Roof strength?

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DesertFordRat

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Does anybody know exactly which year that Ford strengthened the roof of the expedition? I want to say 2011, but would like to confirm.

I just read and watched videos regarding expedition rollovers and the issues involving the doors, glass, and roof were concerning.
 

docraymund

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I dont think they strengthened the roof itself they just added a "safety canopy" comprising of airbags. If you are really worried, you can have a roll cage installed instead.
 

Transporter

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Not to make light of your concerns, but I have been driving SUVs personally and as company vehicles for over 25 years and have yet to have one wheels up in over a million and a half miles!

The safest SUV on the market is the Tesla Model X if roll over is a concern.

Anytime a vehicle that weights two and a half to three and a half tons and has forward momentum and is hit hard enough to roll over on its roof, windows are NOT going to remain intact (which is why we have tempered auto safety glass). The simple fact that even if the roof flexes an inch, something has to give and its going to be the glass first every time. In a multi-vehicle accident, the largest vehicle tends to always come out in the best shape. I'll take the SUV every time if I am going to be in an accident!
 

Flexpedition

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Read this article from 2006. Mentions Expedition exceeding the new roof strength standards, and many Ford models exceeding the standard by 20%.
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/12/gm_rollovers.html

The NHTSA has ranked the Expedition 5 star both front and side for years. 2WD rollover has been consistently achieved 3 stars while 4x4 gets 4 stars.

For model year 2011+, NHTSA changed the star rating system - a government agency simplifying a working system. 2015+ received 5 stars overall but the 3 and 4 star depending on 2WD vs 4WD continues.

Watch this NHTSA video rolling a 2007 and I think you'll agree the Expedition is among the safest SUVs on the road today:

safercar.gov has all the crash test ratings, among other sites.



@ docraymund - a roll cage, really?
 
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DesertFordRat

DesertFordRat

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I have indeed read that SUVs are safer now than ever, and possibly even safer than standard passenger cars. I was digging into what was mentioned above that Ford strengthened the roofs of some of their large vehicles in 2011. I wanted to confirm that was the case (for peace of mind) because I have a 2011. I saw some gen 2 rollovers that did not look good and was researching the gen 3 rollover issues. The articles I read were from 2006 and post 2011 regarding the roof strength and there didn't appear to be a definitive statement as to what year vehicles received the upgrades.
 

ManUpOrShutUp

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If you are really worried, you can have a roll cage installed instead.

+1

Not to make light of your concerns, but I have been driving SUVs personally and as company vehicles for over 25 years and have yet to have one wheels up in over a million and a half miles!

+1 ... kind of. :D I've been driving an SUV for 16 years; I did roll one once. However, it had nothing to do with the SUV and everything to do with my foolish decision to make a run to the post office in freezing rain. Additionally, my 4WD had gone out and this was before the days of traction control as well. I was coming down a hill doing about 15 mph, hit a patch of ice and my rig just kept going right down a ravine - sideways. I was one of about 4 dozen vehicles that rolled down that same ravine in 2 years. They finally put a guardrail up after someone sued the state and won.
 

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