AI DamageFord Expedition EL: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Ford Expedition EL across 3 model years: 453 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 16% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 4% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 112 complaints (25% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 93 complaints (21% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 71 complaints (16% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 69 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 39 complaints (9% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 453 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 112 | 6 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 93 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 71 | 6 | 0 |
| Engine | 69 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 39 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 39 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 14 | 11 | 0 |
| Equipment | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 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.
The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated. The vehicle came to a stop after a short distance. The driver’s and passenger’s side air bags did not deploy. The contact was not injured. No police report was filed. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence.
The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact was unsure if there was a warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact suffered injuries to her back and neck. However, medical attention was not received.
My air bag never deployed out of the steering wheel however er I did see dust or smoke. This caused me to have chest pain and shoulder and neck pain. Which I am seeking doctors at this time.
Vehicle lost power steering as it was parking. A message flashed on screen. Throttle surged. Hit a car on left. In an attempt to avoid the car on left, vehicle lunged to the right and hit a second vehicle. -Steering failed. -Two other vehicles were impacted. Steering pulled drivers had and damaged her thumb.
Side airbag fizzled with smoke an did not deploy. Neither front airbag deployed. No airbags deployed. Ford was considered a total loss by both insurance companies involved. This vehicle has 5 star safety rating and that was considered in my purchase. I purchased Ford in Oct 2016, new.
The contact stated that after parking and turning off the vehicle, she entered the trunk, and the vehicle rolled down her driveway into traffic and crashed into a fence while her 7-month-old daughter was still inside the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- This Wrecked 2024 Ford Expedition is a Steal Deal #ford #fordexpeditionamount per author: 50,000 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- 2016 ford expedition common problems#mobilemechanic #mechanic #diesel #fordyou #fyp #foryourpage
- 2017 FORD EXPEDITION EL XL@chaddalenberg #fordexpedition
- How To Replace Rear Strut 2007-2017 Ford Expedition
- How to Replace Air Ride Suspension Compressor 2007-2017 Ford Expedition
- How To Replace The Taillight on a 2007-2017 Ford Expedition
Other models of this make
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 2026-11-04.