2001 Ford Explorer Problems: 6 Known Issues

On the 2000-2002 Ford Explorer, many Ford vehicles of this era, including the Explorer, were subject to recalls for the speed control deactivation switch mounted on the brake master cylinder. The switch can leak brake fluid internally, overheat, and in some cases cause an underhood fire even when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is off. This is a well-documented safety defect with multiple recalls and widespread owner awareness.

On the 1991-2001 Ford Explorer, the 1991-2001 Explorer was factory-fitted with P235/75R15 Firestone Radial ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires that suffered tread-belt separation, especially in hot climates and when underinflated to Ford's low placard pressure. A rear tread separation at highway speed frequently sent the tall, relatively narrow-track Explorer into a rollover. NHTSA linked the failures to hundreds of deaths and over 700 injuries, triggering the August 2000 recall of 6.5 million tires and the 2000 TREAD Act. Owners of surviving high-mileage examples still search this because any period-original or old-stock Firestone AT tire is suspect.

On the 1997-2001 Ford Explorer, the 5R55E five-speed automatic (behind the 4.0L before the 5R55W/S arrived for 2002) commonly loses reverse and/or slips in Drive/1st as the low/reverse sprag, reverse clutch pack, and forward clutch wear. A broken tab on the pressure-regulating (EPC) solenoid in the valve body drops line pressure, so reverse — which needs the most pressure — engages late or not at all, and the engine flares on deceleration. High-mileage owners search this heavily as the truck 'won't back up.'

On the 2000-2010 Ford Explorer 4.0L SOHC V6, the 4.0L SOHC Cologne V6 is notorious for timing chain guide and cassette failures, especially the rear cassette that is difficult to access with the engine installed. Plastic guide material breaks down over time, causing startup rattle, persistent chain noise, cam timing errors, and eventually severe engine damage if the chain jumps timing. This is one of the best-known Explorer engine problems of the era and is documented across owner forums, repair databases, and NHTSA complaints.

On the 1997-2004 Ford Explorer, on 4.0L Explorers (both the OHV Cologne and the later SOHC V6) P1506 is a common high-idle complaint on higher-mileage trucks. The idle air control valve sits on the throttle body and meters bypass air around the closed throttle plate. Crankcase vapour routed through the PCV system, plus normal intake carbon, gradually coats the IAC pintle and its seat. The pintle stops seating fully, so even when the PCM commands the valve to its minimum duty cycle, more air keeps bleeding past than the strategy allows. The PCM compares commanded position against actual RPM, sees idle running above the target, and stores P1506. The second pattern on this platform, and the one that catches people who have already thrown an IAC at the truck, is an EVAP canister purge valve stuck partly open. The purge valve is plumbed into intake vacuum downstream of the throttle plate, so a leaking purge solenoid is functionally an uncommanded vacuum leak the IAC cannot compensate for. Ford's diagnostic material for P1506 lists the EVAP purge system among the causes, and Explorer owners repeatedly report replacing the IAC, clearing the code, and having it return until the purge valve is addressed. Owners describe a cold-start flare that will not come down until the transmission is put in gear, a hanging idle on deceleration, an idle that stays elevated when warm, and a slight lurch when shifting into drive. Fuel economy drops and the truck can creep against the brakes at a stop.

On the 1995-2010 Ford Explorer, the cable-drive window regulators on the Explorer/Mountaineer/Sport Trac fail as their plastic cable guides crack and the steel lift cable frays or jumps off the drum. The window then binds, drops crooked, or falls down inside the door — the motor often still runs. The front door regulators are the most common, and the original glass/regulator is riveted, complicating the repair. A very high-frequency 'window fell down' search across the whole 1994-2010 range.