2000 Ford Explorer Sport Problems
- Complaints
- 71filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 66,556miles, 42 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe automatic transmission problems — slipping between gears and a flashing overdrive light — that appear from roughly 40,000–60,000 miles upward. The other recurring themes are a driver's seat back that suddenly reclines or collapses, smoke or burning at the steering column and cruise-control switches, and worn front-end ball joints. Complaints are spread fairly evenly across low and high mileage, so many of these show up on well-used examples rather than as early-life failures.
- Transmission and drivetrain
Transmission slipping / flashing overdrive light
- 12 complaints (17%)
- median 54,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
- filed 2002–2012
Complaints describe the overdrive light flashing, the transmission slipping on the 2-3 or 3-4 shift, and in some cases the vehicle losing drive and reverse entirely and needing a tow. Several owners say a dealer replaced the valve body, and some report the same symptoms returning after the repair. One owner was told the vehicle needs regular transmission servicing to last. Mostly reported between about 43,000 and 110,000 miles, with several around 50,000–55,000.
What to check: Test drive through all gears when warm and watch for a flashing overdrive light or delayed 2-3 shifts. Ask whether the transmission or valve body has been serviced or rebuilt, and keep records.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Transmission in my 2000, Ford Explorer Sport has failed. Upon taking it to transmission shop I was informed that Ford motor redesigned the trans, in this model year, and they are trash...., upon replacing two valve bodies the trans is being rebuilt again.”
NHTSA complaint #10108010, filed 2005-01, 109,000 miles“Multiple failures report from the vehicle computer system for failing transmission. This car is barely three yrs old with low mileage and the transmission is already failing. Fords service explanation is that the vehicle requires regular transmission coddling (service) to maintain the overall life of the transmission. And of course I'm just over the mileage for powertrain warranty converage. I understand from more than one reputable car service dealers that the explorer is notorious for transmission failures.”
NHTSA complaint #10032825, filed 2003-08, 51,400 miles - Electrical system
Smoke or burning at steering column / cruise switch
Mentioned in 10 of 60 sampled complaints
Complaints describe smoke coming from the steering column or the turn-signal/emergency-flasher area, and in some cases a burning smell or fire near the cruise-control switch or under the hood. Dealers reportedly replaced the multifunction switch, ignition switch, or diagnosed a hot spot in the wiring; several owners link the concern to a cruise-control switch recall on other models. Scattered across the sample, mostly between about 45,000 and 83,000 miles, with a few at unknown mileage.
What to check: Ask whether the speed-control switch and steering-column multifunction switch have been replaced or inspected. Check for a burning smell, and confirm any open cruise-control recall was completed for this VIN.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I started my Ford Explorer Sport on january 30 for a few minutes to warm it up, before I drove to work. I ran back into the house for aprox 4 minutes, when I came back out the front of the explorer was in flames, it totally burned before the fire dept could get there taking our barn with it.”
NHTSA complaint #10205450, filed 2007-10, 45,000 miles“About three years ago my garage burned to the ground.a police investigation found a hot spot where my 2000 explorer was parked but had no reasonable cause for the fire.the same cruise control switch on on other models has been recalled but for some reason I didn`t get one for this vehicle.I can find out the exact dates but at this time the dates are estimated.”
NHTSA complaint #10112736, filed 2005-03 - Seats
Driver's seat back collapses or reclines
- 9 complaints (13%)
- median 96,454 mi at 8.1 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2003–2013
Owners describe the driver's seat back suddenly dropping backward, sometimes while parked and sometimes while driving, and the seat failing to stay upright afterward. Complaints point to a broken recliner bolt or seat-frame part; several mention a dealer repair or a recall bolt that was checked or replaced, and one owner was quoted a charge for the repair. Reported from about 46,000 miles up to 160,000, including several above 80,000.
What to check: Sit in the driver's seat and lean back firmly to see whether the backrest holds; inspect the recliner bolt and seat frame. Ask whether any seat-related recall work was completed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The driver side rear bottom frame failed in a non moving area. This cause the back of the seat to fall back as the hinge for seat tilt came out of the top due to this failure. Thank god I was in my driveway or we would have had a wreck. Structural steel in a seat frame should not fail in an 8 year old car. The car has not been in a wreck on the seat abused. The driver weigh 200 lbs or less.”
