2001 Ford Explorer: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 500 complaints
500
Total Complaints
90,500mi
Median Mileage
TIRES
Top Issue
82
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

42,500 25th Percentile
90,500 Median Mileage
126,482 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

TIRES
42
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
24
SUSPENSION
20
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
19
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
17
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
16
SEATS
16
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
16
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
14

Severity Assessment

82
Crashes
27
Fires
89
Injuries
9
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. BUMPER WAS AMONG OTHER PARTS THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. REPAIR SHOP TOLD CONSUMER , THAT ACCORDING TO FORD, NEW VEHICLES WILL BE RECEIVING THE BUMPERS FIRST. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHEN THEY COULD REPLACED IT.*AK,"
"WHILE TRVELING AT 20 MPH VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL AND STRUCK A PHONE POLE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER SHOP. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT LOSS OF CONTROL WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK"
"WHILE TRVELING AT 20 MPH VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL AND STRUCK A PHONE POLE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER SHOP. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT LOSS OF CONTROL WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28