RoadVitals

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
10
Latest Apr 5, 2013
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.
5%
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.
3
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 the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. 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. 10 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 electrical

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

Electrical
Filed Apr 5, 2013

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

NHTSA ID
10507267
Incident
Feb 1, 2013
Mileage
155,637 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 4, 2010
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME. VEHICLE DESTROYED BY FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10323671
Incident
Apr 4, 2010
Mileage
110,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 16, 2009

I HAVE A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT THAT THE 4X4 CONTROL MODULE CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS WIDESPREAD AND COULD CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENTS BY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DURING OPERATION IN THE WINTER MONTHS ON SNOW/ ICE. IF YOU RESEARCH THIS YOU'LL FIND THE PROBLEM EXISTED FROM WHEN THESE WERE NEW VEHICLES AND FORD HAS NO RESOLUTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART. FORD'S DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER DOESN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM CREATING AN EVEN LARGER DANGER SINCE HERE'S NO WAY TO TRACE THE PROBLEM WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED IMMEDIATELY. FORD AND MOTOROLA HAVE DESIGNED AND INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAN KILL PEOPLE IF NOT FIXED AND HAS PROBABLY CAUSED HUNDREDS OF ACCIDENTS ALREADY. THE FORD PART NUMBER IS 1L54-7H417-AC AND THE MOTOROLA MODEL NUMBER IS 01MP207C01 AND IT IS DESCRIBED AS THE 4X4 CONTROL MODULE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10292297
Incident
Nov 16, 2009
Mileage
96,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 4, 2007

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.

NHTSA ID
10210803
Incident
Apr 4, 2007
Mileage
25,800 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 30, 2007
Fire reported

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.

NHTSA ID
10201241
Incident
Jun 17, 2007
Mileage
138,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 31, 2006

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

NHTSA ID
10167193
Incident
Aug 31, 2006
Mileage
75,529 mi
Electrical
Filed May 25, 2005

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.

NHTSA ID
10122169
Incident
May 25, 2005
Mileage
51,951 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 3, 2005
Fire reported

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

NHTSA ID
10116296
Incident
Mar 10, 2003
Mileage
30,482 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 9, 2003

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

NHTSA ID
10038527
Incident
Aug 24, 2003
Mileage
28,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+3 more
Filed Jan 1, 2001

THE VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN EGGS ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, THERE IS ALSO A BURNING SMELL, POSSIBLY AN EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOURCE. NLM

NHTSA ID
558540
Incident
Nov 17, 2000

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 sources

Data on this page last refreshed .