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2001 Ford ExpeditionProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 578 owner complaints about the 2001 Ford Expedition, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.

2001 Ford Expedition
29
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.4× the Expedition median · #5 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Free fix at dealersOwner complaints578177 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage100kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 Ford Expedition has problems

578 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling12224
Electrical system11828
Vehicle speed control10156
Tires596
Visibility411
Power train405
Seat belts366
Structure251
Suspension214
19 other systems13429

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2001 Ford Expedition recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 01V-227 · Jul 16, 2001 · 1,400,000 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE OCCUPANT PROTECTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 01V-082 · Mar 12, 2001 · 268 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AS INTENDED, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN REDUCED OCCUPANT PROTECTION, OR A BURN INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Other: owners/service/other manual

Recall 00V-396 · Nov 28, 2000 · 495,000 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ATTACHED INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE CHILD.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

100kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 103 engine and engine cooling complaints. 49% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles50under 100k miles53100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

18 owners mentioned a cost

$2,700median

Middle half: $2,000 – $3,500

Electrical system

9 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $600 – $1,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other Expedition year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Expedition median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2001 Ford Expedition safety ratings

2001 Ford Expedition 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2001 Ford Expedition frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
6 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2001 Ford Expedition, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLYEA05004 · closed Jul 6, 2005
    No recall
  3. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESEA05005 · closed Aug 2, 2006
    Led to recall 05V-388
  4. WINDSHIELD LEAK CAUSES ELECTRIC FAILURESEA05015 · closed Dec 6, 2006
    No recall
  5. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILUREPE05033 · closed Oct 13, 2005
    No recall
  6. FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLYRQ04011 · closed Feb 17, 2005
    No recall
In owners' words

What Expedition owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD THIS LOUD CRASH AND BANG, AND WAS JERKED FORWARD. THOUGHT THE PICK UP TRUCK BEHIND ME REAR-ENDED ME. THAT DRIVER PULLED UP ASIDE OF ME AND TOLD ME YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR DRIVESHAFT. SINCE IT WAS DARK AND MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE…
Complaint 10524500 · Jul 11, 2013 · 127,510 miles
AFTER DROPPING OFF MY CHILDREN AT DAYCARE I STOPPED AT THE STORE. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO MY CAR AND STARTED IT, IT MADE A LOUD POP LIKE SOMETHING HAD CAME OFF. SO I PROCEEDED TO TURN THE IGNITION ON AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TOP VENTS AND THE TRUCK BEGAN MAKING A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THE…
Complaint 10453420 · Mar 29, 2012 · 179,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A POPPING NOISE AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE NUMBER TWO SPARK PLUG.…
Complaint 10449463 · Feb 27, 2012 · 40,000 miles

Own a 2001 Expedition?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.