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 Explorer Sport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
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.
The body mount bushings began deteriorating several years ago. The rear four are completely deteriorated and causing safety/handling problems and safety concerns are beginning to be an issue. Ford mechanics say there is no recall and were not aware that this was a problem. This is hard to believe since I've located similar reports all over the internet and I also located more than 5 similar complaints in this website (10331811, 10220625, 10243054, 10248006, 10193852). Please let me know if Ford will be issuing a recall.
As many other owners of the Ford Explorer Sport have complained about, there is a very loud banging coming from the rear end of my SUV whenever I drive over even the slightest bump or rough road. I have replaced the shocks but it did not make any difference to this problem. It still is so loud and the ride remains very rough. I now understand that the body mount bushings have deteriorated and will need to be replaced to improve the ride and make the vehicle safe to drive again.
Design flaw in "ball joints" for 2001 Ford Explorer Sport. Vechicle has 52K miles, less than 3yrs old, and needed to replace lower ball joints, and it was suggested that the upper ball joints May also need replacing in the near future, at a cost of $400 for each set. These ball joints should never need replacing at this low mileage, especially for a Sport utility vechicle, one of which has never been off the road.
Rear passenger side leaf spring was found to be cracked around bushings front and rear when removed for replacement. 3 Ford dealers and 3 other shops could not see this over a period of 90,000 miles. It wasn't till the bushings on the other side started to wear and I decided to replace the all the components that it was found when the leaf spring suddenly fell out after removing the u-bolts.
Both items happened right after my vechicle coverage ran out in oct. Of 2003,anyway 1st. The A/C recycling switch went bad at around 20,200 miles, now the passenger front lower ball joint is making a terrible noise , so I assume that thats on it`s way out,also I noticed that the rear bumper is on a downward position. To me I think this year`s production model stinks .
Suspension complaints in other Explorer Sport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the suspension of the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, 18% of the model year's 188 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › lower ball joint (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Explorer Sport suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, though it has 5 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 Explorer Sport suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury and 1 death 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.