NHTSA complaint #10253530, filed 2009-01, 120,000 miles“Upon entering my vehicle, sitting in the driver's seat, and restinng my back against the seat while in an upright position, the back of the seat collapsed.this all occurred prior to the vehicle being started and engaged in any gear, which is probably the only reason the incident did not result in a serious or fatal accident. Due to the collapse of the seat, I did sustain a back injury/strain.”
NHTSA complaint #10004939, filed 2003-01, 46,000 miles - Engine cooling
Engine stalling, rough idle in cold weather
- 9 complaints (13%)
- median 83,237 mi at 7.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2000–2014
Complaints describe rough idling and stalling in cold weather, and in a few cases major engine work such as replacement or a crankshaft failure. Owners mention being told the timing chain or tensioner was involved and that coverage depended on mileage, and one reports repeated oxygen sensor replacement. Reported from around 20,000 miles up to about 169,000, with cold-weather symptoms noted by more than one owner.
What to check: Start the engine cold and listen for chain noise or rough idle, and ask whether the timing chain/tensioner or any engine work has been done. Check for a stored check-engine light.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My Ford year 2000 idles rough and stalls in cold weather. I thought the problem was dirty injectors and kept having them flushed which temp. Fixed prob. A mechanic stated that it was the timing chain and that Ford would fix it for free, for they did on his explorer. I contacted Ford and they said that I was over the miles and that it was a customer satisfaction recall. Well not only am I not satisfied, but it seems to be a safety factor as well. What if a pull out into an intersection and my car stalls. Crossing a highway and my car stalls. …”
NHTSA complaint #10082288, filed 2004-07, 20,000 miles“No events LED up to the crankshaft failure. Our 2000 Ford explorer was being driven as a daily routine trip in town. The car died at a stop light. I was able to restart the car . The car made a loud clunk. I drove the vehicle into a parking lot and shut it off. We had a certified Ford mechanic come out to look at the car. He was very familiar with this v6 engine. He stated to us that the crankshaft Ford used was a cast iron crank and not a forged steel crank. What happens is the crankshaft will develop cracks in it and eventually break apart. …”
NHTSA complaint #10186532, filed 2007-03, 91,300 miles - Suspension
Worn front ball joints
- 9 complaints (13%)
- median 63,931 mi at 5.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2001–2010
Owners report front upper and lower ball joints wearing out early, sometimes with noticeable looseness or instability over bumps. Complaints describe dealers or shops replacing them, and one owner notes that similar Ford trucks and SUVs in their circle needed the same work. Reported from roughly 30,000 to 65,000 miles in the sample, with one owner citing others as early as 40,000.
What to check: Have a shop check the front ball joints for play during a pre-purchase inspection, and ask for service records showing whether they were replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The ball joints on my vehicle needed to be replaced, but I think other owners should be aware of this issue due to safety concerns. Friends and family members of similar Ford vehicle also needed to replace their ball joints, some as early as 40,000 miles. Some mechanics in the area say this is a common issue in Ford trucks and suvs, but that many people don't know to have them checked.”
NHTSA complaint #10110792, filed 2005-02“The upper and lower ball joints only on the driver's side have prematurely worn out. The upper ball joint moves freely with the car's vertical motion rather than being restricted to side-to-side motion. The lower ball joint has also failed. The passenger side shows no such wear. There has been no accident to cause this problem and no accident caused from it-- yet.”
