FordExplorer Sport2001Overview/ford/explorer-sport/2001/base/

2001 Ford Explorer Sport

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Explorer Sport.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2001 Ford Explorer Sport is an SUV utilizing a 5-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil, delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 15/20/17 mpg. This model year sits within a reliability history characterized by 14 recalls and 765 total owner complaints, with the Power Train identified as the top complaint area. This concentration of documented issues defines the 2001 model year as a period where the Power Train represents the dominant reliability concern for researchers to evaluate.

Model year200320022001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Note the factory thermostat is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235-75R15SLOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat1L5Z8A586BA discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.3 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height67.7 in
Wheelbase101.6 in
Curb weight3849 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 58.7 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 20 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 17.0-22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11-12 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings19-24 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts79-85 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16 ft-lbs
Main Bearings67-74 ft-lbs
Main Bearings61-68 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug17.0-22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)76.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket66.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle85.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket85.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug4WD: 18.0, With AWD: 13.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug4WD: 18.0, With AWD: 13.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub184-250 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)MT: 850, AT: 710 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)MT: 50, AT: 40 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)725 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)25 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 1.88. With auxiliary A/C, 3.50. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type68
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary A/C, 9.00. With auxiliary A/C, 13.00. oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30-45
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 na Flex Fuel ohms
Engine Oil Pressure40-60 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2000 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 21-26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 73-97 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.060; Rear: 0.030 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.005 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.433 in / 0.965 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
126 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
125-35 ft. lbs.25–35 ft. lbs
245-55 ft. lbs.45–55 ft. lbs
385-95
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
110 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5210 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill) · Wheel Bearing (repack)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miPCV Valve (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Filter (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Ford Explorer Sport sits at the front edge of a production run that escalated sharply before tapering off: the 2002 model year registered a striking 3,620 complaints, 14 recalls, 9 investigations, and 370 TSBs, while 2003 activity fell to roughly a third of that level (1,313 complaints, 7 recalls, 3 investigations, 176 TSBs). The 2001 entry's own complaint data isn't broken out in totals, but its top complaint areas — powertrain (83), tires (75), structure (64), and vehicle speed control (63) — show the same engineering fault lines that clearly intensified by 2002, suggesting 2001 was the calm before the storm rather than the cause of it. Notable, however, are the 97 crash and 41 fire complaints attributed to 2001, which are unusually high relative to typical mechanical-category reports and indicate that crashworthiness and fire-related defects were already present early in the generation. Taken as a whole, the 2001 model is likely the better pick within this generation compared to the 2002 peak, but the persistent powertrain and speed-control themes, combined with elevated crash and fire counts, mean a buyer should insist on a vehicle-history report and a pre-purchase inspection focused specifically on transmission behavior, tire wear patterns, and any prior speed-control or fire-related repairs.

14
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
248
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
765
Owner complaints
97 involved a crash · 41 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 765 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train83
Tires75
Structure64
Vehicle Speed Control63
Suspension60
Engine & Engine Cooling55
Air Bags42
Seats38

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 12 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 248 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CSP-08B012008-05-16Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND…
04272005-10-07SteeringSTEERING SHUDDER DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS - 4.0L ENGINE. *TT
0424212005-06-07Seat BeltsSAFETY BELT RETRACTION SPEED. *TT
0305082005-04-01Power TrainFRONT AXLE LEAKS FLUID FROM VENT TUBE - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4X4 OR AWD. *TT
053102005-02-21Seat BeltsSAFETY BELT WEB STOP BUTTON SERVICE. *EH

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Explorer Sport. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Explorer Sport take?

5.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Explorer Sport have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 14 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Explorer Sport get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.