Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Ford Explorer problems

Owners filed 730 complaints about the 2001 Ford Explorer with NHTSA between Jun 2000 and Aug 2023. The most-cited component is power train (102).

Complaints
730
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
97
Reported by owners
Fires
41
Reported by owners
Injuries
96
People reported injured
Deaths
10
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train102
  2. Suspension87
  3. Tires86
  4. Structure83
  5. Vehicle speed control76
  6. Engine and engine cooling72
  7. Electrical system52
  8. Air bags52
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic49
  10. Seats47
  11. Steering33
  12. Visibility25
  13. Seat belts21
  14. Equipment20

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200048
200192
2002102
200369
200466
200556
200630
200738
200845
200918
201042
201122
201219
201316
201423
201512
201611
201711
20184
20193
20200
20212
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

102 reports6 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. THERE WAS ALSO RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND A HOLE IN THE RUNNING BOARDS, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THEM TO DETACH. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THAT THE GROUND COULD BE SEEN THROUGH THE HOLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO PRODUCED THICK SMOKE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2019Power train, Structure, EngineFire reportedODI 11187507

Suspension

87 reports6 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2018Suspension, Structure, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 11088800

Tires

86 reports11 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEREIN A YOUNG MAN WAS SEVERELY INJURED. HE SURVIVED, BUT HAS A PLATE IN HIS JAW, AND SEVERE SCARRING ON HIS FACE. HIS SISTER WAS ALSO A PASSENGER AND WAS INJURED, BUT LESS SEVERELY. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE APPEARS TO HAVE BLOWN OUT, CAUSING THE CRASH. A WITNESS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT STATED: "I NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE ONE OF THE RIGHT SIDE TIRES BEND TO THE SIDE AND SUDDENLY EXPLODE. AT THAT POINT THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE TIRE EXPLOSION AND SWERVED TO THE CENTER DIVIDER AND CRASHED. INFORMATION ON THE TIRES IS AS FOLLOWS: RADIAL SXT ALL TERRAINS. DOT NUMBER ON THE TIRES WERE XFA 0307 AND THE TIRE SIZE WAS 75/16. ALL TIRES PASSED INSPECTION THREE MONTHS BEFORE, WITH A TREAD OF 6/32. THE OFFICER NOTED THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2013Tires, WheelsCrash reportedODI 10524057

Structure

83 reports9 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING ON THE REAR DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE, BUT ONLY FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. MARYSVILLE FORD IN MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30. *TT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2018StructureODI 11065729

Vehicle speed control

76 reports7 crashes16 fires3 related recalls
“TAKATA RECALL, THE INSIDE LIGHTSOR DOME LIGHTS, THEY SHORTED OUT ONE TO ANOTHER IN THE DOUBLE OVER HEAD LIGHTS AND GROUNDED OUT THE BATTERY COULD CAUSE SEVERAL PROBLEMS ONE IT KILLED THE BATTERY AND I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE ONE OF THE LIGHTS AND TO STOP I TOOK BOTH LIGHTS OUT AND SEPERATED THE COPPER THAT CONECTS WITH SWITCH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2016Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 10908818

Engine and engine cooling

72 reports3 crashes7 fires
“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. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD HEADQUARTERS. THEY CHECKED MY VIN AND TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL FOR A DEFECT THAT CAUSES FIRES. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP A COUPLE MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT AND THEY DID NOT TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT A RECALL ON THE CAR. ALSO, THE CAR OIL WAS LAST CHANGED 3/5/2015 AND WAS BELOW THE MILEAGE FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE, SO I AM SO CONFUSED AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2015Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10712749
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.