Ford Expedition 1997–2002
1st generation · UN93 (derived from the PN96 F-150)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20265,514 complaints, 2,507 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 65,000 and 133,334 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 129 complaints (5.1%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 39,000
- 25%
- 65,000
- Median
- 99,000
- 75%
- 133,334
- 90%
- 173,883
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 29 | 1.2% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 12 | 0.5% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 22 | 0.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 13 | 0.5% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 21 | 0.8% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 46 | 1.8% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 68 | 2.7% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 50 | 2.0% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 70 | 2.8% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 64 | 2.6% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 63 | 2.5% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 99 | 3.9% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 105 | 4.2% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 73 | 2.9% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 108 | 4.3% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 95 | 3.8% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 92 | 3.7% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 86 | 3.4% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 98 | 3.9% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 114 | 4.5% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 78 | 3.1% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 111 | 4.4% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 74 | 3.0% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 98 | 3.9% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 68 | 2.7% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 96 | 3.8% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 33 | 1.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 56 | 2.2% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 46 | 1.8% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 74 | 3.0% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 43 | 1.7% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 44 | 1.8% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 36 | 1.4% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 32 | 1.3% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 28 | 1.1% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 27 | 1.1% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 19 | 0.8% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 21 | 0.8% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 16 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 129 | 5.1% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 5,514 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997–2002 Ford Expedition, and 2,507 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 65,000 and 133,334 miles. The median is 99,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (14.7% of complaints, typically around 104,000 miles), the electrical system (13.3% of complaints, typically around 97,000 miles), the tyres (9.9% of complaints, typically around 62,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Engine and its cooling system104,000median 104,000 miles, middle half 76,000 to 132,000
- Electrical system97,000median 97,000 miles, middle half 66,000 to 129,000
- Tyres62,000median 62,000 miles, middle half 33,000 to 102,000
- Throttle and speed control109,000median 109,000 miles, middle half 72,000 to 140,000
- Suspension100,000median 99,975 miles, middle half 65,000 to 134,000
- Visibility equipment70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 98,000
- Transmission and driveline85,000median 85,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 130,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and its cooling system | 811 | 14.7% | 104,000 | 76,000–132,000 |
| Electrical system | 734 | 13.3% | 97,000 | 66,000–129,000 |
| Tyres | 545 | 9.9% | 62,000 | 33,000–102,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 504 | 9.1% | 109,000 | 72,000–140,000 |
| Suspension | 450 | 8.2% | 100,000 | 65,000–134,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 367 | 6.7% | 70,000 | 48,000–98,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 329 | 6.0% | 85,000 | 48,000–130,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 253 | 4.6% | 80,000 | 52,000–116,000 |
| Steering | 234 | 4.2% | 91,000 | 60,000–134,000 |
| Body structure | 173 | 3.1% | 90,000 | 61,000–130,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 99,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 14.7% of complaints (811 reports, 555 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 76,000 and 132,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 13.3% of complaints (734 reports, 483 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 97,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 66,000 and 129,000 miles.
The tyres account for 9.9% of complaints (545 reports, 93 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 62,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 33,000 and 102,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 9.1% of complaints (504 reports, 257 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 109,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 72,000 and 140,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 8.2% of complaints (450 reports, 126 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,975 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,000 and 134,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 6.7% of complaints (367 reports, 131 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 98,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1999 model year drew the most — 1,137 complaints — while 2002 drew the fewest at 415. The median year sits at 1,043.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
Of the 5,514 complaints filed against this generation, 332 reported a crash; 679 reported a fire; 350 reported an injury; 44 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 6.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 65,000 and 133,334 miles, with a median of 99,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and its cooling system and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 97,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 1997–2002
Two-valve Triton spark plug ejection. The aluminum cylinder head carries only about four threads of engagement; plugs work loose under cylinder pressure and blow out, stripping the head threads and requiring insert repair or head replacement.
Cruise Control / Electrical 1997–2002
Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch mounted on the master cylinder leaks brake fluid onto energized contacts, overheats and ignites — fires occur with the engine off and key out. Covered by Ford's large speed-control switch recall campaigns (05V-388 and successors).
Suspension
Rear air suspension air spring and compressor leaks causing rear-end sag and compressor burnout.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1,065 | 291 |
| 1998 | 1,022 | 366 |
| 1999 | 1,137 | 466 |
| 2000 | 1,136 | 574 |
| 2001 | 739 | 492 |
| 2002 | 415 | 318 |
What owners reported
Tl*- the contact stated that the 1997 Ford Expedition xlt had a number of problems with the child safety locks. When he put someone in the back seat the safety locks engaged and the passenger could not open the door. The contact spoke to the dealership, and stated that they he should have the locks replaced at his…
1997 · 5,000 miles · Latches and locks
ABS brakes: brakes on '97 Ford expidition often failed due to malfunctioning ABS brakes. Pedal becomes jerky and will not go down. Clunking noise from front. Does not happen consistantly. I have to approach very cautiously to avoid collosions. Every other owner i have talked to has same complaint, yet Ford has no…
1997 · 15,000 miles · Service brakes, air
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that there was a defect recall on the cruise control unit in his vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer to be serviced for the recall repair. After the repair work was performed, the cruise control device did not operate. The contact…
1997 · 29,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
The car is a 1997 Ford Expedition. The front to rear brake line corroded and failed. This happened coasting into my driveway. Even though it is a split system the braking left was minimal. The partition between the front chamber and the back didn't seem to leave enough fluid in the front chamber to allow effective…
1997 · 33,000 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
Built from 2,507 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page