2001 Ford Explorer Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
FRONT BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 36400 MILES. CLUNK IN REAR OF VEHICLE AS IT STOPS, FROM 6000 MILES. *LA
THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR LINK BROKE DURING AN EVASIVE MANEAUVER CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER DEATH OF THE DRIVER OF A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. *AK
2001 EXPLORER SPORT HAD BAD BALL JOINT ON FRONT PASSENGER SUSPENSION.*AK
DESIGN FLAW IN "BALL JOINTS" FOR 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. VECHICLE HAS 52K MILES, LESS THAN 3YRS OLD, AND NEEDED TO REPLACE LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS MAY ALSO NEED REPLACING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AT A COST OF $400 FOR EACH SET. THESE BALL JOINTS SHOULD NEVER NEED REPLACING AT THIS LOW MILEAGE, ESPECIALLY FOR A SPORT UTILITY VECHICLE, ONE OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN OFF THE ROAD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. DEALERSHIP REPLACED IN OCTOBER, 2003 THE LOWER BALL JOINT. FIVE MONTHS LATER, NEEDED TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *AK
LOWER BALL JOINTS IN 2001 FORD EXPLORER BAD AT ONLY 46,000 MILES.*AK
40,500 MILES, FORD EXPLORER V8. VEHICLE WOULD SWAY AND PULL SIDE TO SIDE FROM FRONT END, MOSTLY UNSAFE AT HIGHER SPEEDS ON HIGHWAY. DEALER (MILLER FORD , MRT. 38 , MOUNT HOLLY, NJ)SAID IT NEEDED BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS REPLACED. I HAD THEM REPLACED FOR $700 VEHICLE HAS NEVER DRIVEN THE SAME AND DOES NOT "FEEL" SAFE ON THE ROAD AT HIGH SPEEDS. FEELS LIKE FRONT END DRIVER SIDE HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN AND DEALER SAYS IT IS FINE. ANY BUMPS OR POTHOLES MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE FRONT DRIVER WHEEL FROM THE JOINT IS GOING TO COME LOOSE SOMETIME.*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
EXPLORER SPORT VIBRATES AND SHAKES WHEN GOING OVER 50 MPH. HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. THE VIBRATING IS EVEN NOTICABLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH ALSO VIBRATES WHEN THIS OCCURS IN ADDITION TO THE SHAKING THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE SEAT.*AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL MAKE A VIBRATION MAKING HARD TO DRIVE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED FOUR TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. AS YOU MENTIONED YOU BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON 10/26/2002 CALL 800/922-1594 STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE FOR LEMON LAW. TS
VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN ACCELERATING UP TO 60MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SAME PROBLEM APPPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES. AT LAST INCIDENT DEALER FOUND THAT SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE MOE INFORMATION.*AK
STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE UNDER 5 MPH, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FRONT END VIBRATED VIOLENTLY AND JUMPED WHEN ANY BUMP WAS HIT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR 20 MONTHS. VEHICLE WAS GETTING CLOSE TO NOT BEING DRIVEABLE DUE TO VIBRATION PROBLEM PROGRESSING. DEALER AND FORD WERE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON STRAIGHTAWAY OWNER FEELS A WIGGLE OR PROBLEM KEEPING TRUCK STRAIGHT. TRUCK IS UNSTABLE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE GETTING WORSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
AS CONSUMER PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT THE BALL JOINT AND PIN BOLT BROKE CAUSING THE STEERING KNUCKLE TO DETACH, THE TIRE CAME OFF AND THE AXLE CRACKED. CONSUMERS PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WAS WITH THE 1999 MODEL. THIS VEHICLE WAS AN UPGRADE FROM THE PREVIOUS. *JG
WHILE DRIVING AT 60/65 MPH VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE VERY BADLY,COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP.*AK
MAJOR SIDE TO SIDE ROCKING AT HIGH-SPEED EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE MANEUVER. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 50 MPH, AND MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE WILL GO UP IN AIR/ SLAM DOWN TO GROUND, AND SHAKE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT VEHICLE WILL ROLL OVER WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING DROPPED ON MY EXPLORER. THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WELL WAS 33" OFF THE GROUND AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL WAS 35" OFF THE GROUND. THE TRUCK SAT COCKEYED. THE TRUCK STEERING WAS LOOSE AND THE TRUCK WANDERED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 50-70 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEAF SPRING ON 05/03/2001.*AK
SECOND NOTIFICATION! THE LEFT REAR SPRING ON MY 2001 EXPLORER HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE SITS COCKEYED BECAUSE THE LEFT REAR SPRING IS LOWER THAN THE RIGHT FRONT. THE TRUCK STEERING IS LOOSE AND THE TRUCK WANDERS AT HIGH SPEEDS, 50-70 MPH. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO SAID THEY CAN'T REPLACE THE SPRING UNTIL IT IS 1" OUT OF TOLERANCE. MY QUESTIONS ARE, IS THE LEAF SPRING DEFECTIVE ON FORD EXPLORERS? WHY DOES THE LEAF SPRING FAIL? WILL THE TRUCK ROLL OVER IF THER IS A BLOW OUT AT HIGH SPEEDS BECAUSE THE TRUCK DOES NOT SIT LEVEL? FINALLY, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 40 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A LEAF SPRING TO FAIL. HELP????
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH AND GOING INTO A CURVE WHEN A VERY STRONG VIBRATION OCCURRED IN STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY BRAKES IN ORDER TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. ALSO, NOTICED THAT PROBLEM BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON WET PAVEMENT. DEALER HAS IDENTIFIED PROBELM AS SWAY BAR MECHANINSM FAILURE. *AK FORD DEALER STATED FIRESTONE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER TIRES WERE CHANGED TO GOODYEAR AND VEHICLE STILL FELT THE SAME, CONSUMER HAS HAD TWO NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO VEHICLE PROBLEM. *SLC
WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO PULL TO LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED. VEHICLE WENT OFF ROAD, AND FLIPPED OVER. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. *AK
DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM ALL FOUR WHEELS. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
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Quick Summary
The 2001 Ford Explorer has 55 Suspension complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.