Ford Expedition
Reliability, NHTSA Complaints & Recall History
10 model years analyzed (2017–2026). All data sourced directly from the NHTSA public complaints and recall database — the same data used by federal regulators.
Checking a specific Ford Expedition? Run a VIN check for its exact history.
⭐ NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
AI Reliability Analysis
Below AverageThe Ford Expedition (2017-2026) has a high number of complaints, particularly in the powertrain, engine, and electrical system, with 76 recalls and 59 crash-related incidents. This suggests significant reliability issues that buyers should investigate thoroughly.
Before purchasing, check the vehicle's recall history and ensure all powertrain and electrical system repairs are documented. Consider an extended warranty to cover potential costly repairs.
- Powertrain problems (e.g., transmission failure, driveline issues)
- Engine issues (e.g., stalling, misfires)
- Electrical system failures (e.g., battery, alternator, wiring)
🔔 NHTSA Safety Recalls
76 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
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Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
🔧 Most-Reported Problem Areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 1,876 NHTSA complaints.
📋 NHTSA Complaint Reports
1,876 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The moon roof shattered. No debris on road and I was on an exit ramp with no cars headed toward me.
My vehicle continues to experience "unintended left turn signal activation" after making a right hand turn and the left turn signal activates spontaneously. Ford documented in writing that they considered this "a great safety risk". They recently indicated a fix was available, but upon receipt of my vehicle from this completed repair, the repair immediately failed and the issue persisted upon my first right hand turn out of the dealership parking lot (occurred on 4/8). I immediately returned the vehicle to the dealership where no new fix is available. I followed up on 4/14, I was told a software update went out on 4/9 and now they were unable to duplicate the issue. I agreed to take the vehicle again, where the issue immediately persisted upon exit of the parking lot; I immediately returned and was able to recreate the issue with a Ford employee in the vehicle. I do have video of the issue happening on 4/14. I also have video from the Ford chat stating this is a safety issue however I have been unable to upload them to the complaint.
When using the turn signal, the blind-spot camera view is blocked by an on-screen steering wheel control popup, which cannot be minimized and only disappears after an extended amount of time. This popup automatically appears after a door has been opened as well as if/when the control button on the steering wheel is engaged intentionally and/or unintentionally. This obstructs my view of the blind-spot camera at a critical time when I am attempting a lane change, creating a potential safety risk. I have checked vehicle settings and consulted the dealer, but there is no current remedy or setting to disable the popup; this was communicated from the dealer to be "standard" and "not defective". I am unaware of any acknowledgement from Ford that this issue is a known defect in this model’s infotainment interface.
The vehicle is experiencing "unintended left turn signal activation". When a right hand turn signal is activated, and the steering wheel is corrected after completing the turn, the left turn signal activates spontaneously. This miscommunicates intent to other drivers, causes dangerous assumptions on the road and increases collision risk. Ford has acknowledged this is a known issue and a "great safety risk" but has no resolution. This has been ongoing since purchase in late summer 2025, however initially I thought it was perhaps a user error. It has since been identified as a known issue.
I began to brake because there was a parked car at the stop sign i was approaching. My vehicle was not stopping even though the brake pedal was pressed all the way down to the floor. 2025 Ford Expedition crashed into a parked car is a malfunctioning Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) module. Crucially, this malfunction can occur while Advanced Driver Assistance Svstems ADAS), such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), are active, preventing the vehicle from braking as expected to avoid a collision.
While driving down the road, the sunroof spontaneously exploded. The loud bang (sounded like a gun shot) and tiny pieces of glass, that luckily were caught in the sunshade, could have been disastrous for my wife and our three small children that were in the car. The glass is bowed outwards. It has been taken back to Mullinax Ford Dealership for repair. They tell me it will not be covered under any warranty. There were no warning signs before now that there could be a problem with this sunroof, we only have 5k miles on the vehicle.
