My wifes mountaineer makes a clanking noise in the front passenger side like the wheel is coming off. On that side theres a little fluid on what looks like a front drive shaft or gear case. What could it be?? Brakes and steering are perfect. I got a noise at higher speeds that sounds like a rear end wining but in the front. Any one now about this AWD? 2003

I've got an '04 with the same specs. I love the truck, but it makes me nervous. It runs great, but it makes noises that concern me. Sometimes I hear noise from the steering, sometimes on cold start up I hear some engine noise and one time when I floored it on the interstate, white smoke came out. Dealer (under warranty) could never recreate the issues. I bet they could diagnose the hell out of if now:mad: Check out this site, I have used it to try and diagnose problems:

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Mercury/Mountaineer/2004/tsbs.shtml

There is also a forum for us:

http://www.explorerforum.com/

+1 for explorerforum

could be a CV joint