Women needs advice / help with Ford Explorer!?

I have a 2002 ford explorer. I know very little about this vehicle. I am very smart and I know basics about vehicles. I owned a neon for years and new everything about it. I am pretty good about fixing things myself. My problem is now I have kids, babies at that so I don't have time to get under the hood any more.





My problem is every time I take it somewhere to get repaired the flippin mechanic rips me off. I know its because I'm a women and I've learned that鈥檚 how it is in my area got over it.


Okay took it to Wal-Mart for a oil change and air filter change. The dude forgot to put the freakin air filter in. So I take it back and tell them they refund me the 8 dollars whatever for the filter. I laughed and asked him that I was concerned that it would have caused a problem with something else. They said oh no no it'll be fine ( I drove like 150 miles before it started jerking and I checked and found no filter) I knew they were lying but I left went home and the check engine light was still on so I started it up like 15 times in a row to reset it but of course it didn't go off. Took it for a diagnostic check (which auto zone did) They couldn鈥檛 read it to me (funny huh?) So I looked it up and have narrowed it down to either my MAF censor or my O2 censors?





My Question to all you people who know about trucks do you think that driving it with no filter caused it (because I do) and if so how (if I can) do I prove it to Wal-Mart? I am so sick of people jackin my truck up and trying to take advantage of me because they think I'm a freakin moron.Women needs advice / help with Ford Explorer!?
Well first of all, you are getting screwed over all the time because you probably don't want to pay for an actual ASE Technician to repair your vehicle. People at walmart, auto zone, etc are just young kids making minimum wage and not enough skill or training to actually work at a real shop that all their employee's are factory trained and kept up with training all the time. Thats why we charge more then those places. Just remember, cheaper isn't always better as your finding out. Don't blame all mechanics as ';rip-off artists';, as good honest mechanics are out there, they do charge for their training and skill though. My suggestion to you- ask your friends who they go to or recommend. You might find they are a bit higher in price, but in the long run, it will pay for itself in the long run.


As for leaving your air filter off, fine particals can enter your engine and put premature wear on your engine, but most likely, the reason your light is on now is that it cause the MAF sensor to build up with lint or dirt, have it cleaned, replace the air filter and you proably will be good to go. ps, the SES lights won't reset now a days by turning the car on and off, they have to be cleared by using a scan-tool hooked up to your computer systemWomen needs advice / help with Ford Explorer!?
lack of air filter would not harm the O2 sensor, but it could hurt the MAF sensor.





Wal-Mart does not have mechanics, they have wannabes and never-was people, they do not pay enough to have knowledgeable people - with very few exceptions.
Okay that sucks, I sympathise with you. I am a single mom of 2 drive an explorer and have been screwed by walmart mechanics, but not nearly that bad! I was going to suggest you call and speak to the manager then I found this and thought it might help you out.
run back to wal mart and scream and ***** at them. (tell them youre pmsing) haha. thatll frighten em! then thell them exactly what to do, step by step. use as many technical terms as you can. if they still dont do the job right, sue them. say they were sexist. hey, maybe even get them to let you go in the bay and train the clowns there how to change a damn air filter! my freakin 12 year old brother can change an air filter. and he's spent all of 2 minutes under a car hood. and that was because he dropped a quarter in the engine compartment and was looking for it. haha. as for damages done to the car, there could be a number of foreign contaminants in the engine now. that could cause poor performance and foul up your spark plugs. the filters are there for a reason.
I'm confused about how you took it back because there was they didn't change the air filter and got your 8 bucks back but somehow drove for 150 miles without an air filter. Maybe I'm not reading that right. Truthfully some of the cheaper air filters are what cause most problems with the maf sensor. Tiny pieces of the paper element come off the filter and get stuck to the hotwire. Worst part about driving without an air filter would be dust in the rings destroying cylinder wall. Who cares about the maf go steal one from a junkyard. What is the purpose of autozone scanning your car if they don't tell you what they found. At least to try and sell you a part. Weird.
I can not say for certain that not having the air filter installed caused the problem but if you were not having any problems before it is a good possibility the maf sensor which is the mass air flow sensor. It could have given a bad reading to the computer and tried to adjust for all the air that was being taken in and kicked the check engine light on. Disconnect the neg. side of the battery for a minimum of two minutes and then reconnect and start the vehicle and see if it cleared the light. If it does not I would take it back to walmart and make them clear the code and see if it stays out. This is assuming you have the air filter in the vehicle at present. I would talk only to the manager of there service department if they give you crap get notarized copies from two techs from other reliable shops and take them to small claims court and make them pay. You at least have to give them the option of seeing if they can correct there mistake before you take them to court.