In June 2025, I bought a new 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch. While washing my SUV by hand, I discovered a manufacturing defect on the roof—Ford Manufacturing had left exposed welding and rivets. The issue is quite noticeable, with depressions around the rivets and welds so deep they could hold golf balls. More than two dozen of these rivet welds are visible and exposed. I contacted my local dealership in Sioux Falls, SD to file a warranty claim, but it was denied. During this process, the dealership informed me that their lot was filled with Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators showing the same problem, indicating that it's a widespread concern among all dealers. After my claim was denied, I reached out to Ford's nationwide customer support at [XXX] and was given case number CXh-XXX. After two conversations, it became clear that Ford's organization was not effectively communicating internally. My dealership thanked me for bringing the issue to Ford Corporate, as resolving it is financially important to them. Sioux Falls Ford contacted the local Ford Factory Representative, but no solution has been provided so far. The presence of these divots allows water to accumulate in the crevices, potentially leading to severe corrosion in southern regions exposed to salty ocean air. In northern areas, freezing and thawing cycles may cause further structural Integrity deterioration, both overtimes causing catastrophic failure. At no time did Ford disclose these defects to their dealership network, and had it been, proper disclaimers would have been required on vehicle window stickers. Nor was I informed about the exposed rivets, welds, or dents on the roof prior to purchase. Ford Manufacturing failed to disclose material information regarding this issue. Ignorance is not an excuse—Ford Manufacturing misled me by failing to reveal the roof defect. The manufacturer date of my Ford Expedition was May of 2025. See attached pictures. HELP!! Kind regards [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While driving at 35mph, downhill with no traffic in front, behind, or oncoming, the dash flashed red and immediately the brakes were instantly applied harshly causing occupants to lunge forward into seat belt restraint. Vehicle deceleration almost to a stop. Brakes then released . Driver continued home and was afraid to continue operating the vehicle. Dealer was called and picked up the vehicle. Dealer inspected vehicle and could not find a problem. Per the service writer no recall or TSB found on this issue. Vehicle has been returned 1/26/2026. Collision avoidance system has been turned off per our request. Mileage 2458. In service date 07/26/2025.
Since new the vehicle has had a vibration/shake while driving at all speeds. Initially the issue was only at highway speed but is still present after dealer 'fix'. New car spent 3 days at dealer with 1,000 miles on the odometer. At the time shake was so bad over 65mph it felt unsafe to drive at highway speed. The Dealer tried balance and rotate wheels. No fix. Then the driveshaft was re indexed. That was a temporary as the issue is still present
I have a new 2025 Ford Expedition Max Platinum. I paid for the 8 year Blue Cruise option. The Blue Cruise function has never worked properly even after allowing Ford to service the vehicle on 2 separate occasions - once for almost 2 weeks. When adaptive cruise + lane positioning is selected, the car will go into Blue Cruise and then within 30 second give a watch the road warning (regardless of face position) and then force the car to slow down - very alarming and very dangerous. This happened on multiple occasions on I81 which created a safety issue. Every attempt to deal with FORD has failed. In sharing my experience, it seems this is a problem with all 2025 Ford Expeditions!
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. The contact stated that the blue cruise hands-free system was activated during the failure. In addition, the vehicle was shaking and the brakes were independently activated. The contact was able to correct the steering wheel to the intended lane. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure could have caused a crash. In addition, the failure occurred while the contact was driving at night. The contact's wife and grandchild were occupants in the vehicle during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,500.
The contact rented a 2025 Ford Expedition Max. The contact stated that while stopped at a gas station, the front driver's side door was opened and was cut by the edge of the door. The bottom of the door was at a 90-degree angle, and the edge of the door was sharp. The contact sustained a 2 1/2 in. cut on the right front lower part of the leg. No medical attention was received. The contact stated that the cut left a scar on his leg. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,300. The VIN was not available.
Long hair(wife and daughter) gets stuck and pulled out by the platinum badging in the seat back.
While driving the vehicle the screen starting flashing several braking warnings before I tried stopping. Once I tried to stop, the brakes didn’t not work. I was pushing the pedal all the way to the floor but no stopping. I have this on video as my wife started to record the flashing lights. The brakes finally engaged slowly before I was able to let it roll to a stop in a parking lot. This car was two weeks old.
Hair gets stuck in the platinum emblem on the seat
The seats have metal emblems on them that pull your hair. It is not safe to be driving and have something pull your hair. It hurts!
