2002 Ford Expedition Problems and Recalls (332 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2002 Ford Expedition is Engine (34% of 332 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 332 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2002 Ford Expedition?

114 of 332 filings named Engine (34% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Cruise / speed control (49 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2001 has 550 reports on file; this year has 332. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2002 Ford Expedition

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 114 complaints · 34.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 18
  • Fires 69
  • Injuries 24
  • Deaths 0
All Ford Expedition years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 114 of 332 owner complaints (34.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 114 complaints, 34.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 18 fire reports 114 · 34.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 49 complaints, 14.8% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 crash reports 24 fire reports 49 · 14.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 32 complaints, 9.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 16 fire reports 32 · 9.6% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 18 complaints, 5.4% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 18 · 5.4% Tires (TIRES): 18 complaints, 5.4% of reports Tires (TIRES) 1 crash reports 18 · 5.4% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 17 complaints, 5.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 fire reports 17 · 5.1% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 16 complaints, 4.8% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 fire reports 16 · 4.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 14 complaints, 4.2% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 11 crash reports 1 fire reports 14 · 4.2% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 11 complaints, 3.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 11 · 3.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 114 complaints, 34.3% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 11 crash reports 18 fire reports 114 · 34.3% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 114 34.3% 0 crashes · 18 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 49 14.8% 2 crashes · 24 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 32 9.6% 0 crashes · 16 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 18 5.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 18 5.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 17 5.1% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 16 4.8% 0 crashes · 2 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 14 4.2% 11 crashes · 1 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 11 3.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 114 34.3% 11 crashes · 18 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2002; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2003. 2002-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2002-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2002-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2003-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2004-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2005-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2005-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2005-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2006-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2006-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2007-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2008-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2008-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2009-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2009-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2010-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2010-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2010-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2011-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2015-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2002 Jul 2024 Recall campaign 03V094000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V094000 Recall campaign 05V388000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V388000 Recall campaign 06E056000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E056000 Recall campaign 06E067000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E067000 Investigation EA05005 ● Investigation EA05005 Investigation DP05005 ● Investigation DP05005
  • Campaign 06E067000 was reported 1,263 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2002-Q1 Owner reports 3
2002-Q2 Owner reports 6
2002-Q3 Owner reports 8
2002-Q4 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 3
2003-Q2 Owner reports 7
2003-Q3 Owner reports 6
2003-Q4 Owner reports 8
2004-Q1 Owner reports 4
2004-Q2 Owner reports 3
2004-Q3 Owner reports 8
2004-Q4 Owner reports 6
2005-Q1 Owner reports 11
2005-Q2 Owner reports 7
2005-Q3 Owner reports 8
2005-Q4 Owner reports 10
2006-Q1 Owner reports 9
2006-Q2 Owner reports 5
2006-Q3 Owner reports 7
2006-Q4 Owner reports 6
2007-Q1 Owner reports 4
2007-Q2 Owner reports 3
2007-Q3 Owner reports 11
2007-Q4 Owner reports 10
2008-Q1 Owner reports 8
2008-Q2 Owner reports 12
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 10
2009-Q1 Owner reports 5
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 8
2009-Q4 Owner reports 9
2010-Q1 Owner reports 14
2010-Q2 Owner reports 12
2010-Q3 Owner reports 3
2011-Q1 Owner reports 5
2011-Q2 Owner reports 8
2011-Q3 Owner reports 5
2011-Q4 Owner reports 3
2012-Q1 Owner reports 6
2012-Q2 Owner reports 7
2012-Q3 Owner reports 6
2012-Q4 Owner reports 5
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q2 Owner reports 2
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2014-Q3 Owner reports 2
2014-Q4 Owner reports 4
2015-Q1 Owner reports 3
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 2
2015-Q4 Owner reports 3
2016-Q1 Owner reports 3
2016-Q2 Owner reports 4
2016-Q4 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 3
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 3
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 03V094000
Recall campaign 1 05V388000
Recall campaign 1 06E056000
Recall campaign 1 06E067000
Defect investigation 1 EA05005
Defect investigation 1 DP05005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 03V094000

    Safety recall 03V094000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE RUNNING BOARDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 7, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SOUTHERN COMFORT AT 1-800-745-6096.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 05V388000

    Safety recall 05V388000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A FIRE AT THE SWITCH COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, OWNERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED. OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED THAT PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND ADVISED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS WHO DID NOT HAVE THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED TO HAVE THEIR SYSTEM REMEDIED BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS ARE URGED TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE FREE DISCONNECT SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. (NOTE: ALSO SEE RECALLS 05V017 AND 06V286)
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 06E056000

    Safety recall 06E056000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 06E067000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    MAXZONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAXZONE AT 909-822-3288.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 332 complaints · page 1 of 14
2024-07-20Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11603537
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2024-06-06Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11592816
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's fiancée owns a 2002 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the driver's side front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that while his fiancée was attempting to drive the vehicle the following day, the brake pedal was depressed but was firm, requiring the contact's fiancée to step on the brake pedal to drive. The brake pedal remained on the floorboard and was inoperable, causing the contact's fiancée to shift to park(P) to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the speed control deactivation switch (SCDS) connectors had burned, and the brake fluid had leaked from the brake fluid reservoir. The dealer replaced the SCDS sensor and harness under NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V388000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The dealer declined to perform repairs for collateral damages. The contact stated that he was an auto-electrician mechanic who owned an auto shop. The vehicle was then towed to the contact's auto repair shop, where mechanics replaced the brake master cylinder and cleaned the brake fluid off the engine bay. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 163,745.
2022-06-23Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11470581
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My spark plugs are going bad, I bought three tires. But now I'm having to take it to the shop because it's weird noises coming from the tire it may be the wheel baring or sway bar link and bushing the mechanic say.
2022-06-07Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11467956
CrashFireInjuryDeath
re: IR 11467550. See attached photo.
2022-06-04Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11467550
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2002 expedition mfg date 12/2001 right front brake separated at swagged fitting to short tubing to caliper. had just parked, stopped fine. next day all fluid had drained through separated hose.
2022-01-05Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11446373
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it caught fire. The fire started from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with water. An independent mechanic came to the contact's residence and diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V017000 (Vehicle Speed Control) however, the contact did not receive notification of the recall. The mechanic informed the contact that the speed control deactivation switch caused the fire that damaged the hydraulic control unit and the pigtail. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to the recall. However, the dealer denied the recall repair since the recall was open for many years but was left unrepaired. The contact stated that she had owned the vehicle for a couple of months and was not aware there was a recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,457.
2021-01-19Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11388908
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2019-11-24Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 11282042
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DISCONNECTS AT RANDOM TIMES.
2019-09-07SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11253901
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TWO WEEKS BEFORE THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN ,THE TRUCK STARTS MAKING TOMUCH NOISE AND AIR SUPENTION DIDN'T GO UP NO MORE . AND STOP MAKING NOISE .
2017-12-03Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11052067
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CRUSE CONTROL NOT WORKING AND NO HORN

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2002 Ford Expedition?

Owners named Engine most often — 114 of 332 reports (34%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2002 Ford Expedition?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2002 Ford Expedition?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources