ford explorer wont start

Asked by mattd2020 Jun 11, 2013 at 09:08 PM about the Ford Explorer

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I ran out of gas in my 2008 ford explorer.I put 25 dollars in and not it wont crank without starter fluid  and then it just dies as soon as the started fluid burns out

14 Answers

1,075

if it ran out of gas check the fuel pump shut off switch it may need to be reset the switch should be on the passenger side by the door under the kick panel

12 people found this helpful.
73,240

Most, if not all new cars today, have fuel injection. Just like diesels had forty years ago. You really do not want to run out of gas. Bleeding the lines by cranking can be a problem.

3 people found this helpful.
73,240

Tennisshoes has a point. Like most pressure washers, lubrication is supplied by the water being pumped. Starting a pressure washer without having the water turned on will burn up the pump quickly. Fuel pumps may operate the same.

1 people found this helpful.
73,240

The first question is: Are you sure you just ran out of gasoline? The second is; how do you know?

1 people found this helpful.
2,845

If I was to take a guess, you vapor-locked your high-pressure fuel pump.Meaning that you might have a weak high pressure. Vapor locking is typically found in carbed vehicles. But has been found in fuel injected motors. The carburator is set to vaporize liquid fuel and couldn't handle fuel already vaporized and the car would stop. You'd open the hood and wait for the motor to cool or for a quicker fix carry water in the car to dump on the fuel lines to cool them and then fire up the car and be off. Fuel at higher pressures does not vaporize in the fuel lines and modern cars with fuel injection all use high pressure systems. To get vapor lock in your car you'd need a problem such as a weak fuel pump that is not producing the high pressures it is supposed to generate. Instead of vapor lock what is more common in today's cars is the electrical components overheat and heat kills electronic things pretty fast.

3 people found this helpful.
14,295

Well, nobody has mentioned the fuel injectors. Running out of gas will suck up all the crud that's in the bottom of your gas tank. Now all the new cars have plastic gas tanks so your tank won't rust from the inside but the gas station that you get your gas from might not have a plastic storage tank and even if it does, there is a lot of crud in that tank as well and if they run them down low, a lot of dirt and crud can get sucked up into YOUR tank too from the gas pumps. Once in your tank it will settle on the bottom of the tank but when you run your tank down low or out then your fuel pump will suck up all that and push it thru your fuel lines into your fuel injectors clogging them solid. All that crud will clog a fuel injector in 2 seconds and can clog it to the point that nothing will get thru it. You will probably need your injectors cleaned to get your Explorer to run again, they might be plugged up solid. I would pull one to check first before worrying about pulling the fuel tank and fuel pump apart. It's a lot easier and less dangerous to change or clean the fuel injectors than it is to drop the fuel tank and fool with the fuel pump. Good luck, Kenny/MrBlueOval

5 people found this helpful.
75

my ford explorer 2002 horn is not working when i press the horn a tik king coming from the rear panel i open the panel i saw a small box i think it is like a small computer box the sound is coming from. please i need help to fix it thank youuuuu...

7 people found this helpful.
160

My ford Explorer want crank I drove it last nite and park it whats the problem

16 people found this helpful.
140

1998 ford explorer new fuel pump new pressure senor still can't get gas flow to engine help

14 people found this helpful.
73,240

Has the fuel filter been changed in the past sixteen years. Could be clogged.

1 people found this helpful.
155

change the gas filter/ pull the air filter off the carb and spray starting fluid or pour a little gas in the butterfly(thing that spins inside the carb) and if you bend up and look down the carb while it runs for the couple seconds have the second person pump the gas pedal and if you can see fuel spraying through the fuel jets and it still dies carb is bad but if you cant see fuel shooting thick streams through the carb then the fuel pump vacuum hoses are shot or cloged or someone put the pump in worng

2 people found this helpful.

I I have pressure from pump though filter but not to the rail and the pump is running for a couple of sec.now the truck is date 11-95 title says 96 but my brolaw put a 94 pump he went though 4 defferant yrs to run not I'm suck

this is not an answer but a question i have a 1994 ford exployer ,.. i bought it off a guy and drove it 20 miles to home ... i seen i had a gas line leak ... i put a new gas line on it and it never started again ... it will run as long as you shoot so gas in the throttle body ...so heres what i did ,,about everything someone suggested ,, new fuel pump . new lines and filter .new fuel pressure regulator .. getting 65 or more lbs pressure to the regulator ..checked all fuses no problems there ,, checked inertia switch and even by passed it wasnt the problem .... taking the intake off and checking the injectors is all i have left to do ..any suggestions before i do that being thats the hardest thing left to do ...i see this place is old but im trying everywhere .... please help if you can ..thanks ./

10

I have a 03 exployer wit a 4.0.i have the same type of problem .i have fire to the plugs ,i have 65lb,s fuel pressure to the rail ,new crank sensor,,still no start ..it sounds like it hitting and wants to start, and starting fluid sprayed idirectly into intake makes no difference . Im am stumped help? This a question also.

1 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Explorer

Looking for a Used Explorer in your area?

CarGurus has 59,752 nationwide Explorer listings starting at $2,000.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    OJ
    Reputation
    30,840
  • #2
    TransAm77
    Reputation
    7,780
  • #3
    Gene Arnett
    Reputation
    7,280
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Ford Expedition
750 Great Deals out of 20,436 listings starting at $2,100
Used Ford F-150
5,658 Great Deals out of 116,451 listings starting at $1,995
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
1,023 Great Deals out of 19,983 listings starting at $2,264
Used Jeep Grand Cherokee
2,190 Great Deals out of 45,925 listings starting at $800
Used Toyota Highlander
1,035 Great Deals out of 17,565 listings starting at $2,995
Used Dodge Durango
634 Great Deals out of 18,540 listings starting at $2,800
Used Ford Edge
1,308 Great Deals out of 36,912 listings starting at $2,700
Used Honda Pilot
840 Great Deals out of 27,154 listings starting at $1,898
Used Chevrolet Traverse
801 Great Deals out of 15,122 listings starting at $2,577
Used Toyota 4Runner
950 Great Deals out of 20,638 listings starting at $1,950
Used GMC Acadia
839 Great Deals out of 14,891 listings starting at $2,495
Used Kia Telluride
276 Great Deals out of 14,244 listings starting at $16,420
Used Ford Escape
2,039 Great Deals out of 43,307 listings starting at $995
Used GMC Yukon
599 Great Deals out of 10,572 listings starting at $2,900
Used Nissan Pathfinder
434 Great Deals out of 18,694 listings starting at $1,495

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.