2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC Complaints

THE RISING PRICE OF GAS DISCOURAGED ME FROM USING MY SPORT TRAC (ST) OFTEN, SO IT WAS GARAGED DURING THE WORK WEEK. ON THE WEEKENDS, I USUALLY DROVE THE ST TO RUN ERRANDS AROUND TOWN. ON JAN 28, 2012, I DROVE LESS THAN A MILE WHEN MY ST BEGAN LOSING THROTTLE RESPONSE AND AN UNFAMILIAR CLATTERING CAN BE HEARD GENERATED IN THE ENGINE BAY. I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL, SO I PROCEEDED TO PULL OVER. I THEN TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC NEAR MY LOCATION. THE MECHANIC AFTER EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAD FAILED, ALONG WITH TIMING CHAIN GUIDES WHICH SHATTERED INTO MULTIPLE PIECES (PHOTOS AVAILABLE). THE TIMING CHAIN AND ITS COMPONENTS ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST FOR A LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE, AND HENCE FORD PROVIDED NO INFORMATION OR PROVISION FOR ITS MAINTENANCE. THE REPAIR WAS EXPENSIVE, BECAUSE IT REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS BASED ON THE SOHC DESIGN HAVING ITS RIGHT CAMSHAFT DRIVEN BY A TIMING CHAIN LOCATED BEHIND THE ENGINE NEAR THE FIREWALL. A RECALL OF THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDES AND TENSIONER SHOULD BE MADE BECAUSE OF THE COMMON PROBLEM THIS HAS BEEN FOR THIS ENGINE DESIGN, SOHC 4.0L AFTER THE REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE AND TIMING CHAIN GUIDE REPLACEMENT, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION REGISTERED AN ERROR ON MY DASHBOARD, AND AFTER CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERT, REQUIRED A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. THE COST OF THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION REBUILD HAS BEEN VERY EXPENSIVE TO SAY THE LEAST. THE UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF THIS FAILURES WOULD COMPROMISE SAFETY DURING HIGH SPEED OPERATIONS. I HOPE NHTSA WILL REVIEW COMPLAINTS REGARDING TIMING CHAIN AND TRANSMISSION FAILURES, WHICH SHOULD REVEAL A PATTERN OF DESIGN FAILURES AT FORD. INTERESTINGLY, FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND ENGINE REMOVAL TO REPAIR CHAIN GUIDES IN THE PAST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING UPHILL. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND THE RMPS WOULD INCREASE TO 3,500. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL BUT THE RPMS WOULD CONTINUOUSLY INCREASE. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THE RPMS WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE AT 3500. THE VEHICLE WAS ALLOWED TO RUN IDLE FOR THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE RESUMING NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000. UPDATED 04/11/12*LJ THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY FOUND ACORN NUTS NEAR THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 04/23/12

2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC CRUMBLING BODY MOUNT BUSHINGS CAUSING CREAKING, KNOCKING NOISE UNDER FLOORBOARD. POSSIBLE SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL. VEHICLE IS HARD TO STEER, CORNERING IS AWFUL AND TRUCK RIDES VERY ROUGH AND IS HARD TO CONTROL NOW THAT THE BUSHINGS ARE COMPLETELY GONE. OTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEMS THE BODY COULD WARP, CAUSE WINDOWS TO BREAK, DOORS TO BECOME MISALIGNED, CAUSE OTHER SUSPENSION PARTS TO FAIL PREMATURELY. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 69K MILES AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *KB

FRONT DOOR LOCKS ON 2001 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC RENDERED MALFUNCTIONING BY FREEZING CONDITIONS IN MICHIGAN. DRIVER'S SIDE CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S SIDE CAN BE UNLOCKED EITHER ELECTRONICLY OR MANUALLY. HOWEVER WHEN EVER THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS ARE USED, EVEN WHEN ALREADY UNLOCKED AND VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE PASSENGER'S FRONT DOOR RELESES FROM THE LOCKING LUG WITHOUT TOUCHING THE DOOR OPENING HANDLE. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THE FIRST TIME WAS DURING THE SPEED CONTROL RECALL AND THE SECOND TIME WAS JUNE OF 2011. *TT

