NHTSA vehicle safety data

2000 Ford Explorer Sport Recalls & Complaints

The 2000 Ford Explorer Sport has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 71 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ford dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2000 Ford Explorer Sport owner complaints

Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport, describing incidents dated January 4, 2000 to January 30, 2014.

Most-cited components

Power Train 12 complaints
Electrical System 10 complaints
Engine 9 complaints
Seats 9 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 8 complaints
Suspension 6 complaints

Of the 71 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 10 a fire; across all 71 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10564963 · Filed February 19, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE FOUR 02 OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE PERSISTED BUT THE VEHICLE…
ODI #10549604 · Filed October 25, 2013
I GOT INTO MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH FROM MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WITH MY CEO. WHEN I SAT DOWN THE SEAT FELL BACK AND THE SEAT BACK WOULD NOT CATCH AGAIN. I TOOK MY LIFE INTO MY HANDS DRIVING HOME THAT EVENING. CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY SAID THE PART WAS NO LONGER…
ODI #10453903 · Filed April 3, 2012
THIS WAS A TERRIBLE EVENT... MY CAR WAS AIMED DOWN MY 300 FT DRIVEWAY. I DON'T BELIEVE AT THAT POINT OR IF IT WAS STUCK I DIDN'T KNOW THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK BUT I SOON REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AS I HEADED TO NEW ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL FOR WATER CLASS THE EXPLORER WENT FASTER AND FASTER ON RT…

Read all 71 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP05-005: SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
Closed January 4, 2006

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FORD/HOOD

NHTSA #00V394000 · Structure — Body — Hood — Hinge and Attachments · NHTSA notice

Reported November 28, 2000 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Potentially affected: 137,700 vehicles

Ford campaign 00S45 · Owners notified January 23, 2001 · Vehicles built September 24, 1999 – October 17, 2000 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH STEEL HOODS AND CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SHEET MOLDING COMPOUND HOODS. A WIRE FORMED HOOD STRIKER COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURES. IF THE HOOD STRIKER FRACTURES, THE HOOD COULD FLY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.

Safety consequence

A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD STRIKER.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 23, 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.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

71 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport.

Engine

ODI #10564963

Incident: January 30, 2014 · Filed: February 19, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE FOUR 02 OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE PERSISTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER SERVICED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

Seats

ODI #10549604

Incident: April 1, 2013 · Filed: October 25, 2013

I GOT INTO MY CAR TO GO TO LUNCH FROM MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WITH MY CEO. WHEN I SAT DOWN THE SEAT FELL BACK AND THE SEAT BACK WOULD NOT CATCH AGAIN. I TOOK MY LIFE INTO MY HANDS DRIVING HOME THAT EVENING. CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY SAID THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. THEY NEVER INFORMED US OF A RECALL. UNTIL EXPLORING THE INTERNET TODAY 10-25-2013 WE DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS A RECALL AT ALL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 03V281000/NHTSA ACTION #PE03020 OF AUGUST 5-2013. NOW WE CAN NOT LOCATE THE PART. *TR

