2001 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems

I was driving and the lights on the vehicle went out I thought it was the bulbs but no lights were working I adjusted steering wheel to look to see fuse box and all lights came back on there is an electrical short somewhere then I went to start the truck and it made a funny sound and then I lost all power and truck wouldn't start then the alarm kept going off and I could turn off even with the remote or the chipped key. And the truck won't start. Also when you change gears the indicator to show what gear you are in dosent move . This truck has electrical issues and is not safe for drivers to lose all power like this and basically its something ford should be responsible for fixing because it's a defect in the electrical system also the AC compressor dosent work

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 SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY FAILED TO START UPON TURNING THE KEY NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER (PEGUES-HURST FORD, 200 TX-63 SPUR, LONGVIEW, TX 75601, (903) 758-6211) WAS CONTACTED AND INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED 12 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, 52 TSBS FOR THE ENGINE, AND 3 TSBS FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM GASOLINE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHICH PART CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

THE S.U.V LEAKS WATER IN CAUSING ISSUES I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAIN AND FUSE BOX NOW MINEXPENSIVE HAS A DRAINAGE OF ITS BATTREY AND THE LIGHT DONE GO OFF I REPLACED THE BATTREY AN ALTNATOR.AN AS WELL.FORD SHOULD FIX IT THY HE TO MANY ISSUES LIKE THIS.PARKED IN DRIVE WAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS TILTED TO THE UPPER POSITION, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

EVER SINCE I GOT THE TRUCK ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKES LOCKING UP. IT HAPPENS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING UP FOR A FEW HOURS AND IT'S RAINING OR THERE'S A GOOD BUT OF MOISTURE IN THE AIR. WHEN YOU FIRST GET IN THE TRUCK THE REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP ON YOU ONLY GOING FORWARD FOR SOME REASON. IF YOU APPLY VERY LITTLE PRESSURE IT DOES IT. AFTER ABOUT 10 TIMES LOCKING IT UP IT DRIVES FINE AS LONG AS ITS NOT PARKED FOR A WHILE. ON A GOOD HOT SUMMER DAY WITH NO MOISTURE OR RAIN IT DOES DO IT AT ALL. A FEW WEEKS AGO I BACKED OUT MY DRIVE WAY IT WAS RAINING AND IT DID IT. SO I DECIDED TO PULL BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND TAKE MY FIANCE'S CAR TO TOWN. WHEN I WAS PULLING UP IT LOCKED UP WHEN I TRYING TO STOP AND SLID INTO THE CORNER OF MY HOME. NO MAJOR DAMAGE WAS DONE JUST CRACKED THE FRONT BUMPER. I HAVE TAKING IT TO 3 LOCAL MECHANICS. NONE KNOW HOW TO FIX. THEY LOOKED AT THE BREAKS, ROTORS AND HUBS. ALL WAS FINE. ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS WAS THE 3 TIME HE HAS SEEN THIS ON THE SAME EXACT KIND OF TRUCK. I DO LIKE THE TRUCK. BUT I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT. I THOUGHT ABOUT SELLING IT, BUT NOW I'M IN A SITUATION WHERE IF SOMEONE GETS HURT IN IT I WOULD FEEL HORRIBLE. I SURE HOPE SOMEONE ON HERE CAN HELP ME OUT WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

ON SUNDAY THE NIGHT BEFORE THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS USED THAT DAY. IN THE AFTERNOON AROUND 3 PM IT WAS TAKEN TO GET GASSED UP FOR THE WORK WEEK. THE NEXT MORNING WAS CHILLY AND IT WAS STARTED TO WARM THE VEHICLE UP. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DIDN'T START AT ALL. THE DASH LIGHTS, INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LIGHTS ALL HAVE POWER TO INCLUDE POWER LOCKS AND WINDOWS. THE BATTERY TESTED GOOD, THE STARTER AND SOLENOID TESTED GOOD. THE WIRE TO THE SOLENOID FROM THE BATTERY HAS POWER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT SHOWN SIGNS OF FAULTY STARTING. TWO TO 3 TIMES BEFORE THIS INCIDENT NONE OF THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK BUT THEN MIRACULOUSLY WORK AGAIN. WHEN THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK I'M MEAN THE HEADLIGHTS, LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, ETC. IT SEEMED THE ONE WAY TO GET THEM TO WORK AGAIN WOULD BE TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THAT DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK. WHY IS THIS VEHICLE NOT STARTING WHEN THE DAY BEFORE IS WAS WORKING JUST FINE AND HAD NOT GIVEN ANY SIGNS OF FAILURE? *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND I SAW AND SMELT SMOKE. I IMMEDIATELY COULD TELL WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM BECAUSE I SAW THE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HAZARD LIGHT ON TOP OF MY STEERING WHEEL, IT THEN TURNED INTO A FLAME,IT WAS INSIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE FORTUNATELY I HAD WATER WITH ME AND I POURED A LITTLE BIT OF WATER ON THE FLAMES THAT WERE COMING OUT OF WHERE THE HAZARD LIGHT IS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES,WITH THE FINAL RESULT BEING 2 FIRES. IT HAPPENED A 3RD TIME WITH JUST SMOKE. I NO LONGER HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND SOME OF MY INTERIOR LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS CAUSED OTHER PROBLEMS IE...MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON AS WELL AS MY CRUISE CONTROL WORKING WHEN IT WANTS TO AND OTHER TIMES NOT WORKING AT ALL PLUS THE BUTTONS ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL BEING HOT TO THE TOUCH! I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR! *TR

