Ford Expedition Reliability: Best and Worst Years

The Ford Expedition is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV with three rows of seating, introduced for the 1997 model year as a replacement for the Bronco. It shares much of its engineering with the F-150 pickup and is offered in standard and extended-length versions. It is sold with rear- or four-wheel drive and is commonly used for towing and large families. This page lines up every Ford Expedition model year from 2010 to 2024 on one scale, so you can see which years drew unusual numbers of owner reports and which stayed quiet.

Why these years stand out

2018: most complaints. The 2018 Ford Expedition scored 701 complaints per 100,000 sold, 2 times the model average. Of its 383 complaints, 269 involve the engine or transmission, and the parts named most often are power train (148), engine (100) and electrical system (32). NHTSA lists 14 recalls for this model year and 1 defect investigation.

2010, 2014 and 2023: fewest complaints. The 2010 drew 58 complaints, or 155 per 100,000 sold; The 2014 drew 72 complaints, or 161 per 100,000 sold; The 2023 drew 65 complaints, or 89 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.

What Ford Expedition owners report most

Transmission complaints lead for the Ford Expedition, at 36% of all complaints for 2010-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 55%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.

When problems are reported: mileage

1,207 Ford Expedition complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 33% were reported before 50,000 miles and 26% after 100,000. A large share comes after 100,000 miles, where wear items and age-related failures become more common.

Ford Expedition compared with other large suvs

In 9 of 15 model years the Ford Expedition drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average large suv we track for the same year. For 2024, the Ford Expedition scored 101 against a class average of 114. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.

Ford Expedition generations

• 2005-2006
  Second generation

  5.4L V8 · 4-speed automatic

  For 2005 the 4.6L V8 was dropped, and the 5.4L V8 gained three-valve heads and variable valve timing.

• 2007-2017
  Third generation

  5.4L V8 (2007-2014); 3.5L twin-turbo V6 (2015-2017) · 6-speed automatic

  This generation introduced the long-wheelbase Expedition EL, and the 2015 refresh replaced the V8 with a twin-turbo V6.

• 2018-2024
  Fourth generation

  3.5L twin-turbo V6 · 10-speed automatic

  The redesign used an aluminum-alloy body on a steel frame, and the extended version was renamed Expedition Max.

The 2015 model year marked the switch from V8 power to the 3.5L EcoBoost V6. A mid-cycle refresh for 2022 revised the front styling and interior and added the off-road Timberline trim.

Ford Expedition fuel economy

The 2026 Ford Expedition is rated at 18 to 19 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.

Crash test stars

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave the Ford Expedition these overall ratings (out of 5) for the model years it tested: 2012: 4, 2013: 4, 2014: 4, 2015: 5, 2016: 5, 2017: 5, 2018: 5, 2019: 5, 2020: 5, 2021: 5, 2022: 5, 2023: 5, 2024: 5. Ratings can differ between body styles and drive types of the same year.

Questions