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Ford ExplorerModel year report

2001 Ford Explorer Problems

Complaints
375filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
90,000miles, 113 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 4.0L 6-cyl RWD · 15 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Ford Explorer (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe engine-compartment fires while the vehicle is parked, several linked to the speed-control switch under the hood, along with repeated transmission and overdrive-light problems. Many reports also cover suspension noise or vibration and braking complaints, typically on vehicles with well over 80,000 miles.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission shudder, slipping and flashing overdrive light

    • 28 complaints (7%)
    • median 104,000 mi at 9.4 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2000–2021

    Owners describe the overdrive off light blinking, loss of power during acceleration followed by a sudden surge, and gears that slip or fail to engage, sometimes ending with only first gear working. Some report the transmission failing without warning and repairs costing thousands, and a few mention a shop replacing a solenoid without resolving the symptom. Another owner describes the shift lever breaking inside the steering column. Mostly reported between about 90,000 and 190,000 miles, with some complaints as early as 30,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive through all gears from cold and warm, watch for a blinking overdrive light, and ask for transmission service records. A scan for stored transmission codes before purchase is worthwhile.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As with so many explorers I have read about, my o/d light comes on and flashes. I lose all power during initial acceleration and then the truck shoots off like a rocket. If I turn the ignition off, the light resets and the vehicle is ok for a while until the light comes on again. I had the codes read and it came up a solenoid problem. I had them replaced and ten miles from the lot, the light came on again. I have read that this is a known issue from Ford, but they have yet to act on this issue.”

    NHTSA complaint #10317611, filed 2010-03, 104,000 miles

    “2001 v8 Explorer 36500 miles, my transmisson started slipping all over the place, luckily I got the extended warrenty. But there is no reason for such a young transmission to go bad”

    NHTSA complaint #10007584, filed 2003-02, 36,500 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Engine-compartment fire while parked (cruise control switch)

    Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the vehicle catching fire under the hood while parked, sometimes an hour or more after it was shut off, with damage often total. Several owners tie the fire to the speed-control switch or wiring under the hood, and some mention a burning smell or clicking while cruise control was engaged before it was repaired. A few note they received a recall notice for the switch but never had it serviced. Reported across a wide mileage range, often between roughly 60,000 and 150,000 miles, and frequently while the vehicle was parked rather than being driven.

    Recall 09V399000Recall 07V336000Recall 03V280000

    What to check: Ask whether the speed-control deactivation switch recall was performed and confirm the switch and its connector are not showing signs of heat or melted plastic. Any smell of burning near the front of the engine bay is worth investigating before driving.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “After having my 2001 lmtd edition Explorer parked for over 45 minutes, the vehicle caught on fire and was consumed. It was a total loss, melted down to the frame of the vehicle. The fire marshal was unable to determine the cause of the fire as the damage was so severe, but I was referred to several articles regarding similar Ford Explorer fires.”

    NHTSA complaint #10148277, filed 2006-01, 62,500 miles

    “Wife parked Explorer in garage, 20 min later heard a loud noise then noticed the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Luckily, we were able to save our home and everyone is alright. Car is completely totaled and our garage is a disaster.”

    NHTSA complaint #10230894, filed 2008-06, 110,000 miles
  3. Engine cooling

    Timing chain rattle and engine shutdown on 4.0L

    Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe a rattle from the front of the engine at around 2,000-3,000 rpm, followed in some cases by the engine stalling and needing timing chain and camshaft work. An owner of a V8 truck describes spark plugs seizing and breaking off in the cylinder head during routine replacement, requiring head removal. Several reports note shops giving conflicting diagnoses before the engine problem was identified. Mostly reported between about 85,000 and 150,000 miles, with spark-plug seizure noted around 54,000 to 91,000 miles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Listen for a rattle from the timing-chain area at mid rpm on a cold start, ask whether the timing chain components have been serviced, and confirm whether the spark plugs have been replaced and whether any broke during removal.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I am experiencing the timing belt tensioner issue that resulted in the Ford customer service satisfaction program #00m12. This extended the warranty to 6 years or 72,000 miles on that part. Too late for me, as I began having trouble a few months a go. Now, I am at 6 years/87,000 miles. My local Ford dealer said they knew nothing and so I called Ford directly. They told me to lodge a complaint with nhts. Pretty bad situation for me and many others as I have been researching on the internet.”

