RoadVitals

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jul 11, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 188 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistance
Filed Jul 11, 2017

CRUISE CONTROL ON AND SET DO NOT WORK ON ANY ROAD. VEHICLE MOVING ON ANY ROAD OR STANDSTILL.

NHTSA ID
11004635
Incident
Jan 1, 2016
Mileage
160,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 3, 2014

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD AROUND 30 MPH WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY BRAKING. SHE SAID THE TRUCK WAS BUCKING WILDLY AS THOUGH IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN IT'S 30 MPH SPEED. SHE PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PULLED OVER YET THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO IDLE AS THOUGH IT WERE DRIVING 30 MILES PER HOUR. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. I ARRIVED 15 MINUTES LATER AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND IT IMMEDIATELY REV'D AS SHE DESCRIBED SO I SHUT IT OFF. I THEN PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL (WITH THE TRUCK IN THE OFF POSITION) ASSUMING IT MAY BE STUCK THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. IT STARTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY DROVE NORMALLY. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED NOTHING. NOTHING IN THE COMPUTER HISTORY AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SPEED SYSTEM (PEDAL, CABLE, THROTTLE, THROTTLE BODY...) I DID SOME RESEARCH ON-LINE AND DISCOVERED AN NHTSA REPORT (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE05037) OF A POSSIBLE BAD SPEED CONTROL CABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE WHERE THE TEFLON COVER COULD COMES OFF AND BIND AT THE GAS PEDAL HOLDING THE PEDAL OPEN AND UNABLE TO RETRACT. WE ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE REPLACEMENT CABLE ONLY TO FIND THAT FORD NO LONGER MAKES THE ORIGINAL OR THE REPLACEMENT WHICH WE FIND UTTERLY UNBELIEVABLE. NO MORE EXIST ANYWHERE IN THE US. I CAN FIND PARTS FOR MY 1992 FORD MUSTANG EASIER. NOT SURE WHY THEY STOPPED MAKING THE CABLE WHICH MAKES THIS MORE INTERESTING. MY NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE MY MECHANIC REMOVE THE CABLE TO SEE IF THERE IS A TEFLON BUILD UP NEAR THE GAS PEDAL. NOTE: WE HAVE NO CLEAR PROOF THAT THE CABLE IS THE ISSUE YET AT THIS POINT THE FACT THAT IT CLEARED WHEN I PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE OFF POSITION LEAVES SUSPICION THAT THIS COULD BE THE SAME ISSUE NOTED IN THE NHTSA PE05037 REPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10586289
Incident
Apr 5, 2014
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 8, 2008

AS OF APRIL 2008, FORD STILL HAS NOT SHIPPED THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH RECALL. THE RECALL WAS SENT OUT IN AUGUST 2008! FIRST, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WOULD ARRIVE IN DECEMBER OF 2007. THEN IN DECEMBER 2007, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE NEXT APRIL. NOW I AM TOLD IT WILL BE JUNE 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID
10223731
Incident
Apr 8, 2008
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 18, 2008

RECALL BY FORD ON SPEED CONTROL. SAFETY RECALL 05S28. OCT OF 2007 GOT SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED BY FORD. WAS TOLD PART WOULD BE IN NOV 07 AND AGAIN TOLD IT WILL BE DEC 07 IN DEC 07 WAS TOLD MARCH 07. TODAY MARCH 18TH CALLED FOR PART WAS TOLD PART IS NOT IN YET TO CALL AGAIN IN APRIL. (5 MONTHS) IS REALLY A LONG TIME TO GO WITH OUT SPEED CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221566
Incident
Oct 10, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 4, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS NOT DISCONNECTED B UPDATED 02-25-08 *BFECAUSE HE IS HANDICAPPED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. . THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 105,000.

NHTSA ID
10216891
Incident
Feb 3, 2008
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 24, 2008
Fire reported

2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE ATTACHED TO MY HOME. VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO DRIVEWAY AND FIRE EXTINGUISHED. FORD DEALER ADMITTED TO RECALL OF DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WHICH WAS THE ORIGINATION POINT OF FIRE. WAS ADVISED TO FILE CLAIM WITH MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY TO SPEED UP REPAIRS AND ENSURE THAT CLAIM WAS SUBROGATION TO FORD FOR REIMBURSEMENT. VEHICLE REPAIRED, NOW FORD WILL NOT TAKE CLAIM WITHOUT PROOF OF CAUSE OF FIRE. THIS WOULD REQUIRE MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HIRE AN ENGINEER. NOT COST EFFECTIVE FOR INSURANCE COMPANY, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED OVER 3 MONTHS AGO. I AM OUT MY DEDUCTIBLE AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE REPAIRS, EVEN THOUGH FORD KNOWS THIS WAS A FAULTY PART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215880
Incident
Oct 7, 2007
Mileage
107,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 20, 2008

