Ford Expedition Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Ford Expedition years to avoid are 2019, 2020, 2018: the 2019 alone has 455 NHTSA owner complaints and 150 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by power train issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2024 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-07-14 · By Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 164 | 72 | 3 | — |
| 2016 | 211 | 115 | 3 | — |
| 2017 | 353 | 115 | 4 | — |
| 2018AVOID | 357 | 165 | 14 | — |
| 2019AVOID | 455 | 150 | 11 | — |
| 2020AVOID | 369 | 176 | 18 | — |
| 2021 | 212 | 138 | 12 | — |
| 2022 | 104 | 192 | 12 | — |
| 2023 | 61 | 153 | 8 | — |
| 2024BEST | 68 | 98 | 7 | — |
| 2025BEST | 27 | 120 | 5 | — |
| 2026 | 6 | 29 | 1 | — |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Ford Expedition problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Ford Expedition are power train, engine, electrical system, service brakes. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2019 Ford Expedition: 455 owner complaints, 150 service bulletins, 11 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: power train, engine, seat belts.
2020 Ford Expedition: 369 owner complaints, 176 service bulletins, 18 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: power train, unknown or other, engine.
2018 Ford Expedition: 357 owner complaints, 165 service bulletins, 14 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: power train, engine, electrical system.
2025 Ford Expedition: cleanest recent federal record (27 complaints, 120 bulletins).
2024 Ford Expedition: cleanest recent federal record (68 complaints, 98 bulletins).
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Ford Expedition?
Based on federal records, the Ford Expedition years to avoid are 2019, 2020, 2018: the 2019 alone has 455 NHTSA owner complaints and 150 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by power train issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2024 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ford Expedition?
Among recent model years, the 2025 and 2024 Ford Expedition show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Ford Expedition reliable?
The Ford Expedition's reliability varies by model year. Across 2,387 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2019, 2020, 2018 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2025 and 2024 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ford Expedition?
The most-reported problem areas for the Ford Expedition are power train, engine, electrical system, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Ford Expedition before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.