Problems · by component

2001 Ford Expedition engine and engine cooling problems

128 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Expedition cite engine and engine cooling, 21% of all 609 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
128
21% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
24
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD THIS LOUD CRASH AND BANG, AND WAS JERKED FORWARD. THOUGHT THE PICK UP TRUCK BEHIND ME REAR-ENDED ME. THAT DRIVER PULLED UP ASIDE OF ME AND TOLD ME YOU JUST DROPPED YOUR DRIVESHAFT. SINCE IT WAS DARK AND MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AT AN INTERSECTION I CALLED THE POLICE. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY TOLD ME WE CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR TOW TRUCK DRIVER TO GET HERE, IT'S TO DANGEROUS, SO THEY CALLED ANOTHER TOWING COMPANY. WELL AFTER A LONG HASSLE AND THE 1ST TOW OF $150.00, I GOT MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOUSE. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PHONE CALLS I FINALLY GOT IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON 7/8/13 AND HAD TO PAY ANOTHER TOW OF $75.00. FINALLY GOT THE CALL ON 7/10/13 WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MY ROTTED OUT EXPEDITION, ALL 4 CONTROL ARMS WHERE RUSTED OUT, 2 OF THEM ACTUALLY BENT AND BROKE, DAMAGING MY DRIVESHAFT. COSTING ME ANOTHER $559.14 FOR THE REPAIR. THAT'S ONLY FIXING THE 2 LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THEY HAVE TO FIND THE 2 UPPER AND REPLACE THEM. WHICH WILL BE AT LEAST ANOTHER $350.00 THIS ISN'T EVEN MENTIONING THE $1,000.00 I SPENT ON THE RUSTED OUT ROTTED RADIATOR BRACKETS NOT EVEN A YEAR AGO. I WAS TOLD AND…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2013Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10524500
“AFTER DROPPING OFF MY CHILDREN AT DAYCARE I STOPPED AT THE STORE. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO MY CAR AND STARTED IT, IT MADE A LOUD POP LIKE SOMETHING HAD CAME OFF. SO I PROCEEDED TO TURN THE IGNITION ON AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TOP VENTS AND THE TRUCK BEGAN MAKING A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THE ENGINE WAS SHAKING. I WAS SCARED AS HELL AND I THOUGHT THE TRUCK WAS ABOUT TO BLOW UP FROM THE SOUND OF IT. SO I CALMED DOWN AND DROVE TO THE AUTO SHOP THANKFULLY DOWN THE STREET. WELL MY SPARK PLUG HAD BLEW OUT THE HEAD AND THAT'S WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. I HAD JUST REPLACED THE #5 COIL AND PLUG WITH FORD ON FEBRUARY 23, 2012 AND THAT WAS $340.61. I AM BARELY MAKING IT FINANCIALLY AND TO READ ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK AND FORD NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SITUATION IS DISHEARTENING. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN AND LIVE IN AN AREA WITH NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SO I AM NOW WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND NO WAY TO GET TO WORK AND SUPPORT MY FAMILY, NOW WHAT DO I DO? ITS AMAZING HOW THIS DEALERSHIP CAN SWOOP YOU IN AND TAKE YOUR MONEY AND REQUIRE YOU TO MAKE YOUR PAYMENTS ON TIME BUT WON'T PROVIDE YOU WITH A SAFE VEHICLE. I NOW HAVE TO GET A CAB TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10453420
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ENGINE EXHIBITED A POPPING NOISE AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE NUMBER TWO SPARK PLUG. THE NUMBER TWO SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. A FAILURE WAS RECENTLY EXPERIENCED WITH THE NUMBER SEVEN SPARK PLUG, WHICH ALSO BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD HOLDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE OF THE FAILURE AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10449463
“A SPARKPLUG BLEW OUT OF MY ENGINE AND ANOTHER WAS LOOSE. THE PLUG IN QUESTION RUINED THE THREADS IN THE CYLINDER HEAD, AND WILL REQUIRE $700-$1000 FOR THE DEALER TO FIX. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH PROVES FORD HAD BEEN HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, YET HAS DID NOTHING ABOUT IT !! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10447265
“MY VEHICLE SUFFERED SPARK PLUG EJECTION. UPON PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POP OR BANG AND BEGAN TO LOSE POWER IMMEDIATELY. UPON INSPECTION, THE COIL-OVER-PLUG ON THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER WAS BROKEN FROM THE BRACKET AND A LOUD CLANKING NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE IN THAT SPOT. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO REPLACE THE COIL, THE SPARK PLUG CAME OUT OF THE SOCKET WITHOUT AND FORCE OR TOOLS. THE SPARK PLUG CAME OUT WITH THE COIL. THE AREA HAD TO BE RETHREADED AND REPAIRED BUT WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR CLOSE TO THREE MONTHS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 6, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10446855
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE HEARD FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN SPARK PLUG THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10440869

Showing 6 of 128 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 13, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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