    NHTSA complaint #10183668, filed 2007-02, 86,000 miles

    “Ford Explorer 2001, v8 5.0l engine. The original manufacturer spark plugs had rusted in the iron block and metal ring separated from the ceramic part when I try to remove them. A broken threaded part remained in the engine block. It happened on the first three tried. On fist two I was able to use a remover to extract the left over part, on the third one, the threader broke in the head. I had to take the car to a mechanic shop, pull both cylinder heads out and replace the rest of the spark plugs. Ports needed to have inserts installed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10358888, filed 2010-10, 91,000 miles
  4. Suspension

    Rear-end thumping and front-end shake or bearing noise

    • 30 complaints (8%)
    • median 72,000 mi at 12.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2017

    Complaints describe a thumping from the rear over small road seams and bumps, sometimes feeling like the rear end is stepping out, with rear shocks replaced and the noise returning. Others report violent shaking at highway speed, worn ball joints identified at low mileage, or a front wheel bearing that came apart and sent the vehicle toward oncoming traffic. Typically reported from about 35,000 to 130,000 miles, with several rear-end thump complaints above 90,000 miles.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Drive over broken pavement and listen for rear thumping, and have the ball joints, wheel bearings and body-to-frame mounts inspected on a lift before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Rear end of car thumped every time you would go over the smallest separation in the road and also on a bumpy road. Replaced rear end shocks. Still have the same problem of thumping. Some times it feels like I'm going to loose the rear end of the vehicle. I was told possibly now that back bushings holding the body to the frame may be disintegrated. Vehicle has always been well maintained and garaged. I have found out that there have been many complaints about this occurring now with this 2001 model. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10659595, filed 2014-11, 107,000 miles

    “Frame /body mounts, creak, squawk crunch , the noise is most noticeble when turning or hitting bumps. Some peple also describe the noise a hammer beating under the vehicle, the cause is deteriorate body to frame mount cushions, these cushions apper to have been made of substandard material, much like chinese valve stems that cause so much trouble after a few years the body mounts dry rot , crumble and literally fall apart, this a terrible, this can provoked a accident.”

    NHTSA complaint #10763311, filed 2015-09, 99,776 miles
  5. Brakes

    Brake pedal grabbing, pulling or long stopping distance

    • 18 complaints (5%)
    • median 28,000 mi at 2.6 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2014

    Owners describe the brakes grabbing and releasing, the vehicle pulling to one side under braking, and longer-than-expected stopping distances. Some report the anti-lock system not working and the pedal failing to stop the vehicle, and one owner notes calipers replaced and rotors turned without the symptom going away. Reported mostly between roughly 23,000 and 100,000 miles, with several complaints filed under 40,000 miles.

    What to check: Brake firmly from speed on a quiet road during the test drive and check for pulling or pulsation; ask for recent brake and ABS service records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have several more invoices 7-29-03 replaced dust seals and forgot to put brakes back together lost whole front end and braking. Had truck for 3-4 days they have replaced the water pump pulley and s belt 2-3 times. Cruise control 10-16, 12/31/02 again squeling noise 02/28/03 defrost kills truck and chirping still. 2/10/03 steering wheel snaped part falls around inside,cruise control was fixed, bearing failure in belt tensioner again. Today still having the same problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10070345, filed 2004-01, 14,491 miles

    “When the brake pedal is depressed at any speed vehicle pulls to the right and then jerks forward. Dealership replaced the calipers, and turned the rotors in an attempt to fix the problem, but problem still exists.”

    NHTSA complaint #10044935, filed 2003-10, 35,000 miles

Buying note. Check that any open speed-control switch recall was completed, since many fire reports center on that area, and budget for transmission and suspension service on higher-mileage examples. A pre-purchase inspection with a scan tool and a lift is the practical way to check these items before buying.

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 375 consumer complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorer. 113 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 90,000 miles. Of all complaints, 64 involved a crash, 21 a fire, 65 an injury, 6 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 11 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.

Also reported: Steering (21), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (17), Other or unknown (12), Equipment (11), Fuel system (11), Seat belts (11), Wheels (10), Exterior lighting (9), Engine (6), Latches, locks and linkages (2).

Example complaints

Tires: “While driving on interstate, tire tread separated from the right rear tire causing vehicle to come into contact with gravel along the edge of the highway resulting in vehicle turning over several times. Driver and passenger injured and vehicle was a total loss.”

