1997 Ford Expedition Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 131,629 miles. The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (34% of reports).
- 89engine and engine cooling complaints
- 131,629median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $8,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Spark plug: mentioned in 30 of 89 complaints (34%)
- Cylinder head: mentioned in 5 of 89 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1997 Ford Expedition at $8,000, and half of them between $4,650 and $8,250.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 49 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 89 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 8 a fire.
Ford Expedition engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Expedition | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Expedition | 3 | 1% | 14,500 |
| 2020 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 87,017 |
| 2019 Expedition | 31 | 6% | 79,714 |
| 2018 Expedition | 25 | 7% | 85,354 |
| 2017 Expedition | 5 | 1% | 107,500 |
| 2016 Expedition | 3 | 1% | 122,500 |
| 2015 Expedition | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2013 Expedition | 1 | 1% | 95,833 |
| 2011 Expedition | 2 | 3% | 33,500 |
| 2010 Expedition | 3 | 5% | 41,000 |
| 2008 Expedition | 3 | 2% | 31,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 9 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2006 Expedition | 75 | 25% | 70,100 |
| 2005 Expedition | 47 | 15% | 72,000 |
| 2004 Expedition | 26 | 9% | 75,000 |
| 2003 Expedition | 127 | 21% | 90,000 |
| 2002 Expedition | 95 | 28% | 95,800 |
| 2001 Expedition | 122 | 21% | 100,000 |
| 2000 Expedition | 116 | 13% | 102,000 |
| 1999 Expedition | 248 | 26% | 98,539 |
| 1998 Expedition | 127 | 15% | 110,000 |
| 1997 Expedition | 89 | 10% | 131,629 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Ford Expedition. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving on a expressway traveling at 55mph, my wife felt a thumping and heard noise coming from under the truck. When i looked underneath, i noticed 2 holes punched through the backing plate of the rear brakes on the drivers side. I pulled the wheel and the rotor off and the parking brake…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford expedition. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, a loud banging noise was heard and the vehicle began to shake. The vehicle was towed home and the contact noticed that one of the spark plugs fractured and destroyed the motor. The motor and spark plugs were…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford expedition. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire, which originated from under the hood. The police and the fire department were called and a police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection and the manufacturer was not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Expeditions have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1997 Ford Expedition (10% of the 853 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford Expedition engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 131,629 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
Owners report a typical cost of $8,000 (half paid between $4,650 and $8,250), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 30 of 89 complaints, followed by “cylinder head” (5).
Other 1997 Ford Expedition problems
See all 1997 Ford Expedition problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Expedition years.