Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
I was sitting in a restaurant drive thru when the car turned off. I turned the car back on & inched a bit forward in line. Moments after that while in drive, but not moving, I heard a loud pop. After that, I saw flames shooting towards the front windshield coming from under the hood on my side. I put the car in park, turned off the car and took the key out of the ignition and fled. The restaurant workers came to my aid and put the fire out before it spread. When I went back to say thank you, they told me that they heard a second pop before they put out the fire. I have reported this to Ford headquarters. They checked my VIN and told me that the vehicle was under recall for a defect that causes fires. I took the car to a Ford dealership a couple months prior to this incident and they did not tell me anything about a recall on the car. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle leaked anti-freeze and transmission fluid. There was also rust underneath the vehicle and a hole in the running boards, which almost caused them to detach. The contact claimed that the ground could be seen through the hole. The vehicle also produced thick smoke. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The contact planned to have the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power. The failure occurred without warning. During colder temperatures, the failure worsened. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the diagnosis was not disclosed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. Updated 05/17/17
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 Ford Explorer. While driving, a burning odor was present and the air bag deployed without warning or an impact. There were no injuries. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact noticed flames under the hood. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact was not aware if a fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a residence and deemed destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. While the vehicle was stopped, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. There was not a police or fire report filed. The dealer was not notified of the failure since the vehicle was purchased from a private seller. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure however, did not offer any assistance. The current and failure mileages were 150,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in an unknown manufacturer recall. The dealer performed the repair, but the failure recurred. The contact noticed smoke near the engine compartment that entered the vehicle near the dashboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The NHTSA campaign number was unavailable. The failure mileage was not available.
After having my 2001 lmtd edition Explorer parked for over 45 minutes, the vehicle caught on fire and was consumed. It was a total loss, melted down to the frame of the vehicle. The fire marshal was unable to determine the cause of the fire as the damage was so severe, but I was referred to several articles regarding similar Ford Explorer fires.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was unoccupied, it became engulfed in flames. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Wife parked Explorer in garage, 20 min later heard a loud noise then noticed the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Luckily, we were able to save our home and everyone is alright. Car is completely totaled and our garage is a disaster.
I purchased this car on October 8,2003. Three days after I bought it the check engine light came on. I brought the car back four times back to back. The first time they said nothing was wrong. The second and third time the same thing. On the fourth attempt, they had me take it to one of "their" mechanics. He said it was a bad switch in the system. Not even a whole week later, the check guage light came on. The car lot where I bought it from said they were not going to look at my car because out of the kindness of their heart they've already looked at it. So I took it to a Ford dealership, they fixed it and said it was a problem with transmission, and the steering wheel. They car lot said it was not their problem. I had to pay out of my pocket for some problems that are still under warranty. …
NHTSA investigations
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…
Engine complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Ford Explorer, 12% of the model year's 375 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Explorer engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2001 Ford Explorer, 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 Explorer engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 8 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.