2000 Ford Expedition Owner Complaints

On XXX my 2000 Ford Expedition caught on fire at around 2am. It had not been driven or turned on since XXX, and was sitting parked that whole time. It was parked in the parking lot of my apartment building, right outside of my unit. I was woken up by a loud pop which I believe was the tire exploding, and the flames were tall enough to see outside my second story bedroom window. My entire apartment building was evacuated by the fire department, and some doors were kicked in by them, including mine. After they put the fire out, the fire inspector looked for two hours to determine a cause and were only able to determine that the fire started under the hood, on the drivers side, close to the dashboard area. The vehicle was completely totaled in the fire, and my other car parked next to it was damaged from the fire as well, and the apartment building had a lot of damage from the fire and heat spreading to it. Multiple residents were displaced for a few days at the advice of the fire department, to let units air out from the carcinogenic fumes. The vehicle has been towed and signed over to AutoMoto Salvage yard. I was researching what could have started this fire and found this article where the NHTSA investigated over 600 spontaneous Ford vehicle fires including year 2000 Ford Expeditions, caused by cruise control deactivation switches, which are located in the same place under the hood that the fire department determined my fire originated. [XXX] My vehicle was not listed in any recall, but that article states that over 200 vehicles that caught fire were not either. I'm unsure if the salvage yard still has it available for inspection. It has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer. It was inspected by the fire department and police department - insurance did not do their own inspection. There were no warning signs and the vehicle was running like normal. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11748008

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

while driving smoke came from under my hood by the time i opened it was a full blown fire on the passenger side near the fuel injectors and spark plugs. we called 911 police and fire department came a nearby business owner loaned a fire extinguisher and we got the fire out. the fire men say it was caused by a spark plug that had came out caught spark with oil or gas it damaged hoses electrical and not sure what else yet.

NHTSA ID

11703155

Incident

Dec 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to prevent oversteering. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering shaft. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred because the aftermarket replacement part was too short. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 315,000.

NHTSA ID

11614220

Incident

Sep 12, 2024

Mileage

315,000 mi

The contact owns a 2000 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start-up. The contact attempted to jump start the vehicle with assistance, but he was not successful. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 300,000.

NHTSA ID

11441043

Incident

Aug 19, 2021

Mileage

300,000 mi

MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION WAS PARKED AT MY JOB PARKING LOT FOR 3HRS, WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER, DRIVERS SIDE, NEAR THE FIREWALL. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BBB, AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, WHICH ALL ATTEMPTS WERE IGNORED.

NHTSA ID

11398241

Incident

Nov 22, 2017

Mileage

10,000 mi

MY CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY AS I'M DRIVING. I'VE HAD MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND SEE NOTHING WRONG. THERE ARE NO CODES COMING UP EITHER.

NHTSA ID

11396680

Incident

Feb 17, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

ODOMETER BLANKS OUT NO DIGITAL READ OUT FOR MILEAGE, SEATS ARE TORN BADLY DON'T USE OR DRIVE THAT OFTEN 1 OR TWICE A WEEK IT HAS ONLY 145K MILES. NOW, THE AIR LINE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IT LOW IN REAR WITH COMPRESSOR CAN'T FIND LEAK AND BELIEVE THE AIR BAGS WILL NEED REPLACED TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE ISSUE IS AND NO WARNING LIGHT THIS TIME ON DASH LIKE USUAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324787

Incident

Jan 3, 1999

Mileage

145,000 mi

MY TRUCK HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE WITH NEW PARTS ON IT. I WENT TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE WENT IN TO SWITCH MY LAUNDRY, LOOKED OUT HER WINDOW AND MY WAS ON FIRE!! TRUCK OFF AND KEYS WERE NOT IN IGNITION AND IT WAS PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY UNDER A CARPORT. IT POSED NO PROBLEMS ON THE WAY OVER THERE, NO SMELLS, NO SOUNDS, NO NOTHING. AND THEN BAM! HOOD SHOOTING OUT FLAMES.

NHTSA ID

11306520

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

195,000 mi

MY EXPEDITION CAUGHT ON FIRE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER DRIVING IT. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND A WATER HOSE, BUT THE PLASTIC PARTS WERE WERE MELTED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT IT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL RELAY.