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

TURN SIGNAL WAS TURNED ON AND SMOKE CAME BILLOWING OUT OF STEARING COLLUM. SMELLED BURNT WIRING. FIRE INSIDE OF COLLUM MINIMAL DAMAGE AS I TURNED OFF SIGNAL IMMEDIATELY. TOOK TO GARAGE NEXT DAY. THE WIREING HAD RUBBED ON COLLUM AND SHORTED OUT. REPAIRED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

01 FORD EXP SPORT TRAC 4X4 WITH REAR RADIO/AC CONTROLS AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT AND KEEPS POPPING FUSE (LOCATION FOR FAN BLOWER) AND BLOWER INOP EVEN WITH HIGHER AMP FUSES. HAPPENS CHANGE WEATHER COLD/HOT AND ROUGH ROADS. JIGGLE WIRE HARNESS UNDER DASH/CENTER CONSOLE AREA CORRECTS (TEMP). CAN NOT TROUBLE SHOOT AIRBAG MOD WHEN FUSE BLOWN. AC INOP WHEN FUSE BLOWN. *TR

WHEN I HAVE USED MY SPEED CONTROL I HAVE HAD SMOKE COME OUT OF THE TOP OF MY STEERING COLUMN TWICE. THE SMOKE COMES THROUGH THE HOLE FOR MY EMERGENCY LIGHT BUTTON ON THE TOP OF MY STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAPPENED RECENTLY FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE FORD DEALER IS CHARGING $652.63 TO REPLACE THE WIRE HARNESS AND THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS WIPERS, HAZARD LIGHTS, BLINKERS, ETC. THE RECALL WAS REPLACED, AND THEY SAY THE TWO ARE NOT RELATED. APPARENTLY THIS COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AS WOULD THE RECALL PART. THE SUV IS A FORD EXPLORER 2001 V8 XLT. *TR

WE BECAME THE OWNERS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC THROUGH A FAMILY MEMBER, AND FOUND THAT THE SIGNAL BLINKERS DO NOT WORK WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN IS ADJUSTED. THE FAMILY MEMBER NEVER KNEW SHE COULD ADJUST THE STEERING COLUMN (SHE IS 74 YEARS OLD). I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY DECLINED THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE BLINKERS WORK FINE AS LONG AS THE STEERING COLUMN REMAINS IN THE TOP UPRIGHT UNADJUSTED POSITION. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER FORD TRUCKS AS WELL SUCH AS THE FORD 150 PICKUP TRUCK. YET, FORD CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. OUR FORD DEALER HAS CLOSED LOCALLY. I AM INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. AFTER 4 HOURS LATER THE CAR WAS BURNING. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT... *TR

NO REAL EVENT LEADS TO THIS FAILURE. PROBLEM IS THE "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT ON THE DASH. IT DETECTS WHETHER A DOOR IS PARTIALLY OPEN. THE SWITCH IN ONE OF THE DOORS FAILS FOR NO REASON. WHEN IT SENSES THIS FALSELY, THE DASH WARNING LIGHT COMES ON & BEEPS A TONE & QUITE OFTEN THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS TURN ON. THE DEALER SAYS TO LUBRICATE THE DOOR LATCHES & WORK THEM SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES & IT DOES NOT HELP. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS & THE LIGHT COMES ON, IT MAY BE BRIEF BUT OTHER TIMES, I'LL PARK THE TRUCK & WALK AWAY & THE LIGHT REMAINS ON FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. I'M SURE I'LL COME OUT TO A DEAD BATTERY ONE DAY. PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF OTHER REPORTS LIKE THIS ON THE INTERNET - FOR VARIOUS FORD MODEL CARS & TRUCKS. THE LIGHT COMING ON IS VERY DISTRACTING AND COULD BE DANGEROUS. *TR

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.

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.

FORD EXPLORER 2001 - WHEN I USE THE SIGNAL LIGHT, IT FREQUENTLY SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. IT SOUNDS LIKE A BAD CONNECTION. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN CAUSE MY TRUCK ENGINE TO CATCH FIRE. *NM

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