Ford
Ford Expedition years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2018, 2019 and 2020. Best years: 2023.
The 2018, 2019 and 2020 Ford Expedition draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 375 complaints (42 for each year on the road), 2019 has 505 complaints (63 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 416 complaints (59 for each year on the road), against a median of 25 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is transmission shudder (107 reports).
- 2,392complaints
- 44recall campaigns
- 9model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2018
Most reported: timing chain failure (72 reports, median 83,000 miles) and transmission shudder (57 reports, median 69,000 miles).
2019
Most reported: transmission shudder (107 reports, median 75,000 miles) and seat belt (105 reports, median 81,000 miles).
2020
Most reported: transmission shudder (148 reports, median 60,000 miles) and stalling (62 reports, median 56,000 miles).
Best years
2023
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid. Too new to judge: 2025 and 2026.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2019 has the most complaints of any Ford Expedition year here: 505 of 2,392 (21%).
- Problem across the years
- The top problem moves around from year to year. Transmission shudder leads in 3 of the 8 model years and has the most reports overall, 362. Pooled across the years, half of the 131 owners who gave a mileage for transmission shudder were under about 66,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 7% of Ford Expedition complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2017, 31 of its 357 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 4 of the 5 model years where owners report transmission shudder have a recall on the same system. The 2022 has none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 490, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 400 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: DestinationFearFan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fourth generation
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 avoid | 375 | 42 | 14 | Timing chain or cam phaser rattles (72) | 62,000 |
| 2019 avoid | 505 | 63 | 11 | Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (107) | 72,000 |
| 2020 avoid | 416 | 59 | 18 | Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (148) | 60,000 |
| 2021 | 235 | 39 | 12 | Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard (43) | 60,000 |
| 2022 | 113 | 23 | 12 | Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails (13) | 30,000 |
Photo: Bull-Doser, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (70), 2023 (64), 2024 (76), 2025 (36).
Year by year
2026 Ford Expedition
10 owner complaints so far; too new to call. 2 recalls, including 26V-606 on the exterior lighting and 26V-104 on the electrical system.
2022 Ford Expedition
113 owner complaints, 23 for each year on the road (0.9 times the model median). Most reported: infotainment (13 reports) and driver assist (11 reports). 4 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 12 recalls, including 26V-204 on the visibility and 26V-104 on the electrical system.
2021 Ford Expedition
235 owner complaints, 39 for each year on the road (1.5 times the model median). Most reported: transmission shudder (43 reports, median 41,000 miles), stalling (30 reports) and transmission failure (25 reports, median 79,000 miles). 3 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 12 recalls, including 26V-402 on the transmission and drivetrain and 26V-368 on the structure.
2020 Ford Expedition avoid
416 owner complaints, 59 for each year on the road (2.3 times the model median). Most reported: transmission shudder (148 reports, median 60,000 miles), stalling (62 reports, median 56,000 miles) and transmission failure (40 reports, median 68,795 miles). 5 reports involved a crash and 25 people were hurt. 18 recalls, including 26V-402 on the transmission and drivetrain and 20V-197 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2019 Ford Expedition avoid
505 owner complaints, 63 for each year on the road (2.5 times the model median). Most reported: transmission shudder (107 reports, median 75,000 miles), seat belt (105 reports, median 81,000 miles) and timing chain failure (77 reports, median 73,000 miles). 8 reports involved a crash and 40 people were hurt. 11 recalls, including 26V-402 on the transmission and drivetrain and 20V-263 on the transmission and drivetrain.
2018 Ford Expedition avoid
375 owner complaints, 42 for each year on the road (1.6 times the model median). Most reported: timing chain failure (72 reports, median 83,000 miles), transmission shudder (57 reports, median 69,000 miles) and stalling (42 reports, median 60,000 miles). 8 reports involved a crash and 25 people were hurt. 14 recalls, including 26V-402 on the transmission and drivetrain and 26V-368 on the structure.
2017 Ford Expedition
357 owner complaints, 36 for each year on the road (1.4 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (75 reports, median 91,818 miles), infotainment (62 reports, median 94,000 miles) and stalling (35 reports, median 64,000 miles). 21 reports involved a crash and 27 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 25V-236 on the brakes and 22V-150 on the brakes.
2016 Ford Expedition
217 owner complaints, 20 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: brake wear (48 reports, median 60,000 miles), infotainment (29 reports, median 90,000 miles) and stalling (25 reports, median 70,000 miles). 8 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 22V-150 on the brakes and 25V-572 on the backup camera.
2015 Ford Expedition
164 owner complaints, 14 for each year on the road (0.5 times the model median). Most reported: stalling (23 reports, median 55,000 miles), infotainment (18 reports, median 115,000 miles) and A/C failure (16 reports, median 130,000 miles). 8 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 25V-572 on the backup camera and 25V-270 on the backup camera.
Recalls that cover several model years
The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.
The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Compare the Expedition with its rivals
Side by side over the model years both have on file: what owners complain about, the mileage problems start at, recalls, investigations and crash reports.
- Expedition vs Chevrolet Tahoe2015 to 2026
- Expedition vs GMC Yukon2015 to 2026
- Expedition vs Chevrolet Suburban2015 to 2022
Questions
What Ford Expedition years should you avoid?
The 2018, 2019 and 2020 Ford Expedition draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2018 has 375 complaints (42 for each year on the road), 2019 has 505 complaints (63 for each year on the road) and 2020 has 416 complaints (59 for each year on the road), against a median of 25 a year across the 11 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2019 is transmission shudder (107 reports).
What are the best years for the Ford Expedition?
The 2023 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 64, or 16 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Ford Expedition?
Transmission shudder, with 362 reports across the 9 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2019, 2020 and 2021.
How many recalls does the Ford Expedition have?
44 recall campaigns cover the Ford Expedition model years 2015 to 2026 on this site. The widest, 23V-420 on the equipment, covers 5 model years.
How many Ford Expedition complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
7% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2017 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for transmission shudder on the Ford Expedition?
On 4 of the 5 model years where owners report it: 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.