Most common 2001 Ford Explorer Sport problems
Share of the 188 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Explorer Sport complaints by model year
Best Explorer Sport years: 2005, 2004, 1997. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002, 1998, 1999. Compare all years →
2001 Ford Explorer Sport recalls (5)
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt.
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat, that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt.
Vehicle speed control › Cables
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control and 4.0l sohc engines, if the strand cover on the speed control cable becomes flared at the end, the speed control cable May bind when the speed control is activated.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the speed control cable and, if necessary, replace it. Owner notification began August 29, 2003. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles with steel hoods and certain pickup trucks equipped with sheet molding compound hoods. A wire formed hood striker could be susceptible to fatigue fractures. If the hood striker fractures, the hood could fly open while the vehicle is being driven.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the hood striker.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport:
Front seat back recliner attachment
By letter dated August 4, 2003, Ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (NHTSA recall no. 03V281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 Ford explorer / Mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 Ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 Ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.complaints allege that the driver's seat back reclined without warning.a…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2001 Ford Explorer Sport owners say
Suspension all 33 →
The front stabilizer bar link broke during an evasive maneauver causing loss of control while driving down the interstate resulting in a rollover death of the driver of a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport.
I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport which I bought new. I have always maintained it properly and I babied the vehicle. I have replaced many parts on it in the last three years from ball joints to hub assemblies many expensive repairs. Now it is making noise in the rear end and my mechanic has informed me that the rear end May go at any time. I have researched this and find that many other Ford owners are experiencing the same problem but it is not considered a recall. I am not in the financial situation at this time to have this repaired and it is my feeling with so many people having this problem with their explorers it should be considered a recall. …
Body & structure all 30 →
On November 29th my mother was driving her 2001 Ford Explorer 2dr 4x4 to work. She hit an ice patch going approx. 30 MPH and lost control of her vehicle because the rear end swung sideways. Her Ford then flipped on it's passenger side and hit a tree. My mother could not get her seat belt undone so she called 911 while hanging in her vehicle. A man and woman stopped to help her out because they noticed that her Ford was on fire. They had to break into the back window and the woman climbed in to release her and pull her out. If those people would not of stopped, my mother would not be here today. There is nothing left of the interior of my mom's Explorer. ( no seats. Steering wheel & column, glass, nothing) I have e-mailed Ford and spoke with them regarding this matter and they say that if my mom's insurance company settled then they claim nothing was wrong with the vehicle. …
I was involved in an unexplained roll over involving a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, a 2 door vehicle. I did not have Firestone tires on the vehicle in question. My Goodyear tires were intact after the accident. I have reviewed the test data and I am convinced this is a faulty vehicle design. I nearly loss my life. It has changed my life. It seems as though your organization has cleared Ford indirectly by focusing attention on Firestone tires and not testing all Ford SUV's.
Transmission & drivetrain all 26 →
Transmission failure. I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport 2wd. At 109000 miles one day I was driving it on the freeway, and I noticed that the o/d light is flashing. I tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't. I exited from the freeway an I parked the car at the nearby gas station trying t o find out what was the problem. I turned the engine off for a few minutes,and then I turned it back on,and the o/d light went off. I thought it was finished, but it wasn't. I started driving for about 10 minutes the o/d light came back on, and the transmission shifts hardly from one gear to another. The next day I took the car to the transmission shop to check what is going wrong. From my house to the shop about 25 minutes drive, the o/d light started flashing. …
I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport which I bought new. I have always maintained it properly and I babied the vehicle. I have replaced many parts on it in the last three years from ball joints to hub assemblies many expensive repairs. Now it is making noise in the rear end and my mechanic has informed me that the rear end May go at any time. I have researched this and find that many other Ford owners are experiencing the same problem but it is not considered a recall. I am not in the financial situation at this time to have this repaired and it is my feeling with so many people having this problem with their explorers it should be considered a recall. …
2001 Ford Explorer Sport engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport a good car?
Based on 188 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Explorer Sport rates avoid: 2.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Explorer Sport at the same age. It is one of the Explorer Sport years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport?
The suspension — 33 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › lower ball joint. Next are the body & structure (30) and transmission & drivetrain (26).
How many recalls does the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, the most recent from August 3, 2007 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Explorer Sport?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2004 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2002, 1998 and 1999. See the full Ford Explorer Sport years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Explorer Sport problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 67,000 miles; 28% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.