Ford Expedition Complaints (2021)

228 consumer complaints on file.

#11756944August 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN
For the past three years I have complained about the transmission dropping out of gear. It happens most often if I'm towing a trailer. I seems to occur in spurts, happening a couple of times in a few days then not for some time. Very dangerous if you pull around to pass and suddenly you lose power. Originally the dealership said they could find nothing wrong. I have read recently that Ford is having trouble with their transmissions. At my latest service appointment, I restated my problem and was told I need a new transmission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755789August 9, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While stopped at a traffic light, my 2021 Ford Expedition began running rough. When the light changed and I accelerated through the intersection, the vehicle experienced a severe loss of engine power and barely made it through the intersection. After I pulled off the roadway and released the accelerator, the engine stalled. I was able to restart the engine once while applying approximately one-quarter throttle. It continued running rough and stalled again when I released the accelerator. The vehicle was taken to Robinson Brothers Ford/Lincoln in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Ford dealer documented the rough running, low power and stalling and diagnosed the "fuel pump inop." The dealer removed the fuel tank and replaced the fuel pump/sender assembly. The replacement part listed on the dealer invoice is Ford part JL1Z-9H307-G. Vehicle mileage was approximately 79,390. Several months before the complete failure, during very cold weather, I also experienced one brief incident of unusually low engine power shortly after starting the vehicle. I do not know whether that earlier incident was related. I am concerned that this failure may be related to the low-pressure fuel pump failure condition addressed by Ford Safety Recall 25S75 / NHTSA Recall 25V-455, which includes certain 2022 Ford Expeditions. My 2021 Expedition is not currently included in that recall. The loss of power occurred while I was crossing an intersection and created a serious safety risk. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can evaluate this fuel pump failure along with failures involving other vehicles excluded from Recall 25V-455.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755022August 5, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Vehicles automatic transmission repeatedly looses its gear, often while accelerating. The transmission tries to shift down, but somehow ends up loosing engagement and will not re-engage. This lead to critical/dangerous situations on Highways due to the sudden loss of power.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754495August 3, 2026
POWER TRAIN
OEM transmission had to be replaced 3 years after new purchase. Replacement transmission installed at Ford dealership has failed after less then 2 years. About to have third transmission installed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753596July 29, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
The engine stalled out while trying to pass someone. The car wouldn't go faster when hitting the gas and felt like I couldnt safely slow down to get back over. It felt like something slipped and lost traction, but roads were dry and not rocky or sandy. tapping breaks and letting off gas did nothing. it has happened before but usually in winter, and gettin up to speed. its like the gear shift got stuck.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753340July 28, 2026
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On my expedition I started having issues with my transmission staying in gear while driving. I will be going up a hill and all of a sudden boom it starts down shifting or not accelerating at all. I had a few times when me and my wife will be driving, and we would be going through a intersection or a area where you don't want to slow down and then the transmission would forget which gear it would be in and lose all power. Keep in mind my expedition only has 83K miles and serviced regularly. $8,900 later it needs a new transmission. This is a huge safety problem that's being ignored.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753034July 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the message "Transmission Shifter Failure" was displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle independently accelerated. A dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a recall for the failure would be available in April 2027. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753011July 27, 2026
POWER TRAIN
On several occasions the vehicle will act like it misses a gear when put under load. Example is when you go to pass a vehicle and accelerate the vehicle will just rev up and not speed up. You then have to let the vehicle slow down and sort of get itself back into the right gear and you can go. Another example is taking off from a stop it will also do the same thing causing you to be pulling out into traffic and loosing power. Both of these scenarios are life threating as in both scenarios you could be faced with either on coming traffic or traffic coming at a high rate of speed behind you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752873July 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The dashboard/instrument panel on my 2021 Ford Expedition is bubbling, warping, and peeling away directly above and around the front passenger airbag location. The dashboard has visibly separated from the underlying structure and continues to worsen. The defective component is available for inspection upon request. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this condition presents a potential safety hazard. The dashboard material is located directly over the passenger-side Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag. I am concerned that the warped and delaminated dashboard could interfere with proper airbag deployment during a crash or cause pieces of the dashboard to break apart and become projectiles when the airbag deploys, increasing the risk of injury to the front passenger. There have been no airbag warning lights or messages displayed, and I have not been involved in a crash. The defect developed gradually, beginning with bubbling of the dashboard surface and progressing to peeling and separation. The condition continues to worsen over time. The issue has not yet been confirmed by a Ford dealer or independent repair facility, and the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. My concern is that a dashboard should not deteriorate in the area surrounding a critical safety system on a relatively new vehicle, and I believe this issue should be investigated to determine whether it could affect passenger airbag performance or occupant safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752216July 22, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
1) 2021 EXPEDITION TOWING A TRAILER, 30 MPH ON UPHILL ON RAMP HATHAWAY BRIDGE PANAMA CITY, FL. I FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO DOWNSHIFT TO TRY TO ACCELERATE. I HEAR A LOUD CLUNK FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL-NOTHING, NO ACCELERATION. I QUICKLY LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND QUICKLY REAPPLY FORCE TO THE PEDAL IN A SMOOTH MANNER AND TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGES AND I PULL AWAY. NO ACCIDENT THIS TIME. OCCURRED APRIL 2026. 2) WHEN STOPPED CAR WILL SOMETIMES LURCH FORWARD 2-3 FEET WHEN 1ST SHIFTING TRANSMISSION FROM PARK INTO DRIVE EVEN THOUGH FOOT IS ON BRAKE FIRMLY. OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752114July 22, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
I am filing this complaint because I truly believe this transmission issue is a safety problem. I was driving my 2021 Ford Expedition and was merging onto a busy highway when I pressed the gas to get up to traffic speed. Instead of accelerating, the engine revved but the transmission would not shift. It felt like the vehicle was stuck between gears or in neutral. My SUV would not accelerate when I needed it to, and I remember thinking, “This is how someone gets hit.” As a mom, it was terrifying. I depend on my vehicle to safely get my family where we need to go. When you press the gas while merging into fast-moving traffic, you expect your vehicle to respond. Mine didn’t. I was left trying to merge while traffic was approaching and my SUV would barely move. Before this happened, I had noticed increasingly harsh shifting and delayed gear changes. The vehicle had been properly maintained, and the transmission had recently been serviced. After the incident, an authorized Ford dealership diagnosed the transmission with a failed CDF drum in the 10-speed transmission. The transmission had to be completely rebuilt. After researching this problem, I found many other Ford owners reporting the exact same failure and the same scary symptoms. This doesn’t seem like normal wear and tear. Losing the ability to accelerate without warning is a serious safety concern, especially when merging onto a highway or crossing an intersection. I hope NHTSA investigates this issue before someone isn’t as lucky as I was. I was fortunate to avoid an accident, but I can’t help thinking another family may not be.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751578July 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gear shifter unexpectedly shifted to park(P). No warning light was illuminated. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train). The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the issue was escalated. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751393July 19, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The transmission shifts erratic and will sometimes just kick out of gear. The car was taken to ford for repair and they flashed the transmission but, it did not repair it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750935July 16, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle first experienced severe, violent jerking and slipping when shifting between the 4th & 5th gears. The vehicle was held by a Ford dealership for 21 days for this issue, but the repair failed. Two months after being out of the shop the transmission has rapidly degraded and is now actively experiencing the same severe, violent jerking and failing to engage in every single gear except 10th. The vehicle completely loses acceleration power while driving, creating an immediate crash hazard. Dealerships in my area are refusing to accept the vehicle for 2 to 3 weeks due to scheduling backlogs, leaving me with an active, dangerous powertrain failure under warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750488July 15, 2026
POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I have a 2021 Ford Expedition Max that we purchased new. From the time we first purchased it, it has had an intermittent issue. During these times if I accelerate hard or try to give gas to go up a hill, it will occasionally act like it is losing power- like it drops into neutral and stops accelerating. If I do not let off of the gas immediately, it is followed by a loud metallic rattling/ grinding noise. If I release the accelerator, it recovers quickly and seems to “reset” and I’m able drive like normal. On a few occasions a brief warning has popped onto my dash but it goes away so quickly that I never know exactly what it said. It MAY have said something related to parking but I can’t recall what I’ve seen before it goes away. I’ve learned to adjust my driving, making as few hard accelerations as possible to avoid this. Sometimes they can’t be avoided. It becones scary when I’m trying to merge or have to make a quick turn to get into a break in traffic because when it happens at those times I’m not able to accelerate to avoid the oncoming traffic. It doesn’t do it every time but seems to do it more the more I’ve driven like longer trips and I believe it’s gotten more frequent over time despite my adjustments in driving. Last year a Ford dealership looked at it and we thought the recall they fixed might fix it but it did not. Now they’ve reproduced the issue and diagnosed DTC P07E6 referencing TSB 23-2249 and saying the transmission needs replaced. I am aware of NHTSA Recall 26V402 (Ford 26S48) involving similar vehicles with transmission/park system concerns. Although my VIN is not currently included, the similarities prompted me to submit this complaint in case my vehicle represents the same or a related safety issue. I don’t have the official diagnostic report yet as the dealership still has my vehicle but I’ll include a photo of my conversation with the dealership,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749973July 13, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
