RecallRepo

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2001 Ford Explorer Sport has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 5,747,170 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 243 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the suspension. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 07V336000 2007-08-03 3,600,000 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL…

SEATS 06V114000 2006-04-10 8,585 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE…

Consequence

THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT TO…

SEATS 03V281000 2003-08-05 1,552,880 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH…

Consequence

THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 03V280000 2003-08-05 448,005 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL AND 4.0L SOHC ENGINES, IF THE STRAND COVER ON THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE BECOMES FLARED AT THE END, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE MAY BIND WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED.

Consequence

THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING FORCE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO OVERCOME THE BINDING CONDITION WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGED. BRAKING FUNCTION WOULD BE MAINTAINED THOUGH STOPPING DISTANCES MAY BE INCREASED.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

STRUCTURE 00V394000 2000-11-28 137,700 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH STEEL HOODS AND CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SHEET MOLDING COMPOUND HOODS. A WIRE FORMED HOOD STRIKER COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURES. IF THE HOOD STRIKER FRACTURES, THE HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.

Consequence

A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD STRIKER.

Complaints by component

SUSPENSION
18
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
15
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12
1crashes3fires
STRUCTURE:BODY
10
SEATS
9
AIR BAGS
8
5crashes7injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
7
1injuries
STRUCTURE
7
4crashes1fires2injuries2deaths
TIRES
7
1crashes1deaths
POWER TRAIN
6
Total complaints243

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Passenger side door handle broke only opens from inside. Passenger rear door only opens from outside. Drivers side rear only opens from outside. 3 out of 4 doors do not work properly. This is a safety issue. I have small children who are in rear car seats and can't get them out if emergency!!!…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2016-06-10

“---- this vehicle does not have a seat belt for a passenger riding in the middle of the rear seat. The rear seat has ample space for three full-sized adults, but there is no seat belt for a middle passenger. The ford original shop manual indicates that there are not any secure attachment points to…”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2016-03-04

“Cruise control on and set do not work on any road. Vehicle moving on any road or standstill.”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2016-01-01

“Driver seat bolt”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2015-11-28

“Driver seat bolt”

SEATS · reported 2015-11-28

“Driver seat bolt”

VISIBILITY/WIPER · reported 2015-11-28

“If steering wheel is not in the very high position turn signals blink very rapidly as if there was a problem with one of them.”

EXTERIOR LIGHTING · reported 2014-10-02

“2001 ford explorer sport. During normal driving, a rear rattle/ banging noise would occur when going over rough road or over bumps. This has progressively gotten worse over time. Investigation and inspection of the vehicle had revealed that all the body/frame mount bushings have deteriorated to…”

SUSPENSION · reported 2014-08-01

Defect investigations

Investigation DP05005 Opened 2005-09-22 · closed 2006-01-04

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR…

Investigation DP05005 Opened 2005-09-22 · closed 2006-01-04

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR…

Investigation DP05005 Opened 2005-09-22 · closed 2006-01-04

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR…

Investigation PE03020 Opened 2003-05-21 · closed 2003-09-05

FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER ATTACHMENT

BY LETTER DATED AUGUST 4, 2003, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V281) INVOLVING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998-2001 FORD EXPLORER / MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 4-DOOR, MY 1998-2000 FORD EXPLORER 2-DOOR AND MY 2001-2002 FORD EXPLORER SPORT AND SPORT TRAC VEHICLES…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.