2019 Ford Expedition Problems: Transmission / driveline (489 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2019 Ford Expedition is Transmission / driveline (36% of 489 owner reports). There are 11 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 489 complaints · 11 recalls
What problems show up on the 2019 Ford Expedition?
176 of 489 filings named Transmission / driveline (36% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (106 reports).
There are 11 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Suspension, Electrical, Seat belts, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2018 has 370 reports on file; this year has 489. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Transmission / driveline 176 complaints · 36.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 8
- Fires 3
- Injuries 37
- Deaths 0
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.
“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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 176 | 36.0% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 106 | 21.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 84 | 17.2% | 1 crashes · 2 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 12 | 2.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 9 | 1.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 8 | 1.6% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 8 | 1.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 6 | 1.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) | 6 | 1.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 91 | 18.6% | 4 crashes · 1 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.
- Campaign 19V633000 was reported 131 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V420000 was reported 1,512 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V099000 was reported 742 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V852000 was reported 2,030 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 25V197000 was reported 1,211 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 25V886000 was reported 1,132 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 26V344000 was reported 1,580 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 26V368000 was reported 2,543 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 26V402000 was reported 2,394 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 24 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 40 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 42 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 31 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 37 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 30 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 39 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V633000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V773000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V263000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V420000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V099000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V852000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V197000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 25V886000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 26V344000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 26V368000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 26V402000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE23021 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ24015 |
Safety Recalls (11)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Suspension, Electrical, Seat belts, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline.
-
Recall campaign 19V633000
Safety recall 19V633000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
-
Recall campaign 19V773000
Suspension
- Report date
- Component:
- Suspension (SUSPENSION)
- Consequence:
- A disconnected toe link can cause a sudden change to vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the rear toe link fasteners, check and adjust the rear toe alignment, and inspect the rear tires for abnormal tire wear, replacing them if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S36.
-
Recall campaign 20V263000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy:
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S21.
-
Recall campaign 23V420000
Safety recall 23V420000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
-
Recall campaign 24V099000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
-
Recall campaign 24V852000
Safety recall 24V852000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
-
Recall campaign 25V197000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
-
Recall campaign 25V886000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the instrument cluster panel software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C71. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 15, 2026.
-
Recall campaign 26V344000
Seat belts
- Report date
- Component:
- Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
- Consequence:
- Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
-
Recall campaign 26V368000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.
-
Recall campaign 26V402000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
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
Showing 3 of 489 complaints · page 1 of 20
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am submitting this complaint regarding an intermittent transmission and loss-of-motive-power issue with my 2019 Ford Expedition equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission. When I first start the vehicle and begin driving, I experience an intermittent delay, particularly around the 1st-to-2nd gear transition. I press the accelerator and the engine RPM increases/revs, but the vehicle does not move forward or accelerate as expected. There is approximately a 3–5 second delay before the transmission engages and the vehicle suddenly begins moving. During these events, it feels as though the transmission has temporarily gone into neutral even though the vehicle is in Drive. This is not simply a harsh or uncomfortable gear change. The engine responds to the accelerator, but power is temporarily not being transferred to the wheels. I consider this a significant safety concern because a 3–5 second loss or delay of motive power could leave me unable to accelerate when entering traffic, crossing an intersection, merging, or attempting to avoid another vehicle. The vehicle can suddenly engage after the delay, which could also cause an unexpected surge forward. My vehicle has previously been taken to a Ford dealership for a transmission/PCM-related recall, and I was told that the recall had been corrected. However, I continue to experience this loss/delay of motive power. I am aware that Ford has issued technical service information addressing delayed engagement and delayed shifting in 2018–2021 Ford Expeditions equipped with the 10R80 transmission. I am concerned that my symptoms may be related to the known transmission issues affecting these vehicles and that this condition may represent a broader safety concern. I am requesting that NHTSA review this condition and determine whether further investigation or additional safety action is warranted.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
On 8/6/2026, the transmission/powertrain of my 2019 Ford Expedition malfunctioned, causing a complete loss of propulsion. While traveling on a busy mountainous highway with my three children, I stopped in a center turn lane to merge into fast-moving traffic. When I attempted to accelerate, the vehicle would not move. The transmission display showed 4th gear even though the vehicle was stopped. We were stranded in the center turn lane with traffic approaching from both directions, creating a serious collision risk. No accident occurred. This vehicle has a documented history of recurring transmission problems since 2024, including harsh/delayed shifting, bucking, hesitation and jerking, repeatedly involving 4th gear, and even loss of propulsion with the initial 2024 issue. In Jan. 2025, the dealer documented a delayed upshift and harsh bump/buck into 4th gear. In July 2025, the dealer documented hesitation/jerking that was worse going into 4th. The transmission has been removed/disassembled multiple times and has undergone major repairs including CDF drum/internal transmission work, main control/valve body repairs, and most recently torque converter and additional valve body replacement in early 2026. Previous transmission symptoms have been reproduced and verified by the dealer. After the 8/6/2026 incident, the vehicle was taken to the Lincoln dealer. The current repair record documents "complete loss of propulsion with gear stuck in 4th" and delayed shifting surrounding 4th gear. The dealer attempted to reproduce the failure and obtain diagnostic codes but has not been able to duplicate it and reports no codes at this time. I do not recall any warning lights or messages immediately before the failure. The vehicle is available for inspection. Ford has previously been contacted regarding these recurring transmission failures and provided partial assistance with a prior repair.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I started by 2019 Ford Expedition and was driving through a parking lot at a low speed when there was an explosion sound (comparable to a gun shot over my left shoulder as the driver). My seatbelt pulled in and locked down. My car smelled like a firework had been set off and there was a white-grey powder across my lefts. I immediately stopped and parked my vehicle. I had my passenger move to the back of the car as a safety precaution. It took effort to get the belt to unlatch and off. We moved the vehicle to a safer parking spot and had it towed to David McDavid - FtW. I have a seatbelt burn on my neck. My left shoulder, across my chest, and right hip are very sore today. We received the recall notice the day prior. However, the letter states that: Ford has not issued instructions to stop driving your vehicle…. Had this happened while driving at a faster speed, the incident could have very easily been catastrophic. My concern now is that the dealership is trying to say this is an interior trim concern, and Ford’s customer service could do nothing other than repeat their script that there is no remedy at this time. Their advice lent the consumer to saving receipts for rental and/or repair with faulty parts until the advanced notice becomes an active one. I have no vehicle to drive, I have mild injuries, and we have zero support from Ford. Making matters worse, our dealership is wanting to charge us for inspecting the vehicle and calling it an “interior trim concern”, while listing the seatbelt retractor inspection right after it for free. THESE ARE THE SAME ISSUE.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2019 Ford Expedition?
Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 176 of 489 reports (36%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2019 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA lists 11 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Suspension, Electrical, Seat belts, Body / frame, and Transmission / driveline. 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 2019 Ford Expedition?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. 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.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
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.