NHTSA ID

11196458

Incident

Apr 8, 2019

Mileage

258,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING THE DOWN THE STREET GOING TO WAL-MART ON PENDLETON PIKE IN INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA THE CAR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. I SHIFTED IT BACK IN GEAR DROVE ON TO WAL-MART THEN TO WENT TO ALDIS. WHEN I CAME OUT OF ALDIS ALSO ON PENDLETON PIKE THE CAR WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT KEY BEING IN ACC POSITION FOOT ON BRAKE AND PLAYING WITH GEARSHIT FOR APPROX 15 MINS IT WAS LOCKED. THEN THE POWER WINDOWS ALSO WENT OUT IN THE SAME TIME THAT THIS ALL HAPPENED. NOW MY CAR WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR WITHOUT MESSING WITH GEARSHIFT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND MESSING WITH IGNITION SWITCH MUTIPLE TIMES BEFORE I CAN GET CAR INTO MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11180073

Incident

Feb 13, 2019

Mileage

286,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE HOOD THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS OFF AT THE TIME. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT, A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, STATED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID COMING OUT OF THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,000.

NHTSA ID

11076444

Incident

Feb 20, 2018

Mileage

201,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN MY EXPEDITION AND I WENT TO DISINGAGE MY CRUISE CONTROL AND MY ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF IT'S BEEN 4 WEEKS NOW AND I CAN'T GET ANYONE TO TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG. MY VEHICLE IS A NO CRANK NO START NOW

NHTSA ID

11064311

Incident

Dec 17, 2017

Mileage

280,000 mi

TRIED TO START WITH KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OF. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS WOULD BE LIFE THREATENING IF HAPPENED IN A CLOSED GARAGE

NHTSA ID

11062017

Incident

Dec 29, 2015

Mileage

165,400 mi

BATTERY WILL NOT KEPT A CHARGER HAVE TO TAKE OFF CABLE WHEN CUTTING THE TRUCK OFF. LIGHTS NOT WORKING IN BACK ,NO PICK UP SPEED

NHTSA ID

11061577

Incident

Jan 10, 2014

Mileage

18,000 mi

THROTTLE FEELS LIKE ITS STICKING. THE BREAKS FEEL LIKE THEY GET HARDER THE LONGER YOU DRIVE OR USE THEM. ITS BEEN EXTREMELY COLD THE LAST FEW WEEKS (AIR TEMP OF -28F LOWS TO -3F FOR HIGHS). YOU LET OFF THE BREAK FROM A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT AND IT WILL SUDDENLY ACCERLERATE BY ITSELF. SEEMS TO HAPPEN ANYTIME AFTER 40MPH, EVEN IF YOU SLOW BACK DOWN TO 10-15MPH IT WILL ACCELERATE BACK UP ON ITS OWN, UP TO AS FAST AS 65MPH!) I NEED TO DOWNSHIFT AND RIDE BRAKES (WHICH ARE HARD AS A ROCK!!!) TO KEEP IT FROM EXCELLING THOUGH TOWN AND TO TRY TO KEEP THE RPMS AT BAY. WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND TURNING ITS HARD TO STEER AND IT MAKES JUMPY/JERKY MOVEMENTS FORWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP THE RPMS SKYROCKET UNTIL YOU SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. IF YOU HAVN'T GIVEN IT ENOUGH TIME BEFORE YOU START IT AGAIN, THE ENGINE AND RPMS SOAR UP AGAIN. THINGS WE'VE TRIED WITH NO LUCK ARE, DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL, REPLACING THE SPRING UNDER HOOD WHERE THE THROTTLE CABLE IS. THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS STRETCHED AND NOT DEPRESSING FULLY TO ALOW DECELERATION. AFTER THAT WE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY ITSELF. AGAIN, NO LUCK ON TEST DRIVE. YOU CAN HEAR A CLICK/PING IN THE PEDAL AND SEE IT COME UP ONCE TRUCK IS IN PARK, GIVE IT TIME. PEDAL SEEMS TO BE PARTIALLY DEPRESSED AND THERE IS PLAY. HAVE TRIED TO STICK FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL TO TRY AND GET IT TO DISENGE. WORKED THE FIRST FEW TIMES THAT'S ALSO WHY THOUGHT IT WAS THE SPRING. NO LONGER WORKS TO DO THAT. CAN SEEM TO HEAR A DIFFERENCE EITHER IN MOTOR OR TRANY, ACTING AS IF IT'S WORKING HARDER WHEN IT SEEMS TO TAKE CONTROL OF ITSELF. STARTED HAPPENING 12-24-17. BEEN TO THE SHOP MANY TIMES WITH NO ANSWERS AS TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. IT'S VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS! AFTER READING ABOUT ALL THE OTHERS THIS IS HAPPENED TO ITS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL OR AT THE VERY LEAST AN ANSWER YET!

