1998 Ford Expedition Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
VEHICLE DISENGAGES WHEN PARKED. WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT IT FAILS, AND WHEN REMOVING THE KEY IT IS DIFFICULT.*AK
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. ASE/AAA REPAIRMAN FOUND ONE MISSING AND ALL OTHER BOLTS SECURING VALVE BODY BACKED OUT AND HOLDING BY A FEW THREADS. THIS AFTER TOTAL WARRANTY REBUILD BY FORD DEALER @ 14,972MI 8/18/98. I HAD RETURNED VEHICLE TO SAME DEALER WITH TRANSMISSION COMPLAINT @ 53,382MI 5/10/01. WOULDN'T TEST ON N/C BASIS AND WOULDN'T TEST DRIVE. FORD REFUSES ASSISTANCE.
SHIFT LINKAGE CABLE BROKE, BETWEEN SHIFT LEVER AND TRANSMISSION. *LA
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INDICATOR NEEDLE SLIPPED TO A POSITION WHERE IT IS NO LONGER INDICATION THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE TRANSMISSIN. I.E. WHEN THE INDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL, THE TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE.*AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LEVER GEAR PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ONE MENTIONED IN A RECENT RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION. CONTACTED DEALER, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
3 TRANSMISSIONS IN 2 YRS, ORIG + NEW FROM DEALER, 1 REBUILT FROM AAMCO. *AKI
2 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS IN 2 YRS. 49K (1/01) & 73K (7/02 - NOT UNDER WARRANTY). *AK
CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE CHILD PULLED GEAR SHIFT AND VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *YD
THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH FOR MY VEHICLE IS LOCATED AT THE END OF THE SHIFTING LEVER, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE WIRING FOR THE OD SWITCH RUNS THROUGH THE SHIFTING LEVER AND EXITS AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN, THEN DOWN INTO SOME WIRING HARNESSES. THE STEERING COLUMN IS COVERED BY A PLASTIC HOUSING. THIS PLASTIC HOUSING HAS WORN THROUGH THIS WIRE, WHICH HAS CAUSED THE OD SYSTEM TO SWITCH ON AND OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. THIS HAS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN OPERATING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WHEN PASSING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE OD SYSTEM FAILS BECAUSE OF THIS SHORT IN THE WIRE SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THERE'S NO CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE PLASTIC HOUSING AND THE WIRE THAT EXITS THE SHIFTING LEVER. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. THEY ESTIMATED THE REPAIRS AT $300. I ALSO NOTIFIED FORD AT (800) 392-3673 AND THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY.*AK
SHIFTER INDICATED "D" DRIVE TRUCK WAS IN 1ST GEAR, AND COULD NOT BE MOVED AT ALL. *AK
VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE VERY SLOWLY AND WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT TO NEXT GEAR. FORD DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE REASON FOR T DEFECT, AND WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ENGINE APART. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 20 MPH, IT DROPED INTO 4 WHEEL LOW RANGE COMPLETELY ON ITS OWN. THE DASH SWITCH WAS STILL IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SCREAMING AND GRINDING GEARS AND WOULD NOT COME OUT OF 4 WHEEL LOW. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AFTER REPORTING THESE NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND SERVICE BULLETINS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, AND PROVIDING THE SERVICE MANAGER WITH COPIES, THEY SUDDENLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE REPLACING ALL THE COMPONENTS INCLUDING "MODE SWITCH" GEM MODULE, 4X4 SHIFT MOTOR. THEY'LL ALSO CHECK ALL CONNECTIONS, CHANGE ALL FLUIDS INCLUDING TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION. WE'VE BEEN ASSURED THIS WILL RESOLVE THE SITUATION. WE'LL SUBMIT A FOLLOW-UP REPORT IF PROBLEM RECURS.
A COTTER PIN HAS BROKEN, CAUSING TIRES TO LOCKUP WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE AREA WHERE IT HAPPENED. *AK
REAR DIFFERNTIAL FLUID COVERS BRAKES, MAKES BRAKING DIFFICULT (MAJOR HAZZARD??)
WHILE PARKED IN AN INCLINE POSITION IN 4WD LOW, WITH THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AS IN NEUTRAL, THE 4WD LOW NOT OPERATING, SUSTAINING BODY DAMAGE WHILE AND AS IT CAME TO A STOP. THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK, ON AN INCLINE, HELD THE CAR IN 2WD, AWD, 4WD HIGH , BUT FAILED IN 4WD LOW WHEN TESTED TWO MORE TIMES.
