2001 Ford Excursion recalls and problems

The 2001 Ford Excursion has 6 safety recalls and 209 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer.

Recalls
6
Complaints
209
Crashes / fires
17 / 19
Injuries / deaths
14 / 2

Recalls may cover only some 2001 Ford Excursion vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2001 Ford Excursion recalls

Recall 09V-399: Vehicle Speed Control

Reported Oct 13, 2009 · 4,500,000 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (Scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.

Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.

Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.

Recall 07V-553: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Dec 5, 2007 · 1,176,000 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.

Risk: In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 29, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Recall 06V-286: Vehicle Speed Control

Reported Aug 1, 2006 · 1,200,000 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.

Risk: Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.

Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (Note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)

Recall 01V-258: Visibility

Reported Aug 8, 2001 · 1,083,000 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: 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 function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.

Risk: Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Recall 01V-227: Seat Belts

Reported Jul 16, 2001 · 1,400,000 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: 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 built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01 mercury grand marquis built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01. Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01. Lincoln navigators built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01. Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01. Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison plant from 3/13/00 - 5/25/01. Ford f-150 truck built at norfolk plant from 4/18/00 - 5/25/00; at ontario plant from 5/10/00 - 5/28/01; at kansas city plant from 9/11/99 - 5/25/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/9/01. Ford super duty f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 5/27/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/19/01. Ford excursions built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 10/2/00. Ford expeditions built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began july 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Recall 01V-082: Air Bags

Reported Mar 12, 2001 · 268 vehicles affected · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Problem: Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. The inflator canister in the driver air bag module may have an inadequate weld near the igniter.

Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the driver air bag may not deploy as intended, potentially resulting in reduced occupant protection, or a burn injury.

Fix: Dealers will install a driver air bag module. Owner notification began march 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

2001 Ford Excursion problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Tires58
Engine and Engine Cooling44
Power Train21
Service Brakes, Hydraulic17
Suspension15
Electrical System13
Vehicle Speed Control12
Steering9
Engine8
Seat Belts6
Air Bags6
Structure5

Most reported parts

  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 17
  • Tires › Tread/Belt — 15
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 14
  • Tires › Sidewall — 10
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel — 10
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline — 7
  • Air Bags › Frontal — 6
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 5

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 82,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2001 Ford Excursion complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Electrical System · at 212,820 miles · reported Dec 8, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact was interested in purchasing a 2001 Ford Excursion at the dealer who advertised the mileage on the vehicle as 120,000 on Saturday, December 6th, 2025; however, the odometer showed a mileage of 116,000. While noticing the difference, the contact decided to research the VIN online and discovered that on January 20th, 2024, in Maryland, the mileage was recorded for the vehicle at the time of servicing at 212,820. The contact asked the dealer for clarity on the difference in the mileage; however, the dealer failed to provide an explanation. The dealer stated that no…
Unknown or Other · at 135,000 miles · reported Mar 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Excursion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unattended, the vehicle caught fire without warning. There were no reported injuries, police reports, or air bag deployments. The fire department and city employees extinguished the fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
Vehicle Speed Control · at 70,000 miles · reported Jun 17, 2018
Cruise control cutout switch mounted on master cylinder is full of brake fluid including the electrical connector. The VIN number doesn't link to a recall. Perhaps the previous owner had switch replaced under recall or perhaps this VIN wasn't in the original recall. In any event a fire hazard is present.
Tires · at 147,000 miles · reported Oct 20, 2015
The contact owns a 2001 ford excursion equipped with firestone steeltex a/t tires, size: lt265/75r16 119/116r (Na). While driving 55 MPH, the tires exploded and caused considerable damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The vehicle and tire failure mileage was 147,000.
Electrical System · at 120,000 miles · reported Sep 30, 2015
Drove to local high school around 7:30am and returned home around 7:45 AM about a hour later I was notified by my neighbor that my ford excursion was on fire, the fire flames were coming from the engine compartment. The excursion was park in the driveway.

Other Ford Excursion years

Compare all Ford Excursion years · All Ford models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2001 Ford Excursion have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2001 Ford Excursion: 09V-399 (vehicle speed control), 07V-553 (engine and engine cooling), 06V-286 (vehicle speed control), 01V-258 (visibility), 01V-227 (seat belts) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2001 Ford Excursion?

Owners report tires problems most often (58 reports), followed by engine and engine cooling (44). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 82,000 miles.

Are Ford recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Ford dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.