2001 Ford Explorer Sport Powertrain (other) Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10551420

Incident

Jul 24, 2013

Mileage

125,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10551019

Incident

Oct 30, 2013

Mileage

146,444 mi

TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2-3 GEAR OR BETWEEN 30MPH-40MPH. O/D OFF LIGHT BLINKS ON/OFF SOMETIMES WHEN THIS OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10424598

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

189,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. RECENTLY, IT APPEARS THAT IF I AM GOING A STEADY SPEED OR LEAVING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR GOES INTO OVER DRIVE. THIS HAPPENS TO ME A MIN. OF 5 TIMES A DAY. THE BUTTON DOES NOT WORK FOR THE OVER DRIVE, SO EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS, I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES THE OD GOES ON MINUTES AFTER I TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO GET FIXED BECAUSE THE MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME IT IS SIGNS OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET 3,000 WHEN THE CAR IS ONLY WORTH 6,000 AT BEST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354717

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

85,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT WHICH I BOUGHT NEW. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED IT PROPERLY AND I BABIED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACED MANY PARTS ON IT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS FROM BALL JOINTS TO HUB ASSEMBLIES MANY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. NOW IT IS MAKING NOISE IN THE REAR END AND MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR END MAY GO AT ANY TIME. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FIND THAT MANY OTHER FORD OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL. I AM NOT IN THE FINANCIAL SITUATION AT THIS TIME TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AND IT IS MY FEELING WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR EXPLORERS IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL. I KNOW THAT THIS WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ANYONE AND I'LL JUST HAVE TO STRUGGLE ALONG WITH THE PROBLEM UNTIL I CAN SAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT YOU CAN BET IF I HADN'T PAID MY PAYMENTS WHILE THE CAR WAS FINANCED THROUGH FORD MOTOR CREDIT YEARS AGO THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REPOED IN NO TIME FLAT. FUNNY HOW THOSE BIG COMPANIES CAN KEEP TRACK OF THOSE THINGS BUT FORGET ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUES OF THE PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO A GRAND PRIX WHEN I MAKE MY NEXT PURCHASE. THE FIELDS TO FILL OUT ASK THE QUESTION "WERE THERE ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES" THERE IS NO WHERE TO CHECK OFF "NOT YET" GO FIGURE.............. *TR

NHTSA ID

10353442

Incident

Sep 2, 2010

Mileage

147,000 mi

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

01 FORD EXPLORER AUTOMATIC TRANS. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY REAR END LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO. IT WHINES VERY LOUD AND ONLY HAS 80K MILES ON IT. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT IT COULD LOCK UP ANY MINUTE WHILE DRIVING. I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AS I AM A FULLTIME COLLEGE STUDENT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM FORD NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE ANYBODY DIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10201305

Incident

Aug 15, 2007

MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 4X4 MAKES A LOUD WHINING NOISE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE DRIVE SHAFT ESTIMATED COST WOULD BE AT LEAST 2000$ I HAVE ALWAYS BABIED MY FORD. HOW IN THE WORD COULD A DRIVE SHAFT GO BAD? I HAVE HAD CARS THAT WERE 15 YEARS OLD AND OVER 200,000 MILES ON THEM NEVER A PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10159254

Incident

Sep 10, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

SPORT TRACK HAS 76,000 MILES AND SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A ROARING SOUND IN THE REAR WHICH GETS LOUDER AS SPEED INCREASES. IT WAS LOOKED AT BY TWO COMPANIES, BOTH OF WHICH DIAGNOSED IT AS A REAR AXLE PROBLEM-POSSIBLY A DIFFERENTIAL BREAKAGE. THERE ARE SLITHERS OF METAL ON SOME OF THE AXLE PARTS. WHEN LUBRICATION WAS CHECKED FOAMING WAS DETECTED. I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THIS MEANS---BUT I WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER OR FORD AS IT WAS TOO BIG A JOB FOR THE REPAIR SHOP. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A COSTLY REPAIR BILL! WE HAVE NOT TAKEN LONG TRIPS, HAULED/PULLED ANYTHING. I'VE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD REGARDING THIS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10117949

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THE REAR END BY FORD THEY PACK THE INAPPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF GREASE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL (WHEATHER TOO SMALL OR TOO MUCH) WHICH CAUSES THE BEARINGS TO RUB AND WEAR OUT QUICKLEY. IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF IT CAN RESULT IN A LOCKING OF THE REAR END THUS HENCE THE LIKELY HOOD OF ACCIDENT POTENTIAL. JUST IMAGINE OUR CHILDREN BEING AFFECTED. FORD REFUSES TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM EVEN WHEN IT IS VERY CLEAR OF LIABLITY. THE DEALERS REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE WITHOUT A CHARGE AND UNWARRENTED EXTRA WORK AND CHARGE. DT

NHTSA ID

770523

Incident

Jun 15, 2001

ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING HOT WHEN VEHICLE IS NOT OVERHEATING. CHECK GAUGES TROUBLE LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER REPLACED BUT STILL MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD. VEHICLE WILL JERK/CLUNK EVERY TIME TRANMISSION SHIFTS. DEALER FLUSHED TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE FLUID. NO CHANGE IN TRANSMISSION FUNCTION. VEHCILE VIBRATES/SHAKES AT HIGHER SPEEDS. MAY BE THE DRIVESHAFT. DEALER ROTATED TIRES. VIRBRATION STILL EXISTS. REAR SEAT BOTTOMS DO NOT ANCHOR SECURELY. THE SEAT BOTTOMS FLIP UP WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE REAR WINDOW WIPER WAS NOT CLEARING THE COVERED AREA, LEAVING DIRT AND DEBRIS ON THE WINDOW OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW. DEALER ADJUSTED ARM PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. DT

NHTSA ID

770354

Incident

Nov 29, 2002

CONSUMER HAD THE BOLT TO THE CV BOOT BREAK ON THE WAY TO THE SERVICE STATION CAUSING THE STEERING KNUCKLE TO GIVE AWAY WHICH AIDED IN CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER TRADE VEHICLE IN FOR A NEWER MODEL. *JG

NHTSA ID

566132

Incident

Jul 2, 2001

THE REAR PINION BEARING FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

785687

Incident

Aug 1, 2001