1997 Ford Expedition Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 138 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 121,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “sway bar” (17% of reports).
- 138suspension complaints
- 121,500median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 30%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.
- Sway bar: mentioned in 24 of 138 complaints (17%)
- Summary listed: mentioned in 10 of 138 complaints (7%)
- Please provide: mentioned in 10 of 138 complaints (7%)
- Front torsion: mentioned in 7 of 138 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 16 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 138 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Ford Expedition suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Expedition | 1 | 10% | 800 |
| 2025 Expedition | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2024 Expedition | 3 | 4% | 2,575 |
| 2023 Expedition | 3 | 5% | 50,000 |
| 2022 Expedition | 2 | 2% | 400 |
| 2021 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2020 Expedition | 1 | 0% | 3,622 |
| 2019 Expedition | 14 | 3% | 41,779 |
| 2018 Expedition | 25 | 7% | 20,000 |
| 2017 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2016 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2014 Expedition | 3 | 4% | 44,000 |
| 2013 Expedition | 5 | 5% | 34,000 |
| 2012 Expedition | 3 | 3% | 17,000 |
| 2009 Expedition | 1 | 4% | 169,000 |
| 2008 Expedition | 6 | 4% | 62,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 4 | 2% | 34,900 |
| 2006 Expedition | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2005 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 214,200 |
| 2004 Expedition | 11 | 4% | 82,189 |
| 2003 Expedition | 20 | 3% | 17,493 |
| 2002 Expedition | 14 | 4% | 95,501 |
| 2001 Expedition | 21 | 4% | 118,755 |
| 2000 Expedition | 63 | 7% | 82,400 |
| 1999 Expedition | 52 | 5% | 99,950 |
| 1998 Expedition | 144 | 17% | 96,500 |
| 1997 Expedition | 138 | 16% | 121,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:rear
Problem: The rear axle track bar bracket can separate from the frame due to missing welds or inadequate weld penetration.
Risk: If both brackets separate, the rear axle can move laterally until the tires contact either the frame or the wheelhouse resulting in either tire damage or a significant reduction in vehicle handling performance.
Fix: Dealers will install a track bar bracket reinforcement kit and inspection of the axle tubes. The suspect axle tubes do not have a stamped date code on the tube. Axles without date codes on the tubes will be replaced.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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.
While driving on the highway, as soon as i go faster than 55mph the vehicle down by the wheels, starts shaking. I can feel it in the steering wheel. I suspect it's the ball joints but not sure. It also wobbles when turning going as slow as 25 mph.
My brake went to the floor when i started to drive my vehicle last week. I was going to ave my bakes replaced today when the mechanic noticed that the lower control arms were very rusted it has pieces breaking off and there is actually a hole in the rear driver side lower control arm. The metal…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Expeditions have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 138 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 Ford Expedition (16% 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 suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 121,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “sway bar”, in 24 of 138 complaints, followed by “summary listed” (10).
Other 1997 Ford Expedition problems
See all 1997 Ford Expedition problems or suspension problems across all Expedition years.