2002 Ford Expedition VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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
FORD HAS A RECALL ON 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. IN DECEMBER 2005 THEY PUT A HARNESS ON THE SWITCH BECAUSE SWITCH WAS NOT LEAKING THEN. IN SEPTEMBER 2006 MY CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT BECAUSE OF THE SWITCH LEAKING AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. AT THAT TIME FORD MADE US PAY FOR THIS REPAIR JOB EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THESE SWITCHES ARE BAD. WE HAVE THE PART THAT THEY REPLACED. RECALL SHOULD ADVISE THAT THEY ARE ONLY KEEPING THE BAD SWITCH FROM STARTING A FIRE, NOT REPLACING A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V388000 CONCERNING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THEIR VEHICLE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL LETTER CAMPAIGN 05V017000 CONCERNING THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. HE AWOKE TO DISCOVER THAT THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DURING THE NIGHT. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, AND THE INSURANCE AGENCY DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. NO REPAIRS COULD BE MADE DUE TO THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE FIRE. *AK
ON THE EARLY MORNING OF JULY 2, 2005 A FIRE STARTED IN OUR 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. THIS HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND 2 INDEPENDANT CONSULTANTS RETAINED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. THEY INDICATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL BRAKE DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE FIRE DESTROYED BOTH OF OUR VEHICLES AND OUR HOME. THE TOTAL DAMAGES ARE ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY $650,000. WHAT IS MORE CONCERNING IS THAT WE WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SWITCHES - IN EARLY MAY WE TOOK OUR EXPEDITION TO RANDALL REED FORD IN HUMBLE, TEXAS AND THEY TOLD US THEY HAD REPLACED THE SWITCH. ARE THE REPLACEMENTS AS DANGEROUS AS THE ORIGINALS?
DT: THE CALLER COMPLAINED ABOUT UNWANTED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENED REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD NOTE THE PROBLEM AND CONTACT DEALER IF THEY FOUND AN ANSWER. CALLER STATED IT HAPPENED MOSTLY WHEN VEHICLE WAS SITTING STILL, LIKE AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. CALLER SAID THE PROBLEM SHE READ ABOUT WAS THE THROTTLE STICKING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS COULD'VE CAUSED AND ACCIDENT, SHE WAS IN HER DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. UPDATE 4/23/07TR
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES HER 2002 FORD EXPEDITION THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD. HER HUSBAND WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT LUNGED FORWARD. HER SON PICKED HER UP IN THE VEHICLE TODAY, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT LUNGED FORWARD WHILE SHE WAS TRYING TO GET IN THE VEHICLE. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEY ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THEM. AT THAT POINT, SHE CALLED HER HUSBAND AND HE TOLD HER IT HAS OCCURRED A COUPLE OF TIMES TO HIM. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE STATED FORD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STARTED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, NOT DEFINITE. *AK
2002 FORD EXPEDITION - CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE CAR WAS PARKED, NOT RUNNING.*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 99V062001 CONCERNING CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*AK
THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER LETTER REGARDING RECALL NOTICE ON 2002 FORD EXPEDITION. *TS RECALL CAMPAIGN# EA05005. *SC
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES MY 2002 EXPEDITION ACCELERATED. ONE OF THESE TIMES I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND SAW MY RPMS JUMP UP TO 2000. *AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF WHILE BRAKING DURING STOPS. THE SPEED OF VEHICLE IS ABOUT 2-5 MPH AND THE ACCELERATION COMES ON WITHOUT WARNING. TACHOMETER JUMPS TO ABOUT 1500 RPM. THIS LASTS FOR 2-3 SECONDS WITH ENGINE SPEED RETURNING TO NORMAL. THIS IS AN INTERMITANT PROBLEM THAT I NOR THE DEALER CAN DUPLICATE. THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS BEHIND A MIATA THAT WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND I WAS APPROACHING FROM BEHIND WHEN IT ACCELERATED AND I ALMOST MOUNTED THE REAR OF THAT CAR. IT PULLED THROUGH THE BRAKES AND JUMPED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE BOUGHT NEW IN AUG OF 2002. IT IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE REQUESTED A REPLACEMENT TRUCK THRU FORD AS WELL AS THE FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY FORD DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AND COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMPANY OR THE DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO INDICATE IN THEIR PAPERWORK THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS IN SAFE MECHANICAL CONDITION. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE FORTHWITH.*AK
WE PURCHASED OUR 2002 5.4L EXPEDITION ON OCTOBER 13,2001. ON APPROXIMATELY 5 OCCASIONS, WE HAVE BEEN AT A STOP WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD REQUIRING YOU TO APPLY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO AVOID COLLISION OR FURTHER UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS VERY STRESSFUL TO DRIVE, THINKING THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THEY CANNOT DETECT THE PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON FILE. THE LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON ON DEC. 4, 2003. AFTER CONTACTING THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY, WE REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER INSTALL A FLIGHT RECORDER. I WE FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF OURSELVES, OF OUR CHILDREN, AND OF OTHERS. TO FURTHER AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION, SERVICE STAFF FROM OUR FORD DEALER HAVE SUGGESTED THAT IT IS DRIVER ERROR (SUGGESTING THAT WE ARE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL SIMULTANEOUSLY. WE ARE CERTAIN THIS IS NOT THE CASE). PLEASE LET US KNOW OF YOUR FINDINGS AND ANY ADDITIONAL STEPS TO TAKE. THANK YOU. *AK
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE "REVS" AND LURCHES FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP AFTER THE 4TH TIME BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING. *LA
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE REVS UP AND LURCHES FORWARD EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. ALSO WHILE DRIVING THE TACHOMETER REVS UP FOR ABOUT A MINUTE THEN GOES BACK TO NORMAL. *JB
WHILE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE ENGINE REVVED AND LURCHED FORWARD REQUIRING EXTRA BRAKE PRESSURE TO AVOID COLLISION. THE RPMS WERE OVER 1500 AT A STOP. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
SUV WILL SUDDENLY IDLES AT A VERY LOW SPEED - MOSTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR YIELD. THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WITH MUCH FORCE IN EFFORT TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM LURCHING FORWARD INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE'S ENGINE WILL THEN 'DIE' AND I WILL HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL OR PARK TO RESTART. DOES NOT MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS. THE VEHICLE DOES THE SPIRADICALLY ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. I'M AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH MY 5 YEAR OLD IS PRECIOUS CARGO - DAILY.*AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2002 Ford Expedition has 43 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.