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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system70
  2. Power train38
  3. Service brakes37
  4. Engine33
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic31
  6. Visibility27
  7. Vehicle speed control19
  8. Fuel/propulsion system19
  9. Wheels16
  10. Steering11
  11. Air bags9
  12. Engine and engine cooling5
  13. Seat belts4
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20161
201710
20188
201922
202023
202125
202257
202368
202429
202529

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.

03 —Owner reports

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!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2025Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11677633

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 11659528

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2025Service brakesODI 11664820

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2025Service brakes, hydraulic, EngineODI 11676882

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2025Service brakes, hydraulicODI 11678176

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 30, 2025Electrical system, VisibilityODI 11677312
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.