There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2001 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. THERE WAS ALSO RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND A HOLE IN THE RUNNING BOARDS, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED THEM TO DETACH. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THAT THE GROUND COULD BE SEEN THROUGH THE HOLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO PRODUCED THICK SMOKE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TRANSMISSION NOT WORKING
CAR TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 5 TRIES TO START. I REPLACED GAS PUMP, PLUGS, CABLES, TEMP SENSOR, STILL TAKES LONG TO START.O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, AND NOW IT HAS A ROUGH GEAR CHANGE I BELIEVE FROM 2ND TO 3RD
VEHICLE RUNNING IN PARK WHILE DRIVER GATHERED BOXES TO PLACE IN BED OF TRUCK. DRIVE TRAIN ENGAGED SENDING DRIVERLESS VEHICLE DOWN ROAD, ACROSS INTERSECTION AND INTO BRICK WALL. WITNESS TO IMPACT RAN TO VEHICLE THINKING TO CHECK ON DRIVER. UPON OPENING DOOR, NOTED NO DRIVER AND STATED SHIFTER STILL INDICATED VEHICLE WAS IN PARK.
SWITCHED INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE LOW WITHOUT A COMMAND WHILE DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH ON A DRY LEVEL PAVED ROAD.
DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH ON A FLAT STRAIGHT PAVED ROAD WHEN IT SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO 4 WHEEL LOW.
I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRACT I DIDN'T GET TO TEST DRIVE IT BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER VEHICAL SURROUNDING IT. WHEN I FINALLY GOT TO DRIVE MY TRUCK HOME I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION HAD A SEVERE ISSUE. WHEN I TURNED A CORNER MY TIRES RUBBED BADLY ON SOME OTHER PART TO THE TRUCKS PARTS AND THE DRIVER SEAT HAS A MEDAL ROD THAT JABS ME IN THE BACK THAT'S COMING THRU THE FABRIC NOW MY BATTERY HAS LEAKED ACID EVERY WHERE IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANUALLY RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND TRANSFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 186,000.
THE FORD EXPLORER 2001 XLS 4.0L REAR WHEEL DRIVE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE IN SLIP 4 TO 5 GEAR IN 75000 MILES. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR TO ASTORIA FORD LATE LAST YEAR, BECAUSE IT WAS STALLING AND LOSING POWER. THE CHARGED ME ALMOST $1,000.00 AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE O/D ON OFF LIGHT WILL STOP AND START. WHEN IT COMES ON WHICH JUST STARTED TODAY, THE CAR IN ANY GEAR WHILE ONLY GO FORWARD. IN REVERSE AND NEUTRAL, ONLY FORWARD. AS A POLICE OFFICER THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND I CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. MANY HAVE SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TO FORD, THEY CALL IT A PHANTOM PROBLEM. I HOPE THIS PHANTOM PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR IN FRONT OF A DAY CARE. *TR
FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION FAILED, LEAVING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY POWERLESS WHILE DRIVING. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES IN 2006, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. IN BOTH CASES, I, AS THE DRIVER, WAS NEARLY INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS WITH OTHER VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THE COMPLETE LOSS OF THE TRANSMISSION POWER TRAIN. THE VEHICLE ALSO GAVE NO WARNING OF THE FAILURE PRIOR TO THESE EVENTS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG-STANDING DESIGN DEFECT WITH FORD EXPLORERS, WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES FROM THE EARLY 2000S SUFFERING SIMILAR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THIS IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND, I BELIEVE, A DEFECT THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY AND/OR DEATH.. I ALSO WISH TO ADD THAT THIS VEHICLE, WHICH IS 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND INCLUDES A FACTORY INSTALLED TOWING PACKAGE, HAS ONLY OCCASIONALLY BEEN USED FOR TOWING A BOAT (2X PER YEAR) AND IS SELDOM USED IN ITS 4 WHEEL DRIVE CAPACITY (ONLY ON SNOW COVERED ROADS 2-3 TIMES PER YEAR). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS IN EACH CASE WAS OVER $2,000. *TR
WHEN I STARTED FROM A STOP LIGHT IT TOOK OFF FINE BUT SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND THEN INTO 3RD THE ENGINE RACED BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I PUSHED THE O/D OFF AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT TO THE POINT THAT I AM AFRAID TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I WORRY THAT I WILL BE HIT BY NOT GAINING SPEED TO GET GOING. ALSO MERGING ON THE FREEWAY IS FRUSTRATING AND UNSAFE. THE O/D LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF ALL OF THE TIME NOW. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE COARSE OF A WEEK. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2WD. *TR
THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE. I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT VEHICLES TO KNOW THIS IS NOT NORMAL IN THE EARLY YEARS OF 125,000 MILES AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE RPM'S GO UP TO ABOUT 3,000 OR SO BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE. THE O/D LIGHT WILL FLASH AND THE VEHICLE, WHEN IT DOES ACCELERATE, IS "SLUGGISH". WHEN I PULL OVER AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, THEN TURN IT BACK ON, IT SEEMS TO RESET THE LIGHT SO THAT IT IS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED BUT EVENTUALLY THE ISSUE WITH THE LACK OF ACCELERATION COMES BACK WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MILES AND USUALLY IS A PROBLEM BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. IT HAPPENS LIKE CLOCK WORK WHEN I LEAVE A DRIVEWAY AND ENTER TRAFFIC WHICH PUTS ME IN FEAR OF BEING HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A POTENTIAL HAZARD AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM I HAVE COME ACROSS MULTIPLE ENTRIES ON "BLOGS" WITH SIMILAR SYMPTOMS THAT USUALLY BEGIN AROUND 120,000-150,000 MILES. IN MY OPINION, THE ISSUE CAUSING THE PROBLEM, AND THE POTENTIAL RISK TO MY LIFE AND OTHERS, SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS PREVIOUS. THIS SEEMS TO BE TOO COMMON. VEHICLES, IN GENERAL, SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING LIKE THIS UNLESS THERE IS AN EXTREME LACK OF CARE IN REGARDS TO MAINTENANCE. ON ANOTHER NOTE... I'VE NOTICED THAT THE VARIOUS FAULTY PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED ARE "QUICK FIXES" WHICH TRANSLATES TO ME AS "CHEAP FIXES". IF A COMPANY PRODUCES A PRODUCT THAT FAILS BEFORE IT'S TIME OR CAUSES DANGER TO IT'S CUSTOMERS, THEY SHOULD DEFINITELY ENSURE THAT THE PROBLEM BE REMEDIED. SO "MAN UP" FORD AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE- OR THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO QUIT PRODUCING GARBAGE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
VEHICLE STARTED HAVING A CHATTER UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OUT ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE (VERY DANGEROUS, WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND COULDN'T MOVE). TOOK TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE NOISE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TENSIONERS OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT ON THE TRANSMISSION. HE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS IN THE PAST BUT NOT SURE IF THE RECALL IS STILL IN EFFECT. THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR WORSE AND FORD WILL BE LIABLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SERVOS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
AS WITH SO MANY EXPLORERS I HAVE READ ABOUT, MY O/D LIGHT COMES ON AND FLASHES. I LOSE ALL POWER DURING INITIAL ACCELERATION AND THEN THE TRUCK SHOOTS OFF LIKE A ROCKET. IF I TURN THE IGNITION OFF, THE LIGHT RESETS AND THE VEHICLE IS OK FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE LIGHT AS WITH SO MANY EXPLORERS I HAVE READ ABOUT, MY O/D LIGHT COMES ON AND FLASHES. I LOSE ALL POWER DURING INITIAL ACCELERATION AND THEN THE TRUCK SHOOTS OFF LIKE A ROCKET. IF I TURN THE IGNITION OFF, THE LIGHT RESETS AND THE VEHICLE IS OK FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. I HAD THE CODES READ AND IT CAME UP A SOLENOID PROBLEM. I HAD THEM REPLACED AND TEN MILES FROM THE LOT, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FROM FORD, BUT THEY HAVE YET TO ACT ON THIS ISSUE. COMES ON AGAIN. I HAD THE CODES READ AND IT CAME UP A SOLENOID PROBLEM. I HAD THEM REPLACED AND TEN MILES FROM THE LOT, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FROM FORD, BUT THEY HAVE YET TO ACT ON THIS ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE FIXED SEVERAL AND THEY GO RIGHT BACK OUT IT WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME.. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET KILLED BEFORE U ALL FIX THIS IF U TRY TO TAKE OFF AND IT SLIPS AND WILL NOT GO U CAN AND WILL GET HIT. *TR
MY FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED MANY EXPLORERS, SPORT TRAC'S, AND RANGERS. A YOUTUBE VIDEO EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM, "UPLOADED ON DEC 7, 2011 - FORD USED THE 5R55E IN MANY REAR AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE APPLICATIONS. IT IS A GOOD TRANSMISSION BUT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VALVE BODY GASKET "BLOWING OUT." THE SYMPTOM OF THIS IN OUR VEHICLE WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION MISSED SECOND GEAR UNDER ACCELERATION BUT FOUND A HIGHER GEAR WHEN WE LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL." THIS HAPPENS TO ME DAILY, AND IS A TRAFFIC HAZARD AS THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD. FORD PUBLISHED A TSB(TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) ON 03-22-10 ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE IN MOST VEHICLES WHERE THE VALVE BODY SEPARATOR PLATE DOES NOT WORK AS IT SHOULD. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT WANTED TO CHARGE OVER $4,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO ALL OWNERS. PLEASE CHECK ALL COMPLAINTS REGARDING FORD'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE 5R55E AND HELP US OWNERS GET A REASONABLY PRICED CORRECTION, BEFORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR. THANK YOU. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED A LOUD SQUEAKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE THEN BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS AND WOULD NO LONGER MOVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVER OR REVERSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND WITH AN UNUSUAL WHINING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN DRIVEWAY WITH THE DRIVERS DOOR OPEN. TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO REVERSE, ROLLED BACKWARDS IN DRIVEWAY, CRASHING THROUGH TWO CHAINLINK GATES, THE DOOR WAS TORN BACK AGAINST THE FENDER, I TRIED TO REACH INTO THE TRUCK TO TURN IT OFF, AND WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE TRUCK, AND THE CHAIN LINK FENCE. EXPLORER CURRENTLY IN THE COLLISION SHOP, AND TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPAIRED WHEN THE BODYWORK IS DONE. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
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 Apr 25, 2026