NHTSA ID

11060776

Incident

Dec 24, 2017

Mileage

251,000 mi

I HAVE OWNED A 2000 FORD EXPEDITION FOR APPROX. 3 YRS. AND ON NOV. 22, 2017 WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT AT MY WORK(APPROX. 3HRS) IT DECIDED TO LIGHT ITSELF ON FIRE! I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND AM EXTREMELY ANGRY AS I HAVE PUT OVER $10,000 WORTH OF UPGRADES TO THE VEHICLE. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL I WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT IMMEDIATELY. THE RECALL NUMBER IS 05V017000 AND FORD RECALL NUMBER IS 05S28. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESPONSE. BEFORE I CONTACT AN ATTORNEY I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING THE NHTSA CAN DO TO HELP? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

NHTSA ID

11051627

Incident

Nov 22, 2017

Mileage

193,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL. IGNITION MECHANISM ON STEERING COLUMN IS LOCKED. CAN PUT KEY IN, BUT ABSOLUTELY CANNOT TURN IGNITION MECHANISM. STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND TRANSMISSION LOCKED IN "PARK". THESE ARE SAFETY FEATURES AND WILL NOT UNLOCK UNTIL IGNITION IS TURNED. VEHICLE IS PARKED SO IT IS STATIONARY AND TURNED OFF.

NHTSA ID

11024278

Incident

Sep 19, 2017

Mileage

142,000 mi

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED MY MECHANIC TOLD ME AND IT LEAKS ANTI

NHTSA ID

10968228

Incident

Jan 10, 2017

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND I WAS ALERTED BY MY DOGS BARKING. I OPENED MY GARAGE DOOR TO SEE THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE THAT EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD HAD MELTED.THE FIRE MARSHALS SAID THE ALTERNATOR CAUSE IT

NHTSA ID

10935517

Incident

Dec 7, 2016

Mileage

186,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 30MPH AND SUDDENLY MY ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT THREW A ROD. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT IT AND FOUND A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE MOTOR. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

NHTSA ID

10927847

Incident

Nov 24, 2016

Mileage

261,752 mi

STARTS THEN STALLS WAS TOLD SECURITY SYSTEM PROBLEM CAN'T GET IT TO RUN NO MORE THAN 20 SECONDS

NHTSA ID

10909956

Incident

May 20, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A STORE PARKING LOT, NOT RUNNING/IGNITION OFF, AND IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FIRE DAMAGED EVERYTHING IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE HOOD, THE COWLING AND THE GRILL. PROBABLY NOT REPAIRABLE.

NHTSA ID

10819459

Incident

Sep 29, 2015

Mileage

141,000 mi

#7 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT DESTROYING THE COIL ON PLUG WITH IT. ALL THE THREADS ARE STRIPPED OUT AND THERES NO WAY TO PUT A NEW PLUG IN IT. WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T HAVE AN ENGINE FIRE FROM FUEL VENTING OUT OF SPARK PLUG HOLE. THIS IS A TRITON 5.4L V8

NHTSA ID

10775962

Incident

Sep 23, 2015

Mileage

153,267 mi

THE TREAD IS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THERE IS ABOUT 30K ON THE TIRES WHICH HAVE A 70K MILE WARRANTY. THE SAME TIRE ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT SIZE ARE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10764017

Incident

Sep 15, 2015

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AROUND 10:25 PM. VEHICLE WAS PARK AND COLD SINCE THE LAST TIME IT WAS USED WAS AROUND 1:00 PM THE SAME DAY. MY WIFE GOT HOME AND WAS PARKING HER CAR A SUDENLY SAW THE FORD EXPEDITION CACHING FIRE AND FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE ENGINGE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE IS TOTAL THERE ARE NO POSSIBILITY OF REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10760116

Incident

Aug 29, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi