Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Ford Expedition problems
Owners filed 383 complaints about the 2002 Ford Expedition with NHTSA between Jul 2001 and Jul 2024. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (97).
Complaints
383
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
73
Reported by owners
Injuries
30
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling97
- Vehicle speed control61
- Electrical system47
- Tires30
- Power train28
- Engine27
- Suspension23
- Seat belts20
- Air bags20
- Service brakes, hydraulic19
- Structure17
- Fuel system, gasoline16
- Exterior lighting7
- Service brakes6
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 Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
23
28
21
48
30
47
36
26
30
21
24
6
9
9
9
6
0
2
0
1
4
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 23 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 21 |
| 2005 | 48 |
| 2006 | 30 |
| 2007 | 47 |
| 2008 | 36 |
| 2009 | 26 |
| 2010 | 30 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 24 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
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
Engine and engine cooling
97 reports11 fires
“I HAVE HAD SIX OCCURRENCES OF A SPARK PLUG BLOWING OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. EACH TIME, IT BLEW THE COIL OFF ALSO. THE DANGEROUS POPPING AND VAPORS THAT BLOW FROM THE NOW OPEN HEAD ARE A SERIOUS IGNITION HAZARD IN THE ENGINE BAY. IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME PLUG THAT HAS BLOWN OUT. THREE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED, THE THREADS THAT THE PLUG GOES INTO ARE STRIPPED. THROUGH RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND ALTHOUGH I DID NOT ENCOUNTER A FIRE DUE TO THE VAPORS UNDER THE HOOD, IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS BEFORE. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT AND IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. EACH TIME THE REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF IF/WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR”
Vehicle speed control
61 reports2 crashes26 fires1 related recall
“Cruise control deactivation switch. I was getting in my truck on my way to work in the early morning. as I walked by the hood I could smell what seemed like burning wire, so I opened the hood & right as I got it all the way up flames started shooting up. I put the fire out and had to wait to call my mechanic he came and told me it was definitely the deactivation switch that had caught fire.”
Electrical system
47 reports22 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STUTTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLUG AND IGNITION COIL WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED EIGHT MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.”
Tires
30 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN HE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE.THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARE TIRE HAD FALLEN AND PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, HANGING BY A CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.”
Power train
28 reports1 crash2 fires
“CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS IN THE MORNING BUT IT DID NOT SHIFT ANY GEAR, CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC. WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS CHECKING THE VEHICLE THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE ENGINE AND THE WHOLE FRONT OF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TR”
Engine
27 reports10 fires
“I HAVE REPLACE THE DRIVE BELT 2 TIMES THIS MONTH. THE BELT KEEP MESSING UP NOW I HAVE GET ANOTHER BELT BECAUSE IT IS TWISTED AROUND THE TENSIONER. I DON'T KNOW HIW IT HAPPEN I DRIVE ALL THAT DAY.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.