Part of the luggage rack broke off of the vehicle while driving down the road. The vehicle had not been previously damaged. The broken piece could not be recovered.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749102July 8, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I am filing this complaint because my vehicle is exhibiting the exact failure mode detailed in Ford Recall 26S48 (NHTSA Campaign 26V402000), but my VIN is currently excluded from the recall population." A loud, heavy metal-on-metal "CLUNK" or "THUNK" right under the center console or floorboards the exact second I change gears. It feels like the transmission is violently dropping or snapping into gear. I even feel a physical jar or shudder through the shift dial and I brake pedal.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748552July 6, 2026
ENGINE
When my transmission is shifting, it almost stalls about 3-4 times everytime you start off. It is a hard shift that makes it fee like the car suddenly stops then goes back. I have had it happen 3 times that I thought my car died after stopping, making weird noises, then took off like normal. I am waiting for my car to just die as I am driving. The Ford dealership said I need a new transmission. The recall is out there for other vehicles like mine, yet mine is not listed. When you read what Ford says will happen- EXACTLY what my car does!!!!! My 2021 Ford Expedition Max has 70,000 miles on it now, but when it started had about 67,000
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748400July 5, 2026
POWER TRAIN
COMPONENT: 2021 Ford Expedition Max 10R80 transmission. The CDF clutch cylinder (7H351) sleeve exhibits axial movement, breaking the clutch apply-pressure seal so commanded torque is not transmitted to the wheels. Engine revs while the vehicle fails to accelerate or move forward. Vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection and testing. INCIDENTS (7/5/2026, same drive cycle): (1) Highway — after braking from a 60 mph cruise to a 15-20 mph roll, the transmission failed to engage any gear on re-acceleration. (2) City — at 35 mph while accelerating to merge lanes, the transmission again failed to engage a gear. Engine 205-220F, Trans 200-210F, Indicated Gears 4th/5th, Odometer 120,217. Second owner; purchased at 115,067 mi. SAFETY: Sudden, unannounced loss of forward propulsion with no dash warning directly endangers my wife, my children, and other motorists during ordinary driving. Merging: stuck at 40-50 mph in 65-80 mph traffic invites a high-differential rear-end impact. Intersections/left turns: a mid-turn stall exposes the passenger side (where my family sits) to a T-bone at posted speed. Evasive maneuvers: failed acceleration converts a near-miss into an unavoidable collision. Grades: the ~7,000-lb SUV can roll backward or stall in-lane on short-sight-line hills. Towing (rated capacity) magnifies every risk to trailer and following traffic. Shoulder stranding invites secondary collisions, a known highway-fatality cause. The defect is unpredictable — I cannot pre-empt merges, intersections, hills, or tows. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: None. I have not brought the vehicle in for service, to avoid compromising any NHTSA inspection or testing. MFR/POLICE/INSURANCE INSPECTION: None; no crash has occurred to this date. PRIOR WARNINGS: None. No lamps, messages, or symptoms preceded these failures, which first occurred 7/5/2026. Ford has documented awareness of the 10R80 CDF clutch cylinder design defect and has not issued a recall (TSB 23-2250).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748398July 5, 2026
POWER TRAIN
COMPONENT: 2021 Ford Expedition Max 10R80 transmission. The CDF clutch cylinder (7H351) sleeve exhibits axial movement, breaking the clutch apply-pressure seal so commanded torque is not transmitted to the wheels. Engine revs while the vehicle fails to accelerate or move forward. Vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection and testing. INCIDENTS (7/5/2026, same drive cycle): (1) Highway, after braking from a 60 mph cruise to a 15-20 mph roll over a few hundred feet, the transmission failed to engage any gear on re-acceleration. (2) City, at 35 mph while accelerating to merge lanes, the transmission again failed to engage a gear. Engine 205-220F, Trans 200-210F, Indicated Gears 4th/5th, Odometer 120,217. Second owner; purchased at 115,067 mi. SAFETY: Sudden, unannounced loss of forward propulsion with no dash warning directly endangers my wife, my children, and other motorists during ordinary driving. Merging: stuck at 40-50 mph in 65-80 mph traffic invites a high-differential rear-end impact. Intersections/left turns: a mid-turn stall exposes the passenger side (where my family sits) to a T-bone at posted speed. Evasive maneuvers: failed acceleration converts a near-miss into an unavoidable collision. Grades: the ~7,000-lb SUV can roll backward or stall in-lane on short-sight-line hills. Towing (rated capacity, used regularly) magnifies every risk to trailer and following traffic. Shoulder stranding invites secondary collisions, a known highway-fatality cause. The defect is unpredictable. I cannot pre-empt merges, intersections, hills, or tows. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: None. I have not brought the vehicle in for service, to avoid compromising any NHTSA inspection or testing. MFR/POLICE/INSURANCE INSPECTION: None; no crash has occurred to this date. PRIOR WARNINGS: None. No lamps, messages, or symptoms preceded these failures, which first occurred 7/5/2026. Ford has documented awareness of the 10R80 CDF clutch cylinder defect and has not issued a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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