OK, that was problem #1
Problem #2 may well be linked. When maintaining a steady speed (any speed as long as it's constant) between approx 50mph and 80mph I get an intermittent misfire. It's like a momentary cut out, not like a single sparkplug going off for a moment. I suspect something like a throttle position sensor might be at fault as the feeling is pretty much like when the throttle position sensor went bad on a car I had a few years ago.
Has anybody got any idea where I should start looking? (apart from in the rear view mirror when I've just pulled into traffic...) Oh! and don't suggest booking it into a Ford dealer! Ford dealers here in the UK know absolutely nothing about Explorers :(
TIA Simon H