Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Transmission 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.
24
Latest Mar 7, 2011
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.
6%
of 375 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.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 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 transmission
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Transmission
Filed Mar 7, 2011
Crash reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY AND THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH THAT INVOLVED FOUR ADDITIONAL VEHICLES. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SERVO PLUG HAD POPPED OUT OF PLACE AND FRACTURED THE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ID
10386707
Incident
Mar 3, 2011
Mileage
118,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 3, 2010
OD LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE FIRST GEAR SHIFTS REAL HARD. 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
NHTSA ID
10341339
Incident
Jul 3, 2010
Mileage
166,724 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 4, 2010
I HAVE A 2001 FORD EXPLORER AND AT FIRST THE TRUCK WOULD SLIP IN AND OUT OF GEARS SO I TOOK IT TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. I HAD THAT REPLACED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING AND THE TRUCK SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE.... AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE O/D OFF LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THIS TRUCK IS GOING TO COST ME OVER 2,000 DOLLARS TO FIX AND IT SEEMS AS IF I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP! *TR
NHTSA ID
10334535
Incident
Jun 3, 2010
Mileage
143,212 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 8, 2010
FORD EXPLORER O/D LIGHT FLASHING, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *TR
NHTSA ID
10324584
Incident
Feb 16, 2010
Mileage
107,400 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Mar 9, 2010
'O/D OFF' LIGHT IF BLINKING, ON AND OFF. WHILE LIGHT IS BLINKING THE CAR SEEMS TO BE SLUGGISH AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE PROPERLY. ROUGH SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING. *TR
NHTSA ID
10318169
Incident
Mar 9, 2010
Mileage
118,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 8, 2010
MY 2001 FORD EXPLORERS TRANSMISSION IS HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS FOLLOWED BY IT'S OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHING. I TALKED TO SEVERAL FORD TRANSMISSION FRIENDS AND THEY ADVISED ME TO INSTALL A UPGRADE KIT IN THE VALVE BODY. THIS WAS DONE, FLUID AND FILTER CHANGED, TO NO AVAIL. THE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING WEIRD. AFTER READING SEVERAL POSTS ON SEVERAL SITES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, I AM AT A LOSS AT WHAT TO DO. SEVERAL PEOPLE STATED THAT THEY WENT TO THE EXTENT OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSIONS WITH NEW ONES AND THE LIGHT STILL FLASHING AND HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. MY EXPLORER HAS 60K MILES ON IT AND THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT ONLY 50K MILES, TO ME THIS IS A PROBLEM FORD SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE, AND ALLOW SOME COMPENSATION TO IT'S LOYAL CUSTOMERS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10298792
Incident
Jan 4, 2010
Mileage
50,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 2, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING ON AND OFF. THE CONTACT HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVERYTIME THE BLINKING OCCURRED. THE TRANSMISSION SWITCHED FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR EACH TIME THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,491 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,427.
NHTSA ID
10240700
Incident
Jul 24, 2008
Mileage
96,427 mi
Transmission
Filed May 8, 2007
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IN A LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AS MY WIFE EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE LINKAGE ON THE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION USING A PAIR OF PLIERS WHILE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS SET, AND MY WIFE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1200.00. THIS VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2001 AND HAS ONLY 58,000 MILES. IT HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED IN ANY MANNER. THERE WAS NO WARNING WHATSOEVER THAT THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF A PROBLEM. SURELY, THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT FORD WILL PROBABLY DENY.*AK
NHTSA ID
10190137
Incident
May 5, 2007
Mileage
57,450 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 5, 2006
AT AROUND 55000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY REAR AXLE AND I AM NOW AT 62000 AND MY O/D WILL START FLASHING AND MY 2001 EXPLORER WILL SHIFT HARD OR NOT SHIFT AT ALL. *NM
NHTSA ID
10147014
Incident
Oct 1, 2005
Mileage
55,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 18, 2005
OVERDRIVE TURNS OFF - FORD HAS ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ((TSB) 03-22-10 IN OBVIOUS RECOGNITION OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS ,BUT REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK
NHTSA ID
10118059
Incident
Feb 1, 2005
Mileage
110,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 5, 2003
