The Panoramic Sunroof spontaneous combusted traveling 75 mph on the interstate. No debris, other vehicles, or overpasses in sight. The explosion and raining glass poses a safety concern. The vehicle is currently in the shop being inspected by the manufacturer, repair shop, insurance adjusters trying to decide who is going to cover the random exploding panoramic sunroof. If government environmental can require auto start stops be put on all consumer vehicles, it seems that the regulatory safety could do something about the overhead exploding glass that is both dangerous and costly.
Ford Expedition start-stop problems
15 of the 9,415 owner complaints about the Ford Expedition describe start-stop system problems, most of them for the 2018 model year.
- owner complaints
- 15
- worst model year
- 2018
By model year
- 20241
- 20231
- 20212
- 20202
- 20194
- 20185
Often reported together
Won't start 2Stalling 2Loss of power 2Check engine light 2Transmission failure 1Slipping 1Jerking 1
What owners say
Components: Engine & Power Train Safety Risk: Momentary loss of power Problem has not been reproduced by dealer or independent service center. Vehicle has been inspected by Ford Dealer Joe Cooper Ford in Oklahoma City, OK There were/are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem that appear prior to the failure. This has happened 6 or 7 times since vehicle was purchased in October 2024 : Accelerating from stop with Auto Start/Stop either on or off and reach between 35 - 40 mph. Vehicle suddenly dies but immediately started back up like nothing ever happened. Joe Cooper Ford reinstalled the latest update on 4/29/2025 and thought this would fix the problem. [XXX] - Accelerated from start. Auto Start/Stop is on. Reached 38 mph-engine suddenly died then immediately restarted. Drive selector blinking red on console in D. Could rev engine but seemed transmission was in N. Switched drive selector to N, the back to D and resumed as normal. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
I bought the vehicle used with 108,xxx miles on it in May of 2024. In July I had in the repair shop for one issue and noticed there was an issue with the Auto Start/Stop. When the Auto Start/Stop is engaged and the brake is depressed it jams into first gear like a standard vehicle when the clutch is released to early. Transmission fluid was checked to be low so it was refilled. I was told to change my driving habits, which is what I did. I no longer use it because it still has the issue. Move forward to December 2024. I was driving and realized it was skipping 2nd, 4th, and sometimes 6th gears. Upon further research I found that it was normal to happen. When I was driving it home on February 20 I lost 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. I was close enough home where I was able to get home. When I got home I restarted and still had no lower gears. I let it sit for a couple of hours and drove it again and I had the normal gear shift. I called the dealership and had an appointment scheduled. I was told from that appointment a brand new transmission was needed or a transmission overhaul was needed to fix the issue. I was told to contact Ford Customer Support to find out if there were any options about the warranties that may be out there or recalls about the 10-speed transmission. When I called Ford about the possibility of my 10-speed transmission being under the recall for the transmission I was told that because the VIN did not need to recalled. Upon further research I have found multiple people with this issue in this vehicle. Ford would not cover anything as the vehicle is out of warranty and over 100,000 miles. I was told to file a claim with the federal safety agency because of the risk it may cause others, but at this time there was nothing more that could be done.
When stopped, the auto start stop comes on and the engine turns off. Suddenly a warning comes on and says that the vehicle has to be put in park and push the start button to start the engine again. It will not start automatically when the brake pedal is released. This has happened a number of times. I have not been to the dealer.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? NOT SURE. THERE IS ISSUES WITH THE AUTO STOP/START WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? THE ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE VEHILE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THIS HAS OCCURED WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, BUT ALSO WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT THAT HAD TURNED GREEN. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? AUTO STOP/START LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT ALL ILLUMINATE WHEN THIS OCCURS
When car is stopped, the engine dies and it reads on screen “ place car in park to restart engine”. This is not the automatic stop/start. Car has died a handful of times when in stopped traffic or at red lights. Sometimes taking several seconds to get engine running again. Brand new battery. Herb Chambers Ford dealership used diagnostics on 9/29/23 and “did not find anything broken”.
