Problems · NHTSA complaints
2017 Ford Expedition EL problems
Owners filed 272 complaints about the 2017 Ford Expedition EL with NHTSA between Aug 2016 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (70).
Complaints
272
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system70
- Power train38
- Service brakes37
- Engine33
- Service brakes, hydraulic31
- Visibility27
- Vehicle speed control19
- Fuel/propulsion system19
- Wheels16
- Steering11
- Air bags9
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Seat belts4
- Structure4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
10
8
22
23
25
57
68
29
29
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 25 |
| 2022 | 57 |
| 2023 | 68 |
| 2024 | 29 |
| 2025 | 29 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
70 reports2 crashes5 fires
“Rear blower motor caught on fire, causing smoke to cover the inside of the vehicle. Part had to then be removed from the car. Melted plastic around the inside of the fan and motor. Also we have replaced the blower motive in the front of the vehicle that was under recall and it has continued to let's burn wires underneath the dash whete it plugs in so i dont believe the blower motor in front was the issue!”
Power train
38 reports2 crashes
“For 1.5+ years, the transmission will unexpectedly and suddenly downshift into 1st gear without warning. Which causes a sudden deceleration. No warning lights before it happens. It occurs randomly and at different speeds. It has happened over 20 times. I've experienced it happening at speed ranging from 35mph to 65mph. The gear shifter was in the drive position each time this issue occurred. The suv is the 2017 ford expedition EL with the 3.5L ecoboost engine with 6 speed automatic transmission. No check engine light before or after the issue (so no OBD2 code to read) a big yellow warning appears during/after saying "see manual". Sometimes the issue will resolve in a few seconds. The suv has not been to the dealership yet for this issue. But i will be contacting ford today.”
Service brakes
37 reports2 crashes
“brakes were functional at time of parking suv. upon reentering and starting vehicle, the add brake fluid light and alert came on. the brake peddle was non existent with feel. the brake reservoir was empty but no visual leaks from any of the brake calipers or lines were evident. after refilling the brake master cylinder to the full line. the fluid again drained to an unknown location with no visual leaks.”
Engine
33 reports
“The contact owns a 2017 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V236000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal felt loose. A message regard the brake fluid level was displayed on the instrument panel. In addition, upon further notice, an abnormal oil consumption was noticed, and white smoke was coming from the exhaust when the vehicle was started. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
31 reports2 crashes
“The contact owns a 2017 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V236000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that a warning light indicating that the brake fluid reservoir was empty had illuminated within 10 minutes of adding brake fluid to the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal, the contact noticed that the brake pedal pressure was reduced, and the vehicle failed to respond as intended, causing the braking distanced to be extended. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a vehicle safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.”
Visibility
27 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2017 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V648000(Visibility, Electrical System), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair was completed; however, the defroster failed to function as intended after the recall repair. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with blower motor failure, but the dealer declined to repair the vehicle free of charge. The contact stated that the vehicle had not experienced a blower motor failure prior to the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 136,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.