Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Rear upper and lower control arms completely rusted out, resulting a dangerous driving situation. I have vehicle serviced regularly at a Ford dealer and was never informed of such a hazard. While driving, heard a loud noise and felt a bad jerk, rear-end just fell down. Had severe medical issues as result. Ford needs to alert consumers of this problem and implement a recall, before a fatal occurs.
Driving a 2001 Ford Expedition w/ tow package and 2trailers at 55mph, back trailer started to swerve was unable to bring under control do to the expeditions lack of suspension. Tow ratings for vechicle not realiistic. Lost control of all 3 vech. And rolled them on 7/27/03. Bought Expedition with larger engine and tow pkg. For the purpose of towing. Will sell the Expedition and go back to my 1988 Ford e250, has hauled the same load for over 10 years now without a problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Expedition. The contact discovered that the rear lower control arms/trailing arms were completely rusted. The contact was a certified mechanic who replaced the lower control arms. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 208,000. Updated 4/30/15 the consumer stated the passenger side was rusted too, but was still intact. Updated 05/07/15
Vehicle is a 2001 Ford Expedition xlt 4x4 purchased new in April 2001 and owned continuously by current owner, only serviced at hub Ford of colchester, ct and girard Ford of norwich ct. Failure of suspension/drivetrain components occurred while accelerating onto a highway onramp. Both rear lower control arms had corrosion that LED to complete disconnection from rear axle. With no supporting lower control arms, the rear transaxle shifted during vehicle acceleration. Shifting of transaxle then introduced excessive force on drive shave ujoint (rear transaxle ujoint) which caused complete failure and disconnection of rear driveshaft. Vehicle's 4wd system engaged, allowing vehicle to be safely guided onto the available offramp (cloverleaf highway intersection) and into safe recovery location for towing by aaa to a local Ford dealer. …
Ford Expedition 5.4l 2001 - sudden brake failure while traveling 25 MPH in parking lot. Brake lines rusted through caused sudden brake failure. Car had undercarriage cleaning frequently during winter months and there was no indication of any problems. When replacing the brake lines, owner was informed that the upper and lower rear control arms were rusted through as well and that immediate replacement was necessary to avoid the rear track arm failure which results in dropping the rear axle and complete loss of vehicle control. Vehicle was purchased new in June 2001 and maintained continuously.owner has possession of corroded control arms after repair for evidence in NHTSA investigation. NHTSA is encouraged to contact the owner of vehicle for inspection of failed parts for investigative support.. …
Certified ltr requesting NHTSA initiate a defect investigation re selected Ford motor company vehicles left front inner bearings for advanced fatigue cracks. Complainant was recently asked to consult in the matter of a fatal high speed head on two-vehicle collision. While driving westbound 2001 Ford Expedition veered into the oncoming lane and struck an eastbound 2000 Ford f250 long bed truck towing a 5th wheel travel trailer. The resulting collision killed the three occupants in the 2001 Expedition and the two occupants in the 2000 Ford f250 pickup truck. Metallurgical analysis showed that the left front inner bearing failed on the explorer as a result of progressive fatigue. The bearing failure occurred at approximately 30,000 miles. Please reference odi# 10139953 to obtain information on the 2000 Ford f250 pickup truck.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 25 MPH, there was a loud bang as the rear of the vehicle began to sway abnormally. The contact was able to gain control and immediately came to an abrupt stop. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the rear upper and lower trailing arms were fractured as a result of rust and corrosion. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the trailing arms detached when accelerating from a stop. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. The repair shop stated that the upper and lower trailing arms needed to be replaced on both sides of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileages were 128,400 updated 02/27/12 the consumer stated both trailing arms had completely rusted out and failed which caused the rear end to become loose. Updated 03/21/12
I have a 1997 Ford Expedition, I was driving home through the country, when going into a curve, I heard a pop come from the front of the truck. Truck went into a hard lean , but I was able to keep under control. From previous ownership of a Ford explorer, I knew what happened. Upon inspection sway bar links had broken...updated 02/11/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while the vehicle was being serviced, he was informed that the suspension was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage and current mileage was 59,000.
Suspension complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2001 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the suspension of the 2001 Ford Expedition, 4% of the model year's 578 complaints. The component named most often is front (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Expedition suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2001 Ford Expedition, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Expedition suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 128,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries and 5 deaths to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.