0.0
Front Right Toe:
Before: 0.02; Actual: 0.00
I do rotate the tires every 5,000 miles and are all wearing evenly.
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Last week the engine in my truck was shutting off while driving. Happened to me 3 times over the course of two days. The first couple of times, the engine was dead for 3-5 seconds and then the engine would come alive and drive normally again. The third time was about a 10 second event...same result, engine refired on it's own and drove normally. I was in motion all three times so the engine restarts all occurred before I was able to bring the truck to a complete stop.
No check engine light...(I didn't pull any codes because I didn't have my laptop with me). So, I decided to try a new CPS. I had one in my glove box since 2003 so in it went. It replaced a black CPS that I purchased from Riffraff about 100k miles ago. The new CPS seems to have done the trick. I've driven about 500 miles since the swap and the symptom has not returned. I wonder how long this one will last. It's a Ford replacement part so maybe I'll get another 100k miles...
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Truck in question is 2002 F150 4.6 with 150K miles. Crew was on interstate tonight driving 65 MPH and truck shut off. They called me out to trouble shoot. Engine had oil (was a quart low) and will not start. Starter engages but will not turn motor over. Had truck towed back to my shop. I removed belt just to see if it may be a locked up pulley i know, long shot)... it was not.
Employed called a shade tree mechanic he knows and trusts. He said was likely a broken timing chain and that is a common problem in 4.6. Said locked engine is probably because broken chain is wrapped around shaft. When I turn key fan does move about 1/4 inch.
1) Does this sound like a possibility or even a plausible explanation? Just trying to verify the information.
2) If this is the case, would a repair be advisable, or is engine likely shot and i should just replace it?
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I just bought a 99 f150 it has 257000 miles on the truck, and a motor and transfer case from an '01 with 215000 miles. I'm not sure about the maintenance on the truck but when I'm on the highway the truck randomly stutters. I was thinking it was coming from the tranny because the tranny was overfilled by almost a quart but really not sure.
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I have a 2001 F350 7.3l diesel.
My truck died the other day while driving almost like he ran out of fuel. Well he had fuel so I checked the oil and it was dry. There was an ugly puddle between the intakes and a whole lot on the ground leaking out. Also the puddle looked blueish.
Put in more oil and got him home but I can't find the leak. The only thing I've noticed is that the intercooler on the cold side came off slightly. A year ago I had to go mess with the UCVH and when I put it back together I had lost a dang intercooler duct clamp and replaced it with a sturdy ring clamp. Well it wasn't sturdy enough.
How much would this leak if it came off for a little while and how serious of a problem would I have as a result? I don't have any check engine light and as long as he has oil he runs fine.
Since I have reconnected the intercooler and idle tested the truck I can't reproduce the leak. I don't believe that a huge amount of oil is running through that intercooler because the turbo is lubricated through another system I have read. So what gives?
Also I am getting weird dip stick reading. For a little while when I ran the truck today he was showing WAY over full on the dip and then down again a little bit below the operating range line. Also there are a lot of air bubbles on the dip stick when it comes up. Way more than I am used to seeing.
Also, I really like the idea of cleaning my engine off really good. It's a frigging mess now. What precautions can I take to clean it up good without making a huge mess. Can I just go the car wash that has a degreaser hose and drain and just spray it down like nothing or is it sensitive and finnicky when wet? Cleaning between the intakes seems almost impossible without getting the whole turbo system out of the way. Should I be thinking about that?
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My Truck : 1999 Ford F-150 Extended Cab 4x4 5.4L V8
So the other day I was driving the truck and it just dies on me. Tried starting but it just cranked and cranked. Got it pulled over to a parking lot and then tried to start and I got it to run again. Died a couple mins later uo the road and it will not start at all anymore. I got it towed to my driveway and I've started diagnosing some things.
I dropped the tank thinking it was a pump I replaced awhile back. The pump wasn't running but jumped to conclusions and took it back to the auto parts store. They bench tested and it works fine. I checked for voltage at the pump connector. NOTHING. So I'm not getting power to Fuel pump. Then I checked the fuse and relay for the fuel pump. Everything was okay.
