2001 Ford Excursion
The Verdict
The 2001 Ford Excursion has 206 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (101 complaints) and engine (55 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 53/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Excursion, consider the 2005 model year which has 68% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2005 has 68% fewer complaints
View the 2005 Ford Excursion dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Get notified if a recall hits this car.
We email you when NHTSA issues a new recall on the 2001 Ford Excursion. No spam, no marketing.
Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
Tie rod end broke in half. Tie rod fell to the ground
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.
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.
TL* 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.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH, THE SPEED BEGAN TO REDUCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THREAD GAVE WAY ON THE MOTOR HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
#7 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE SPARK PLUG HOLE. SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST REPLACED BY A LOCAL FORD DEALER IN 2011. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS THIS FAILURE AND DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEADS TO BE COMMON IN THIS ENGINE, V-10 6.8L.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN
A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. WHILE I REALIZE THAT THERE WAS NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE THIS TIME, MY TRUCK HAS NINE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO IT AGAIN. MY DAUGHTER AND 4 YEAR OLD GRANDSON WERE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN 32 DEGREE TEMPS. HER CELL PHONE HAD DIED AND SHE HAD TO WALK TO A PHONE (CHILD IN TOW). THERE IS ENORMOUS PROOF THAT THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH FORD ENGINES AND HAS COST CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR YET YOU CHOOSE NOT TO HOLD THEM LIABLE AND HAVE EVEN ALLOWED THEM TO COVER UP A PROBLEM. WHY? HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/2007/05/FORD_TECHS_SPARK_PLUGS.HTML *JS
FACTORY PAINT PEELING. STARTED ON HOOD AND DOOR JAMBS, NOW ON ROOF. I CANNOT BELIEVE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY WOULD ALLOW PAINT TO PEEL AND CONTAMINATE IN THE ENVIRONMENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V352000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000.
THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE HEAD AND BLOW THE IGNITION COIL TO BITS. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
ON SEPT. 29,2014I APPROACHED STOP LIGHT AND APPLIED BRAKES, ENGINE RPM INCREASED VERY HIGH AND BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD VEHICLE - HAD TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE RPM CONTINUE TO GO HIGHER - THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE ENGINE WENT BACK TO IDLE SPEED THEN WE PROCEEDED HOME WITH NO MORE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND EACH TIME BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD VEHICLE BACK. I TOOK IT TO FORD IN 2013 AND EXPLAINED IT TO THEM AND THEY SAID TO PUT GAS STABILIZER IN TANK AS THE GAS IN TANK WAS CONDENSING AND CAUSING THE COMPUTER TO MALFUNCTION. I PUT THE GAS STABILIZER IN THINKING THIS WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT BUT THIS TIME , SEPT. 29,2014 AND THE TIME BEFORE, JUNE 2014 - IT REV UP SLIGHTLY , IT COULD NOT BE THE CASE THESE LAST TWO TIMES AS I HAD JUST PUT FRESH GAS IN IT. IT IS VERY SCARY IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I AM GOING TO CALL FORD AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY THIS TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED AWAY INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL MAILBOX AND A MOBILE TRAILER. THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG AND LEFT ANKLE WERE INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PANEL AND ROOF NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
DRIVER SEAT BELT UNLATCHES ON OCCASION AFTER BEING FULLY ENGAGED. SIMILAR TO THE SITUATION THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL IN 2001. WE DID TAKE THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME FOR THE RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT WARMER OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WIRES BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT CUSHION, EMITTING SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
THE APPROXIMATE DATE ABOVE IS THE FIRST TIME MY EXCURSION BLEW OUT A SPARK PLUG WHILE ON A FAMILY TRIP IN PA. SINCE THEN, IT HAS BLOWN 2 MORE IN SEPARATE INSTANCES, THE MOST RECENT BEING ON THE HIGHWAY THIS PAST SUNDAY. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS TOWING AND PUTTING MORE STRAIN ON THE ENGINE, BUT THE 2ND AND 3RD INCIDENTS NO TOWING WAS INVOLVED. I HAVE READ ABOUT AND SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE ALSO TOLD ME THE FORD TRITON ENGINES ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS FORD SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE. POSSIBLE DEFECT IN CASTING..?? WAS TOLD THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON BUT FORD REFUSED TO COVER THEIR KNOWN DEFECT. COST ME OVER $6,000 TO REPLACE ENGINE. *TR
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY EXCURSION CRACKED ALONG THE BOTTOM FROM THE HEAT AND COLD ABOUT 3'' UP ALONG THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED TO MY SONS 2001 F250 SAME WAY. THERE WAS NO REASON AS NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW. *TR
206 total