TRANSMISSION LEAKS WHILE DRIVING OR PARKING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA ID
10038323
Incident
Sep 5, 2003
Transmission
Filed Jun 1, 2003
AT 31,059 MILES, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AT ACCELERATION AND LOSS POWER, ESPECIALLY AT SECOND GEAR. AT 42,000 THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF SAME PROBLEMS THAT EXPERIENCED AT 31,059 MILES. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE D.P.F.E SENSOR. *TT
NHTSA ID
10020860
Incident
Jul 25, 2002
Mileage
31,059 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 16, 2003
2001 V8 EXPLORER 36500 MILES, MY TRANSMISSON STARTED SLIPPING ALL OVER THE PLACE, LUCKILY I GOT THE EXTENDED WARRENTY. BUT THERE IS NO REASON FOR SUCH A YOUNG TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD
NHTSA ID
10007584
Incident
Feb 3, 2003
Mileage
36,500 mi
Body & structureBrakesEngine+2 more
Filed Sep 12, 2002
CUSTOMER STATES, THE COVER FOR DOOR LOCK AND WINDOW SWITCHES ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND FRONT DOOR IS LOOSE AND WILL NOT STAY SNAPPED IN PLACE, ALSO THE DOOR HINGES WERE REPLACED.*SCC *YH
NHTSA ID
567425
Incident
Sep 25, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 22, 2002
THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN GREAT. THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND ALL OF THE FLUID WAS PUSHED OUT THE THIRD TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN MAKING SQUEAKING SOUNDS THAT CANNOT BE LOCATED.*AK
NHTSA ID
762171
Incident
Mar 21, 2002
Transmission
Filed Mar 19, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY JUMPED OUT OF FOUR WHEEL HIGH TO FOUR WHEEL LOW AND CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS LED TO A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. VEHICLE AT THE DEALER, CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURIES. *AK *YH
NHTSA ID
8005956
Incident
Mar 14, 2002
EngineFuel systemTransmission
Filed Mar 13, 2002
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL FLASH INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO DRIVE SLUGGISH, ROUGH, AND SOMETIMES MAKES A SCREECHING NOISE. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE PCM, VAPOR MANAGEMENT VALVE, CANISTER PURGE SOLENOID, TENSIONER ASSEMBLY, VACUUM HOSE TWICE, DPFE, AND THE FUEL TANK. *SLC
NHTSA ID
8005583
Incident
Jun 21, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jan 22, 2002
WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE WHILE AT A SLIGHT INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACK UNTIL APPLYING BRAKE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ID
8002546
Incident
May 7, 2001
Transmission
Filed Sep 6, 2001
PUTTING SUV IN PARK WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR BROKE AND RELOCATED TO THE 1ST GEAR POSITION. NOW STUCK ON 1ST GEAR AND THERE IS NO VISUAL WAY OF KNOWING WHAT GEAR THE SUV IS IN. FORD IS COVERING THE DEFECT THROUGH WARRANTY, BUT THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. REPAIRS BEING PERFORMED AT ORR PERFORMANCE IN ATLANTA, TEXAS.*AK
NHTSA ID
751808
Incident
Aug 30, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 11, 2001
Crash reported
VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, LEFT IN PARK, AND GEAR SLIPPED/VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN HILL. RESULTING IN $12000 DAMAGE. CONSUMER WAS NOT IN VEHICLE AT THE TIME. EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT USED. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE DUE TO UNKOWN DEFECTS. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE ROLL OVER INCIDENT WAS NOT DETERMINED. *YH
NHTSA ID
888027
Incident
May 2, 2001
EngineSteeringTransmission
Filed Mar 1, 2001
WORLD FORD HAS DONE NOTHING BUT GIVE ME A RUN AROUND AND NOT FIXING MY TRUCK RIGHT!!! I HAVE NOTHING BUT AGREVATION WITH MY TRUCK AND I DONT FEEL THAT IT'S SAFE WITH DRIVING MY CHILDREN IN IT! WHEN ADVISING THE DEALERSHIP OF THE TRUCKS MAJOR COMPLICATIONS THEY ADVISE ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN 30-60 DAYS TO AVIOD THE LEMON LAW! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
741779
Incident
Jan 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jan 9, 2001
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
739102
Incident
Jan 6, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 19, 2000
WHEN GOING DOWN A STEEP GRADE NEITHER "DRIVE 1" OR "DRIVE 2" ENGAGED & DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE. NEITHER LOW GEARS WORKED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR WHEN STARTED FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE GAS GUAGE WILL START SHOWING 1/4 TANK OF GAS WHEN THERE IS AT LEAST 3/4 FULL TANK. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED & RESTARTED THE GAS GUAGE OFTEN RETURNS TO THE PROPER LEVEL OF GAS IN THE TANK.
NHTSA ID
728429
Incident
Aug 3, 2000
SteeringTransmission
Filed Jul 6, 2000
TRUCK WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH 13 TOTAL MILES. WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING FUSES ARE FINE AND THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT IS NOT WORKING FUSES ARE FINE. WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THE TRUCK BEGINS TO STALL ALSO WHILE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK BEGINS TO STALL. *AK
NHTSA ID
724990
Incident
Jul 1, 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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own