RoadVitals

1996 Ford Expedition

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest May 16, 2016
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Ford Expedition, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and tires & wheels categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 8 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance133.3%
  • Electrical133.3%
  • Tires & wheels133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE98024ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

TIE ROD END FAILURES

Opened Apr 21, 1998
Closed Jul 21, 1998

There is no summary currently available

STEERING

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed May 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT REMAINED BLINKING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID
10865162
Incident
May 16, 2016
Mileage
100,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 22, 2007
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD EXPEDITION. LAST YEAR, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. SHE HAD THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. ONE YEAR LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IDLING. AN INSPECTOR FROM FORD STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH; HOWEVER,THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME LIABILITY BECAUSE THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ONCE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE POWERTRAIN AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID
10206554
Incident
Oct 20, 2007
Mileage
50,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 26, 2002

THE CONSUMER'S COMPLETED STREET ADDRESS IS: 8535 RED HILL COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE AND HER SISTER WERE IN THE VEHICLE TALKING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE INTENSELY. THE CONSUMER STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SISTER VISUALLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THE TIRE SEEMED TO BE INFLATED. SO THEY PROCEEDED WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STILL VIBRATING, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 10-15 MPH TO A GAS STATION. (A SHORT DRIVING TEST WAS PERFORMED, AND THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN THE INSIDE OF THE LEFT TIRE, THERE WAS BULDGING FROM THE SPLINTERED TREAD AND A HUGE BUBBLE)-THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS EVIDENCE OF A DEFCTIVE TIRE. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE FOLLOWING DAY OF THE REPAIRS. SEVERAL HOURS INTO THE TRIP, DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED OF TRAFFIC, THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED AGAIN. WHEN THE CONSUMER AND SISTER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THEY HAD SEEN THE INSIDE OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS BULDGING OUT FROM THE SPLIT TREAD AND SPLINTERING STEEL WAS A HUGE RUBBER BUBBLE. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED 5 NEW TIRES. BOTH CONTINENTAL AND FORD HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE INCIDENTS AND DECLINED TO FULLY REIMBURSE THE COST. THE CONSUMER STILL EXPECTS A FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE EXPENSES SHE HAD INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE NEGLIGENCE OF CONTINENTAL TIRE NORTH AMERICA AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *SCC

NHTSA ID
567632
Incident
Jul 27, 2002

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

13745

POWER TRAIN

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CONDITION OF NO 4 X 4 LOW RANGE ENGAGEMENT OR A STUCK IN 4 X 4 LOW RANGE. *MJS

7353

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION OF NO 4X4 LOW RANGE ENGAGEMENT OR A STUCK IN 4X4 LOW RANGE, WITH NO DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES STORED IN THE GEM MODULE. *TT

13505

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

ALL 4X4 VEHICLES WITH ELECTRONIC SHIFT ONTHE FLY TRANSFER CASES WILL DISPLAY CONTACT PLATE PIDS OPPOSITE OF THE 1999 OR EARLIER WORKSHOP MANUAL INDICATES WHEN USING NGS WITH 15.0 LEVEL OR LATER SOFTWARE. *TT

7100

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION TROUBLE CODES. *MJS

12905

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AXLE WIND UP AND / OR CLUNKING, POPPING, RATCHETING TYPE NOISES WHEN MAKING CORNERING MANEUVERS ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HI OR LOW RANGE MODE. *TT

5203

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HARD START / LONG CRANK, COLD START STALL, COLD ROUGH IDLE CONCERN. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Expedition by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027010
2026810
2025295067.6
2024717062.5
2023648067.5
202210912162.5
202122712164.8
202038418268.8
201947711269.1
201836914163.4
20173544059.5
20162133056.9
20151643057.2
2014710049.1
2013920145.7
20121183159.2
2011710145.7
2010580043.3
2009281043.1
20081464161.5
20072152149.4
20062996157.8
20053155155.5
20042964263.2
20036156160.9
20023404265.5
200157710669.6
200089011570.8
19999469565.2
19988367564.9
19978539766.6
1996Viewing301
1995100
1994400
1993100
1992000
1991100

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.