Problems · by component

1997 Ford Expedition electrical system problems

96 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Expedition cite electrical system, 11% of all 868 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
96
11% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
35
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHEN EXAMINING MY VEHICLE WHICH SUPPOSEDLY HAD A RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SENSOR ON BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, FOUND THAT FORD ONLY ADDED A FUSABLE LINK TO PREVENT FIRE AS THE SENSOR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LEAKING AT THE TIME. IT HAS SINCE LEAKED AND THE ADDED BIT OF WIRE WITH THE BLUE TAG HAS BLOWN IT'S FUSES BUT I BELIEVE THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS NOW DISABLED MY HORN DURRING OPERATION. I AM REQUESTING MY VEHICLE BE SERVICED PROPERLY AS THE RECALL WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY TO MY UNDERSTANDING. I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND JUST REALIZED THIS SO I LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE AND SAW IT IS THE OLD DESIGN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2020Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11325759
“MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY WATER LEAKING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD INTO THE FUSE BOX CAUSING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO QUIT. DOOR LOCK WON'T WORK, RADIO QUIT. PROBLEM IS NEVER THE SAME, DEPENDS ON WHERE THE WATER LEAK OCCURS. VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2015Electrical systemODI 10810074
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, GOING ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH AND WHILE DRIVING I HAD NOT LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD INDICATING ANY PROBLEMS ALL OF SUDDEN MY 97 FORD EXPEDITION MAKES THIS CRAZY SOUND AND COMPLETELY TURNS OFF. I WAS NOT ABLE TO START THE TRUCK UP AGAIN SO I HAD IT TOWED. AFTER TWO DAY PAST I TRIED STARTING THE TRUCK UP AND IT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2013Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10551149
“I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM WORK AND I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AS I WAS DRIVING COMING FROM MY DASH ALONG WITH ALL OF MY GAUGES JUMPING RPMS RAN EXTREMELY HIGH AND SPEED GAGE JUMPING FROM ALL OVER FROM 50'S TO 05 MILES A HOUR LIGHTS LIGHTING UP AND THEN POWER LOST IN WHICH MADE IT HARDER TO STOP AND STEER ITS DONE THIS A FEW TIMES ALONG WITH A WITH THE CLICKING THE RADIO WILL TURN ITS SELF ON AND KILLS THE BATTERY AND THERE IS A SMELL OF A HOT PLASTIC SMELL ALONG WITH ALL OF THAT WHEN I START TO LOSE POWER MY HEAD LIGHTS DIM DOWN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2013Electrical systemODI 10494443
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD PANEL OCCASIONALLY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2012Electrical systemODI 10451978
“THIS ISSUE WAS AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHT TO SEE AT NIGHT HAD TURNED OFF AT A 35 MPH SPEED NO BUMPS NO TURN JUST DRIVING STRAIGHT. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, YOU USE YOUR LIGHTS FOR NIGHT AND YOUR ARE LEFT WITH NO LIGHTS, AS A RESULT FOR THIS HUGE PROBLEM I RECEIVED A TICKET THAT IS HOW I FOUND OUT MY LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE HEADLIGHTS FUSES, MODULE COMPONENTS, WIRING WERE CHECKED NO ISSUES THERE, AS FOR ALL OTHER LIGHTS EXAMPLE EMERGENCY LIGHTS, REAR LIGHTS INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE FUNCTIONING. BUT AS THE ELECTRICIAN FOUND THE DIRECTIONAL SWITCH COMBO WAS BURNED LEFT WITH A WHITE SHADOW IN ONE AREA IT WAS REPLACED, AND NOW FUNCTIONING. AS FOR THE SUSPENSION NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY IS THIS AN ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE RESOLVED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO DIFFERENT SHOPS AND THERE IS NO AIR LEAKAGE IN THE SUSPENSION PUMP AND OTHER AREAS THAT ARE LINKED WITH THE SUSPENSION. THE SUSPENSION PUMP STILL REPEATEDLY PUMP AIR EVERY 45-60 MINUTES WHICH IT'S FINE, BUT NOT WHEN THE VEHICLE BOUNCES VERY VIGOROUSLY FOR 15 MINUTES OR MORE TILL IT ACTIVATES THE SUSPENSION TO PUMP AIR. WHEN THE SUSPENSION IS DOWN THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONS DIFFERENT AS THE BOUNCING…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2012Suspension, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10450242

Showing 6 of 96 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.