Full-size SUVs · 5 model years, 2015 to 2022
Chevrolet Suburban vs Ford Expedition: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Expedition looks better on 3 and the Suburban on 1, with 3 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2015 to 2022 | Suburban | Expedition |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 62,000 | 67,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 5.4 | 4.6 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 2 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 6 | 1 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Suburban owners complain about most is brakes; for the Expedition it is transmission and drivetrain. Complaints citing brakes make up 25% of all Suburban complaints, against 8.9% on the Expedition. The Expedition leans the other way on electrical: 20% of its complaints, against 13% for the Suburban.
Chevrolet SuburbanFord Expedition
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Suburban is brake wear (26% of its complaints), and the Expedition shares it (13%).
| Problem | Suburban | Expedition |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 26% 287most in 2015 · 62k mi | 13% 141most in 2017 · 70k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 12% 129most in 2021 · 67k mi | 11% 121most in 2017 · 64k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 4.9% 5455k mi | 12% 132most in 2017 · 92k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 6.7% 74most in 2021 · 61k mi | 3.5% 3869k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 5.3% 59most in 2015 · 57k mi | 4.1% 44100k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 4.3% 48100k mi | 4.5% 49most in 2021 · 37k mi |
| Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing | 7.5% 83most in 2021 · 62k mi | 0 |
| Transmission fails or needs replacement | 4.0% 4497k mi | 2.3% 25most in 2021 · 79k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Suburban complaints that give a mileage come before 62,000 miles, and half the Expedition complaints before 67,000. 33% of Suburban reports and 31% of Expedition reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Chevrolet SuburbanFord Expedition
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 626 for the Suburban and 510 for the Expedition.
Worst and best years
The 2015 Suburban draws 2.5 times the complaints of a typical Suburban year for its age. The 2019 Expedition draws 2.5 times the complaints of a typical Expedition year for its age.
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet SuburbanFord Expedition
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 5.4 campaigns per model year for the Suburban and 4.6 for the Expedition. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Chevrolet Suburban
27 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (6), airbags (4) and seat belts (4).
- Do not drive 26V-289 (transmission and drivetrain), model years 2015 and 2017
- Do not drive 16V-256 (suspension), model years 2016
- 19V-645 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
- 19V-761 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA26005: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (open)
- RQ26001: Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy (closed)
- EA25007: Loss of motive power due to engine failure (open)
Ford Expedition
23 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: backup camera (5), visibility (4) and service brakes, hydraulic (3).
- 22V-648 (visibility) covers 3 model years
- 25V-572 (backup camera) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE24019: Low-pressure fuel pump failure (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (4.2% and 4.1%). Fire reports: 14 for the Suburban and 25 for the Expedition. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Suburban and 0 in the Expedition for these model years.
Chevrolet SuburbanFord Expedition
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Chevrolet Suburban or the Ford Expedition more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Expedition looks better on 3 and the Suburban on 1, with 3 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Suburban has 1,106 complaints and the Expedition 1,082 for the 5 model years from 2015 to 2022 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Suburban or the Expedition?
The Suburban has 27 recall campaigns and the Expedition 23 across the 5 model years from 2015 to 2022 that both have on file. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 5.4 campaigns per model year for the Suburban and 4.6 for the Expedition.
What are the most common problems on the Suburban and the Expedition?
The most reported problem on the Suburban is brake wear (26% of its complaints), and the Expedition shares it (13%).
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