Twice I've been driving and all of a sudden I lost power and "electronic throttle control" message came on. Accelerator would not work, coasted to the side of the road-- 2nd time in heavy traffic!! Both times I turned off engine and restarted ok, but I'm scared to death to drive with my children in the car. Driving straight on city street both times. *tr
2005 Ford Expedition cruise control problems
severe 31 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
31
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
2crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 31 cruise control complaints filed for the 2005 Ford Expedition, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 15 model years of Ford Expedition we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 31.
Owners have filed 31 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2005 Expedition's electronic throttle control system exhibits two related failure patterns. First, the engine cuts out completely without warning while driving (speeds ranging from 10 to 78 mph), often triggering a "Check Electronic Throttle Control" dashboard light. The vehicle goes into a failsafe limp mode where the accelerator becomes completely unresponsive. Owners must coast to the roadside and restart the engine—which typically works—to regain normal operation. The stall can recur intermittently over months or years. Second, the opposite failure occurs: the engine suddenly revs to full throttle on its own, with the vehicle accelerating hard even when the brake is pressed. Both failures create immediate collision risk, particularly in intersections or highway traffic.
Owners report throttle body replacement ($500–$600) and throttle position sensor replacement as repair attempts, but these often fail to permanently resolve the issue. Many owners encountered dealers unable to duplicate the fault during diagnostics, despite repeated failures at home. Ford's response—across multiple customer-service interactions—has been uniform denial of any known defect and refusal to cover repairs. No recalls have been issued for this failure cluster, despite owners documenting numerous online complaints and multiple incidents on the same vehicle.
Same Ford Expedition cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Complete engine stall with loss of power
Vehicle loses all engine power while driving, typically accompanied by illumination of the Check Electronic Throttle Control warning light. The vehicle enters a limp mode or failsafe condition where the accelerator pedal becomes unresponsive. Engine restarts normally after turning the key off and back on.
When: Occurs at various speeds (10–78 mph), sometimes intermittently over months; failure mileages range from 45,000 to 155,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check Electronic Throttle Control warning light illuminates on instrument panel; Engine fail-safe or limp-mode message appears; Complete loss of accelerator pedal response; Vehicle coasts to a stop; Engine restarts and operates normally after restart
Codes mentioned: P2104
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replacement cited as repair ($500–$600 reported). TPS (throttle position sensor) replacement attempted in at least one case but problem recurred.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple owners report Ford stated no known defect exists; some dealers found no replicable problem on diagnostic check; one owner reported Ford documented complaint with NHTSA but offered no resolution. Dealers applied temporary calibration adjustments in some cases without lasting effect.
Unexpected full-throttle acceleration
Engine revs to full throttle without driver input on the accelerator pedal. Occurs both at startup, while in gear at stops, and while vehicle is rolling. Brake pedal may be engaged but vehicle continues to accelerate, creating immediate collision hazard.
When: At startup (within first week of purchase in one case), while in gear at traffic lights or parking situations, intermittently with no clear pattern
Symptoms owners cite: Engine suddenly revs to full throttle without pedal input; Vehicle accelerates despite brake pedal being pressed; Occurs while stopped at traffic signals or in parking lots; Multiple incidents reported in 3-month period in some cases
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers found no mechanical defect in several cases despite complaint documentation. One owner reported dealer would tow vehicle but owner responsible for repair costs if no problem found.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford customer service representatives told owners there is no known vehicle problem and refused to cover repair costs. One owner reports Ford stated they would only pay towing if they acknowledged the problem, yet offered no further assistance.
Intermittent throttle control malfunction while idle or at low speed
While vehicle is stopped or moving at very low speed, pressing the brake pedal triggers unintended acceleration as if cruise control is engaged. Problem occurs intermittently and is difficult for technicians to replicate.
When: While idling at traffic lights or during slow-speed maneuvers; one owner reports issue first appeared about 4 years after purchase and continues 1–2 times per month
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates without driver pedal input while brakes are applied; Problem occurs intermittently and is difficult to reproduce; No warning signal prior to some incidents; Brake pedal requires harder pressure to stop the vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports dealer performed calibration adjustment as temporary remedy, but problem returned after a couple of months. Flight record box installed to capture data but readings could not be determined. Vehicle taken to dealer six times for the same issue without permanent resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified in one case but did not offer resolution.
Synthesized from 31 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
I have six kids and when your driving and your car shuts off going 50-60 miles an hours and gives you a message fail safe message, that's pretty scary. I fixed the throttle body sensor once and now have issues with the same issue. I have looked into this and surprised that there are not recalls. This is one expensive fix. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Ford expedition eddie bauer. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the contact stated that the vehicle stalled, when the electronic throttle control warning light illuminated causing the vehicle to loose power. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that there were no recalls and offered no further assistance. The manufacturer was informed and advised the…
At 45 MPH I lost throttle control and warning light came on indicating "electronic throttle control". I drifted to the side of the road, put in park and turned off engine. I restarted and everything was fine and warning light was gone. Has been fine for the past couple of weeks. Reading everybody's concerns on this issue makes me wonder if there really is a fix for this. I certainly don't trust…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2005 Ford Expedition?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2005 Ford Expedition?
It's a meaningful issue. 31 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 30 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 58,000 and 120,000 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 58,000; a quarter make it past 120,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Ford/Expedition.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.