While sitting in my car, in my driveway, I heard a loud BOOM, smoke, and a horrible “burning firework” smell. I jumped out of my car crying thinking my car was about to explode- later discovered my seatbelt to be extremely tight and locked. It is a recall that has no fix. It is unsafe to drive and I have been told not to drive it by dealerships which I haven’t, but the ford dealership will not take it in service bc they said they can not repair it when there is no remedy. It is against the law to not wear a seatbelt in the state of [XXX] and puts the driver at large safety risk. Every light on my dash is now lit like a Christmas tree, check engine, seatbelt, and airbag. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Ford Expedition warning lights comes on
29 of the 9,411 owner complaints about the Ford Expedition describe multiple warning lights, most of them for the 2020 model year.
- owner complaints
- 29
- worst model year
- 2020
- typical mileage
- 63,000
By model year
- 20251
- 20211
- 20205
- 20194
- 20172
- 20131
- 20111
- 20101
- 20053
- 20041
- 20034
- 20011
- 19993
- 19971
Often reported together
Stalling 6Slipping 3Check engine light 3Loss of power 2Grinding brakes 2Brake failure 2Battery drain 2ABS 2
What owners say
The power liftgate system appears to be malfunctioning. The vehicle intermittently displays a warning that the liftgate is open when it is fully closed and secured. When this occurs, the liftgate will not open using the exterior handle, interior button, or key fob. Additionally, the false “liftgate open” alert triggers the vehicle’s alarm system to activate unexpectedly without any attempt to access the vehicle. The issue occurs randomly and without warning. This malfunction creates a safety risk because the liftgate cannot be opened when needed, which could prevent access to emergency supplies, child safety items, or the spare tire in an urgent situation. The false alert also causes the vehicle alarm to activate randomly, which can startle the driver and others nearby, potentially causing distraction while driving or in traffic areas. Additionally, the system incorrectly indicates that the liftgate is open, creating uncertainty about whether the vehicle is secure and safe to operate. A malfunctioning liftgate could present a hazard if the vehicle incorrectly detects an open door while in motion. Yes, the issue has been reproducible at Bluebonnet Ford in New Braunfels, TX. No, alerts prior to it happening, when I does alert all lights in the vehicle turn on, as well as notifications on the Ford Mobile app
While attempting to accelerate and change lanes on the freeway, the vehicle unexpectedly slipped out of gear and appeared to shift into neutral. During this time, the gas pedal became completely unresponsive, leaving me unable to control the vehicle’s speed. Multiple warning lights and audible alerts activated briefly before disappearing. I released the gas pedal and attempted to accelerate again, at which point the vehicle re-engaged and resumed normal function. This issue first occurred approximately one month ago and has now happened two additional times. Each incident lasted several seconds during active freeway driving, creating a highly dangerous situation where I had no control over acceleration. This poses a serious safety risk, especially when merging or maneuvering in high-speed traffic. Although no accident has occurred yet, the potential for one is significant and deeply concerning.