NHTSA complaint #10172739, filed 2006-11, 90,000 miles

Suspension: “The vehicle rolled over on its side on dry pavement on the fwy at the posted speed limit in good weather conditions. No other vehicle was involved, the car skided when I attempted to change lanes. I went into a skid and the car turned on its side.”

NHTSA complaint #11088800, filed 2018-04, 251,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Od light is flashing and the first gear shifts real hard. I took it to the Ford shop and they told me that they have fixed several and they go right back out it was a waste of my time.. Does someone have to get killed before u all fix this if u try to take off and it slips and will not go u can and will get hit.”

NHTSA complaint #10341339, filed 2010-07, 166,724 miles

Engine cooling: “I was sitting in a restaurant drive thru when the car turned off. I turned the car back on & inched a bit forward in line. Moments after that while in drive, but not moving, I heard a loud pop. After that, I saw flames shooting towards the front windshield coming from under the hood on my side. I put the car in park, turned off the car and took the key out of the ignition and fled. The restaurant workers came to my aid and put the fire out before it spread. When I went back to say thank you, they told me that they heard a second pop before they put out the fire. …”

NHTSA complaint #10712749, filed 2015-04, 188,093 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 113 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 41,000 and 123,587 miles.

4%0–104%10–2520%25–5015%50–7515%75–10027%100–15014%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (113 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 90,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

80’02’05’08’11’14’17’21
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2001 Ford Explorer. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Explorer · sedan (side air bags) not rated4 / 4——2
Explorer · sedan not rated4 / 4——2

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2001 Ford Explorer version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving); for electric versions it is the cost of electricity and the rating is in MPGe.

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Explorer 2WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic152017$3,950
Explorer 2WD5.0L 8-cyl4-speed automatic131815$4,450
Explorer 4WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic131815$4,450
Explorer 4WD5.0L 8-cyl4-speed automatic131815$4,450
Explorer USPS 2WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic152017$3,950
Explorer USPS 4WD4.0L 6-cyl5-speed automatic131815$4,450
Explorer USPS Electric 2WDElectric453339 MPGe$1,950
Explorer USPS 2WD FFV4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel5-speed automatic152017$3,950
Explorer USPS 4WD FFV4.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel5-speed automatic131715$4,450

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2001 Ford Explorer → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

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. 11 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 11 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ford Explorer

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026422,60014524Too new to compareToo new
20251073,00020521Too new to compareToo new
2024218,83210521—Too new
202311117,0001552319 · FewerToo new
202227137,00025—2339 · TypicalRising
202144844,0002752454 · TypicalRising
20201,24423,75034524100 · MoreRising
201930054,00065202 · FewerRising
201873450,000752042 · TypicalRising
20171,70450,0001352086 · MoreRising
20162,46348,85014520100 · MoreRising
20151,81257,000852091 · MoreRising
20141,68466,000652071 · MoreRising
20132,23776,4391152073 · MoreRising
201283070,000542346 · TypicalRising
20111,19770,0006—2076 · MoreRising
201011540,7071—170 · FewerFalling
20093377,0000—170 · FewerFalling
200814877,0001—160 · FewerFalling
200720867,2501—16Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200663055,0001—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200549770,0000—15Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20041,30465,0000—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20031,13173,0002—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20023,29579,0004—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200137590,0006—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200095277,4199—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19991,34882,1939—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19981,959100,0009—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19971,73199,5007—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19961,450120,2086—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1995843121,5855—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19941,20799,0414—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1993939117,4946—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1992633108,0654—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1991609121,9028—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19901258,4100———Not enough data

All Ford Explorer model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Ford Explorer?

Owners of this model year most often describe engine-compartment fires while the vehicle is parked, several linked to the speed-control switch under the hood, along with repeated transmission and overdrive-light problems. The issues reported most often: Transmission shudder, slipping and flashing overdrive light; Engine-compartment fire while parked (cruise control switch); Timing chain rattle and engine shutdown on 4.0L.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA recorded 375 consumer complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorer as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Ford Explorer is reported most often?

Tires is named most often, in 62 complaints (17% of the total), followed by suspension with 43.

Has the 2001 Ford Explorer been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Ford Explorer get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Ford Explorer (Explorer 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,950 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Ford Explorer reported?

Among the 113 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 90,000 miles and the middle half falls between 41,000 and 123,587 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.