2017 Ford EXPEDITION

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Ford EXPEDITION has 472 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: two weeks after purchasing my car i attempted to start it one morning. i got in the car and proceeded to put my foot on the break pedal and push to start. when doing that the engine did not start and the lights were flickering. i got out of the car took the key with me and the lights still flickered. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 11 crash reports 17 injuries

472

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

91 complaints

19%

• TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR I ATTEMPTED TO START IT ONE MORNING. I GOT IN THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK PEDAL AND PUSH TO START. WHEN DOING THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT START AND THE LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TOOK THE KEY WITH ME AND THE LIGHTS STILL FLICKERED
• MY HUSBAND HAD A CAR ACCIDENT ON 2/22/2019 WITH A DODGE TAM. THE RAM HIT MY HUSBANDS EXPEDITION AND NON OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT ABOUT 40 MPH WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS SITTING AT A TURN SITE. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS DRIVING TOWARDS MY HUSBAND AND HIT HIM WITH HIS TRUCK. MY HUSBAND E
• REAR WIDOW DEFROSTER TERMINAL FELL OFF OF RIGHT SIDE OF REAR GLASS, CREST FORD OF FLATROCK MICHIGAN REPLACED REAR GLASS ON 12/26/2017 UNDER WARRANTY. ON 01/28/2019 THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER TERMINAL FELL OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT REAR GLASS AFTER13 MONTHS OF USE, AT THAT TIME I WAS OVER MY 36,000 MI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR I ATTEMPTED TO START IT ONE MORNING. I GOT IN THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK PEDAL AND PUSH TO START. WHEN DOING THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT START AND THE LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TOOK THE KEY WITH ME AND THE LIGHTS STILL FLICKERED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

78 complaints

17%

• AFTER DRIVING IN MODERATE RAIN FOR 15 MILES AND THEN BRAKING IN MODERATE RAIN, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND NO BRAKING ACTION WAS AVAILABLE. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND COME TO A TOP USING UPHILL GRADE OF THE ROAD WAY. THE VEHICLE WAS
• BELOW PLEASE FIND MY ACCOUNT OF A VERY FRIGHTENING EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE WHEN MY 2017 FORD EXPEDITION MALFUNCTIONED. IN LATE AUGUST, 2018 WE WERE ON VACATION IN SEATTLE, WA., VISITING MY SON AND HIS FAMILY. FIVE OF US WERE IN MY EXPEDITION AND MY SON WAS DRIVING. WE PULLED UP TO PARK BY HIS HOUS
• THE BRAKES WENT OUT SUDDENLY. AFTER TAKING TO A MECHANIC WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN LEAKING BRAKE FLUID CORRODING THE BRAKE BOOSTER. RESEARCH HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOUND IN THESE VEHICLES. THANKFULLY MY WIFE WA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“AFTER DRIVING IN MODERATE RAIN FOR 15 MILES AND THEN BRAKING IN MODERATE RAIN, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND NO BRAKING ACTION WAS AVAILABLE. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND COME TO A TOP USING UPHILL GRADE OF THE ROAD WAY. THE VEHICLE WAS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

49 complaints

10%

• VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION) ON HIGHWAY. NO ENGINE POWER, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ONLY 1,400 MILES ON VEHICLE FROM NEW. DEALER SERVICE INDICATED GROUND WIRE BROKE TO PCM POWER CONTROL MODULE. CAUSED FUSE 77 TO SHORT OPEN. *TR
• VEHICLE WAS PULLED 3/4 INTO THE GARAGE WITH THE BACK WHEELS ON THE APPROACH OF THE DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF. I RETURNED TO THE GARAGE 10 MINUTES LATER TO FIND THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, STRIKING A TREE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS FOUND TO BE IN P
• 2017 FORD EXPEDITION. CAR WAS RUNNING NORMAL, CRUISING AT 45MPH ON CITY STREET, THEN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF THROTTLE, CAUSING IMMEDIATE DECELERATION. ACCELERATOR NO LONGER RESPONDING TO INPUT. WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON; HAD TO COAST TO A STOP WITH TRAFFIC COMING FAST BEHIND ME. SHUT OFF CAR AND RESTARTED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION) ON HIGHWAY. NO ENGINE POWER, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ONLY 1,400 MILES ON VEHICLE FROM NEW. DEALER SERVICE INDICATED GROUND WIRE BROKE TO PCM POWER CONTROL MODULE. CAUSED FUSE 77 TO SHORT OPEN. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

