Ford Expedition reliability by year
44 recalls and 3,840 owner complaints across 22 model years. Best year to buy: 2009. Year to avoid: 2020.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 5 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 22 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Expedition aggregated across 22 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Ford Expedition?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2009 Ford Expedition scores 8.2/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2026 range. 28 complaints on file, 1 active recall. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Ford Expedition year should I avoid?
The 2020 Ford Expedition scores 5.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 379 owner complaints with NHTSA, 9 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2020 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Ford Expedition should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2017 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 1 crash-related complaint on the electrical system); 2016 (high-risk ownership — powertrain: 34 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 53,000–95,000 mi); 2015 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 43 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 71,500–138,000 mi); 2008 (high-risk ownership — body: 31 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 50,000–94,000 mi); 2005 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 54 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 56,600–93,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2024, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Ford Expedition are tracked?
22 model years (2005 through 2026) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 44 recalls and 3,840 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Ford Expedition?
powertrain is the most-reported category — 1,075 complaints across 20 model years. Average shop repair runs about $2,500.