VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Ford Expedition2015–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Ford Expedition
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Ford Expedition Years to Avoid
8 recalls · 414 complaints
22 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
11 recalls · 337 complaints
20 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
15 recalls · 331 complaints
14 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN
Ford Expedition — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | — | 95 | 30 | 72 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 59 | 42 | 53 | Excellent |
| 2024 | 6 | 57 | 9 | 36 | 58 | 44 | Good |
| 2023 | 6 | 52 | 3 | 39 | 72 | 51 | Good |
| 2022 | 9 | 92 | 10 | 20 | 82 | 42 | Good |
| 2021 | 8 | 181 | 4 | 28 | 88 | 49 | Caution |
| 2020 | 15 | 331 | 14 | 0 | 84 | 29 | Avoid |
| 2019 | 8 | 414 | 22 | 20 | 74 | 39 | Avoid |
| 2018 | 11 | 337 | 20 | 5 | 62 | 25 | Avoid |
| 2017 | 4 | 332 | 27 | 40 | 50 | 44 | Avoid |
| 2016 | 3 | 203 | 5 | 53 | 40 | 48 | Caution |
| 2015 | 3 | 163 | 6 | 52 | 40 | 48 | Caution |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Ford Expedition Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the Expedition compares — best year within each era shown.
2018–Present
Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2026 (Buyer Score 72).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Expedition to buy?+
The 2026 Ford Expedition scores highest on our Buyer Score (72/100) — combining a reliability score of 95/100 with a value score of 30/100. It has 1 recall and 0 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which Expedition years have the most problems?+
The 2019, 2018, 2020 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2019 Expedition leads with 8 recalls and 414 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common Expedition problems?+
The most frequently reported Ford Expedition issues involve: POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.