There are 10 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
FORD EXPLORER 2001 BLEND DOOR NEEDS REPLACED. CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE I FOUND OUT EARLY ONE MORNING ON A COLD DAY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT DEFROST AND I COULD NOT SEE THREW IT WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I KEPT PULLING OVER TO WIPE THE WINDOWS AND HEADED BACK HOME. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FORD SERVICE AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COST ALOT. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE WEB I LEARNED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS SO COMMON OF A PROBLEM. THANK YOU, CHRISTINE *TR
MOUNTING BOLT FROM REAR HATCH WINDOW PULLED LOOSE, BECAME STRIPPED. HATCH WINDOW FALLING OF VEHICLE. *JB
WINDSHIELD GLASS HAS A TWELVE INCH BROKEN LINE IN MIDDLE OF THE GLASS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
UPON CLOSING REAR DOOR WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE, THE WINDOW ON HATCHBACK SHATTERED. *AK THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *YD
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
FRONT DEFOGGER IS OPERABLE, BUT HEAT DOESN'T HEAT. *AK
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE THE BACK WINDOW WAS ROLLING UP IT WOULD GET 2 OR 3 INCHES FROM THE TOP AND AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK DOWN. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT WOULD CLOSE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND SAID THEY HAD TO REPROGRAM THE MEMORY. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE SINCE THEN.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED. CONSUMER NOTICED BACK WINDOW HAD SHATTERED.*AK *SLC
DEEP SCRATCHES HAVE APPERED ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT SIDE WINDOWS. ON THE PASSANGER SIDE THE SCRATCHES ARE SO BAD THAT IT INPAIRS THE VIEW OF THE SIDE MIRROR, IT IS SO BAD ON SUNNY DAYS THAT I CAN NOT RELY ON THE USE OF THAT MIRROR. THERE ARE ALSO DEEP SCRATCHES ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BUT THEY ARE ON THE REAR OF THE WINDOW.*AK
REAR WINDOW AUTO UP DOES NOT HAVE AN OBSTRUCTION STOP SAFETY FEATURE. OWNERS PET WAS NEARLY STRANGLED AFTER BEING CAUGT IN THE WINDOW WHILE IT WAS CLOSING. THERE IS A HIGH POSSIBILITY THAT A PET OR SMALL CHILD COULD BE KILLED IN THIS WINDOW WHEN IT IS CLOSED.
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