There are 50 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DRIVING ON FREEWAY FRONT DRIVER WHEEL FELL OFF CAUSING TRUCK TO ROLL OVER. NO AIR BAG WAS INFLATED. WAS TOLD THE PIN THAT HOLDS THE TIRE ON CAME OUT. TRUCK WAS TOTALLED AND HIT 2OTHER CARS WHILE ROLLING.
---- THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A SEAT BELT FOR A PASSENGER RIDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR SEAT. THE REAR SEAT HAS AMPLE SPACE FOR THREE FULL-SIZED ADULTS, BUT THERE IS NO SEAT BELT FOR A MIDDLE PASSENGER. THE FORD ORIGINAL SHOP MANUAL INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NOT ANY SECURE ATTACHMENT POINTS TO INSTALL A 3RD-PARTY BELT BUILT INTO THE BODY. ---- THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND MAY MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO CARRY A THIRD PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT. NHTSA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND DIRECT FORD TO PROVIDE SEAT BELTS FOR A CENTER PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR
I HAD AN ACCIDENT I JANUARY 2016 AND MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSE ME DAMAGE TO MY NECK AND BOTH SHOULDER. DOCTORS SAY I NEED SURGERY ON ROTATOR CUFFS. IF AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THRUST FORWARD. I GRABBED STEERING WHEEL TO BRACE MYSELF AND WAS THRUST FORWARD THERE FOR DAMAGE BOTH ROTATOR CUFFS IN MY SHOULDER AND HURTING MY NECK ALSO. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER TRUCKS OF MY MAKE THAT AIR BAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED AND PEOPLE GETTING HURT. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. . WHY ARE THERE NOT RECALLS ON THIS AIR BAGS. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
DRIVER SEAT BOLT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD SUDDENLY UNLOCK. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS WOULD MOVE FORWARD WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,694.
AIR BAG LIGHT ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE PARTY IN 2014.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND UPON IMPACT, ALL OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 101,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE JAW AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 23,000.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK DURING AN ICE STORM AND LOST CONTROL OF HER 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT SUV AND STRUCK A TREE. SHE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED DURING THE HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND IT SUSTAINED MAJOR SHEETMETAL AND FRAME DAMAGE. THE RADIATOR WAS PUSHED IN AND DESTROYED. *TR
I DRIVE A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT LOCK. I WENT TO MY LOCAL CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND SHE CONFIRMED FOR ME WHILE TRYING TO PLACE THE CARSEAT INTO THE VEHICLE. EVERYTIME I TURN THE CARSEAT UNLOCKS FROM THE SEATBELT AND RE-LOCKS ITSELF. MY CHILD IS LITERALLY LAYING O HER SIDE IN THE SEAT. CALLED FORD AND I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY TO GET IN FIXED WHEN THERE IS NO REASON WHY BOTH REAR SEATBELTS SHOULDN'T LOCK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. SHE STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE SEAT BELT OFF.THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR A GARAGE FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER .THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,236.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE DIVIDER ON THE HIGHWAY. DURING THE CRASH NONE OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND THE MANUFACTURER DISCONNECTED THE CALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING OFF AND ON. DON'T KNOW IF AIR BAGS WILL DEPLOY OR NOT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. FORD HAS A SAFEY MEMO OUT ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT WON'T RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAY IT ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE. HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE AIR BAGS WILL DEPLOY. *CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. HE STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY AND BLINKS WHEN THERE IS NO PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER WILL NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE WITHOUT THE CONTACT PAYING A FEE. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94144. UPDATED 05/11/09. *LJ UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB
SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT OR RECOIL. I CAN FASTENER THE SEAT BELT BUT IT WILL NOT ADJUST AT ALL. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALER AND THE BEAT IS BROKEN WHERE THE PANEL WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF TO REPAIR. *NM
FEB 7TH 2006 I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DEPLOYED BOTH AIRBAGS. MY EXPLORER SPORT TRAC DID NOT DEPLOY ANY AIRBAGS. I HAD TO HAVE A FUSION OF C5 & C6 IN MY NECK DUE TO THE CRASH. *TR
I SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS ON A 2001 FORD SPORT TRAC. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB
IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID AN CHAIN REACTION ACCIDENT MY HUSBAND, ROBERT, VEERED OFF THE ROAD. OUR 2001 FORD EXPLORER HIT A TREE, FLIPPED OVER TRAPPING HIM IN THE VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THANK GOD, HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA GOES WITHOUT SAYING. IT IS VERY UPSETTING TO PAY MONEY FOR SAFETY EQUIPMENT ONLY TO HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT FAIL WHEN YOU EXPECT IT TO WORK. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CENTER ROW CENTER SEAT BELT TIGHTENED BY ITSELF BEFORE THE VEHICLE EVEN MOVED. THE CONTACT'S 8 YEAR OLD CHILD SUSTAINED A BRUISED HIP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS ENGINEERED TO TIGHTEN IN THAT MANNER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,364.
WHILE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE SEPARATED. AS A RESULT THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW. NO MAJOR INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026