AI Damage2000 Ford Explorer Sport: common problems
Owners of the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport filed 71 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 71
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 13% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 8% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 13 complaints (18% of all).
- Electrical system: 12 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (13% of all).
- Seats: 9 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 9 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 71 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Thank god him and his friend had on the seat belts and were able to crawl out of the car unharmed. I did not know this problem existed with the ford explorer. More should be done to warn people about this defect! This vehicle should be recalled! The vehicle was totaled.
I was recently involved in an automobile accident in which I was the driver. It happened last friday evening, january 21st at approximately 6:24 pm. Just outside of carroll, iowa. I hit a patch of black ice and my vehicle rolled into a ditch.
Please identify if air bags deployed and if seat belts performed as designed. The drivers side front tire moved from the rim suddenly causing an accident (tire information not given).
Auto accident, rear ended at a red light, substained surious injuries, my car 000 ford explore driver seat broke after the inpact the driver seat. Recliner bolt broke.
The fuel pump shutoff switch malfunctioned, causing vehicle to burn to the ground.
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.
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.
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.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,391 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Explorer Sport has 74 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 71, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 71. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), transmission slipping (7%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 Ford Explorer Sport?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2000 Ford Explorer Sport from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2000 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.