2001 Ford Expedition Reliability
The 2001 Ford Expedition has 609 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and electrical system. Compared with nearby Expedition model years (1999–2003), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Expedition's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
609
NHTSA owner complaints
10
Recall campaigns
39
Complaints citing a crash
97
Complaints citing a fire
2001 Ford Expedition complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 model year, filed between 2000 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 128 | 21% |
| Electrical system | 124 | 20% |
| Speed control / throttle | 105 | 17% |
| Tires | 63 | 10% |
| Visibility / wipers | 45 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 42 | 7% |
| Seat belts | 37 | 6% |
| Body structure | 25 | 4% |
2001 Ford Expedition recalls
10 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2001 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00V396000 | Nov 28, 2000 | Equipment — other / owners/service/other manual | Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the affected Expedition/navigator owner guides do not identify the locations of… |
| 01V082000 | Mar 12, 2001 | Air bags — frontal | Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. The inflator canister in the driver air bag module may have an inadequate weld near the igniter. |
| 01X001000 | May 22, 2001 | Tires — tread/belt | This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Equipment description: Ford is replacing all firestone wilderness at 15, 16, and 17 inch tires mounted on Ford trucks and suvs.… |
| 01V227001 | Jul 16, 2001 | Seat belts — front / buckle assembly | Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford crown victoria… |
| 01V258000 | Aug 8, 2001 | Visibility / wipers — windshield wiper/washer / motor | Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper… |
| 03V094000 | Mar 7, 2003 | Body structure | Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might… |
| 05V388000 | Sep 7, 2005 | Speed control / throttle | On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn. |
| 06E056000 | Jun 13, 2006 | Fuel system | Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from January 16 through June 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube… |
| 06E060000 | Jun 29, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108,… |
| 06E067000 | Aug 1, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 331-1129l-asn and 331-1129r-asn, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor vehicle… |
How the 2001 compares with nearby Expedition years
Verdicts compare these Expedition model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 970 | 9 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2000 | 942 | 11 | Electrical system | Avoid |
| 2001 (this page) | 609 | 10 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2002 | 383 | 4 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2003 | 655 | 6 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2001 Ford Expedition
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Tires: check tread depth and date codes, and look for uneven wear that points to alignment problems.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 10 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2001 Ford Expedition can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2001 Ford Expedition reliability FAQ
Is the 2001 Ford Expedition reliable?
The 2001 Ford Expedition has 609 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and electrical system. Compared with nearby Expedition model years (1999–2003), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Expedition's typical year.
What are the most common 2001 Ford Expedition problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2001 Ford Expedition are engine & cooling (128), electrical system (124), speed control / throttle (105), tires (63). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2001 Ford Expedition have recalls?
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2001 Ford Expedition, including 00V396000 (equipment — other / owners/service/other manual) and 01V082000 (air bags — frontal). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2001 Ford Expedition compare with the 2000 and 2002 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2000 has 942 complaints and 11 recalls (avoid); the 2002 has 383 complaints and 4 recalls (avoid). The 2001 has 609 complaints and 10 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2001 Ford Expedition?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Ford Expedition research
Other Ford Expedition model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2001 Expedition, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.