2005 Ford Expedition Problems and Recalls (308 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2005 Ford Expedition is Engine (24% of 308 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 308 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2005 Ford Expedition?

75 of 308 filings named Engine (24% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Fuel system (54 reports).

There are 5 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 2004 has 278 reports on file; this year has 308. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2005 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 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  4. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  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 75 complaints · 24.4% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 19
  • Fires 6
  • Injuries 20
  • 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 75 of 308 owner complaints (24.4%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 75 complaints, 24.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 75 · 24.4% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 54 complaints, 17.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 54 · 17.5% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 41 complaints, 13.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 3 crash reports 41 · 13.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 40 complaints, 13.0% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 4 fire reports 40 · 13.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 32 complaints, 10.4% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 crash reports 32 · 10.4% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 13 complaints, 4.2% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 13 · 4.2% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 11 complaints, 3.6% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 11 · 3.6% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 9 complaints, 2.9% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 7 crash reports 9 · 2.9% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 8 complaints, 2.6% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 8 · 2.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 95 complaints, 30.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 9 crash reports 2 fire reports 95 · 30.8% 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) 75 24.4% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 54 17.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 41 13.3% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 40 13.0% 1 crashes · 4 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 32 10.4% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 13 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 11 3.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 9 2.9% 7 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 8 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 95 30.8% 9 crashes · 2 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 Jul 2005; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2006. 2005-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2005-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2009-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2009-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2009-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2010-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2010-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2010-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2010-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2011-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2011-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2011-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2012-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2013-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2013-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2013-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2014-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2005 Jan 2024 Recall campaign 06E023000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E023000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E056000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E056000 Recall campaign 06E064000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E064000 Recall campaign 09E012000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E012000 Investigation PE08070 ● Investigation PE08070
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2005-Q3 Owner reports 6
2005-Q4 Owner reports 5
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2006-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q3 Owner reports 2
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
2007-Q1 Owner reports 4
2007-Q2 Owner reports 2
2007-Q3 Owner reports 3
2007-Q4 Owner reports 3
2008-Q1 Owner reports 7
2008-Q2 Owner reports 6
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 5
2009-Q1 Owner reports 16
2009-Q2 Owner reports 17
2009-Q3 Owner reports 9
2009-Q4 Owner reports 12
2010-Q1 Owner reports 16
2010-Q2 Owner reports 11
2010-Q3 Owner reports 9
2010-Q4 Owner reports 14
2011-Q1 Owner reports 15
2011-Q2 Owner reports 11
2011-Q3 Owner reports 4
2011-Q4 Owner reports 3
2012-Q1 Owner reports 9
2012-Q2 Owner reports 6
2012-Q3 Owner reports 5
2012-Q4 Owner reports 5
2013-Q1 Owner reports 9
2013-Q2 Owner reports 9
2013-Q3 Owner reports 6
2013-Q4 Owner reports 5
2014-Q1 Owner reports 7
2014-Q2 Owner reports 7
2014-Q3 Owner reports 6
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q1 Owner reports 9
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 3
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 5
2016-Q3 Owner reports 2
2016-Q4 Owner reports 6
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 5
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 2
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06E023000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E056000
Recall campaign 1 06E064000
Recall campaign 1 09E012000
Defect investigation 1 PE08070
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

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 06E023000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    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 06E064000

    Safety recall 06E064000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 09E012000

    Safety recall 09E012000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
    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 308 complaints · page 1 of 13
2024-03-12Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11576940
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Engine Missing
2023-07-10Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11531329
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was notified of an engine misfire. The spark plugs were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the brake pedal became stiff, and the vehicle failed to immediately stop. Additionally, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the spark plugs, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
2020-06-26TIRES
NHTSA ODI 11331020
CrashFireInjuryDeath
COOPER TIRES 265/70/17 DISCOVERER M+S. BELT SEPARATION AND TIRE DEFORMITY ON 3 OF 4 TIRES IN THE LAST 1000 MILES. 2 FAILED WITHIN THE LAST 200 MILES. IN MOTION, HIGHWAY. . SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURRED. (THINK PAINT MIXER) LOW USE 80% TREAD REMAINS. MAX USE OF 3K MILES PER YEAR BUT NOT ALL YEARS. PURCHASED IN 2013. DOT RM1Y C6J 2412 COOPER CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS I DIDN'T USE THEM ENOUGH. *TR
2019-11-10Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11279257
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY TRUCK LOST ALL FORWARD GEARS EXCEPT FOR REVERSE OUT OF THE BLUE THE OTHER MORNING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE HOME. VALVE BODY, SERVOS, SOLENOIDS, HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND STILL HAS NOT CORRECTED THE ISSUE. THE VEHICAL HAS LESS THEN 155000 MILES
2019-10-16Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11269009
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ENGINE MAKES RATTLING NOISE AND MISSING BADLY
2019-06-26Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11222664
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY CAR AT TIMES WILL GIVE A HARD START. TURNING, BUT NOT FULLY TURNING OVER OR GIVES OFF A SOUND THAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS AN ELEPHANT TRUMPETING. WHEN IT DOES START AT TIMES IT WILL SHUT COMPLETELY OFF JUST AS FAST. IT HESITATES TO PICK UP ADEQUATE SPEED AND WILL STUMBLE OR JERK, AND WHEN PUT IN REVERSE IT WILL COMPLETELY STALL OUT. I'VE HAD A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED, AND THE SPARK PLUGS AND BOOTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED, BUT TO NO AVAIL.
2019-04-24Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11203403
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE CAR TURNS OFF. I NEED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND IT WORKS. THE BAD THING IS IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.
2018-01-17Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11063196
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND MY CAR LITERALLY SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING.. I COASTED TO THE SIDE AND I TURNED OFF CAR.. TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON AND IT KEPT CRANKING AND I KEPT DOING IT LIKE 5 TIMES UNTIL IT STARTED BACK UP. SURE IT IS A 2005, BUT IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS SINCE I GOT IT, NOW IT IS WORSE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS WEAR AND TEAR I ACTUALLY REPLACED THE WHOLE ENGINE 4 YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR WHICH IS RIDICULOUS TO BEGIN WITH. IF MY CAR BURNS UP WHILE I AM DRIVING I WILL REALLY MAKE A STINK..
2017-12-29Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11057474
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CRANK NO START, AFTER REPLACED NEW FUEL PUMP, FILTER AND OTHER PARTS WOULD NOT START AND NOT GETTING FUEL. WAS IN MOTION AND DIED AFTER MAKING A RIGHT TURN AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK.
2017-12-05STEERING
NHTSA ODI 11052668
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY GEAR SHIFT BROKE WHICH BROKE THE STEERING COLUMN AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS DEFAULTED SYSTEM SO DO FORD BECAUSE DID CONTINUE THIS STEERING COLUMN SO I HAD TO REPLACE IT WITH ONE FROM JUNK YARD SO HOW IS THAT SAFE FOR ME AS A CONSUMER WELL I FILING THIS JUST IN CASE IT BREAK AGAIN AND MY LIFE IS IN DANGER MY CAR CAME OUTTA OF PARK LIKE TO TANNED ME OVER SO I'M SPEAKING UP BECAUSE THIS PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2005 Ford Expedition?

Owners named Engine most often — 75 of 308 reports (24%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Ford Expedition?

NHTSA lists 5 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 2005 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