On several occasions the engine has slipped/stalled. Vehicle has only 27k miles on it, single owner. When moving from a stoplight the engine "slipped", all lights came on "service alert" or something similar. Vehicle recovered but I am very uneasy as I am a [XXX] female usually [XXX] and often on a very busy section of [XXX]. (This has occurred multiple times) When increasing speed, as to pass a vehicle or otherwise, vehicle is unresponsive or lags. To be clear this happens at speeds of 40-50 mph. It is unpredictable when this will occur nor why. I will likely sell this vehicle due to this safety issue. I spoke with a service rep at the local ford dealership who was able to look into the vehicle computer remotely but there was no record of the "Alert" or otherwise. I took the vehicle to my local mechanic who drove it and was able to replicate the danger/slipping. I was advised to do "zip code" driving only. I believe this "engine slipping" is related to the Recall just issued except the 2020 Ford Expedition is not included in this recall. Others have noted this issue as well with the federal safety agency. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as indented and started to decelerate unintendedly. The contact became aware of a rattling sound coming from underneath the vehicle. Several warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for repair under a recall; however, the contact was provided the cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure, and informed the contact that the vehicle was included in Technical Service Bulletin: 22-2428 (Automatic Transmission - Harsh-Delayed Engagement). The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
[XXX], I bought a new Ford Expedition Max Platinum. Four days after I bought the Ford Expedition Max, I experienced brake failure and all warning lights going off on the Ford. I was unable to brake correctly and almost causing a wreck on [XXX] in Charlottesville, VA. I called the Ford Dealership, (Myers Ford) in Elkton where I bought the Ford and they sent me a message saying there was an open recall that would be coming out but not till Q3 due to no fixes as of yet. I told them I didn't trust the car and what was I supposed to do. They sent me a text with a fix and said Ford told them it would be safe to drive. I had to follow the instructions on the message from Ford and the car was back up and running. [XXX], my family and I were returning from NC and there was a wreck that ensued in front of us and with about 60 feet of room, we tried to brake and the brakes failed on us and we rear ended the truck ahead and we totaled are new expedition max. I have tried to reach out to Ford and make a complaint but they keep hanging up on us and rejecting our phone calls. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that when the A/C was activated, there was condensation pooling on the passenger’s side fuse box, causing the transmission to not be able to shift out of park(P). The contact stated that he was able to start the vehicle. The contact stated that numerous warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact was unable to turn off the headlights. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that condensation had damaged the fuse box and caused the body control module to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2170 Water Leaking on Right Front Floor After A/C Use (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
This issue has happened multiple times, once on the highway the vehicle felt like it lost gear/ the engine completely cut off. multiple warning lights came on such as airbag, ABS, engine light. was eventually able to get to the shoulder and after multiple attempts it started back up, showed no warning lights. drove the rest of the way fine. another time that could have put other at risk is when driving in the city, the vehicle lost power and also lost the ability to stee. causing me to be standstill in the roadway. the vehicle started back up after two attempts. the vehicle has been to the local deal a total of 4 times with the last time requesting a through inspection of the grounds, as this seems like an electrical or mechanical issue the service manager requesting me "not to bring it back until it's broken" leaves me lost.
So my 2011 expedition has a lead frame problem it is stuck in 4th gear and all the warning lights are on associating the lead frame. The shop I left told me it Is the lead frame. The problem is the ford f150 with the exact same transmission as mine has a recall for that exact part. But no recall on the expiration with the exact same transmission as mine. This is a safety problem as it is stuck in fourth gear and completely unsafe to drive. This is a ford factory problem and needs to be addressed before it gets someone gravely injured of killed I talked with ford and they sY since there is no recall there is nothing they can do I've beennout a vehicle for 2 weeks already and now they say they have no clue when they can find the part. So I'm just out a vehicle that I payed thousands of dollars for. This is Unacceptable as I need the vehicle to get to work I don't know if this will help but I have to try something. There should be a recall on the expeditions as well
The transmission is shifting dangerously. All the lights on the dash are flashing and the speedometer doesn't work. We were driving at highway speed and the transmission shifted into first gear causing an abrupt slowing of the Expedition. When we stopped at a red light the vehicle would remain in third gear and therefore we couldn't accelerate from a stopped position. This was previously addressed in TSB 13-6-8. There are many Ford vehicles on the road with this dangerous problem. I'm requesting that you encourage Ford to repair the transmission lead frame for the life of the vehicle. As second owner of this vehicle, I never received the notice of this problem and didn't discover it until after I was having problems. We drove 80 miles home Christmas day with our emergency flashers on because nothing was open. Ford service was closed on Monday December 26. On Tuesday, December 27 we took vehicle for repairs. We were notified that our extended warranty expired on Monday December 26, so they are not going to pay. This is a well documented problem that Ford has had and I've read many complaints from their customers. To make matters worse the transmission lead frame is on National backorder and Ford cannot repair my vehicle. I refuse to drive it because I'm afraid it will come to an abrupt stop while I'm driving.
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 warning lights
Why does the warning lights come on in the Ford Expedition?
Owners who report it most often also describe engine stalls while driving, transmission slipping and check engine light.
Which Ford Expedition years have multiple warning lights problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2020 (5 complaints), 2003 (4 complaints) and 2019 (4 complaints).
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