VehicleVerdict

2019 Ford Expedition problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

With 581 complaints filed to NHTSA — about 2.9 times the median Expedition year — the 2019 model ranks #7 of 36 Expedition years for complaint volume. It lands on the years-to-avoid list. Complainants reported 35 injuries in total across these filings.

Transmission leads the complaint categories with 203 reports (35% of the total). In government crash testing it earned 5 of 5 NCAP stars overall.

581

NHTSA complaints

11

Recalls

2

Investigations

9

Crash-involved

5

Fires reported

35

Injuries

0

Deaths

5

NCAP overall · of 5 stars

How does 2019 compare to other Expedition years?

See all Expedition years to avoid →

What are the most common 2019 Ford Expedition problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Transmission20335%
Engine13824%
Seat Belts7212%
Other407%
Electrical System173%
Airbags163%
Suspension153%
Speed Control122%
Driver Assistance112%
Fuel System102%
Body & Structure102%
Lighting92%
Brakes61%
Visibility & Wipers61%
Steering51%
Seats51%
Latches & Locks31%
Tires & Wheels20%
Child Seat10%

Does the 2019 Ford Expedition have recalls?

11 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

26V402000TransmissionJune 24, 2026 · 741,195 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

Consequence

Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.

26V368000Body & StructureJune 9, 2026 · 548,463 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles. The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.

Consequence

Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.

26V344000Seat BeltsMay 27, 2026 · 419,967 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Consequence

Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.

25V886000Electrical SystemDecember 18, 2025 · 890 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V263. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.

Consequence

If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the instrument cluster panel software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C71. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 15, 2026.

25V197000Seat BeltsMay 23, 2025 · 112,951 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Consequence

Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.

24V852000OtherNovember 8, 2024 · 27,678 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence

Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

24V099000Seat BeltsFebruary 9, 2024 · 77,574 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Consequence

Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.

23V420000OtherJune 9, 2023 · 691,133 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."

Consequence

Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy

Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.

20V263000Electrical SystemMay 8, 2020 · 10,460 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.

Consequence

If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S21.

19V773000SuspensionOctober 28, 2019 · 18 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The rear suspension toe link fasteners may not have been properly tightened to the frame, possibly allowing separation from the frame.

Consequence

A disconnected toe link can cause a sudden change to vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the rear toe link fasteners, check and adjust the rear toe alignment, and inspect the rear tires for abnormal tire wear, replacing them if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S36.

19V633000SeatsAugust 28, 2019 · 639,137 units

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence

A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

I purchased a 2019 Ford Expedition Max from Rivertown Ford – Group 1 Automotive (Columbus, GA) in 2022. During the test drive, I heard a rattling noise at startup and was told by my salesperson, Derrick, that it was just a “cold start.” I was shown a CarFax report claiming no recalls or major…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · March 6, 2024 · crash

On March 22, 2021, check engine light. Took vehicle to Ford dealer. Technician said cam phaser needed to be change. At around 72000 miles. Google search to find out, that is a common problem in the 3.5 eco boost engines. Vehicle was purchased certified used from Elder Ford Tampa, FL with about…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · March 22, 2021

As I was driving down the road, my passenger seatbelt popped and exploded, filling my car with smoke. My son yelled fire although I didn’t see a flame. My passenger seatbelt is no longer functioning. Leaving me with one less seat in my car. Ford refuses to fix or give a loaner

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Seat Belts · June 18, 2026 · fire

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK, SHUT OFF, AND EXITED. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING DOWN A HILL; NARROWLY MISSING A YOUNG GIRL. VEHICLE CAME TO REST ON ITS OWN WITHOUT SUSTAINING DAMAGE. VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE WHILE IN PARK AND SHUT OFF.

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · March 1, 2021 · crash

CAUGHT FIRE AFTER USING FACTORY INSTALLED REMOTE STARTER. A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AFTER THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, WE RECEIVED TWO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH DISPLAY, SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC AND HILL DECENT CONTROL FAULT. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE DASH…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · January 22, 2020 · fire

2019 Ford Expedition — common questions

Is the 2019 Ford Expedition reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 581 complaints put the 2019 model at #7 of 36 Expedition years. It is one of the Expedition years to avoid.

What are the most common 2019 Expedition problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are transmission (203 complaints), engine (138 complaints), seat belts (72 complaints).

Does the 2019 Ford Expedition have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns affecting the 2019 Ford Expedition. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2019 Ford Expedition under NHTSA investigation?

NHTSA opened 2 investigations into this model year; all are now closed.

Which Ford Expedition years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Expedition years to avoid are 1999, 2000, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2001, 2019, 2017, 2020, 2018, 2005, 2002, 2006, 2004, 2021. The cleanest record among Expedition years belongs to 2027.

How safe is the 2019 Ford Expedition?

In NHTSA's NCAP crash testing, the 2019 Ford Expedition earned an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.