1997 Ford Expedition Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 116,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear axle” (11% of reports).
- 76power train complaints
- 116,500median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 31%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.
- Rear axle: mentioned in 8 of 76 complaints (11%)
- Transmission gear: mentioned in 6 of 76 complaints (8%)
- Park position: mentioned in 6 of 76 complaints (8%)
- Provide further: mentioned in 5 of 76 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 76 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Expedition power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Expedition | 5 | 14% | 16,000 |
| 2024 Expedition | 5 | 6% | — |
| 2023 Expedition | 11 | 17% | 79,409 |
| 2022 Expedition | 15 | 13% | 25,000 |
| 2021 Expedition | 112 | 47% | 65,000 |
| 2020 Expedition | 265 | 63% | 65,300 |
| 2019 Expedition | 222 | 43% | 76,000 |
| 2018 Expedition | 147 | 39% | 80,000 |
| 2017 Expedition | 51 | 14% | 65,000 |
| 2016 Expedition | 36 | 17% | 74,000 |
| 2015 Expedition | 29 | 18% | 72,500 |
| 2014 Expedition | 34 | 47% | 124,000 |
| 2013 Expedition | 43 | 47% | 90,500 |
| 2012 Expedition | 64 | 54% | 108,000 |
| 2011 Expedition | 21 | 30% | 37,500 |
| 2010 Expedition | 10 | 17% | 30,479 |
| 2009 Expedition | 4 | 14% | 65,500 |
| 2008 Expedition | 14 | 10% | 41,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 27 | 13% | 11,420 |
| 2006 Expedition | 22 | 7% | 86,900 |
| 2005 Expedition | 44 | 14% | 80,512 |
| 2004 Expedition | 27 | 9% | 34,500 |
| 2003 Expedition | 50 | 8% | 40,000 |
| 2002 Expedition | 18 | 5% | 54,943 |
| 2001 Expedition | 40 | 7% | 44,000 |
| 2000 Expedition | 42 | 5% | 77,367 |
| 1999 Expedition | 67 | 7% | 78,500 |
| 1998 Expedition | 70 | 8% | 119,000 |
| 1997 Expedition | 76 | 9% | 116,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket. The vehicle operator would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive gear positions into the park position even though the gear shift selector would indicate "park."
Risk: The condition would not allow a disengagement of the transmission from the park position or affect proper neutral start switch operation. Unintended vehicle movement could occur if the parking brake was not set.
Fix: Dealers will make the proper attachment of the transmission shift control cable to the steering column bracket and add a tie strap to that connection.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford expedition. The contact bought the vehicle with a known shift cable assembly failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was repaired, but the details of the repair was unknown. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 097v171000…
The vehicle would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive gear positions into the park position even though the gear shift selector would indicate "park. Have accident, the car roll over to another car, i can"t park down hill is to dangers, is not safety . *tr
The vehicle would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive gear positions into the park position even though the gear shift selector would indicate "park. Have accident, the car roll over to another car, i can"t park down hill is to dangers, is tot safety . *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Expeditions have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 76 owner complaints about power train for the 1997 Ford Expedition (9% 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 power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 116,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “rear axle”, in 8 of 76 complaints, followed by “transmission gear” (6).
Other 1997 Ford Expedition problems
See all 1997 Ford Expedition problems or power train problems across all Expedition years.