I did some research and decided to check for spark. NO SPARK. Another thing I noticed the other day was that the odometer is displaying all dashes. So I'm really unsure on what to really troubleshoot. I am going back to the truck tomorrow to check a few other things. I'm not sure if the Theft light is blinking or not so I will check that tomorrow and get back to you.
What to check? Any other relays or fuses besides the fuel pump? What about any modules to check like PCM, GEM, etc. Or I've heard the crankshaft sensor could be an issue.
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I am working on an 2003 F-250 6.0l. The truck just died while driving. No restart. Plugged in my scan tool and I am not getting any High pressure oil. Is there anything other than the Hpop I should be looking at. I know it is a big job to replace the hpop so I don't want to overlook something simple.
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My wife returned home and stated that my excursion stopped running twice while she was driving it. She said both times were as she was letting off the throttle coming downhill an off ramp. Both times it fired right up and drove away fine.
I pulled the codes using torque app and it showed a p1211. Unfortunately I had just screwed up my gauge settings so I really didn't have any gauges set up so I couldn't use it. (It's for the 6.0 anyway).
After some Internet searching I am guessing it's an issue with the icp or ipr. How do I tell which one to replace? Truck does have a dp tuner normally set to 80 economy tune.
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Got this truck used, it is a 2001 F150 4 door lariat 5.4, 4x4. It now has around 108k miles on it. The truck dies while driving down the road every couple weeks or so. It will restart after a minute or so and then seems to be fine. The ABS light is on, no codes or CE light.
The last couple months while your going down the road it revs up to 4k rpms or so while your driving like the OD is turning off. The other day it wouldn't start in the morning, I changed the fuel pump relay and it fired right up. I put the old relay back in and it still fired up!!!!
I decided to take it to the dealer today and on the way to town it shifted out of gear while driving at speed, the speedo turned off and the odometer turned off as well. I shifted to N and then back to D, nothing, I hit the OD button and it flashed but still no go so I coasted to a stop, truck was running at idle.
I turned it off, restarted and everything worked just fine again and went on my way to the dealer. Still no CE lights.
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My front left rotor is warped and makes that annoying chirp chirp chirp sound as I'm driving. I hear it while the truck is driving and also when braking. I jacked up the front left tire under the control arm, removed the tire and caliper/pads, tightened the rotor against the hub with the lug nuts. Watching the bottom of the caliper mount as a reference point, I can clearly see the distance changing between the rotor and the mount as I rotate the rotor.
And I feel the resistance as the rotor gets closer in that spot. Is this simply a warped rotor? Or is something else causing this? I replaced the pads, rotors, front brake hoses, front left caliper and , still the chirp remains. The pins are greased and slide nicely. I also bled quite a bit of fluid out, since it was a bit dark compared to the new fluid. I checked for play in the tire, thinking maybe a bad wheel bearing, but found none. No other noises or symptoms in the front end.
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I have an 03 v10 with a Powerdyne supercharger. The Ex came with an extra computer with a Superchip. The Superchip has a proper tune for the supercharger but when I install it with the extra "bad" computer the truck will completely shut down after driving ~100 miles. This is very dangerous because I lose power steering and brakes during the shutdown. The Ex starts back up after a few minutes and then shuts down more frequently until I reset the computer. I speculate that something is going wrong after the "bad" computer has learned the driving habits.
The other "good" computer works great and does not ever shut off the motor, but at full throttle the Ex will bog and I am losing HP produced by the SC. I don't think it has the optimal tune because my wideband AFR reads lean right before it bogs and I think it is bogging to protect the motor from a lean condition. I would like to install the chip into the "good" computer that never shuts the truck down to get the benefit of the proper tune, but I don't want to risk damaging it or experiencing the dreaded shutdown. A few questions :
- Why the truck shuts down while under power?
- Any reason to think that the chip will cause the "good" computer to shut down while driving?
- Could the chip be causing the shutdown, not the actual "bad" computer itself?
- Would the best option be to send the chip to 5star tunes and have them program a tuner with the superchip tune...and a few others?
- Any way to flash the "good" computer with the superchip tune?
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