NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Ford Explorer. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE THERE HAS BEEN A SMELL, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. A BURNING SMELL, AT TIMES THE SMELL OF ROTTEN EGGS. THIS SMELL CAUSES ME TO BE NAUSEAOUS. THE DEALER CHECKED THIS ON THE COMPUTER, STATED EVERYHING IS OKAY. THE COMPUTER RESULTS VERIFY THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING WITHIN FORD STANDARDS. *AK
MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE INABILITY TO STEER THIS VEHICLE. IT WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD . IF YOU HAPPEN TO HIT A BUMP ( LIKE A LANE REFLECTOR) IT SEEMS TO BE OUT OF CONTROL MOMENTARILY. THE VEHICLE HAS A DISTINCT SHIMMY/SHAKE. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 5 TIMES(LEAVING IT NUMEROUS DAYS/WEEKS) THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT THIS. THEIR LAST SUGGESTION WAS TO FILE THE LEMON LAW. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT FORD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT-BUT I GUESS ONLY IF FORCED TO BY SOME LAW. THE REASON I WANTED TO FILE THIS WAS TO SEE IF OTHER PERSONS WERE EXPERIENCING THESE SAME STEERING ISSUES. I HAVE NEVER FELT SO UNSAFE DRIVING A CAR BEFORE THIS ONE.*AK
ROLLOVER, L REAR TIRE, INS. CO STATES RIM CAUSED ACCIDENT. *AK
LOW DESIGN PLACEMENT OF TURN SIGNAL LEVER PREVENTS USE FOR LEFT TURN SIGNAL FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LONG LEGS WHERE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT ROOM BETWEEN THE TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM AND THE DOOR TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 60MPH VEHICLE VIBRATES. VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT SEVERLY. STEERING WHEEL IS CROOKED, PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK ALSO, CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS VERY BAD SMELL FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH FORD SAYS IT IS NORMAL. *YD
FORD STATED TO ME THAT I NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE MY TIRES BUT THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR THIS.*AK (TIRESIZE: 17)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD ILLUMINATE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED INSTRUMENT PANEL.*AK
VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN ACCELERATING UP TO 60MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SAME PROBLEM APPPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES. AT LAST INCIDENT DEALER FOUND THAT SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE MOE INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON STRAIGHTAWAY OWNER FEELS A WIGGLE OR PROBLEM KEEPING TRUCK STRAIGHT. TRUCK IS UNSTABLE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SPURIOUS RADIO EMISSIONS IN EXCESSIVE OF 10 METERS FORM THE VEHICLE. THE RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE CAUSES NEAR TOTAL DISRUPTION TO RADIO FREQUENCY EQUIPMENT OPERATED WITHIN 10 METERS OF THE VEHICLE. THE TROUBLE HAS BEEN ISOLATED TO THE FUEL PUMP. TESTING INDICATES THE FUEL PUMP IS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS BEEN ASVISED BY FORD THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT BUT FORD REFUSES TO ASSIST. *JG
CONSUMER NOTICE WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED FROM A STOP, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
CONSUMER STATES WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER TECHNICIAN NOTICED BRAKE CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
THE NUMBER THREE BODY MOUNT LOCATED IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE HAS CRACKED THROW THE METAL WHICH CAUSES THE BODY TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN 122-25 FOR THIS PART,BUT THE REPAIR SOLUTION DOSE NOT FIX THE PROBLEM PER CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE PANEL. ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL COME ON EVERY NOW AND THEN TO THE POINT THAT CONSUMER DOSEN'T KNOW IF THE AIR BAG WORK OR NOT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS FIXED BUT THE LIGHT STILL COMES ON. TS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATHER AND RADIO PANEL. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICE THAT THE PANEL WHERE THE RADIO IS WAS EXTREMILY HOT TO THE POINT WHERE SHE TOUGHT THAT IT COULD INITIATE A FIRE. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. TS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WATER LEAKING. ALSO STATED THAT IS MORE THAN JUST A LEAKAGE BECAUSE EVERYTIME THE CONSUMER MAKES A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN YOU CAN HERE A REAL LOUD SOUND OF WATER MOVING ON THE ROOF. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT TO KEEP THE WINDOWS OPEN SO THE WATER CAN DRY. TS
WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK RAN OFF THE ROAD AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON. NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *NLM
RUNNING BOARDS HAVE RUTTED OUT AND IF SOMEONE STEPPED ON THEM IT COULD FALL OUT. *TT
VEHICLE IS IN THE REMEDY SCOPE FOR RECAL 03V281000 SUBJECT: HIGH BACK SEATS. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR.*AK
THERE WAS A WARNING INDICATOR THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ILLUMINATED GREEN. WHEN THE INDICATOR TURNED BLUE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE INDICATOR WAS FOR THE LIGHTING SYSTEM, AND THE DEALER MADE SOME REPAIRS, BUT DID NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER OF WHAT WAS DONE. CURRENTLY, THE INDICATOR IS NOT ON AT ALL, AND THE DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE WHY IT IS NOT WORKING. ALSO, THE REAR WINDOW WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS NOT OPERATING. DEALER STATED MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *PH *NLM
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.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 72 OR 73 MPH, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. GENERAL MAXUS P23575R15. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BACK KEPT FLYING FORWARD WHEN THE TRUCK CAME TO A STOP. T HE CONSUMER FEELS VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS TRUCK. PLEASE DESCRIBE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *NLM
WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DRIVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THERE WAS ARE NO TURN SIGNAL OR BRAKE LIGHT. DRIVER WOULD MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL IN ANOTHER DIRECTION AND THE SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026