2017 Ford Expedition Problems: 5 Known Issues

On the 2015-2017 Ford Expedition 3.5L EcoBoost V6, selected 2015–2017 Expeditions have a front climate-control blower motor that can overheat and cause an interior fire while the vehicle is on. The recall covers 163,253 Expeditions and 35,229 Navigators. Reported warnings include an inoperative fan, burning odor and smoke from the instrument-panel vents.

On the 2017-2018 Ford Expedition 3.5L EcoBoost V6, master cylinders on 2017-2018 Expeditions with the 3.5L EcoBoost built between February 1 and June 30, 2017 can leak brake fluid from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster. Ford's investigation attributed the leak to brake fluid contamination interfering with the rear cup seal and, less often, to rolling of the rearmost cup seal. The leak is internal, so there is no puddle on the driveway - the reservoir simply drops and the pedal lengthens. Campaign 25V236 covers about 123,611 F-150, Expedition and Navigator vehicles, including 30,200 Expeditions.

On the 2003-2017 Ford Expedition, the 2003-2017 Ford Expedition with optional air suspension (standard on Eddie Bauer, King Ranch, Platinum, and EL/MAX trims) suffers from air suspension compressor failure, air spring leaks, and ride height sensor malfunctions. The compressor, located under the vehicle, is exposed to road debris, salt, and moisture which degrades the motor and valves. When air springs develop leaks, the compressor runs continuously trying to maintain ride height, leading to premature burnout. RepairPal estimates compressor replacement between $666 and $724, though dealer pricing can reach $1,200. NHTSA has received hundreds of complaints regarding air suspension failures. Strutmasters.com notes that 2007-2011 Expedition and Navigator share the same air suspension system and failure patterns. Many owners opt for air-to-coil spring conversion kits as a permanent, lower-cost solution.

On the 2015-2024 Ford Expedition, different rear-camera recalls cover distinct Expedition populations. Amended 25V315 covers certain 2022–2024 vehicles with affected SYNC 4 software: a display freeze, blackout or reboot can interrupt the reverse image. Its July 2025 filing lists 18,140 Expeditions within 1,076,138 vehicles. Recall 25V442 covers certain 2020–2021 vehicles with a missing or lingering camera image. Recall 25V048 covers certain 2021 vehicles with intermittent, absent or poor-quality video. Recall 25V572 covers certain 2015–2017 cameras with inverted, distorted or blank images and expands 25V270, which included certain 2015 Expeditions. Camera loss or distortion can reduce rear visibility; an image remaining after reversing can also distract the driver. A model year alone does not establish that every campaign applies.

On the 2003-2017 Ford Expedition, the 2003-2017 Ford Expedition suffers from frequent HVAC blend door actuator failures. The Expedition has up to 5 individual blend door actuators (front driver temp blend, front passenger temp blend, front mode, rear temp blend, and rear mode) that control airflow direction and temperature. The small electric motors and plastic gears inside the actuators wear out, producing a repetitive clicking, popping, or tapping sound from behind the dashboard or rear HVAC unit. Once failed, the actuator cannot move the blend door to the correct position, resulting in stuck-on heat, stuck-on cold, or no airflow from certain vents. RepairPal estimates replacement cost between $509 and $698 for shop repair. The Expedition Forum documents this as one of the most common comfort-related complaints, with multiple long threads on diagnosis and DIY repair. Some actuators are easily accessible while others require significant dashboard disassembly.