Four problems related to steering have been reported for the 2001 Ford Explorer. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2001 Ford Explorer based on all problems reported for the 2001 Explorer.
Smoke coming from steering. . . Can feel a change in engine while driving, feels like a rough ride, and overdrive starts to flash.
Was making a right hand turn from a city street into my community and about 90 degrees into the turn the steering locked up and I was headed for the median. I stopped with the brakes and looked down at the dash and the battery picture was red which helped me to realize the car had turned off. I put the car in park and then started it up and the problem was gone.
On driving my truck it slowed down almost to a stop then moved but continued to putter and slow down--I got scared and got it in my driveway and called aa to tow to my service mechanic--the mechanic had it for 2 days and could find nothing wrong with it---I told him I felt it was in the gearshift automatic as when I put it in p it lunges forward and I have to put my foot on the brake again--also when I have it in d the gearshift does not stay in the middle, as it always did. He said it might be water in the gas, which I said no to. I know my vehicle as I had it from day one and it did not drive like that. It has only 110,000 miles on it and I took good care of it for upkeep and now that I am retired and age 70, money to repair does not come easy with small pension and social security.
Steering wheel will not straighten up when letting go off steering, just like normal power steering.