1997 Ford Expedition Visibility Problems

The contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel became loosened while making a left turn. The contact stated that the "Check Suspension" and "Check ABS" messages were displayed on the instrument panel along with the oil, brake, and battery warning lights being illuminated. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that the part needed to repair the steering wheel was no longer in stock. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was provided the same information as from the dealer. The contact also stated that moisture had begun to leak from the sunroof. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 171,000.

NHTSA ID

11591275

Incident

May 28, 2024

Mileage

171,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, HE BEGAN TO ROLL THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DOWN. WHILE ROLLING THE WINDOW DOWN, IT DROPPED DOWN INTO THE DOOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDOW DETACHED FROM ITS TRACK, ALLOWING IT TO DROP DOWN INTO THE DOOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 08/01/11*LJ UPDATED 09/19/11

NHTSA ID

10410188

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

AFTER RAIN, WATER LEAKED THROUGH WINDSHIELD ON 1997 FORD EXPEDITION RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL ANOMALIES. THIS COULD POSE A FIRE HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254336

Incident

Jan 5, 2008

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FINISH ON THE REAR OF BOTH EXTERIOR SIDE MIRRORS IS PEELING. HE CAN SEE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WILL REPAIR THE MIRRORS AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,034. UPDATED 09/26/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10201028

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

80,034 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE, BOTH BRACKETS DETACHED OFF THE BACK WINDOW, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO FALL OUTWARD. THE GLASS DID NOT BREAK, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

10166832

Incident

Aug 25, 2006

Mileage

100,000 mi

DT:CONSUMER STATED THAT SINCE T SHE BOUGHT VEHICLE IT HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER HAD CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A SPECIAL SHOP, THEY WOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS VEHICLE HAD TWO IGNITION SWITCHES INSTALLEDT HAT CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR. VEHICLE HAD SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITHOUT THE KEY IN IGNITION THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS /RADIO CAME ON, AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. SOMETIMESM THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLE BACK UP AFTER BEING ROLLED DOWN. CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE ALL DAY. CONSUMER PARKED AND WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, FOUND OUT THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FIREMEN STATED THEY COULD NOT TELL WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10125957

Incident

Jun 19, 2005

Mileage

119,000 mi

REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL NOT TO TURN ON MOST TIMES. IF WIPER ASSEMBLY IS JARRED HARD ENOUGHT (EITHER BY BUMP OR BANGING ON IT) WILL CAUSE IT TO WORK FOR A WHILE. THIS PROBLEM WAS ORGINALLY FIXED BY DEALER, BUT WARRANTY HAS PASSED AND THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. I HAVE TAKEN THE UNIT APART, BUT BELIEVE THE UNIT WAS NEVER CHANGED AND BELEIVE THE CONTACTS WERE CLEANED. I BELIEVE THE WIRING IS BEING CORRODED CAUSING FOR GOOD CONTACT OF THE WIRES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114417

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

Mileage

48,000 mi

MIRROR GLASS BROKE . *AK THE INTERNAL BACKING ON BOTH REAR VIEW MIRRORS IS PEELING AND CRACKING FROM THE GLASS AND CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083664

Incident

Jul 28, 2004

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE. IT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, AND HAD BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10059877

Mileage

6 mi

WHEN I TAKE OFF THE GAS IS STICKY AND TAKES ALOT TO GET IT GOING, WHEN TURNING FROM STOP MY REAR END VIBRATES LIKE IT'S GOING TO FALL OFF. AREADY HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY THE DEALER SHIP I GOT THE CAR FROM. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CLUNKS WHEN ROLLING DOWN, MOTOR MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN COLD. I JUST DON'T EXPECT THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS WHEN YOU PAY ALOT OF MONEY FOR A NICE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10021395

Incident

Aug 28, 2002

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BLEW OUT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010053

Incident

Jan 15, 2002

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, WATER LEAKS AROUND WINDSHIELD, WHICH SHORTED OUT THE FUSE BOX. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT REMEDIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARYLAND AND HAD WINDSHIELD REPLACED, DEALER FOUND FUSE BOX HAD RUSTED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8007133

SIDE MIRRORS CONTAIN EMBEDDED TURN INDICATORS. ASSEMBLY IS FAULTY CAUSING MIRROR TO BECOME UNUSABLE WHEN LIGHT SHINES DIRECTLY IN, I.E. WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. GLUE, ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS, ETC. BECOME VISIBLE THROUGH MIRRORED SURFACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