1. Power train (transmission) slips causing the vehicle to jerk. Issue is most noticeable when accelerating out of 3/4 gear to 5th and into 10th. Yes available. 2. The vehicle randomly without a noticeable pattern, and when stopped at a light, the engine would shutoff (which is designed with auto start stop) but when stepping on the gas pedal, would not start back up. It would need to be put in park and push start the motor. Additionally, when the vehicle is on an angle, even if the emergency break was set while the vehicle is in neutral and then out in park would shift violently when putting the transmission from park to drive or reverse. 3.multiple Ford dealers were contacted for support but the soonest appointment was 90 plus days out. When the vehicle was dropped off it sat for three days before a call to the manager helped a tech “look” at it. The fix was a so call update to the onboard computer. Vehicle still shifts hard when going into 5th and 10th and when moving from park into drive or reverse on any incline regardless, wether the emergency break is set or not. 4. No. 5. No on board signage, except the battery light when the issue happened with the engine shut off.
The auto stop/start feature fails to work properly and causes the vehicle engine to stop running while on the road. The warning message "AUTO START/STOP, SHIFT TO P THEN RESTART ENGINE" comes up and you have to put the vehicle in park then restart the engine. This has been confirmed by the dealer (wife was driving it with the tech) and we have to pay $550 plus a diagnosis fee of $150 to get them to resolve this safety issue. Our extended vehicle warranty coverage won't cover it because it's a valve and reprogramming issue, not a part replacement. There are several mentions of this on a google search for the problem, yet Ford isn't covering any of the repair for a known issue. The rep at the Ford dealer said there is even a techincal service bulletin about the issue. Complete failure of the company to resolve this safety issue and charge the consumer for this.
2019 Ford Expedition engine rattles on cold start, while driving at highway speeds, loss of engine power, and when Auto start/stop engages, it will, at times, "catch" and turn vehicle off due to lack of engine power- it will then flash a warning message stating driver must shift to park, then restart vehicle. Cam Phaser/Cam shaft wears prematurely, thus, not allowing it to open and close valves related to the crankshaft and pistons, which in turn poses a risk to both the vehicle operator as well as drivers on the road. Safety is a put at risk due to the cam phaser adjusting the camshaft so the car responds to low RPM- This causes reduced engine power and potential stalling- which is a major concern when driving any vehicle, especially on freeways with small children in the car. This problem has been confirmed by a dealing, specifically a dealer services manager, who stated "its a very known issue and somehow hasn't been recalled yet". The vehicle has been inspected a ford service manager The first known symptom is the rattle sound upon cold start, then other symptoms arose such as the lack of engine power, stalling, and auto start/stop not working correctly. The only "warning" is that of the auto start/stop malfunction that offers upon stalling (at a stop speed), this does not include stalling when at highway speeds.
There is an issue with the auto start/stop where the engine is turned off completely when the vehicle is stopped for any reason. For example, when the car is stopped in a traffic jam it shut off completely which means I have to shift the gear to Park and turn the engine on again . I was advised by Ford dealership that there is not a fix for that. The vehicle is still under warranty and I keep calling the ford customer care center and they keep telling me that the manager on my case will contact and she/he never did.
Related recalls
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning March 17, 2026.
Recall number 26V104000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 beginning January 15, 2026.
Recall number 25V886000 · Recall details
Electrical system: body control module: software
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition and Navigator vehicles that were repaired incorrectly under recall 20V262. The Pre-Collision Assist features, such as forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, are not functional due to a software error.
- Risk
- Inoperative pre-collision assist features that fail to perform as expected can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S56.
Recall number 25V346000 · Recall details
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 22V‑193. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
- Risk
- Loss of trailer brake functionality can extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S18.
Recall number 25V132000 · Recall details
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 F-150, 2022 Maverick, Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 vehicles. Due to a software error, a towed trailer equipped with an electric or electric-over hydraulic brake system may not brake.
- Risk
- Loss of trailer brake functionality could result in extended stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the integrated trailer brake control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S17.
Recall number 22V193000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 20V263000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Expedition start-stop
Which Ford Expedition years have start-stop system problems problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2018 (5 complaints), 2019 (4 complaints) and 2020 (2 complaints).
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