There are 7 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorer Sportin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE SOUND FOR THE DOOR STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V072000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,637 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN MID JUNE 2007, AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD AND SHE DISCOVERED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. SHE CALLED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE EXCEPT FOR PARTS OF THE HOOD. THE PAINT MELTED OFF THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 138,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND NEGATIVE CABLE ARE MAPPED LIKE THE LETTER "T". THE PLASTIC POWER STEERING RESERVOIR'S RUBBER CASING IS CHEWED OFF ON THE SIDE FACING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING AND FLUID RESERVOIR ARE SEPARATED BY AN INCH. THE BATTERY IS POSITIONED AT A DOWNWARD ANGLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SHIFTS BACK AND CAUSES THE POWER CABLE TO RUB AGAINST THE RESERVOIR. THE SEAM AROUND THE RESERVOIR HAS SHARK LIKE TEETH WITH JAGGED EDGES THAT CUT INTO THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,800.
ON JULY 1ST 2006 I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD EXPLORER FROM HONDA OF SANTA MONICA . IT IS A PRE-CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THE HONDA CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ON AUGUST 30 THE CAR WOULD NOT START I CALL AAA FOR A TOW AND DRIVER CHECKED THE CAR A TOLD US THE STARTER WAS BURNED OUT BECAUSE HE COULD SMELL IT AND HE DID A TEST WITH A HAMMER TO SEE IF IT WOULD START AFTER AND IT DID NOT. WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED THE STARTED JUST MADE A CLICKING SOUND. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CRENSHAW FORD DEALER BECAUSE HONDA OF SANTA MONICA SAID THEY SOLD US THE CAR BUT THE ONLY SERVICE HONDA PRODUCTS. I WENT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY DID THE DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND THE STARTER WAS GONE AND THE CONNECTORS WERE CORRODED. THE HONDA CARE PLAN WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS NOR TOWING OR EVEN RENTAL THAT LISTED IN THE WARRANTY CONTRACT. HOW DO I RECOVER MY $650. WHEN I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEK'S. *JB
FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 09/11/2003. THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND DRIVE FINE AND THEN AFTER A NUMBER OF STOPS, WOULD FAIL TO RESTART. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO LITHIA FORD IN FRESNO. THE VEHILCE WAS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR 7 DAYS BEFORE THEY COULD DETERMINE THAT IT WAS A FAILURE WITH THE "PATS" SYSTEM. A FORD FACTORY ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO START. PER THE FORD SERVICE FLASH TEST, "CODE# U1262-INTER MITTEN LOSS OF SCP COMMUNICATION. THIS REPAIR COST ME 3 X $90.00 FOR THEIR DIAGNOSIS = $270.00 + $86.58 (PART) = $357.00. THE WHOLE WEEK OF JULY 12, 2004, THE VEHILCE WOULD NOT START WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS 09/2003. I PHONED THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN. LITHIA FORD OF FRESNO HAD THE VEHICLE TIL AUGUST 11, 2004. AFTER CHARGING ME THE $90.00 DIAGNOSIS CHECK, THEY CLAIM "NO PROBLEM FOUND". THE VEHICLE HAS HAD IN THIS PAST MONTHS 2-4 INCIDENTS OF THE INTER-MITTEN START. ** THIS IS MY THIRD COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER OF THE SAME "NON-START" PROBLEM. THIS MORNING I WAS AT LITHIA FORD, WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IN THEIR SERVICE BAY. I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER $95.00 DIAGNOSIS ESTIMATE, AND THEY STATE THEY NEED A COUPLE OF DAYS INSPECT CAR. I HAD TO RENT A CAR AT $30.00+/PER DAY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS FACTORY "ANTI THEFT" SYSTEM. I NEED A VEHICLE THAT WILL START.
VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 10 MINUTES, DRIVER TRIED TO START VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO KICK OVER. DRIVER COULD HEAR THE MOTOR CLICKING ,BUT IT DID NOT START. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS OPERATING. HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN DUPLICATED OR RESOLVED.*AK
MY FORD EXPORER SPORT WITH APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF MY APARTMENT WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF AROUND 4:00 A.M. FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT FIRE STARTED ON THE ENGINE/ BATTERY AREA. I HAVE HIS WRITTEN REPORT. SUV WAS TOTALLED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. I CONTACTED FORD IN WRITING, BUT THEY DID NOT FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEFFECTIVE VEHICLE. THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE VEHICLE NOR REIMBURSED ME FOR ANY OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026