2025 Expedition Safety Recalls* Transit custom passenger airbag replacement Recall incomplete Connecting rod inspection Recall incomplete 3.5L engine cup plug inspection Recall incomplete As no RECALLS are or have been reported for this vehicle, this REPORT IS an initial report in behalf of an investor. Please BROADCAST "AMBER ALERT", AS airbags are detrimental for safety during collision accidents of the body size and passager capacity. Please BROADCAST "amber alert" for HIGHWAY AND SAFETY control.
Front seats have metal "Platinum" badges at about shoulder level. Badges have gap between badge and seat surface. Longer hair (below neck/ shoulder length or longer or hair in pony tail) gets trapped between badge and seat. This condition causes hair to be pulled and/or cut off. It's a painful distraction while driving and also when trapped, impairs head movement while vehicle is in motion. Tried to reach out to Ford, but being ignored. May cause a collision and it causing personal injury repeatedly. Date of incident recorded in this form is inaccurate in that it has not happened just once - rather it happens every day the vehicle is in use, repeatedly. We put this issue out on Facebook and it appears many consumers are having the same problem. Its not isolated. It's a design defect affecting all vehicles with this badge. Very poor design to incorporate a pinch point and cutting edge into a seating surface. Drivers or front seat passengers with short hair may not be affected. Everyone else is.
[XXX], I bought a new Ford Expedition Max Platinum. Four days after I bought the Ford Expedition Max, I experienced brake failure and all warning lights going off on the Ford. I was unable to brake correctly and almost causing a wreck on [XXX] in Charlottesville, VA. I called the Ford Dealership, (Myers Ford) in Elkton where I bought the Ford and they sent me a message saying there was an open recall that would be coming out but not till Q3 due to no fixes as of yet. I told them I didn't trust the car and what was I supposed to do. They sent me a text with a fix and said Ford told them it would be safe to drive. I had to follow the instructions on the message from Ford and the car was back up and running. [XXX], my family and I were returning from NC and there was a wreck that ensued in front of us and with about 60 feet of room, we tried to brake and the brakes failed on us and we rear ended the truck ahead and we totaled are new expedition max. I have tried to reach out to Ford and make a complaint but they keep hanging up on us and rejecting our phone calls. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Instrument panel reflection is causing a windshield glare that impairs driver visibility during normal operation. The issue originates from the panoramic display screen located behind the steering wheel. The back surface of the display is built too close to the windshield glass and causes a strong reflection that projects high onto the inside of the windshield during normal driving conditions. This reflection appears to be a design or material-related defect rather than a one-time failure. The issue occurs consistently during daytime driving when sunlight is present and is easily reproducible. I have reported the issue to the dealership and am in the process of having it formally evaluated and documented. There were no warning lamps or messages. The issue occurs during normal driving conditions when sunlight interacts with back of the instrument display.
Showing 20 of 1,876 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check a Specific Ford Expedition
This page shows fleet averages across all 10 model years. Enter a VIN to see the exact accident history, odometer records, title brands, and open recall status for a specific car.
📖 Understanding This Data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Ford Expedition has 1,876 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Ford Expedition has 76 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 59 of the Ford Expedition's 1,876 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the AI Rating Calculated?
The AI reliability rating (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. The rating provides a plain-English summary for buyers who want a quick verdict without parsing raw numbers. It is one input in your buying decision — always verify with a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Ford Expedition vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Ford Expedition vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Ford Expedition has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
Is This Data Saved in Firebase & Indexed by Google?
Yes — intentionally. When you first visit this page, our server fetches live data directly from the NHTSA public API (no key required), processes it, and caches it in Google Firebase Firestore for 24 hours. The fully rendered HTML — with all NHTSA complaints, recalls, NCAP ratings, and investigations — is then indexed by Google Search. This is by design: caching real government data in Firebase lets us serve comprehensive vehicle safety pages instantly, while giving Google Bots rich structured content to rank for searches like "Ford Expedition reliability" or "NHTSA recalls." No personal data is stored — only public NHTSA records are cached. You can always verify everything directly at nhtsa.gov.