Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving to work this morning and around 7:00 am. It was approximately 20 degrees outside and I tried the rear defroster. The rear defroster has worked only about 20% of the time for the last few months and not at all for the last 3 weeks; so needless to say I was very surprised when it actually turned on today. 10 minutes after turning on the defrost I was driving approx 30mph through town when I heard a loud bang inside the truck. It was loud enough that I swerved and looked around to see if people were throwing ice chunks at cars or shooting bb guns. A few minutes later I noticed that the rear windshield on the driver side of the truck had completely shattered. The only thing holding the glass together is the tint tape. The window will need a complete replacement.
Matching NHTSA recall id: 01V258000 snow on windshield, attempted to use wipers but immediately shut them off since they did not move. Windshield wiper motor caught fire and produced a large amount of smoke which filled the cab and also came out from under the hood. Vehicle was shut off and fire and smoke cleared on its own. Snow was removed by hand from windshield. Vehicle was placed back in the on position (but not started) and the windshield wipers would not turn off even in the off position. Fuse was pulled to turn them off. Windshield wiper motor was replaced but was not covered by a recall per the dealership. My vehicle is from the kansas city plant - windshield wiper motor part number: f6du-17b571-ab dated: 06/12/0000:11:12n12v.
While driving home from new hampshire, suddenly there was a fire in the windshield wiper motor. I had the wipers on at a slow speed as it was misting outside. I put the fire our with snow from the roadside. As we continued home the radio went dead, the battery went to low and the lights started flicking on and off. As a result of the fire the windshield cracked, and continued all the way across from one side to the other. I luckily found an open Ford dealer that gave us a small rental and repaired the truck.
The heater core leaks coolant into the interior compartment fogging the windows and preventing use of the heater system to defog/defrost window providing an unsafe driving condition during frosty or rainy days. Core has been replaced now 4 times using manufacturer parts or aftermarket parts. All technical bulletins have been followed to try and complete the repair successfully. The fix has not lasted. Date listed below for when occurred is date of last occurance.
The vehicle was idling with the wipers on slow speed. Smoke began to come out of the vent between the windshield and the hood. The plastic vent burst into flames and melted. The flames were extinguished with minimal damage to the vehicle. The wipers are the only thing that doesn't operate now.
1) while driving kids to school, electric sun roof was placed in the full open position, after deciding the morning air was too cool for the children an attempt was made to close sun roof. 2) the unit would not close, it had fialed in the full open position. Driver had to pull to the side of the road due to the distraction of the roof not closing. After determining the roof was not going to close, the driver took the vehicle home. With rain emanate in the area from hurricane bonnie and charley. The truck was taken to a Ford dealer. The service department found the motor assembly had failed. 3) a new motor assembly was ordered, this is when the dealer found out due to failures and a design flaw the motor assemble was redesigned.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the front driver's seat belt would not attach into its buckle. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The contact also stated that the rear windshield was leaking. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and informed the contact that there were no recalls addressing the failures. The failure mileage was 115,000.
2001 Ford f-150 supercrew windshield leaked with no sign of this happening. Shorted out computer, fuse box. Engine shutdown while traveling in left lane of a highway. No crash but very close to causing one. Was able to get into median. No previous accident with truck,original windshield with no cracks or blemishes. Maintained well and typically garaged.
The wiper motor melted and harness and connector melted cowl. Consumer received a recall notice #01V258000. The vehicle was taken in for service on the wiper mot0r. The consumer was made to pay for the service rendered on the wiper motor. Two years later the wiper motor caught fire and did considerable damage to the vehicle.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford f150 super cab. During a tropical storm, rain entered the vehicle through the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a new windshield was installed because the old one had a defective seal. The repair would cost $1,300. The current and failure mileages were 69,000.
Related recalls
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001.
Window & Wiper complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2001 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2001 Ford F-150, 2% of the model year's 1,236 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford F-150 window & wiper problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-258 (motor, Aug 8, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford F-150 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 1 injury to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.