FaultScore

2001 Ford Explorer seat belt problems

11 of the 503 complaints about the 2001 Ford Explorer are about the seat belts — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 102,347 miles.

F

11

Complaints

6

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Anchorage 3 27.3%
Retractor 3 27.3%
Buckle Assembly 2 18.2%
Rear/Other 2 18.2%
Seat Belts 1 9.1%

Seat Belts across every Ford Explorer year

1991 28 4.6%
1992 27 4.4%
1993 14 2.3%
1994 13 2.1%
1995 60 9.8%
1996 81 13.3%
1997 57 9.3%
1998 38 6.2%
1999 22 3.6%
2000 16 2.6%
2001 11 1.8%
2002 35 5.7%
2003 17 2.8%
2011 14 2.3%
2012 14 2.3%
2013 20 3.3%
2014 27 4.4%
2015 37 6.1%
2016 40 6.6%
2017 21 3.4%
2020 18 3.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 166,694 miles Clarksville, TN

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD SUDDENLY UNLOCK. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS WOULD MOVE FORWARD WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,694.

NHTSA complaint #10780714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 172,236 miles SAN Diego, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. SHE STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE SEAT BELT OFF.THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR A GARAGE FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER .THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,236.

NHTSA complaint #10304135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Larsen, WI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CLOSES IN THE CAR DOOR ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP ATTENTION BUT THE RESPONSE WAS THAT IT RETRACTED OK WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT. MY CONCERN IS THAT OVER TIME THIS MAY CAUSE WEAR ON THE BELT THAT WOULD PREVENT IT FROM WORKING PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10106336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 38,000 miles Arvada, CO Crash

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

WHILE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE SEPARATED. AS A RESULT THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW. NO MAJOR INJURIES REPORTED.

NHTSA complaint #10095424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 21,386 miles Richmond, VA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT CAME UNBUCKLED DURING A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. FRONT SEAT PASSENGER ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #10041382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Olive Hill, KY Crash 1 killed

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

CONSUMER STATED DURING A ROLLOVER THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, AND PASSENGER WAS EJECTED FROM VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS HIT AND ROLLED OVER, CONSUMERS WIFE WAS EJECTED RESULTING IN A FATALITY. *JG *AK ODI SPOKE TO HUSBAND AND HE ASSUMED HIS WIFE WAS WEARING THE SEATBELT. WIFE WAS DRIVING AND DURING EVENT WAS THROWN OUT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. THERE WAS NO WITNESS TO THE WIFE WEARING THE BELT.CW

NHTSA complaint #8005377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Salem, OR Crash

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY FELL APART FROM THE WALL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK THE SEAT BELT FELL APART ON COLLISION BECAUSE IT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT FACTORY.

NHTSA complaint #8005141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coraopolis, PA Crash 3 injured 2 killed

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE, NOR THE DRIVER. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS A PASSENGER IN THE FORD EXPLORER AND WAS KILLED AT THE SCENE. THERE IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER HE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND IF IT FAILED DURING THE ROLLOVER OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ALSO A QUESTION OF FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE. BOTH OF THE REAR TIRES WERE MISSING THE VALVE STEMS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THIS OCCURRED DURING THE ACCIDENT OR IF THEY BLEW OUT PREVIOUSLY AND THAT IS WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER WAS SPEEDING, PERFORMED AN UNSAFE LANE CHANGE, THEN OVERCORRECTED, LOST CONTROL, CROSSED THE MEDIAN STRIP INTO THE OPPOSITE ROADWAY, ROLLED OVER AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WHERE ANOTHER PERSON WAS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLISION. THE DRIVER WAS FOUND "NOT GUILTY" IN HIS MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL. SO IT SEEMS THIS ACCIDENT WAS ATTRIBUTED MORE TO VEHICLE FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS DRIVER ERROR ALSO.

NHTSA complaint #754358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Welth, OK Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

A ROLLOVER CRASH BY TRAVELING AT 35 MPH ON A GRAVEL ROAD. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, WAITING ON MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSE. *AK SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #889300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mamaronecks, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

WHEN COMING TO A STOP PASSENGER'S SEAT SLIDES FORWARD, CAUSE UNKNOWN, ALSO REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #884186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saugus, MA

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

REAR SEAT BELTS ON BOTTOM; WHEN SITTING DOWN BOTTOM PORTION COMES UP FORWARD, QUARTER AWAY. THIS VEHICLE HAS RWO DOORS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF IT.

NHTSA complaint #883556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2001 Ford Explorer problems

← Full 2001 Ford Explorer report