2001 Ford F-250 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
600 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Ford F-250, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 8 defect investigations. It scores 47/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 96,775 miles.
Below average
Where 2001 sits among all F-250 years
What owners report
“5.4 motor spark plugs keep blowing out. This is a problem with the older ones and newer ones as well ford should make it right with the consumers”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
“While driving 70 mph the rear driver side tire tread separated without warning impact reported. The cause has yet to be determined. Please provide additional information.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
“After 65,000 miles, the manual transmission locked in gear, the cluch failed to disengage. The only way to stop was to turn off the ignition. The auto shop said the pressure plate had worn out, and needed to be replaced. The clutch plate only had 40% ware.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
“We were notified by police and fire department officials that there was a fire in our yard. Our ford 250 was on fire and had not been driven for around 4 hours. Upon investigation the fire marshall indicated the location of where the fire began and presumed it was the brake pressure switch based on…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
“When braking hard the steering locks up. This has happened 2 times and ford says it is normal. This is very dangerous and could cause a serious accident. I almost hit 2 vehicles because of this problem! Dt”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
“While applying brakes the vehicle's wheel wont turn. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 F-250
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 421 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 75,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 46,000 and 117,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND…
Fix: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE…
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 07V553000.
Led to recall campaign 05V388000.
Technical service bulletins
66 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 2001 Ford F-250. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Ford F-250 reliable?
The 2001 Ford F-250 drew 600 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 47/100, scored against the model's worst year (2019).
What are the most common 2001 Ford F-250 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Ford F-250 are engine (134 complaints), wheels & tires (98), and transmission & drivetrain (79).
At what mileage do 2001 Ford F-250 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Ford F-250 problems around 75,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 46,000 and 117,000 miles.
Does the 2001 Ford F-250 have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Ford F-250. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.