The 2001 Ford Explorer Sport has 31 body & structure complaints filed with NHTSA — 13% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.
31
Body & Structure complaints
13%
Share of year
4
Crash-involved
1
Related recalls
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH STEEL HOODS AND CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SHEET MOLDING COMPOUND HOODS. A WIRE FORMED HOOD STRIKER COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURES. IF THE HOOD STRIKER FRACTURES, THE HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.
Consequence
A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD STRIKER.
“LTR FWD FM REGION V RE THE FORD EXPLORER AS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, HIS SISTER GINA AGIN AND HER FIANCE MICHAEL HEYWORTH KILLED IN A FATAL ROLLOVER ACCIDENT, ATTACHMENTS NOT IMAGED FWD NVS-200. *LA WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICAT THE THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASSY MEDIAN 2-3 TIMES. IT…”
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport body & structure — 13% of all complaints filed for that model year.
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the body & structure: 00V394000.
Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.
Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.