128 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Explorer cite vehicle speed control, 12% of all 1,078 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.”
“WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL COMMANDED CONSIDERABLY MORE THROTTLE ON AN INTERSTATE AT 60MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY TOOK OFF AT VERY HIGH SPEED (85+MPH AND ACCELERATING WHEN I FINALLY SHUT THE IGNITION OFF). I ATTEMPTED TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA OFF SWITCH AND USING THE BRAKES TO NO AVAIL. I SHUT THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND COASTED TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY. ATTEMPTED A RE-START, AND THE ENGINE APPEARED TO START AT FULL THROTTLE. I RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND THE THROTTLE CABLE RETAINING HAD BROKEN, AND THE CABLE ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN PUSHED OUT OF ITS BRACKET BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO'S FORCE. ONCE OUT OF ITS BRACKET AND PUSHED TO NEARLY FULL THROTTLE, THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING HAD HOOKED ON THE BRACKET (SEE ATTACHED IMAGE), PREVENTING A RETURN TO IDLE FROM NEARLY FULL THROTTLE. THE PLASTIC RETAINING TABS ON THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD EVIDENTLY BEEN BROKEN BY THE LONG-TIME FORCE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL, POSSIBLY AGGRIVATED BY YEARS HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN, DEPENDING ON TINY PLASTIC TABS AS THE ONLY BLOCK TO SUCH SUDDEN, UNCOMMANDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, BUT HAD INSTIGATED THE CONDITION MY…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS AND THE TACHOMETER INCREASED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE REVERSING FROM BEING PARKED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FROM A LOW SPEED TO OVER 40 MPH CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), AND 03V280000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 204,000TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS AND THE TACHOMETER INCREASED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE REVERSING FROM BEING PARKED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FROM A LOW SPEED TO OVER 40 MPH CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS AND THE TACHOMETER INCREASED, BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE REVERSING FROM BEING PARKED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FROM A LOW SPEED TO OVER 40 MPH CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), AND 03V280000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 204,000. MA 10/15/2015 UPDATED 11/30/2017*CN”
“200 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAD A SPEED CONTROL MODIFICATION, DUE TO A RECALL. *SS. THE CONSUMER STATED A WEEK LATER, HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND FLIPPED OVER. *JB”
“2000 FORD EXPLORER WENT UP IN FLAMES. REPORTED IT RIGHT AWAY TO FORD AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER IN THE AREA. AFTER MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS OF GETTING NO RESPONSE WE KEPT GETTING THE RUN AROUND THEN TOLD THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY DEFECT. WE RECENTLY GOT A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD FOR THE EXACT THING THAT HAPPENED TO THIS CAR CAUSING IT TO GO ON FIRE AND FORD WILL NOT RESPOND. THEY SAY THAT THE CLAIM HAS BEEN CLOSED AND THAT THE ORIGINAL DECISION (WHICH WE NEVER RECEIVED) STANDS AND THEY WILL NOT RESPOND TO US ANY LONGER. HOW CAN THIS BE ACCEPTABLE. SEE FORD SAFETY RECALL #05S28 IT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EXPLORER. *TR”
Showing 6 of 128 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL AND 4.0L SOHC ENGINES, IF THE STRAND COVER ON THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE BECOMES FLARED AT THE END, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE MAY BIND WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.