What’s The Worst Year For The Ford Expedition?

The Ford Expedition has been in production since 1997. 

During that time, Ford has been able to produce several incredible models and several terrible models. 

Consumers should avoid purchasing the most problematic model years.

What’s The Worst Year For The Ford Expedition?

1999 was the worst model year for the Ford Expedition. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued nine recalls for this model year. Additionally, the administration has received more than 1,000 driver complaints. The 1999 Ford Expedition’s most common issue is ignition coil failure.

The 1999 Ford Expedition is the worst model year, but there are several other troublesome models too. 

Keep reading to learn more about the worst years for the Ford Expedition.

The 1999 Ford Expedition: The Worst Model Year

It is not that surprising that Ford’s worst Expedition model year was among its first.

In the first few years, the company is still trying out different builds and parts to see what works best. 

For this reason, the vehicle is likely to experience some failures. 

The 1999 Ford Expedition has received more than 1,000 customer complaints, showing that it wasn’t the crowd pleaser Ford wanted it to be.

Most customers complained about the vehicle’s engine. 

There are numerous reports that the 1999 Ford Expedition’s engine blows out spark plugs. 

As these spark plugs eject, they destroy the electronic coil. 

While the spark plug problem was frustrating for drivers, what seemed to upset them the most was that Ford was not paying for the damage caused by their faulty design. 

Another common area of complaint was the 1999 Ford Expedition’s tires.

While many complaints were about unexpected tire blowouts, others were about a much more serious topic. 

This model Expedition stores the spare tire underneath the vehicle.

This tire is secured by a cable and some crossbars. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received several complaints that the spare tire unlatched and flew into traffic. 

While this doesn’t pose a significant threat to the customer’s vehicle, it creates a substantial danger for others on the road.

Readers should also note that the unexpected tire blowouts resulted in a recall. 

This recall can be found below.

The third most common area of complaint pertained to the vehicle’s electrical system. 

However, several complaints explain that the electrical system is not necessarily the problem. 

The source of the problem is the 1999 Ford Expedition’s windshield.

That’s right, a piece of glass is the reason for this vehicle’s many electrical problems. 

According to several complaints, the vehicle’s windshield leaks, allowing water to seep into the electrical systems. 

Repairing the water damage could cost as much as $1,000; however, the problem will continue occurring unless drivers spend another $200 replacing the windshield.

As you can see, this vehicle’s faulty windshield could lead to some very expensive repairs.

Now that you know what 1999 Ford Expedition drivers complain most about, let’s look at the nine safety recalls issued by the NHTSA.

This vehicle’s first recall was issued in November of 2001.

According to the NHTSA, some 1999 Ford Expeditions had partially installed retainer clips. 

Some vehicles were missing the clip entirely! These retainer clips were responsible for holding the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm. 

Without the clip, the brakes fail, and the vehicle takes longer to stop. Potentially 4,000 vehicles were affected by this recall.

The rest of this vehicle’s recalls can be found in the following list:

• Fuel Line Leakage due to Manufacturer Damage
• Loose Wheel Lug Nuts
• Loose Trailer Hitch Assembly
• Firestone Wilderness Tire Failure
• Overheating Cruise Control Switch
• Aftermarket Fuel Filters Leak
• Absence of Amber Side Reflectors
• Faulty Aftermarket Headlights

While some recalls pertained to aftermarket parts, most dealt with manufacturing flaws. 

These problems combined with the areas of complaint discussed earlier show that the 1999 Ford Expedition is the worst production year so far.

Regardless of this model’s failures, Ford has continued to produce the Expedition.

Drivers can view the new 2022 Ford Expedition here.

Other Bad Years for the Ford Expedition

While 1999 was a particularly bad year for the Ford Expedition, several other years have experienced severe issues. 

Combined with the 1999 model, the 2003 and 2006 Ford Expeditions make up the top three worst model years. 

Let’s take a closer look at what makes these two models so bad.

The 2003 Ford Expedition

The NHTSA has issued six recalls for the 2003 Ford Expedition.

Additionally, the administration has received more than 600 complaints about the vehicle. 

These numbers bring this model in as the second-worst year for the Ford Expedition. 

More important than the number of complaints and recalls is the severity of them. 

First, let’s look at the six recalls issued by the NHTSA for the 2003 Ford Expedition.

• Courtesy Lights in Southern Comfort Running Boards Overheat
• Absences of Amber Side Reflex Reflector (issued four times)
• Faulty Aftermarket Headlamps

While these recalls are not necessarily serious, they have the potential to put drivers in dangerous situations.

Additionally, repairing each of these problems could have been costly had Ford not taken responsibility for them.

But what about those 600 complaints? How serious were those?

The area with the most complaints was the engine and its cooling system. 

Like the 1999 model, there were several complaints of spark plug failure. 

If a spark plug fails, the engine will stall and potentially leak fuel. 

A fuel leak could cause a fire. 

The second most complained about the area is the electrical system. 

According to many reports, the fuse box in the 2003 Ford Expedition frequently fails.

This could lead to some very expensive repairs.

The 2006 Ford Expedition

Like the 2003 model, the 2006 Ford Expedition was impacted by six NHTSA recalls.

However, this vehicle model only received 295 customer complaints. 

Take a look at the NHTSA recalls issued for this model in the following list:

• Tire Tread Separation
• Lack of Wiper Motor Grease
• Absences of Amber Reflex Reflector (issued twice)
• Fuel Connector Leak
• Faulty Aftermarket Headlamps

As you can see, these are some of the same recalls issued for the 2003 Ford Expedition. 

This shows that several Ford Expeditions from the early 2000s have consistent problems.