1997 Ford Expedition Steering Problems
Owners have filed 94 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 134,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “tie rod” (28% of reports).
- 94steering complaints
- 134,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 23%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.
- Tie rod: mentioned in 26 of 94 complaints (28%)
- Steering gear: mentioned in 8 of 94 complaints (9%)
- Pitman arm: mentioned in 6 of 94 complaints (6%)
- Loss control: mentioned in 5 of 94 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 94 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Ford Expedition steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Expedition | 4 | 40% | 800 |
| 2025 Expedition | 7 | 19% | 2,500 |
| 2024 Expedition | 4 | 5% | 20,500 |
| 2023 Expedition | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2022 Expedition | 4 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2021 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 24,000 |
| 2020 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 25,450 |
| 2019 Expedition | 5 | 1% | 29,500 |
| 2018 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 500 |
| 2017 Expedition | 11 | 3% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Expedition | 5 | 2% | 96,800 |
| 2015 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 80,500 |
| 2013 Expedition | 1 | 1% | 105,000 |
| 2011 Expedition | 1 | 1% | 66,000 |
| 2010 Expedition | 1 | 2% | 35,000 |
| 2009 Expedition | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2008 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 45,396 |
| 2007 Expedition | 5 | 2% | 130,000 |
| 2006 Expedition | 14 | 5% | 92,000 |
| 2005 Expedition | 10 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 2004 Expedition | 14 | 5% | 42,159 |
| 2003 Expedition | 20 | 3% | 52,000 |
| 2002 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 42,000 |
| 2001 Expedition | 8 | 1% | 62,072 |
| 2000 Expedition | 30 | 3% | 66,548 |
| 1999 Expedition | 32 | 3% | 79,500 |
| 1998 Expedition | 52 | 6% | 87,000 |
| 1997 Expedition | 94 | 11% | 134,000 |
| 1995 Expedition | 1 | 100% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:gear box:shaft sector
Problem: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, if the intermediate shaft yoke separates from the steering gear input shaft, the steering system becomes disconnected.
Risk: This could result in loss of steering control, potentially resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering intermediate shaft yoke to determine if the yoke is fully seated on the steering gear input shaft. If the yoke is fully seated no service is required. If the yoke is not fully seated and bolt groove and spline is visible, the intermediate shaft and bolt will be replaced as well as the bolt at the steering column connection. Owner notification began on may 30, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became loosened while making a left turn. The contact stated that the "Check Suspension" and "Check ABS" messages were displayed on the instrument panel along with the oil, brake, and battery…
Steering is extremely overactive and seems twitching, meaning at low speed or at high rate of travel very slight movements of the steering wheel cause the vehicle to move suddenly, and uncontrollably, previous owner went off highway and felt unsafe in vehicle because of this issue. I imagine this…
Takata recall, my steering is bad like im fishtailing on the freeway, when i hit a bump it pulls to one side. Theres alot of play in the steering wheel.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Expeditions have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 94 owner complaints about steering for the 1997 Ford Expedition (11% 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 steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 134,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “tie rod”, in 26 of 94 complaints, followed by “steering gear” (8).
Other 1997 Ford Expedition problems
See all 1997 Ford Expedition problems or steering problems across all Expedition years.