DEFECT WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. MY CRUISE CONTROL WAS DE-ACTIVATED ON 9/13/07, AND MY DEALERSHIP REPORTS THEY ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE REPAIR PART FROM FORD. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CRUISE CONTROL REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY - I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 4 MONTHS WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215478
Incident
Sep 13, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 28, 2007

2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT SPEED CONTROL SWITCH RECALL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY MORE PARTS BUT WOULD CALL AND DISCONNECTED THE SPEED CONTROL. SHE HAS YET TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER. *KB RECALL 07V336000. *JB

NHTSA ID
10213890
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 24, 2007
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A WEEK, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND BURNED THE HOUSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A DOCUMENT THAT STATED THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECALL PRIOR TO PURCHASE. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A COPY OF THE FIRE INCIDENT REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/11/07 *TR

NHTSA ID
10203948
Incident
Jun 6, 2007
Mileage
100,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 11, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO DEALERS TO SCHEDULE A REPAIR APPOINTMENT REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). BOTH DEALERS FAILED TO PROVIDE HIM WITH THE OPTION TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AND HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH DEACTIVATED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2007. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID
10202512
Incident
Sep 11, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 5, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. EVEN THOUGH THE REPAIR PARTS WILL BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL LATE OCTOBER, SHE STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE NOTICE DOES NOT STATE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL MUST BE DISENGAGED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,381. UPDATED 01/07/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID
10201896
Incident
Aug 5, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 10, 2005

2001 EXPLORER SPORT CUT OFF FOUR TIMES AFTER I STARTED IT. AFTER GETTING IT TO START, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE ANY FASTER THAN 20 MPH, THEN IT WOULD SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST A COMPLETE STOP (IN TRAFFIC!). THE ACCELERATOR WAS EXTREMELY RESISTANT TO THE TOUCH. I TOOK IT TO CAPITAL FORD IN RALEIGH, NC AND INFORMED THEM I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE (DETERMINED THIS FROM RESEARCH). I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. FOUR DAYS WENT BY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO CAPITAL FORD TO BE TOLD IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. I INFORMED THEM THIS WAS AN ON-GOING ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL AND THE 2001 EXPLORER SPORT HAD BEEN RECALLED TO HAVE THIS PART FIXED. THE STAFF AT CAPITAL FORD SAID FORD HAD NOT ANNOUNCED A RECALL AND THAT THE INFORMATION I GATHERED WAS JUST A "SITE'S" OPINION. I NEED TO KNOW IF, IN FACT, THIS PART HAS BEEN RECALLED AND IF I HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST FORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED/REPLACED AT THEIR COST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. IT HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING DEALING WITH CAPITAL FORD ON THIS ISSUE. I'VE SPENT $689.70 ONLY TO BE TOLD I'LL NOW HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER $100 (+) TO FIX WHAT I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR TO REPAIR IN THE FIRST PLACE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10139232
Incident
Sep 24, 2005
Mileage
57,867 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 16, 2005
Crash reportedFire reported

DT: OWNS 2001 FORD EXPLORER, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE PREGNANT. HAD JUST ENTERED INTERSTATE AND WAS DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH AND TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 65MPH. TRIED TO TAP BRAKE BUT HEARD ENGINE REV UP AND IT IMMEDIATELY SPED BACK UP. TAPPED BRAKE AGAIN AND KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. ENGAGED HAZARD LIGHTS AND TRIED TO PULL OFF ROAD. DOWN SHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR,THEN TO 1ST, AND SLOWED TO ABOUT 50 MPH. TRIED TO ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKE WITH NO LUCK. WAS USING BOTH BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING IN THE GRASS UPHILL. WHEN IT SLOWED TO ABOUT 15-20 MPH PASSENGER JUMPED FROM VEHICLE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REV UP, DRIVER LET OFF BRAKE WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE AND WAS SLUNG FROM VEHICLE. THE EXPLORER WENT BACK AND CROSSED 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC, ENTERED ONTO SERVICE ROAD WHERE IT STRUCK A TREE. FROM THERE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP THE TREE UP-ROOTING IT. THE TIRES CAUGHT FIRE AND BYSTANDER TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH AN ICE CHEST AND AGAIN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TT

NHTSA ID
10121093
Incident
May 7, 2005
Mileage
80,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 13, 2005
Fire reported

2001 FORD EXPLORER CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*MR WHILE DRIVING CAR SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS MISSING. THE CONSUMER SAW SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND REALIZED THAT EH VEHICEL WAS ON FIRE. THE CRUISE CONTROL BOX, LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID
10121516
Incident
May 1, 2005

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data on this page last refreshed .