What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Typical pattern

2.3% of complaints about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2001 vehicle — around the middle of the 216 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (34 complaints), typically at 6.6 yr or about 77,000 miles.

Complaints
213
Median age at failure
6.6 yr
Median mileage
77,000 n=156
Crash / fire / tow
12.7% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Power train
34 reports · 77,000 mi
6.6 yr
2.9%
Structure
29 reports · 124,000 mi
9.5 yr
3.4%
Speed control
26 reports · 65,000 mi
6.9 yr
30.8%
Suspension
17 reports · 67,000 mi
6.8 yr
0%
Engine cooling
15 reports · 84,000 mi
4.4 yr
6.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

07V336000 2007-08-03
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.

THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

06E026000 2006-03-23
Exterior lighting

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

03V281000 2003-08-05
Seats:front assembly:recliner

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

03V280000 2003-08-05
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.

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED. BRAKING FUNCTION WOULD BE MAINTAINED THOUGH STOPPING DISTANCES MAY BE INCREASED.

01X001000 2001-05-22
Tires:tread/belt

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS. FORD REPORTS TREAD SEPARATION CAN OCCUR DUE TO A COMBINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TIRE DESIGN TO STRESS, AGING, AND MANUFACTURING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PLANTS. FORD IS REPLACING THESE TIRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE VEHICLES LISTED BELOW MAY HAVE BEEN ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH FIRE

SHOULD THE TREAD SEPARATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

00V394000 2000-11-28
Structure:body:hood:hinge and attachments

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH STEEL HOODS AND CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SHEET MOLDING COMPOUND HOODS. A WIRE FORMED HOOD STRIKER COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURES. IF THE HOOD STRIKER FRACTURES, THE HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.

A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

In owners’ own words

Engine cooling mileage not reported 0 mo in service
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE STALLED, THE VEHICLE SURGES AND HESITATES INTERMITTENTLY, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NLM
Engine cooling mileage not reported 9 mo in service
CONSUMER STATES A NEW OVERFLOW TANK WAS INSTALLED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE REQUIRED PUTTING 1/2 QUART OF ANTIFREEZE EVERYTIME THE OIL WAS CHANGED, ON ONE OCCASION THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, VEHICLE DIED OUT WHILE DRIVING. THEN NO CRANK NO START. PCM AND BLOWN FUSE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT
Engine cooling 70,000 mi 4.0 yr in service
DROVE HOME, GARBAGE PICK-UP MISSED OUR HOUSE. GRAB THE CAN ,AND PUT IN BACK OF FORD SPORT TRAC..TRIED TO CATCH THE GARBAGE TRUCK DOWN A DIRT ROAD. WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FRONT HOOD ON MY SPORT TRAC CAME OPEN.ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING ON AIR-CONDITIONER.I BELEIVE SAME TYPE OF PARTS OR COMPONENTS USED IN PREVIOUS YEARS FORD EXPLORER SPORT...RANGING BACK TO 98 OR FURTHER.PROBABLY SAME TYPES RECALLED OR COMPLAINED ABOUT IN THOSE YEARS PROBLEMS WITH DEFECTS..I HAVE FOUND THAT MY 2001 FORD SPORT TRAC WAS ACTUALLY MADE IN LATE YEAR OF 2000.*AK
Structure mileage not reported 3.1 yr in service crash / fire / tow
WHILE DRIVING AT 20-MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED A REAR END ACCIDENT. INDEPENDENT SHOP STATED THAT FRAMES WERE TORN. *AK

Other Explorer Sport Trac model years

2007200420022001

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