Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Explorer Sport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Driving on highway and heard banging/bumping noise coming from rear of vehicle. Initially thought that jack had came loose from holder located in fender well compartment. Upon inspection jack was found to be tight in holder. Noticed that you could hear the banging noise when rocking the vehicle up and down. Carried vehicle to a local mechanic who inspected it and found that the right rear body insulator had deteriorated and fell out allowing the Explorer's body to ride directly on the frame. Mechanic stated that he felt it would be safe to drive vehicle but advised too, that it could damage the body because it was riding directly on frame.cost to repair = $325 ($110 labor + $167 for new chassis body insulator purchased from a local Ford dealer + 40 for used body mount supports purchased at a local salvage yard + 8 in taxes). …
All body bushings were defective and had to be replaced. The bushings were desiccated and had crumbled away. This made the vehicle unsafe when cornering as there was nothing to support the weight of the body between it and the frame causing excessive movement and compromise of center of gravity. According to the mechanic who replaced my bushings, he had seen this defect on all the vehicles of this make and model year. He said that it was not a problem on the 1998 Ford Explorer Sport. I went to a local junk yard and looked at several Ford Explorer sports and noticed the same defect on all the 2001 model years. The 1998 model year had bushings that were still in good condition.
2001 Ford Explorer Sport. During normal driving, a rear rattle/ banging noise would occur when going over rough road or over bumps. This has progressively gotten worse over time. Investigation and inspection of the vehicle had revealed that all the body/frame mount bushings have deteriorated to the point that they were crumbling, leaving no support/cushion between body and frame. This could potentially make the vehicle unsafe as there would be no support for the body, cause excessive body movement and a shift in the vehicle weight dynamics. This issue has already been reported in several vehicle safety complaints prior to mine.
Every time I hit a bump or even a rock my car would shake and rattle so bad I couldn't even keep it on the road. We took it to the Ford place in longview and they said there wasn't any recalls on it and they wouldn't pay for it. They said something had been sprayed on it (bushings) or my car had been up north around salt water. Neither were true. I had to take it to a mechanic to get it repaired. I kept all the parts. The bushings had turned brittle and mushy and had to be put in a box.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact stated that the body bushings were rotting. The contact stated that the body of the vehicle was loose from the frame. The contact then called the manufacturer regarding the frame and the manufacturer advised that there were no recalls for the failure. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer or a local mechanic for inspection or repairs. The failure mileage was 126,000. Updated 09/28/11
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. While driving approximately 30 MPH the contact heard a banging noise on the right rear wheel well of the tire. The vehicle was taken dealer where the technicians diagnosed the failure to be caused by the body mount insulator which was completely disintegrated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
My 2001 Ford Explorer Sport trac's body mount cushion has deteriorated and I can't drive the vehicle without an expensive (remove the body off of the truck) procedure and very expensive parts. This should last the lifetime of a vehicle. This should be a safety recall issue. Thank you, [redacted] attorney at law, maui, hawaii
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. The contact was driving 15 MPH when a banging sound was heard from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was found that the body mounts had disintegrated from the vehicle due to corrosion. The manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.
Related recalls
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.
Body complaints in other Explorer Sport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, 16% of the model year's 188 complaints. The component named most often is body (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Explorer Sport body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-394 (hinge and attachments, Nov 28, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Explorer Sport body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries and 2 deaths to body & structure 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.