2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Interior & seats Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

10877013

Incident

Jun 26, 2016

Mileage

147,260 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK BECAME STUCK. THIS WAS NOT A GRADUAL PROBLEM; ONE DAY IT WAS WORKING, THE NEXT DAY IT WAS NOT. I COULD NOT OPEN IT WITH THE REMOTE LOCK CONTROL, THE INNER LOCK CONTROL OR THE KEY. I COULD NOT LIFT THE LOCK KNOB ON THE DOOR MANUALLY. THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR WAS TO CRAWL IN FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, REACH OVER THE CONSOLE AND PULL ON THE DOOR HANDLE, WHICH SOMETIMES CREATED A GRATING SOUND. OCCASIONALLY THE REMOTE LOCK CONTROL WOULD WORK BUT VERY RANDOMLY. 99% OF THE TIME THE LOCK WOULD REMAIN STUCK. WHEN IT DID WORK, I NOTICED IT WAS ONLY IF I LOCKED THE DOOR WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL. IT NEVER WORKED IF I LOCKED THE DOOR WITH THE INNER LOCK CONTROL ON THE DOOR. THE NEAREST FORD DEALER IS OVER ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY ROUND TRIP, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BROKEN DOOR HANDLE. I PAID $92.87 TO REPLACE THE HANDLE, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MECHANIC THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER MORE PARTS, WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. I HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS INCONVENIENCE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW AND RECENTLY I BEGAN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON-LINE. IT APPEARS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE DATA BASE, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED LOCK FAILURES ON MULTIPLE DOORS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THESE LOCK SYSTEMS NOT ONLY CREATES AN INCONVENIENCE AND NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON VEHICLE OWNERS, IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND I AM WONDERING WHY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10455283

Incident

Nov 25, 2011

Mileage

176,000 mi

FRONT DOOR LOCKS ON 2001 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC RENDERED MALFUNCTIONING BY FREEZING CONDITIONS IN MICHIGAN. DRIVER'S SIDE CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S SIDE CAN BE UNLOCKED EITHER ELECTRONICLY OR MANUALLY. HOWEVER WHEN EVER THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS ARE USED, EVEN WHEN ALREADY UNLOCKED AND VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE PASSENGER'S FRONT DOOR RELESES FROM THE LOCKING LUG WITHOUT TOUCHING THE DOOR OPENING HANDLE. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE FIRST TIME WAS DURING THE SPEED CONTROL RECALL AND THE SECOND TIME WAS JUNE OF 2011. *TT

NHTSA ID

10411801

Incident

Apr 22, 2011

Mileage

169,782 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10262010

Incident

Jul 1, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

FEB 7TH 2006 I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DEPLOYED BOTH AIRBAGS. MY EXPLORER SPORT TRAC DID NOT DEPLOY ANY AIRBAGS. I HAD TO HAVE A FUSION OF C5 & C6 IN MY NECK DUE TO THE CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188492

Incident

Feb 7, 2006

Mileage

124,000 mi

I FOUND A RECALL DATED AUG. 5, 2003 ON AUTOSITE.COM, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT IN THAT PARTICULAR RECALL BY BOHN FORD. I HAVE A 2001 FORD SPORTS TRAC. MY SEATS JUST FALL BACK WITHOUT WARNING, DOES AN ACCIDENT HAVE TO OCCUR FOR MY SEATS TO BE REPAIRED BY FORD? SHOULDN'T THIS BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY? WHAT VEHICLES WERE RECALLED IN AUG. 5, 2003 IF NOT MY MAKE AND MODEL?

NHTSA ID

10133809

Incident

Aug 18, 2005

MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FRONT SEAT BROKE, DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD, IT MAKES A POP NOISE...MY LATCHES ON MY LOCKS BED ARE BROKEN; THE LOCKS FELL OUT OF THE BED COVER; THE SIDE LATCH FELL OFF. I ONLY HAVE 29000 MILES, AND I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF SMALL PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR....I HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES , WHO HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL AROUND 100,000 MILES -- I HAVE TO SIT ON A PILLOW; CAN'T STORE ANYTHING IN THE LIKEABLE BED -- SO HAVE NO TRUNK -- NOT REAL HAPPY FOR THE MONEY I SPENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114506

Incident

Mar 11, 2005

THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS UNABLE TO RECLINE OR ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD MAKING THE ABILITY TO DRIVE FOR A TALLER PERSON DIFFICULT. THE CONSUMER ALSO HEARD A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE HEATER WAS ON. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10108823

Incident

Nov 25, 2004

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

NHTSA ID

10090699

Incident

Sep 9, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TRACK HAD A FAILURE THAT CAUSED IT TO SQUEAK AND NOT TO WORK EFFICIENTLY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THIS PART 5 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10038268

Mileage

11,000 mi

FORD EXPLORER 2001 RADIO OVERHEATS MAY CAUSE DASHBOARD FIRES. TAKEN TO FORD SEVEN TIMES COULD NOT FIX. COMPANY ADMITTED PUTTING FANS IN SOME DASHBOARDS TO COOL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025826

Incident

Mar 5, 2001

Mileage

2,000 mi

LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND HEADLIGHTS WHEN TILT WHEEL IS ADJUSTED. DEALER HAS TRIED THREE TIMES TO REPAIR THIS. HAS REPLACED WIRING AND PARTS TWICE. IT IS NOW FAILING AGAIN WHICH WILL REQUIRE A FOURTH VISIT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010559

Incident

Mar 10, 2003

Mileage

44,650 mi

CCONSUMER STATE THAT THE SEAT SQUEAKED AND IT WAS TAKEN IN AND THEY FOUND 3 CRACKS IN THE BASE AND THEY REPLACED IT AND THE CONSUMER STATE THAT THE SEAT STILL SQUEAK THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT IT IS OK NOTHING WRONG. *MJ

NHTSA ID

566543

CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE IN MANY TIMES INQUIRING ABOUT THE SQUEAKING IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT. THE BASE OF THE SEAT FRAME WAS CRACKED. THE SEAT HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE SQUEAKING STILL EXISTS. *JG

NHTSA ID

565384

SINCE THE DAY OF PURCHASE CONSUMER HAS BEEN INQUIRING ABOUT A SQUEAKING OR CREAKING NOISE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AT LEAST 4 TIMES TO BE FIXED BUT THE CREAKING CONTINUES. *JG

NHTSA ID

565143