753228

MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS WINDSHEILD WASHERS AND WIPERS HAS FAILED 5 TIMES IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS AND THE RESULT OF THE FAILURE IS THE INABILITY TO ACTIVATE THE WASHER SYSTEM. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, IF THE WINDSHEILD BECOMES FOULED, I DO NOT KNOW IF I WILL BE ABLE TO CLEAN IT OR IF MY VISION WILL BE SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

748400

Incident

Jul 12, 2001

BOTH DOOR REARVIEW MIRRORS HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO BACKING PEELING OFF, MAKING MIRRORS USELESS. AT THIS TIME, BACKING WAS PEELING AGAIN. CONSUMER FELT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE THESE MIRRORS REPLACED EVERY 2 YEARS.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

887310

Incident

Mar 30, 1999

BOTH EXTERIOR MIRRORS ARE NOT USABLE. THESE ARE REPLACEMENTS THE FIRST SET FAILED AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF. IT SEEMS THAT THE MIRRORS DESIGNED FOR MY MODEL EXPEDITION HAVE A MAXIMUM TWO YEAR LIFE. FORD SAYS NO DEFECT, COME TAKE A LOOK AT MY SECOND SET OF MIRRORS ON A FOUR YEAR OLD VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

744189

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

THE FIREWALL HEATER HOSE CONNECTORS IN THE AREA OF THE #4 COIL PACK ON MANY EXPEDITION WITH THE 5.4L V-8 WILL LEAK HOT COOLANT ON THE #4 CYLINDER COIL PACK. THIS WILL LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF THIS COIL PACK. FAILURE OF THIS COIL PACK CAUSES A SEVERVE ENGINE MISS AND LOSS OF PERFORMANCE. FAILURE ON HIGHWAY CAN MAKE VEHICLE UNSAFE. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IS NOT PROVDING A PERMANENT FIX.

NHTSA ID

741665

Incident

Dec 19, 2000

MECHANIC SAID FORD CHANGED DESIGN BECAUSE OF FAULTING PLACEMENT OF THE VENT. FORD SAID THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED IF MILEAGE WAS UNDER 50K AND I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *AK

NHTSA ID

739945

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

BOTH ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT EXTERNAL REAR VIEW MIRRORS ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY UNUSABLE AT THIS POINT. THE MIRRORS ARE NOT USABLE AT NIGHT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT FORD HASN'T REPLACED THE MIRRORS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID

736855

ON OUTSIDE MIRROR REFLECTION MATERIAL IS COMING OFF, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VISION. *AK THE MANUFACTURER HAS REDESIGNED THE MIRRORS 3 TIMES. *YH

NHTSA ID

869804

Incident

Feb 15, 2000

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOWDOWN. BRAKES FAIL TO CATCH & HIT A MOPED. WAS PLENTY OF DISTANCE FOR STOPPING. WAS THIRD SET OF BRAKES ON VEHICLE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING LIKE THEY SHOULD. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTEN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED THE ABS BRAKES ARE OKAY. WIPERS CAN BE REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

864806

TINT WINDOWS REFLECT ALL LIGHTS COMING IN, AND THIS IMPAIRS DRIVERS VISIBILITY OF ANYTHING THAT LIGHTS UP ITEMS, EVEN A SHINY BOOK IN THE SEAT. SMOKE TINT IS FINE, BUT REFLECTIVE TYPE TINT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

860497

Incident

Jan 18, 2000

AFTER TRAVELING 10 MILES AND PARKED VEHICLE, WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FOUND REAR WINDOWS SHATTERED GLASS BOTH IN / OUT OF VEHICLE, NO KNOWN REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE INCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

855966

Incident

Jan 30, 2000

I AM UNDER 5'. THE ABILITY TO SEE USING THE SIDEVIEW MIRRORS IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, I WEAVE MY HEAD BACK AND FORTH, LOOKING THROUGH THE HIGH SEATS. HOWEVER, NIGHT DRIVING IS A TERROR! THE SIDEVIEW MIRRORS--REGARDLESS OF POSITIONING, DO NOT GIVE A CLEAR VIEW OF VEHICLES OR HEADLIGHTS. FURTHER, SINCE IT IS DARK, IF A CAR IS A DARK COLOR IT CAN NOT BE SEEN! MY HUSBAND, WHO IS 5'8" DOES NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

NHTSA ID

714329

REAR SWAY BAR FELL OUT OF BUSHING, MAKING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. ENGINE HAS ROUGH IDLE.ROOF RACK FELL OFF DUE TO SCREWS THAT HOLD RACK TO ROOF WERE NOT INSTALLED.EXTERIOR MOLDINGS AND GLASS TRIM DISCOLORED.PASSENGER POWER WINDOW STICKS AND SQUEAKS.SERPENTINE BELT NOISY UPON COLD MORNING STARTS.

NHTSA ID

713728