2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC Complaints

AFTER MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, DRIVER SUFFERED A SEIZURE. VEHICLE HIT THE POST, THEN VEHICLE SHOT ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH HITTING A TREE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. IF PASSER BYS DID NOT PULL DRIVER FROM VEHICLE, DRIVER WOULD HAVE DIED. VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON IT. DRIVER SUFFERED BROKEN BACK. VEHICLE TOTALED. DAMAGE TO TREE, WALL, HOUSE. *LA

WHILE TRAVELING FROM WILLIAMSBURG/NEW PORT NEWS, VA MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO HAVE THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT. IT IS A POOR FLOW FOR THE EGR VALVE. ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTATION IN VARIOUS ENGINE REFERENCE BOOKS FAILURE OF THE VALVE COULD CAUSE ERRATIC ENGINE SURGES AND POTENTIAL OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS TO INCLUDE FAILURE OF THE POWER PLANT. THERE ARE APPARENTLY NO REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THE 4.0L V-6 WHICH IS A COMMON ENGINE IN THE RANGER AND EXPLORER MODELS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 42000 HIGHWAY MILES AND RECEIVES REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOW LIFE OF THIS PART UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT THE PART FAILURE COULD CAUSE. *LA

I HAVE THE GOOD YEAR WRANGLER TIRES, AND I JUST WANT TO STATE THESE ARE BY FAR THE WORST TIRES THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN ON. I FELT LIKE I'M ON ICE WHEN THE ROAD IS A DAMPED. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN A WRECK BECAUSE OF THEM BUT I ALMOST DID. I OWN A FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, AND FOR SUV THEY NEED BETTER TIRES. *LA

AFTER 15,000 MILES AND MORE THAN 50% TREAD REMAINING, THERE IS ZERO WET TRACTION ON THESE TIRES. IT SEEMS THAT THE TRACTION GRADE ON THIS TIRE IS EITHER WRONG, OR THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM TO EVALUATE AND PUBLISH HOW THE TIRES WILL GRADE AFTER SOME WEAR AND NOT BRAND NEW. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 20-MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED A REAR END ACCIDENT. INDEPENDENT SHOP STATED THAT FRAMES WERE TORN. *AK

AFTER HAVING COME TO A FULL STOP, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. BOTH TIMES I WAS AT A FULL STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. ONLY THE FIRST INCIDENT DATE IS NOTED. THE SECOND HAPPENED IN JULY 2003.

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TRACK HAD A FAILURE THAT CAUSED IT TO SQUEAK AND NOT TO WORK EFFICIENTLY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THIS PART 5 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL BEARING RUNS DRY ON LUBRICATION CAUSING THE BEARING TO SCREECH LOUD. THE SAME BEARING HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE ON MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC IN TEN MONTHS.*AK

AT 31,000 MILES BRAKES AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND AGAIN AT 57,000 MILES. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE BRAKES SQUEALED, ESPECIALLY WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED. TECH SAID THE BRAKES NEEDED TO SEED. PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BRAKES HAS BEEN ONGOING. IS THIS NORMAL OR ARE THERE OTHER SPORT TRAK OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BRAKES. (HAS LEAD TO TIRES CUPPING, BUSHINGS NEEDING REPLACEMENT, FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT, ETC.)*AK