There are 29 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONATCT HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE THROTTLE AND SPEED CONTROL STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE OVER 90 MPH. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT IN USE AT THE TIME. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK AND THE CONTACT STATED THE CONSTANT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES CAUSED THEM TO SMOKE AND ALMOST CATCH ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALERTED. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.
THE DRIVER NOTICED WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH. ALL FOUR ROTORS WHERE REPLACED. *TC *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THEY GRABBED THEN LET GO WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO SKID. *NLM *TS *JB
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE A BRAKING LIGHT APPEAR ON THE DASBOARD. THE LIGHT WILL STAY ON INTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURN OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
AT TIMES MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL WHEN ENGAGED DOESNT WORK AND AT THIS TIME I NOTICE SMOKE COMING OUT OF STEERING COLLUMN,THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH PRESSING THE BRAKES, SOMETIMES WHEN I DEPRESS IT WORKS THEN GOES OFF WHEN PRESSING A SECOND TIME, ALSO DISPLAY ON STEREO WORKS PART TIME ONLY MAYBE ONE OUT OF EVERY TEN DRIVES. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKE PROBLEM, IN 2002 I HAD MY EXPLORER IN TO PHIL LONG FORD 3 TIMES FOR PULLING, VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN STOPPING. THEY MACHINED THE ROTORS EACH TIME. I THEN TOOK IT BACK TO FORD BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE STILL DOING THE SAME THING, ONCE AGAIN THEY MACHINED THE ROTORS DOWN TO THE LOWEST THICKNESS. THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO MAKE NOISE AND THE PEDAL IS NOW SLOPPY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO TSB REPORT ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT YET I FIND ON THE INTERNET. THE BULLTIN # IS 15910 AND #15249. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT WHAT EVER THE DEALER HAD TO SAY WAS THE WAY IT WAS, BECAUSE THEY WERE A BLUE OVAL DEALER. *JB *TS
BRAKE PROBLEM, IN 2002 I HAD MY EXPLORER IN TO PHIL LONG FORD 3 TIMES FOR PULLING, VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN STOPPING. THEY MACHINED THE ROTORS EACH TIME. I THEN TOOK IT BACK TO FORD BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE STILL DOING THE SAME THING, ONCE AGAIN THEY MACHINED THE ROTORS DOWN TO THE LOWEST THICKNESS, THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO MAKE NOISE AND THE PEDAL IS NOW SLOPPY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO TSB REPORT ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT YET I FIND ON THE INTERNET. THE BULLTIN # IS 15910 AND #15249. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT WHAT EVER THE DEALER HAD TO SAY WAS THE WAY IT WAS, BECAUSE THEY WERE A BLUE OVAL DEALER. *JB
RE BRAKES: THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOES/PAD TWICE ANDS ROTORS ONCE. RE TIRE/WHEELS THEY COULD NOT GET THEM TO BALANCE OUT TRIED 4 TIMES ( GOODYEAR TRIED TWICE) TOTAL OF 6 TIMES. AGAIN A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, IT PULLS LEFT WHEN BRAKING, AND VIBRATION IS BACK AGAIN. I HAVE SPOKE WITH WAYNE ( SERVICE MGR) AND AL MC DONALD ( GENERAL SALES MGR). I HAVE INFORMED THEM OF THE NEVADA LEMON LAW # NRS 597.630 HE SAID TO INFORCE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET A "LAWYER". PLEASE NOTE I ONLY MARKED THE FIRST TIME OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE FULL DOC'S OF EVERY VISIT ON THESE ITEMS. PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU, CRYSTAL DEL GIUDICE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED 3 TIMES. DEALER HAS REPORTED THAT HIGH PITCHED SQUEAL IS COMMON FROM FACTORY. BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE, FRONT CALIPERS REPLACED LAST VISIT.*AK
CONSUMER STATES SHE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT, CONSUMER STATES SHE WAS UNABLE TO COME TO A QUICK STOP AND COMPLETE STOP, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SOME INJURIES DURING COLLISION, CONSUMER IS QUESTIONING ABS WHICH DOES FEEL SPONGY OR THE FACT THAT SHE WAS DRIVING WITH THE WILDERNESS TIRES THAT ARE ALSO QUESTIONABLE RIGHT NOW.*JB
IHAVE LOST CONTROLL OF THIS VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE STEERING AND OVERALL HANDLING ,MY TIRES ARE ALSO PLAYING A ROLL IN THIS I BELEAVE THIS PROBLEM IS MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED IN RAIN OR SNOW . I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE FOR MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN! I'VE ALREADY HAD THE VEHICLE INTO AUBURN MOTOR SALES FOR 6 DAYS FOR COMPLAINTS OF LACK&SURGE OF POWER,BAD SULFER SMELL AT IDLE ROLLING IDLE(UP&DOWN), EXTREMELY POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIOGNOSE PROBLEM. AS OF TODAY I'VE LOST 21 DAYS OF USE ,ON A VEHICLE I'VE ONLY HAD ABOUT4 AND A HALF MONTHS KNOW THEY SAY I NEED AN ENGINE THAT I'M STILL WAITING ON. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP I DIDN'T FEEL THIS VEHICLE WAS SAFE AND WANTED IT REPLACED .I GOT KNOW WHERE, WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I GOT LEMON LAW PAPERWORK THEY TOLD ME FORD WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT PURSUE IT THROUGH THE STATE. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE STUCK WHEN YOU PURCHASED A NEW VEHICLE AND IT HAS COMPROMISED YOUR SAFETY TIME&TIME AGAIN! MY SALESMAN TOLD ME TO LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE I WAS STILL HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT!!! I DON'T FIND THIS VERY AMUSING ,I WONDER IF FORD KNOWS HOW HE FEELS IN MY OPINION HE WAS TELLING ME I COULD OF BEEN DEAD!!! BRENDA. *AK (TIRESIZE: 255/70/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 255/70/16 )
BRAKING SYSTEM UNRESPONSIVE AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, WHICH BELIEVE IS THE RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. NOW AFTER ONLY 3.5 MONTHS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS VERY SOFT. BRAKE PEDAL HAS TO BE PRESSED ALMOST TO END OF RANGE OF LIMIT BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START TO SLOW DOWN.*AK
WHEN DRIVING BRAKES BECOME REAL SOFT, AND CONSUMER HAS TROUBLE SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND AN EMERGENCY OR PANIC STOP IS REQUIRED DUE TO TRAFFIC STOPPING, OTHER BAD DRIVERS, DEER, ANYTHING THAT MAY APLY, YOU HIT THE BRAKES PRETTY HARD TO STOP AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE BECOMES UNCONTROLLEABLE AND VEERS EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT DESPITE DRIVERS EFFORT TO STAY STRAIGHT. THE DEALER HAS DUPLICATED PROBLEM IN MY TRUCK AND ANOTHER BRAND NEW TRUCK SIMILAR TO MINE OFF THEIR LOT. DEALER SAID THEY CANNOT FIX IT. THEY BELIEVE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE FISRT TIME IT HAPPENED TO ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, IT MOVED LEFT 2 LANES AND PUT ME NEXT TO A CONCRETE BARRIER ON THE HIGHWAY. MY WIFE HAS COMPLAINED OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS ABOUT THE VEHICLE FEELING UNSTABLE AND VEERING DURING RAPID STOPS FROM DIFFERENT SPEEDS. DATE OF INCIDENT IS DEALER DUPLICATING PROBLEM TO TROUBLE SHOOT. EL CAJON FORD WAS THE SERVICING DEALER LOCATED IN ELCAJON CA.*AK
ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WENT OUT IN DECEMBER 2000. DEALER REPLACED ABS AND OTHER BRAKE PARTS. BRAKES WENT OUT AGAIN ON JANUARY 30, AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE SEALS ON HEADLIGHTS AND TRIM OF VEHICLE REPLACED. THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND FROM RADIO. *AK
VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. BRAKES AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND CONSUMER HURT HIS HEAD. *AK THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL WERE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER THAT IT WAS EASY TO DEPRESS BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN. *YH
WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON I DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS WENT ONTO THE GRAVEL SHOULDER. WHEN I GOT THE 2 WHEELS BACK ON PAVEMENT THE WHEELS THAT HAD BEEN ON THE GRAVEL SEEMED TO GO FASTER THAN THE DRIVER SIDE WHEELS. THE BRAKES DIDN'T ENGAGE AND THE CAR SHOT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY WHILE ACCELERATING AND THE CAR FLIPPED 3 OR 4 TIMES.
Showing 1–20 of 29 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 May 4, 2026