FORD F-SERIES · model year

2001 FORD F-SERIES

54 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001FORDF-SERIES carries 54 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 12 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 F-SERIES is vehicle speed control with 5 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (5) and engine (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2001 F-SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

54
Complaints
1
Crashes
12
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

54 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING5
ENGINE5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE4
SEATS3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE3
TIRES2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING1
EQUIPMENT1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL1

Recent Complaints

20161130ENGINE

SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK, AS VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON A HIGHWAY. DISABLED, NEEDED A TOW. REPAIR VERY EXPENSIVE. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20161015ENGINE

SPARK PLUG BLOWN OUT OF HEAD. SPARK PLUG #7 BLEW OUT 9 MONTHS AGO. NOW PLUG #8 BLEW OUT. MECHANIC SAYS IT'S DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF ALUMINUM HEAD AND INSUFFICIENT THREADS. BOTH TIMES, THIS HAPPENED WHILE COASTING AT A SLOW SPEED (< 30 MPH).

Mileage: 109,000

20160921ENGINE

THE SPARKPLUG BLEW OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO. RUNNING FINE THEN ABOUT 40 MPH THE PLUG BLEW OUT

Mileage: 106,000

20150720STRUCTURE:BODY

I HAVE A 2001 FORD F-150 THAT I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2001. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE TRUCK. IT HAS ALREADY HAD THE GAS TANK STRAP RECALL FIXED. I FOUND SEVERAL SPOTS THAT LOOK AS IF THE FRAME IS DETERIORATING FROM RUST.

Mileage: 130,000

20150616ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TURN SIGNAL ARE NOW SPORADIC. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT WHEN THE TILT IS ENGAGED AND LOWERED THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT WORK. RAISE STEERING WHEEL BACK UP IT WOULD WORK. START TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD THEY WOULD TURN OFF OR NOT WORK AT ALL OR WOK SOMETIMES. RAISE THE STEERING WHEEL THEY WORK. LOWER IT THEY DON'T. THIS INDICATES FROM FURTHER RESEARCH ON LINE IN FORD F150 FORUMS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING BEING TO SHORT AND THE WIRES GET PULLED OUT OF THE SWITCH. IT IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN F!%) FROM 98 UP TO 2004 AND ARE NOW BEING REPORTED IN NEWER MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS BEHIND THE VEHICLES.AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY FORD AT NO EXPENSE TO THE OWNERS.

20150616EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TURN SIGNAL ARE NOW SPORADIC. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT WHEN THE TILT IS ENGAGED AND LOWERED THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT WORK. RAISE STEERING WHEEL BACK UP IT WOULD WORK. START TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD THEY WOULD TURN OFF OR NOT WORK AT ALL OR WOK SOMETIMES. RAISE THE STEERING WHEEL THEY WORK. LOWER IT THEY DON'T. THIS INDICATES FROM FURTHER RESEARCH ON LINE IN FORD F150 FORUMS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING BEING TO SHORT AND THE WIRES GET PULLED OUT OF THE SWITCH. IT IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN F!%) FROM 98 UP TO 2004 AND ARE NOW BEING REPORTED IN NEWER MODELS AS WELL. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS BEHIND THE VEHICLES.AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY FORD AT NO EXPENSE TO THE OWNERS.

20150207FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM SOMEONE AND BEFORE FINDING OUT ABOUT THE FUEL STRAP RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. FILLED FUEL TANK AND HAD A VERY NOTICEABLE LEAK OF FUEL FROM TANK. WHEN INVESTIGATED, FOUND THE FUEL STRAPS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND HAD CAUSED CORROSION IN THE SEAM OF FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK FROM TANK. *JS

Mileage: 200,000

20141028SUSPENSION

TWO LEAF SPRINGS BROKE ON EACH SIDE OR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND PARTS FELL INTO THE ROADWAY. *TR

Mileage: 233,500

20140818ENGINE

MOTOR EJECTED #3SPARK PLUG ON PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

Mileage: 147,000

20140702ENGINE

THE PLUGS BLEW!! THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY AND AS OF NOW(7-2-2014) ALL HAVE BEEN REPLACED. IM SURE THAT WILL START AGAIN BUT THIS IS QUITE AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. MY TRUCK HAD 8 PLUGS...THANK GOD THEY DON'T ALL BLOW AT ONCE!! *TR

Mileage: 138,000

20140225SEAT BELTS

WHILE DRIVING, THE SEATBELT CLIP WILL RELEASE FROM THE CATCH, CAUSING THE BELT TO RETRACT AND BECOME INEFFECTIVE WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, AND UNDER VARIOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CAN FIND NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN EXTERIOR OF THE INSTALLED EQUIPMENT. MY VEHICLE HAD THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR REPLACED AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THIS APPEARS TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

20131007FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS NOT IN USE- PARKED AND NOT ON SMOKE AND FIRE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD THE WIRING MELTED CAUSING THE HOOD TO MELT UNDERNEATH WHERE IT CAN NOT BE OPENED. *TR CONTACTED FORD ON MONDAY JUNE 24 WAITED FEW WEEKS FOR PAPER WORK- PROMPTLY FILLED IT OUT AND NEVER HEARD BACK FROME THEM- MADE SEVERAL CALLS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM LEGAL DEPARTMENT INDICATING THEY NEED THE PART TO REVIEW WE WANTED FORD TO COME TO LOOK AT TRUCK AND RETIREVE THE PART THEY ARE NOT WILLING AND ARE CLOSING THE CASE THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS AND MY FAMILY WAS IN THE TRUCK THAT MORNING- WE RE LUCKY NO ONE WAS KILLED

