Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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).
On driving my truck it slowed down almost to a stop then moved but continued to putter and slow down--I got scared and got it in my driveway and called aa to tow to my service mechanic--the mechanic had it for 2 days and could find nothing wrong with it---I told him I felt it was in the gearshift automatic as when I put it in p it lunges forward and I have to put my foot on the brake again--also when I have it in d the gearshift does not stay in the middle, as it always did. He said it might be water in the gas, which I said no to. I know my vehicle as I had it from day one and it did not drive like that. It has only 110,000 miles on it and I took good care of it for upkeep and now that I am retired and age 70, money to repair does not come easy with small pension and social security.
Was making a right hand turn from a city street into my community and about 90 degrees into the turn the steering locked up and I was headed for the median. I stopped with the brakes and looked down at the dash and the battery picture was red which helped me to realize the car had turned off. I put the car in park and then started it up and the problem was gone.
I have several more invoices 7-29-03 replaced dust seals and forgot to put brakes back together lost whole front end and braking. Had truck for 3-4 days they have replaced the water pump pulley and s belt 2-3 times. Cruise control 10-16, 12/31/02 again squeling noise 02/28/03 defrost kills truck and chirping still. 2/10/03 steering wheel snaped part falls around inside,cruise control was fixed, bearing failure in belt tensioner again. Today still having the same problem. Come get the piece of !@!@#@#. I am sick of taking this truck in every month to fix something. It is a lemon
While trveling at 20 MPH vehicle loss control and struck a phone pole. Vehicle towed to dealer shop. Dealer informed consumer that loss of control was due to failure of the tie rod and lower control arm. Parts are available for inspection if needed. Feel free to provide further details.
Rollover. Truck was traveling on freeway at posted speed of 65mph. 8 am, clear day, no rain, no other vehicles involved, driver alert and otherwise not impaired. Tires had been replaced per recall and had approximately 8K miles on them. Hit a piece of debris (more solid then tire pieces) in road which May or May not have blown out right, rear tire (unclear if cause of accident or during rollover). Truck then started to fishtail in the lane. Applied brakes (which did not lock up - good performance), also no skid occurred. The accident location was a freeway underpass, left lane with a guardrail very close to shoulder and was paved to the rail edge. As I was fighting for control, the front, left bumper hit the rail. Truck then rolled over twice and did an additional 180 deg turn. …
My main concern is the inability to steer this vehicle. It wanders all over the road . If you happen to hit a bump ( like a lane reflector) it seems to be out of control momentarily. The vehicle has a distinct shimmy/shake. I have had the vehicle in the dealership at least 5 times(leaving it numerous days/weeks) they do not seem to be able to correct this. Their last suggestion was to file the lemon law. It seems to me that Ford should stand behind their product-but I guess only if forced to by some law. The reason I wanted to file this was to see if other persons were experiencing these same steering issues. I have never felt so unsafe driving a car before this one.
I notice the 2001 Ford excursion had gear box problems. I just had to replace steering and tie rods on my 2001 Explorer. Also, I had to replace the idle control valve and a friend also has an idol control valve problem on his 2001 Explorer. Are these problems at large. If so, I would love to have Ford reimburse me for these charges on a vehicle that just has 37,600 miles on it.
Just completed 20 mile interstate drive, pulled into parking lot and heard a thump,stepped out to see the problem and right front wheel was cocked at 45 degree angle while left was straight. Vehicle towed to dealer and repaired. There was no indication of any problem beforehand.if assembly had failed 5 minutes earlier, could have resulted in serious accident or fatality.
World Ford has done nothing but give me a run around and not fixing my truck right!!! I have nothing but agrevation with my truck and I dont feel that it's safe with driving my children in it! When advising the dealership of the trucks major complications they advise me to bring the vehicle back in 30-60 days to aviod the lemon law! No safety defect listed.
Truck was purchased new with 13 total miles. Windshield wipers are not working fuses are fine and the interior dome light is not working fuses are fine. While shifting from drive to reverse the truck begins to stall also while shifting from reverse to drive the truck begins to stall.
Steering complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2001 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the steering of the 2001 Ford Explorer, 6% of the model year's 375 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Explorer steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering 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 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 109,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries to steering 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.