Ford Expedition Engine Problems
Owners have filed 860 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Ford Expedition across 29 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (108). The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (9% of reports).
- 860engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 10mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $2,750typical repair cost reported by owners
- 46%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 79 of 860 complaints (9%)
- Cam phaser: mentioned in 62 of 860 complaints (7%)
- Throttle body: mentioned in 49 of 860 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Ford Expedition at $2,750, and half of them between $1,450 and $6,000.
Based on 21 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2026), 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 problems happen?
Based on 533 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 860 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 58 a fire, 10 an injury.
Ford Expedition engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Expedition | 3 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Expedition | 5 | 6% | — |
| 2023 Expedition | 6 | 9% | — |
| 2022 Expedition | 11 | 10% | 8,065 |
| 2021 Expedition | 56 | 24% | 62,500 |
| 2020 Expedition | 51 | 12% | 97,500 |
| 2019 Expedition | 108 | 21% | 69,118 |
| 2018 Expedition | 99 | 26% | 68,933 |
| 2017 Expedition | 38 | 11% | 62,000 |
| 2016 Expedition | 37 | 17% | 58,000 |
| 2015 Expedition | 31 | 19% | 55,154 |
| 2014 Expedition | 10 | 14% | 138,500 |
| 2013 Expedition | 10 | 11% | 78,500 |
| 2012 Expedition | 12 | 10% | 95,500 |
| 2011 Expedition | 11 | 15% | 110,000 |
| 2010 Expedition | 4 | 7% | 122,633 |
| 2009 Expedition | 2 | 7% | 110,000 |
| 2008 Expedition | 5 | 3% | 96,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 21 | 10% | 122,700 |
| 2006 Expedition | 87 | 29% | 106,556 |
| 2005 Expedition | 57 | 18% | 111,960 |
| 2004 Expedition | 29 | 10% | 141,000 |
| 2003 Expedition | 44 | 7% | 154,000 |
| 2002 Expedition | 27 | 8% | 129,000 |
| 2001 Expedition | 15 | 3% | 193,500 |
| 2000 Expedition | 28 | 3% | 167,500 |
| 1999 Expedition | 26 | 3% | 174,716 |
| 1998 Expedition | 16 | 2% | 180,000 |
| 1997 Expedition | 11 | 1% | 193,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
EnginePark outside
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. A short circuit within the battery junction box can cause an engine fire while driving or parked.
Risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles, until the remedy is performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery junction box, as necessary, and remove a ground wire. On models equipped with standard-duty radiator fan motors, dealers will also install an auxiliary electrical box with a wire jumper. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numbers for this recall are 22S36 and 22S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 23, 2025.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication
Model years: 2024, 2025
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
Risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S30.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication
Model years: 2024
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, 2024 Expedition and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine. The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
Risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 23, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S70.
EnginePark outside
Model years: 2021
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. An engine compartment fire may occur while driving or parked, even with the ignition in the "Off" position.
Risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles, until the remedy is performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery junction box, as necessary, and remove a ground wire. On models equipped with standard-duty radiator fan motors, dealers will also install an auxiliary electrical box with a wire jumper. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed May 25, 2022. Owners will receive a second letter once the remedy is available. Currently the remedy is available for vehicles equipped with heavy-duty radiator fan motors, and those letters were mailed July 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S36.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
âThis vehicle is experiencing an intermittent complete loss of power while being operated. It has now happened multiple times, including twice within one week after the vehicle was in your shop for 30 days. I have children in this vehicle. I am requesting that this be treated as a safety-related…
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the engine originally failed in 2021. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred in August 2026. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was a loud rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact…
Vehicle was disabled multiple times after failures of the OEM coolant / heater hoses at plastic fittings. Hoses includes the primary radiator coolant hoses, bypass hoses and engine coolant hoses for the transmission cooler. First hose failure on 10/21/2022 (51,177) miles was repaired by Ford dealer…
Vehicle has 84,000 miles at it. It started to jerk when putting it into a gear. I thought it was due to the colder mornings no. I was taking the kids to school and It was skipping gears. I was very leary of driving but had no choice. It would not get up to speed the rpms was suffering. I stopped at…
2025 ford expedition android auto communication error 11 loops in connect-disconnect sequence continually Stopping/Restarting the engine WHILE DRIVING. Both phone and in vehicle displays screens flashing error screens. Real Clockwork Orange. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. Single driver in traffic, Fumbling…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Expeditions have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 860 owner complaints about engine for the Ford Expedition. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Expedition engine?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Ford Expedition?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,750 (half paid between $1,450 and $6,000), from 21 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 79 of 860 complaints, followed by “cam phaser” (62).
Other Ford Expedition problems
- Power Train problems (1,571)
- Electrical System problems (1,384)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,163)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (834)
- Tires problems (656)
- Suspension problems (542)
- Visibility problems (534)
- Structure problems (452)
See all Ford Expedition problems.