Mileage: 100,000

20130730WHEELS

TWO BLOCKS FROM MY RESIDENCE, I EXPERIENCED A LOUD 'BOOM', TREAD SEPARATION AND DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL, FENDER BRACES AND MY EXHAUST PIPE. THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS A GOODRICH T/A KM LT 285/75R/16/122/119/D M + S MUD TIRE. THIS IS A LOAD RANGE D TIRE WITH A MAX OF 65 PSI. I USE 50 PSI. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN 2007/2008, AND MOUNTED ON SEPARATE RIMS. THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND THE MUD TERRAIN TIRES WERE EXCHANGED OFTEN.MY TRUCK HAS APPROXIMATELY 40K TOTAL MILES. IF THE DRIVING ON EACH TIRE WERE DIVIDED EVENLY, EACH TIRE WOULD ONLY HAVE 18K MILES, AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED OFTEN. INFLATION WAS CHECKED EVERY WEEK. I CHOSE NOT TO USE THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE TIRE. AS IT HAPPENED ON A NEWLY REBUILT STREET.THIS TIRE HAS A 3 PLY SIDE WALL AND A 5 PLY TREAD. THIS TYPE OF TREAD SEPARATION SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I WANT GOODRICH TO REPLACE ALL TIRES, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID TO USE THEM. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, RESULTS

Mileage: 36,000

20130730TIRES

TWO BLOCKS FROM MY RESIDENCE, I EXPERIENCED A LOUD 'BOOM', TREAD SEPARATION AND DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT REAR QUARTER PANEL, FENDER BRACES AND MY EXHAUST PIPE. THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS A GOODRICH T/A KM LT 285/75R/16/122/119/D M + S MUD TIRE. THIS IS A LOAD RANGE D TIRE WITH A MAX OF 65 PSI. I USE 50 PSI. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN 2007/2008, AND MOUNTED ON SEPARATE RIMS. THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND THE MUD TERRAIN TIRES WERE EXCHANGED OFTEN.MY TRUCK HAS APPROXIMATELY 40K TOTAL MILES. IF THE DRIVING ON EACH TIRE WERE DIVIDED EVENLY, EACH TIRE WOULD ONLY HAVE 18K MILES, AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED OFTEN. INFLATION WAS CHECKED EVERY WEEK. I CHOSE NOT TO USE THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE TIRE. AS IT HAPPENED ON A NEWLY REBUILT STREET.THIS TIRE HAS A 3 PLY SIDE WALL AND A 5 PLY TREAD. THIS TYPE OF TREAD SEPARATION SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I WANT GOODRICH TO REPLACE ALL TIRES, BECAUSE I'M AFRAID TO USE THEM. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, RESULTS

Mileage: 36,000

20120206ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE CAUSING FAILURE. ENGINE. *TR FIRE

Mileage: 156,000

20120206ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF ENGINE CAUSING FAILURE. ENGINE. *TR FIRE

Mileage: 156,000

20110930FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN FOR THE GAS TANK RECALL AND NOW MY TANK LEAKS GAS THE ARE TRYING TO SAY IT WAS LEAKING BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN SO THEY SENT ME DOWN THE ROAD WITH A DRIPPING GAS TANK AND WONT REPLACE IT I HAD MY TRUCK AT MY MECHANICS HAVING SOMETHING ELSE FIXED 2 WEEKS BEFORE THIS AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT MY BROKEN STRAP AND MY TANK WASN'T LEAKING THEN. *TR

Mileage: 83,000

20100919FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY 2001 F 150 SUPER CREW START ON FIRE IN A PARKING LOT I LIVE IN MEXICO BUT THIS TRUCK WAS MADE IN THE USA, THE FIRE STARTED ABOUT 45 MINUTES AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20100329UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN MY FORD F-150 BLEW OUT THE #3 SPARKPLUG RESULTING IN HAVING TO SLOW WAY DOWN, FUEL VAPOR FILLING MY CAB AND A VERY ROUGH RIDE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO RETAP THE HOLE, PUT IN A NEW PLUG AND SEE IF THAT WORKS. IF NOT, THEY TOLD ME WE ARE LOOKING AT HAVING TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE HEAD. I DID NOT REALIZE HOW COMMON THIS WAS WITH FORDS UNTIL I RESEARCHED ONLINE TODAY. I ALSO DID NOT REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF CONTINUING TO DRIVE IT TO THE SHOP THIS MORNING AS I HAVE READ THAT THE FUEL VAPOR COULD IGNITE WHILE RUNNING.

Mileage: 130,000

20090917FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2001 FORD F150 CAUGHT FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. VEHICLE HAD NOT CRANKED IN OVER 24 HRS., AND NO KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION. *TR

Mileage: 47,000

Compare 2001FORDF-SERIES to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 FORD F-SERIES have?
The 2001 FORD F-SERIES has 54 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 12 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 FORD F-SERIES?
The most-complained component for the 2001 FORD F-SERIES is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and ENGINE.
Is the 2001 FORD F-SERIES safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.