2026 Ford Expedition reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2026 Ford Expedition holds 9 complaints after 1 year, a rate of 9 per year. It is too early to rank against other Expedition years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Trailer brake controller.

2025 Ford Expedition Tremor — Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (4 of 9), then Wheels (4) and Adaptive cruise control (1). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 800 miles.

Next to 2025

The 2025 Expedition has 33 complaints, 17 per year.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2026 Ford Expedition. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall electrical system, trailer brake controller 2026-02-20 · NHTSA campaign 26V104000

Summary 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."

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 NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

Vehicles affected 4,381,878

NHTSA's count is every vehicle in that campaign. A campaign can cover other model years and other models.

Complaints by component (9 total)

Steering

Wheels

Adaptive cruise control

Electrical system

Seats

Service brakes

Speed control

Suspension

Visibility and wipers

Show 1 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

The 1 complaint that includes an odometer reading reports 800 miles.

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Traveling south onXXX toward [XXX] approx 15 miles south of [XXX]. 3 pm. Was in outside lane. Ford Blue Cruise was engaged. My hands were near the wheel. I noticed a heavy white lane marking coming diagonally from the…"
forward collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control · filed 2026-09-10
"The empty passenger sea, steering wheel, center console and sun visor has aggressive shake at speeds over 35MPH. Dealer did the road force balance but that didn't fix it, it's something in drivertaina nd they are…"
Wheels, Seats, Steering · filed 2026-08-07
"Sun roof exploded while we were driving along on the interstate."
Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-23
"Description On your vehicle it is possible that the trailer module trm may lose communication at vehicle start-up. If a trm loss of communication occurs and a trailer is connected to the vehicle, trailer stop lamps and…"
Service brakes, Electrical system, Wheels · filed 2026-06-14
"The contact owns a 2026 Ford Expedition MAX. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH or higher speeds, the steering wheel shuddered due to a front suspension issue. The contact completed some research online and…"
Steering, Suspension · filed 2026-06-08

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2026 FORD EXPEDITION MAX SUV N/A 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2026 FORD EXPEDITION MAX SUV N/A RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2026 FORD EXPEDITION SUV N/A 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars
2026 FORD EXPEDITION SUV N/A RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Expedition two-wheel drive	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	16	24	19 MPG	$3400
Expedition four-wheel drive	3.5L, 6-cyl	Automatic (10-speed)	Part-time four-wheel drive	15	22	18 MPG	$3600

Specs and fitment

5th generation, 2025–present

Body styles SUV, Extended-length SUV (MAX)

Oil 5W-30 synthetic blend (3.5L EcoBoost) , 6 qt capacity

Tire size P275/60R20 (Platinum/MAX)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 25V-488 covers certain 2025 Expeditions, and also the Lincoln Navigator, F-150, Bronco, and Ranger: the electronic brake booster module may malfunction while driving or while a driver-assistance feature is in use, which removes power brake assist and can lengthen the stopping distance. The campaign covers 312,120 vehicles across those models. The module software is updated over the air or by a dealer. Recall 25V-198 covers certain 2024-2025 Expeditions, F-150s, and 2024 Navigators with a 3.5L GTDI engine: a misaligned engine cup plug can cause a rapid oil leak, which can stall the engine or, near hot exhaust parts, start a fire. The campaign covers 4,356 vehicles across those models. Dealers inspect the plug and replace it if needed. Recall 25V-439 covers certain 2025 Expedition and Navigator vehicles whose passenger airbag may have been built incorrectly and can deploy with excessive force. That campaign covers 171 vehicles.

Compare

Previous year 2025 Ford Expedition See every Ford Expedition model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 Ford Expedition reliable?

What are common problems with a 2026 Ford Expedition?

The complaints owners file most often name Steering (4 of 9), then Wheels (4) and Adaptive cruise control (1). Complaints that include an odometer have a median of 800 miles.

Is the 2026 Ford Expedition more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2025 Expedition has 33 complaints, 17 per year.

Has the 2026 Ford Expedition been recalled?

The 2026 Ford Expedition has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2026 Ford Expedition?

Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2026 Ford Expedition with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2026 Ford Expedition get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2026 Ford Expedition is 18.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2016 Ford Expedition?

3rd generation, EcoBoost V6 refresh (2015-2017).

Does the Ford Expedition have power liftgate problems?

On some 2018-2021 Expeditions the power liftgate stops working; Ford's service message SSM 49914 fixes it with a rear gate trunk module software update.