Power Train; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10453903

Incident: April 2, 2012 · Filed: April 3, 2012

THIS WAS A TERRIBLE EVENT... MY CAR WAS AIMED DOWN MY 300 FT DRIVEWAY. I DON'T BELIEVE AT THAT POINT OR IF IT WAS STUCK I DIDN'T KNOW THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK BUT I SOON REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AS I HEADED TO NEW ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL FOR WATER CLASS THE EXPLORER WENT FASTER AND FASTER ON RT 161... THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ALLOW A DOWN SHIFT AT ALL AFTER THE FIRST TIME OR TWO... I MAY HAVE BLOWN IT OUT... THE SUV WENT FASTER AND FASTER AND IN 3RD GEAR IT WAS REVVING SO HARD... WHEN I COULD I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF... I LET IT COOL AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE EXPLORER BUT IT WOULD HAVE RED WARNING LIGHTS WHEN I STARTED IT IN NEUTRAL AS IT REVVED SO HIGH... I PUSHED IT INTO GEAR AND WHEN I GOT TO THE TWO RED LIGHTS I TURNED THE KEY OFF... ONCE I STOPPED IN THE INTERSECTION AND ABOUT 8 CARS WERE HONKING AT ME. I HAD TO DEAL WITH FIVE TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS. WHEN I GOT HOME I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND FOUGHT THE WHEEL TO GET TURNED INTO THE DOWNSWING OF MY DRIVEWAY... I RACED AROUND MY HOUSE TO FACE OUT AND TURNED OFF THE KEY... THE EXPLORER WAS SMOKING AND "LAID RUBBER" AND TORE OUT GRASS IN MY HOUSE... IT ALMOST SKIDDED INTO MY POND. I THINK THE CLUTCH IS BURNED OUT AND THE BRAKE ABS LIGHT WAS ON AS I HAD TO BRAKE ALL THE WAY HOME... I TRIED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL IF THAT WAS IT DURING MY TERROR RIDE BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT... THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP THE SPEEDING VEHICLE, THE GEARS WERE LOCKED WHILE THE SPEED ACCELERATED SO THERE WAS NO DOWNSHIFTING, THE PEDAL WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT CHANGE SPEED WHEN I PULLED IT UP WITH MY HAND OR TOE OF MY SHOE... *TR

Power Train

ODI #10420829

Incident: August 11, 2011 · Filed: August 20, 2011

2000 FORD EXPLORER, O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, CAR SPUTTERED, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, CAR WOULD NOT GO AT ALL AS THOUGH IT WAS STUCK IN NEUTRAL. WILL NOT GO IN GEAR. NO DRIVE, NO REVERSE, NOTHING. TOWED TO TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, $1800. TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Suspension

ODI #10405935

Incident: June 6, 2011 · Filed: June 11, 2011

LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINT MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE, I DID GREASE BUT STILL HAVE NOISE. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10358354

Incident: June 15, 2010 · Filed: September 29, 2010

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING,POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING, DOME LIGHT NOT WORKING, FOG LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND AUTO NOT WORKING. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10354026

Incident: August 26, 2010 · Filed: September 6, 2010

SMOKE COMING OUT OF STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURN SIGNAL ENGAGED. TOOK TO DEALER AND TOLD IGNITION SWITCH HAD SIGNS OF A HOT POINT AND WAS MELTING. HAD IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AT A SERVICE STATION, HOWEVER, THEY SAID THEY SAW NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF DAMAGE. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10324998

Incident: April 11, 2010 · Filed: April 12, 2010

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THREE YEARS AGO IT HAD JUST A REBUILT TRANSMISSION IN IT. LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED IT I HAD TO HAVE A 2ND REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN IT WHEN MY O/D LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. JUST YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY(I-5 IN SEATTLE, WA) WHEN MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND I HAD TO COAST ACROSS 3 LANES OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC TO COME TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER BUT THE SITUATION COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DIFFERENTLY. I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ONLINE AND AM FINDING THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF EXPLORER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE! IT MAKES ME SICK THAT FORD HAD YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10290513

Fire

Incident: October 18, 2009 · Filed: November 1, 2009

MY 2000 FORD EXPLORER COMPLETELY BURNT , ENTIRELY GUTTED. I HAVE PICTURES. *TR

Seats

ODI #10289711

Incident: September 1, 2008 · Filed: October 25, 2009

THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT, WITHOUT WARNING, RECLINED COMPLETELY. MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT THE BOLT HOLDING THE RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT FRAME IS BROKEN. CURRENTLY USING THE REAR SEAT TO PROP UP THE DRIVER'S SEAT UNTIL A REPLACEMENT SEAT CAN BE FOUND. *TR

Other Ford Explorer Sport model years

Check your 2000 Ford Explorer Sport VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ford Explorer Sport at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Ford VIN