Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The vehicle caught fire while parked. The fire was contained to the engine compartment and extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle was destroyed. The purchase date was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 95,000. The consumer stated he would like Ford to furnish another vehicle and be reimbursed for rental cars as a result of this incident. The consumer provided pictures, 2 engineers report and 2 letters from Ford regarding the incident. The consumer stated his cruise control stopped working last winter. The brake fluid was low on 2 occassions. Updated 08/01/07
On Wednesday January 2, 2008 a rollover accident occured on my wifes 2001 Ford Explorer. She was driving home when she set her cruise control to 60 MPH. When she hit her brakes to release the cruise control and slow down, the vehicle did not slow down and her cruise control did not release. She was able to get the vehicle slowed down to approximately 40 MPH when she came to a t in the road. She was unable to make the turn and the vehicle rolled over with her and 2 young children in the vehicle.
Tl* - the contact stated that while his 2001 Ford Explorer was parked in the driveway, the vehicle caught on fire underneath the hood. The fire damaged the entire front end of the vehicle, the electrical wiring, piping and anything that was concerning plastic melted in the vehicle. The fire dpeartment stated that this falure was common with Ford Explorer, that the cruise control switch would get stuck and catch on fire. Contact can provide incident report and pictures. Jrb
Was driving approximately 50 MPH heard a popping noise. Noticed white smoke coming from steering column. No flames appeared. Pulled vehicle over and shut everything down. Contacted police and towed the truck. At the mechanic's shop was informed that the cruise control cable was pinched off and started the electrical fire. No injuries reported.
1. Lying in bed only to be awoken by boom (tire blowing out) at 5:00 a.m. 2. Failure was speed control deactivation switch, also known as a "brake pressure switch...ignited setting vehicle on fire 3. Nothing done...vehicle was totaled in fire.
Vehicle was parked in the garage for an hour when all of a sudden it caught on fire along with consumer's home. Results showed that there was a short with the cruise control switch under the hood.
Dt: the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The contact stated cruise control was not working properly. She had the cruise control set at 35 MPH while going up a hill, but was pulled over by the police, and they stated she was going approximately 65 MPH. The consumer showed the police that this was what actually happened. This happened 7 times in the last 4 months. The on/off switch that was used to disengage the cruise control will not work, and the contact had to apply the brakes hard to disengage the cruise control. The contact has not been to a service dealer to have the vehicle inspected, and has not contacted the manufacturer. The contact stated the lights on the steering wheel did not illuminate. The fuse has been replaced to remedy this situation, but it did not fix the lights problem.
When I have used my speed control I have had smoke come out of the top of my steering column twice. The smoke comes through the hole for my emergency light button on the top of my steering column. This happened recently for the third time. The Ford dealer is charging $652.63 to replace the wire harness and the switch that controls wipers, hazard lights, blinkers, etc. The recall was replaced, and they say the two are not related. Apparently this could cause an electrical fire as would the recall part. The SUV is a Ford Explorer 2001 v8 xlt.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. While driving 75 MPH, the contact activated the cruise control. She began hearing a clicking noise and smelled something burning. He deactivated the cruise control, but the burning smell persisted. The contact did not continue to drive the vehicle. He received a safety recall notice three months ago, but the switch was never disconnected or repaired. NHTSA campaign id number 07V336000 (vehicle speed control) was referenced. The current and failure mileages were 80,016.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the throttle and speed control stuck causing the vehicle to surge over 90 MPH. The cruise control was not in use at the time. The brakes would not work and the contact stated the constant pressure to the brakes caused them to smoke and almost catch on fire. There were no lights illuminated on the dashboard prior to the incident. The dealership was alerted. There were no problems with the vehicle's cruise control prior to the incident.
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
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…
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2001 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2001 Ford Explorer, 10% of the model year's 375 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Explorer acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 09V-399 (vehicle speed control, Oct 13, 2009); NHTSA recall 07V-336 (vehicle speed control, Aug 3, 2007); NHTSA recall 03V-280 (cables, Aug 5, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Explorer acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 6 fires and 3 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.