no report yet
Vehicle speed control
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
2001 Ford Explorer SportProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 188 owner complaints about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 11, 2017. Updated daily. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport has problems
188 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
33Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
30Structure4 crash/fire/injury
26Power train
21Engine and engine cooling5 crash/fire/injury
15Seats2 crash/fire/injury
14Vehicle speed control4 crash/fire/injury
13Air bags
13Service brakes, hydraulic
12Tires
4911 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 33 | 1 |
| Structure | 30 | 4 |
| Power train | 26 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 21 | 5 |
| Seats | 15 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 4 |
| Air bags | 13 | 10 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 13 | 3 |
| Tires | 12 | 1 |
| 11 other systems | 49 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2001 Ford Explorer Sport 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 assembly: recliner
Risk. THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: cables
Risk. THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED.
no report yet
Front assembly: recliner
Risk. THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Hood: hinge and attachments
Risk. A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.
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 suspension problems start?
46kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 23 suspension complaints. 78% were reported before 100,000 miles.
6under 30k miles18under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2001 vs. every other Explorer Sport 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 Explorer Sport median. How we score
'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, and the recalls they led to.
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADNo recall
- FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENTLed to recall 03V-281
In owners' words
What Explorer Sport owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
AS MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE FORD EXPLORER SPORT HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT, THERE IS A VERY LOUD BANGING COMING FROM THE REAR END OF MY SUV WHENEVER I DRIVE OVER EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BUMP OR ROUGH ROAD. I HAVE REPLACED THE SHOCKS BUT IT DID NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THIS PROBLEM. IT STILL IS SO LOUD AND…
2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. DURING NORMAL DRIVING, A REAR RATTLE/ BANGING NOISE WOULD OCCUR WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH ROAD OR OVER BUMPS. THIS HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. INVESTIGATION AND INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE HAD REVEALED THAT ALL THE BODY/FRAME MOUNT BUSHINGS HAVE DETERIORATED TO THE…
A CLUNKING NOISE UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. IN LOOKING AT IT, IS SEEMS THERE IS A WORN BODY BUSHING. INVESTIGATION ON THE WEB SHOWS SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE, THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 54000 MILES ON IT.I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *TR
Own a 2001 Explorer Sport?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.