2021 Ford Expedition Problems, Recalls & Reliability
296 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Ford Expedition, alongside 12 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 71,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2021 Ford Expedition has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2021 sits among all Expedition years
What owners report
“Transmission harsh shifting. Common problem with ford on the 10r80. Was told from ford need new transmission”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Expedition
“The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V346000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Expedition
“Vehicle panoramic sunroof shattered imploded while driving for no visible external cause.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Expedition
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 50 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 51,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 20,000 and 79,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (12)
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2022-2023 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, and F-600 SD vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the wipers to fail.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper arms, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, 2021-2023 F-150, 2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The moonroof wind deflector clips may be inadequately attached to the moonroof frame, which can result in…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the moonroof wind deflector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023…
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition, 2021-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The rearview camera may display a blank or distorted image.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. An engine compartment fire may occur while driving or parked, even with the ignition in the "Off" position.
Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles, until the remedy is performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery junction box, as necessary,…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.
Fix: Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, 2021 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may have been damaged during supplier assembly, which can cause the side…
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: NONE
NHTSA is opening this Audit Query (AQ) to investigate NU Car Rentals (NU Car) for compliance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.The Safety Act requires that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been…
Model years named: 2021
Technical service bulletins
140 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2021 Ford Expedition. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2021 Expedition TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2021 Ford Expedition reliable?
The 2021 Ford Expedition drew 296 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 16/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2021 Ford Expedition problems?
The top reported problems for the 2021 Ford Expedition are transmission & drivetrain (106 complaints), engine (57), and other (29).
At what mileage do 2021 Ford Expedition problems show up?
Owners most often report 2021 Ford Expedition problems around 51,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 20,000 and 79,000 miles.
Does the 2021 Ford Expedition have recalls?
12 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 Ford Expedition. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.