IVE HCECKED AROUND AND IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF THE EXPLORER SPORT TRACS EVENTUALLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVEN AFTER REPLACING WITH NEW ONES. THE BODY MOUNT INSULATORS UNDER THE CAB DETERIATE AND CRUMBLE. THE NOISE IS HIGHLY UNBEARABLE SO I HAVENT DRIVEN MY TRUCK IN A FEW MONTHS. I REFUSE TO PAY CLOSE TO $500 USD FOR PARTS WHEN I STILL HAVE TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE FOR AND PAY LABOR. I FEEL THAT FORD AND THE NHTSA HAVE NO CARE AT ALL ABOUT WHETHER IT GETS RESOLVED. FORD SYAS GO TO THE DEALER, THE DEALER SAYS GO TO FORD. THEN BACK AND FORTH LIKE NOBODY WANTS TO DEAL WITH IT, UNLESS OF COURSE IF YOU'RE PAYING THEM. THEN THEY'L FIX IT AND REPAIR IT WITH PARTS THAT WILL GO OUT. IF IT WAS WEATHER OR NATURAL CAUSES FOR THE WEAR, THEN WHY DOESNT THE FRONT AND REAR ONES WEAR OUT? WHY JUST THE TWO( WELL I SHOULD SAY FOUR TWO ON EACH SIDE) WEAR OUT? EITHER STOP MAKING CRAPPY PARTS AND CARS FOR PEOPLE WHO WORL AND DIE FOR THIS COUNTRY OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CRAPPY EXCUSE OF A PART AND FIX IT. SO WHAT IF IT COSTS YOU MILLIONS; IF YOU MADE IT RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE THEN YOU WOULDNT HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOW. I GUESS WHEN MY CAB FLIES OFF AND KILLS SOME KIDS ON A SIDEWALK AND THE PARETS SUE FORD AND NHTSA FOR FAILURE TO HEAD PRIOR WARNINGS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THEN MAYBE SOMEBODY WILL MAKE SOMEBODY FIX THIS HUGE ISSUE. I MIGHT JUST GO DRIVING AND SWERVE AND LET MY CAB ROLL OF AND KILL SOMEBODY, NOTHING LIKA A LITTLE DEATH TO GET THE JOB DONE....HEY IT WORKED WHEN WE WENT FIGHTING IN IRAQ FOR YOU PEOPLE. SMH. THIS IS PLAN RIDICULOUS AND SICKNING HOW OUR GOVERNMENT ALLOWS COMPANIES TO SCREW US OVER AFTER ALL WE'VE DONE. GO OUT THERE AND SERVE YOUR COUNTRY!! AND WHEN YOU GET BACK AND YOUR CAR'S PARTS ARE FAULTY, WE WONT MAKE THE TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANY FIX IT....SMFH...AINT NO COUNTRY LIKE AMERICA. *TT

TOOK MY TRUCK TO A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THE GRINDING SOUND OF MEDAL WAS, TURNED OUT TO BE THE BODY MOUNTING BUSHINGS. THEY ARE FALLING APART. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS WHAT ATTACHES THE BODY TO THE FRAME AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AROUND. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE COMPANY. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND THIS IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION I HAVE. I READ UP ON THIS ONLINE AND FOUND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW FORD CAN LET THESE TRUCKS OF THEIR LOTS KNOWING THAT THE BUSHINGS ARE NO GOOD AND SHOULD BE FIXED!! *TR

BACK DOORS OF MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC FX4 4X4 DO NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE CHILD SAFELY LOCKS ARE NOT ON. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED, WE NOTICED THE DOOR DID NOT OPEN AT THE DEALERS, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE FIXED. UPON PICKING UP THE TRUCK WE WERE TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE CHILD SAFELY LOCK WAS ON. THIS IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS DO NOT KEEP YOU FROM OPENING THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THEY DID SOMETHING THAT ALOUD THE DOOR TO OPEN FOR ABOUT 30 MINS, WE GOT HOME AND THE SAME THING HAPPEN. THIS IS NOT SAFE, WE COULD NOT GET MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER OUT OF THE TRUCK. GOD FOR BID IF THE TRUCK EVER WAS ON FIRE WE COULD NOT GET TO HER. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2001 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. 3 DIFFERENT TIMES IT HAS EJECTED THE REAR SPARK PLUG FROM THE ENGINE. I'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY GETTING IT REPARIED. EACH REPAIR HAS FAILED. EACH REPAIR SHOP HAS BEEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. THIS CERTAINLY CANNOT BE SAFE. FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING FOR SUCH A POOR DESIGN OF ITS ENGINES. *TR

2001 FORD SPORTTRAC ALL FRAME/BODY MOUNT BUSHING IS DETERIATING BADLY. I THINK ITS VERY SERIOUS. IF I SHOULD HAVE A WREAK OR SOMEONE HITS ME WHILE IM TM TRANSPORTING MY GRANDSON OR WIFE .WHAT HOLDS THE FRAME FROM SWAYING OFF THE TRUCK IS WELL TAKEN CARE OFF . I LIVE IN TEXAS. NO BAD WEATHER CONDITION TO DETERIATE BUSHING . IT SHOULD BE A DEFECTIVE PART. FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE BEFORE IT GETS PEOPLE KILLED. IM DISABLE AND ON A FIXED INCOME CANT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH THE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BODY MOUNTS HAD DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.