2001 Ford EXPLORER SPORT TRAC: complaints, problems and recalls

BEGINNING ROUGHLY ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE (10/2000) I HAVE DETECTED AT TIMES A STRONG OILY VAPOR ODOR WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR IMPREGNATES MY CLOTHING AND EXPOSED SKIN AND HAS CAUSED MINOR (AT THIS TIME, AT LEAST) RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. I AM FORCED ON THESE OCCASIONS, WEATHER PERMITTING, TO RIDE WITH MY WINDOWS DOWN TO LESSEN THE EFFECT. THE OCCURRENCE IS INTERMITTENT AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT CAUSING FACTORS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS FAILED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM (4 VISITS), SUGGESTING THAT IT'S JUST THE A…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002845 at NHTSA ↗

I AM HAVING A TIRE CUPPING PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ALIGNED AND ROTATED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO SPEND APPROXIMATEY $500 FOR A NEW SET OF TIRES. I AM CURIOUS IF OTHER FORD SPORT TRAC OWNERS HAVE NOTIFIED YOU OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005187 at NHTSA ↗

LOSS OF TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND HEADLIGHTS WHEN TILT WHEEL IS ADJUSTED. DEALER HAS TRIED THREE TIMES TO REPAIR THIS. HAS REPLACED WIRING AND PARTS TWICE. IT IS NOW FAILING AGAIN WHICH WILL REQUIRE A FOURTH VISIT. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 44,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010559 at NHTSA ↗

STOPPED BY POLICE BECAUSE BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING. 3RD BRAKE LIGHT WAS FUNCTIONING. ALL BRAKE LIGHTS WORK WITH THE TILT-WHEEL ALL THE WAY UP. IN ANY OTHER POSITION, ONLY THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT WORKS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016874 at NHTSA ↗

ACCELERATOR IN A FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC ENGAGED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT WERE UNABLE TO PREVENT THE CRASH - AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF THUS STOPPING THE VEHICLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 31,076 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018351 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE RECALLED AND FORD SPONSORED THEIR VOLUNTARY RECALL PROGRAM, WE TRIED TO HAVE OUR TIRES REPLACED. AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS BACKLOG AND WE WERE TOLD TO WAIT; THAT THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T AFFECT US UNTIL THE TIRES WERE 3 OR MORE YEARS OLD. AFTER WAITING FOR 2 YEARS, WE TRIED AGAIN TO GET THE TIRES REPLACED, BUT WERE INFORMED THAT FORD WOULD NOT HELP US IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER--WE HAD MISSED THEIR DEADLINE (WHICH WAS NEVER MENTIONED IN THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS AND WHICH IS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY WEB-SIT…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018798 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE, KNOCKED THE CONSUMER DOWN AND ROLLED OVER HIS LEG. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020471 at NHTSA ↗

WHEELS STUCK, CANNOT REMOVE WHEELS TO CHECK BRAKES OR ROTATE TIRES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO IF I GET A FLAT TIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021349 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-11-28 (November 28, 2000)

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.

Reported: 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

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.

Reported: 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

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 AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

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.

Reported: 2007-08-03 (August 3, 2007)

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 BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.