44 complaints

• POWERED RUNNING BOARD CLOSED ON MY 5 YEAR OLD'S FOOT AS HE WAS ENTERING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WITH BOTH DOORS OPEN ON PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD TO STAND ON THE PARTIALLY CLOSED BOARD AND APPLY PRESSURE TO EXTRACT MY SON'S FOOT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH ENGINE IDLING.
• MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY, NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD, BEHIND OR BESIDE, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. WAS GOING 60-65MPH AT THE TIME. NO OUTSIDE FACTORS AROUND TO CAUSE THE GLASS BREAK. NO FOREIGN OBJECT FOUND IN VEHICLE. FORD REFUSING TO INVESTIGATE ROOT CAUSE. FORD'S STANCE
• EXHAUST FUMES IN THE CABIN UPON EXCELERATION.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“POWERED RUNNING BOARD CLOSED ON MY 5 YEAR OLD'S FOOT AS HE WAS ENTERING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WITH BOTH DOORS OPEN ON PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD TO STAND ON THE PARTIALLY CLOSED BOARD AND APPLY PRESSURE TO EXTRACT MY SON'S FOOT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH ENGINE IDLING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

42 complaints

• VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION) ON HIGHWAY. NO ENGINE POWER, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ONLY 1,400 MILES ON VEHICLE FROM NEW. DEALER SERVICE INDICATED GROUND WIRE BROKE TO PCM POWER CONTROL MODULE. CAUSED FUSE 77 TO SHORT OPEN. *TR
• TRUCK HAS SMELLED LIKE EXHAUST DURING HARD ACCELERATION NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE HAD TO LOWER MY WINDOWS TO ALLOW IT TO ESCAPE.
• 2017 FORD EXPEDITION. CAR WAS RUNNING NORMAL, CRUISING AT 45MPH ON CITY STREET, THEN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF THROTTLE, CAUSING IMMEDIATE DECELERATION. ACCELERATOR NO LONGER RESPONDING TO INPUT. WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON; HAD TO COAST TO A STOP WITH TRAFFIC COMING FAST BEHIND ME. SHUT OFF CAR AND RESTARTED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 472 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR I ATTEMPTED TO START IT ONE MORNING. I GOT IN THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK PEDAL AND PUSH TO START. WHEN DOING THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT START AND THE LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TOOK THE KEY WITH ME AND THE LIGHTS STILL FLICKERED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: AFTER DRIVING IN MODERATE RAIN FOR 15 MILES AND THEN BRAKING IN MODERATE RAIN, A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND NO BRAKING ACTION WAS AVAILABLE. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND COME TO A TOP USING UPHILL GRADE OF THE ROAD WAY. THE VEHICLE WAS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION) ON HIGHWAY. NO ENGINE POWER, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ONLY 1,400 MILES ON VEHICLE FROM NEW. DEALER SERVICE INDICATED GROUND WIRE BROKE TO PCM POWER CONTROL MODULE. CAUSED FUSE 77 TO SHORT OPEN. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: POWERED RUNNING BOARD CLOSED ON MY 5 YEAR OLD'S FOOT AS HE WAS ENTERING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR WITH BOTH DOORS OPEN ON PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD TO STAND ON THE PARTIALLY CLOSED BOARD AND APPLY PRESSURE TO EXTRACT MY SON'S FOOT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH ENGINE IDLING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)