CONSUMER'S 3-YEAR OLD SON GOT OUT OF CSS/GRABBED KEYS/PUT IT INTO IGNITION/ TURNED IT ONE NOTCH FORWARD, AND ACCIDENTLY MOVED GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PICK UP SPEED AND RUN INTO A LAKE. GEARS DID NOT LOCK WHEN KEY WAS PUT INTO IGNITION AND TURNED TO THE FIRST NOTCH. SHIFT GEAR COULD BE MOVED AND GEARS WILL ONLY LOCK WHEN THEY ARE PUT INTO ANY OTHER NOTCH .VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO JUMP INTO LAKE AND GET CHILD OUT BEFORE VEHICLE SANK. *AK
A 2-YEAR OLD WAS ABLE PUT CAR INTO GEAR AND CAR ROLLED BACK. VEHICLE WAS NOT ON, AND IT TOTALLED ANOTHER CAR , CONSUMER SAID THANK GOD THERE WERE NO KIDS AROUND BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO FORD AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL. *AK *ML
I HAD A 1994 FORD ECONOLINE 150 CUSTOM VAN FOR A YEAR AND A HALF WITH APPROX 55,000 MILES ON IT PRIOR TO GETTING THIS EXPEDITION. THE TRANSMISSION ON IT ALSO SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING AND WAS IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT EVER ABLE TO "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM. SO I TRADED IT IN ON THE EXPEDITION. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF OWNING THE CAR IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A BROKEN DOOR HANDLE. THEN THE NEXT WEEK I HAD IT IN FOR THE CD CHANGER NOT WORKING. THE NEXT MONTH (MONTH #2) I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THE FRONT END SHIMMIED WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. THE DEALERSHIP TURNED THE ROATERS. THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS A TIRE BEGAN SQUEALING AND I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGAIN TURNED THE ROATERS AND DID A BRAKE JOB THIS WAS IN MONTH #3. NOW WE ARE APPROACHING MONTH #4 AND DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 4TH, 3 DAYS IN A ROW, WHILE I WAS STARTING FROM A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE RPM'S WENT UP BUT THE CAR DIDN'T GO AT FIRST. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS THE TRANSMISSION INGAGED. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT WEEK AND THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY DID A TRANSMISSION FLUSH ON IT. ON JULY 23RD WHILE IN DOWNTOWN FT. WORTH, TX, I WAS DRIVING AND NEEDED TO GET OVER INTO ANOTHER LANE TO TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY, SO I ACCELERATED, THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN SLIPPED ALLOWING THE RPM'S TO GO UP ALMOST TO 5000, AND THE CAR WAS NOT GOING ANY FASTER. I QUICKLY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND IT WENT INTO GEAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE NOW TAKEN IT BACK IN (7/29/99). THEY HAVE CALLED ME AND SAID THEY CAN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I'VE KNOWN THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD DIFFERENT FORD PRODUCTS, 2 HAD THUNDERBIRDS AND THE OTHER HAS A 1999 F150 AND THEY ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THIS COULD BE A REAL DANGER, ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR HESITATES WHILE CHANGING LANES AND THERE ARE CARS COMING UP BEHIND YOU. I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALERSHIP, I BLAME FORD MANUFACTURING.
I HAVE HAD THE DRIVE TRAIN FROM THE TRANSMISSION BACK REPLACED AND STILL HAVE A VIBRATION THRUOUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. ALONG WITH THIS IT IS DIFFICULT TO STAY IN YOUR LANE WHILE DRIVING. THE FIX FROM FORD WAS TO HANG A TWENTY OR SO POUND WIEGHT OFF THE DIFFERENTIAL. THROUGH THE TSB ON THE VEICHLE PRINT OUT I WAS ALSO INFORMED TO WATCH OUT FOR THE TIRES SPINNING ON THE WHEEL FORM 45 - 80 MPH (FORD TSB - SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE 11276 UNDER VIBRATIONS CONCERNS)
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
DRIVESHAFT IS TOUCHING THE EXHAUST, CAUSING THE EXHAUST TO CRACK IN HALF. DEALER HAS REPLACED 3 TIMES, BUT DEFECT IS OCCURS. *AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BECAUSE ELECTRONIC FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH SYSTEM WHOULD RANDOMLY JUST DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING. CONTINUES TO DO SO TODAY, AND DEALER SAYS FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND MIGHT BE WORKING ON A FIX FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. SUPPOSEDLY A PROBLEM FOR MANY PEOPLE. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *YC
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1998 Ford Expedition has 55 Power Train complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.