NHTSA complaint #10129747, filed 2005-07, 65,000 miles
Buying note. On a vehicle this age, a pre-purchase inspection covering the transmission, front suspension and seat hardware matters more than mileage alone. Ask for service records on the transmission and seat repairs, and confirm any open safety recalls were completed.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 71 consumer complaints for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport. 42 of the complaints include a mileage, and 21% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 66,556 miles. Of all complaints, 6 involved a crash, 10 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 4 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system12 17%
- Engine cooling9 13%
- Seats9 13%
- Suspension6 8.5%
- Tires6 8.5%
- Air bags5 7.0%
- Steering4 5.6%
- Brakes3 4.2%
Also reported: Exterior lighting (2), Fuel system (2), Seat belts (2), Body and structure (2), Engine (1), Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Other or unknown (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “This was a terrible event... My car was aimed down my 300 ft driveway. I don't believe at that point or if it was stuck I didn't know the accelerator was stuck but I soon realized something was wrong. As I headed to new albany high school for water class the explorer went faster and faster on rt 161... The clutch would not allow a down shift at all after the first time or two... I may have blown it out... The SUV went faster and faster and in 3rd gear it was revving so hard... When I could I pulled into a parking lot and turned the engine off... …”
NHTSA complaint #10453903, filed 2012-04, 136,998 milesElectrical system: “Smoke coming out of steering column when turn signal engaged. Took to dealer and told ignition switch had signs of a hot point and was melting. Had ignition switch replaced at a service station, however, they said they saw no visible signs of damage.”
NHTSA complaint #10354026, filed 2010-09, 63,000 milesEngine cooling: “There is a customer complaint recall on Ford explorer sports that Ford customer relations said information was sent out on and people I talk to have not received this information. I am currently having this problem with my vehicle and when taking to the dealership I am told yes there was and Ford knows that the tensioner chain is bad and they have a quiet recall on them and mine was covered but because of the miles on mine it is not and Ford will do nothing about it. They know this is a problem and they should fix it and in all vehicles not just a complaint. …”
NHTSA complaint #10139389, filed 2005-10, 72,000 milesSeats: “I got into my car to go to lunch from my place of employment with my ceo. When I sat down the seat fell back and the seat back would not catch again. I took my life into my hands driving home that evening. Contacted our local Ford dealer where we purchased the car, they said the part was no longer available and they could not fix it. They never informed us of a recall. Until exploring the internet today 10-25-2013 we did not realize there was a recall at all. Nhtsa campaign id # 03v281000/NHTSA action #pe03020 of august 5-2013. Now we can not locate the part.”
NHTSA complaint #10549604, filed 2013-10, 160,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
21% of the 42 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 51,109 and 110,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
- 00V394000Nov 28, 2000Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachmentsCovers: Ford Explorer Sport 2000–2001, Explorer Sport Trac 2000–2001, Ranger 2001
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles with steel hoods and certain pickup trucks equipped with sheet molding compound hoods. A wire formed hood striker could be susceptible to fatigue fractures. If the hood striker fractures, the hood could fly open…
Recall details for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 4 on record; the latest 4 are shown.
- 10026389May 16, 2008Engine cooling. Ford: certain 1999-2001 model year vehicles up to 6000 lb gvwr registered in new york and certain 2001 vehicles up to 6000 lb gvwr registered in the state of maine, certified for sale in…
- 10014138Jun 7, 2005Seat belts. Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014096Dec 13, 2004Suspension. Revised procedure for adjusting alignment on all suspensions - new right hand upper control arm design for torsion bar front suspensions.
- 10013369Nov 1, 2004Transmission and drivetrain. General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
Other model years of the Ford Explorer Sport
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 5 | 94,408 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 18 | 50,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2003 | 65 | 82,250 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 133 | 71,000 | 3 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2001 | 188 | 66,522 | 5 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 71 | 66,556 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 93 | 70,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 121 | 100,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 37 | 98,250 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 5 | 50,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Explorer Sport model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport?
Owners of this model year most often describe automatic transmission problems — slipping between gears and a flashing overdrive light — that appear from roughly 40,000–60,000 miles upward. The issues reported most often: Transmission slipping / flashing overdrive light; Smoke or burning at steering column / cruise switch; Driver's seat back collapses or reclines.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport have?
NHTSA recorded 71 consumer complaints for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 13 complaints (18% of the total), followed by electrical system with 12.
Has the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport reported?
Among the 42 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 66,556 miles and the middle half falls between 51,109 and 110,000 miles; 21% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.