FORD F53 · model year

2001 FORD F53

6 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001FORDF53 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 F53 is wheels:hubcap/cover with 1 filings, followed by suspension:front:wheel bearing (1) and suspension (1). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2001 F53, and 8 remain open. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING1
SUSPENSION1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT1
STEERING1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1

Recalls (1)

07V33600003/08/2007

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Recent Complaints

20080229VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2001 FORD MOTORHOME, RECALL 05S28, RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL 9/2007, FORD IS UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO PROVIDE PARTS TO REACTIVATE CRUISE CONTROL. LATEST ESTIMATE OF PARTS AVAILABILITY IS 6/2008. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

20030127STEERING

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: STEERING WANDERS/CONSTANT, MUST HOLD THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE TRAVEL LANE/ALSO ON ROUGH ROADS, WINDY CONDITIONS, AND WHEN BEING PASSED BY TRUCKS (INCREASED COMPENSATION REQUIRED). THIS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE FATIGUE AND EXCESSIVE TIRE/COMPONENT WEAR. TSB#1298/BSN 147-COACHMEN AURORA MOTORHOME SCC

20020531SUSPENSION

VIBRATION AT OR ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR. BEACH FORD WILL NOT FIX. PURCHESED FROM CAMPER COUNTRY IN MYRTLE BEACH THEY ARE JUST SALES HAVE TAKEN IT TO FORD AT LEAST 4 TIMES. TOOK IT TO RED BAY ALABAMA TO MANUFACTURER HAD DRIVETRAIN CHECKED AT STI IN ALABAMA TIRES TRUED TO WHEELS AND STILL HAVE THE VIBRATION. *AK

20020531POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

VIBRATION AT OR ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR. BEACH FORD WILL NOT FIX. PURCHESED FROM CAMPER COUNTRY IN MYRTLE BEACH THEY ARE JUST SALES HAVE TAKEN IT TO FORD AT LEAST 4 TIMES. TOOK IT TO RED BAY ALABAMA TO MANUFACTURER HAD DRIVETRAIN CHECKED AT STI IN ALABAMA TIRES TRUED TO WHEELS AND STILL HAVE THE VIBRATION. *AK

20010206SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP DUE TO A HUB CASTING DEFECT, THE PROBLEM WAS A FACTORY PRODUCTION PROBLEM, THE LUBRICATION BARREL FOR BEARINGS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CHASSIS HAD BEEN EMPTY SINCE AUGUST, EVERYTHING FROM THE SPINDLE TO THE HUB WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDS REPLACED. *SLC

20001212WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER

WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH FRONT LEFT WHEEL LOCKED UP. TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO SAID THERE WAS A HUB CASTING DEFECT, AND THERE WAS A RECALL DUE SHORTLY. A FEW DAYS LATER, FORD COMPANY CHANGED THAT TO IT BEING A FACTORY PRODUCTION PROBLEM. NO LUBRICATION WAS DONE ON THAT COMPONENT. LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS DESTROYED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT. *YH

Compare 2001FORDF53 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 FORD F53 have?
The 2001 FORD F53 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 FORD F53?
Yes, the 2001 FORD F53 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 FORD F53?
The most-complained component for the 2001 FORD F53 is WHEELS:HUBCAP/COVER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2001 FORD F53 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.