Possible Expedition Owner

[possibleexpowner]

Hi everyone. Looking to purchase the 2024 Expedition Max Limited for a growing family. I am coming from a 2014 Honda CRV which has been extremely reliable. In 10 years, outside of regular maintenance, I think I have spent $300 on 2 small issues. The only thing holding me back from the Expedition is my fear of losing that reliability. I am really nervous to spend so much money on a car that may have expensive issues. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Are my fears misguided? Thanks!

 

[Fastcar]

Mass produced with a 36K warranty for north of 80K, yet you dare to expect reliability? Seriously on most of these forums folks are usually looking for help repairing their truck. I have only had minor issues with mine and have 5K worth of initial warranty left. I did purchase an extended service plan warranty as insurance though. Things these days are so damn complex you almost need the manufacturer's help if it fails imo.

 

[2020-MAX-Limited]

Are you buying new or used? Will make a lot of difference. If new, you've got the warranty coverage, but you might have some nits to take care of. After all, Japanese cars are pretty trouble free compared to domestic.

We bought our 2020 MAX Limited 1.5 years ago with 72K miles and a "lifetime" powertrain warranty from the selling dealership (national coverage, though). Have not had any drivetrain issues, but the 12V battery is marginal and unless I keep it on the tender, the car will shut down non-critical systems to preserve the battery for starting the truck. It's got a smart battery management system.

The other issue I deal with is the retractable boarding steps. The driver's side is unpredictable with a mind of its own, so I just leave them stowed/off unless I'm carrying passengers, which is infrequent.

To maintain the warranty, all I have to do is follow the manufacturer's oil maintenance schedule, which for me based on miles driven is 12 months. I'm happy to spend $99/year for the powertrain warranty, just in case.

 

[BobCharlie]

We came from an Acura MDX that had major transmission issues. All makes can have their problems, and sometimes you just get unlucky and end up with a lemon. So far our ‘23 King Ranch has zero issues at 17k miles. I’ve been really impressed with the initial quality. We bought an extended warranty at a discount online at another Ford dealership, so that’s something to consider if you’re worried.

 

[Rob6805]

Zero issue with our 21 w/ 19k miles. I'd say go for it. Get an extended Ford warranty but not from the selling dealer. Look at Granger Ford online as they have the best prices for Ford ESP.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Mass produced with a 36K warranty for north of 80K, yet you dare to expect reliability?

This sentence describes virtually EVERY vehicle produced nowadays

Things these days are so damn complex you almost need the manufacturer's help if it fails imo.

True, but this dates back quite a while, and is getting even worse with every new model year....Even my 011 Expy has required work only at a dealership, simply because other, non-branded shops don't have access to all of the complex systems schematics, design specs, and troubleshooting guides, nor OEM parts, which in some cases can make a big difference in a system's reliability....

To wit, my brother, who holds several advanced engineering degrees, has over 30 years experience in that field, and has overhauled/designed/built military command & control systems from the ground up, refuses to even attempt to diagnose ANYTHING on his 24 Tahoe ($92K) or his wife's 23 Yukon ($83K)...he says it is way beyond his abilities....go figure

OTOH, I have an 09 Impala with 227K miles on it, which I bought brand new for $16K, and except for a few sensor failures early on, has been super reliable and only cost me about $2k to keep running over 14 years (not counting routine maintenance like tires, brakes, oil & filter changes etc) since I can & have done all repair/maintenance work myself, without the need for a dealership tech using those fancy-smancy computers & diagnostics...

 

[Texas]

If reliability is our main concern, I’d probably stay away from Ford. I loved my Raptor and now my Expy, but they aren’t up to Honda/Toyota standards. Have you considered a Sequoia, Land Cruiser or GX?

 

[2018ExpyPlatinum]

Coming from a Honda, my guess is you'll be disappointed regarding reliability. That said, my '18 with 60K miles has been excellent. I got a good one. I've done nothing but maintenance on it, and just did new tires. It's fast becoming the best vehicle I've ever owned. Others here have had a lot of issues. Like my father used to say, doesn't matter what you're buying, there's good ones and bad ones out there. Sadly, I think as others have said, it gets worse every year. I'd look into an extended warranty if you're going to keep it beyond 36/36. I won't keep mine without one. Come October, I have to decide to extend my extended, or trade it in.

 

[GaryH]

Maybe look into the Honda Pilot.

 

[jjetjock]

I have a 2019 Expedition I bought new. These have been my issues:
1. Recall for cam phase problem
2. Cam phase issue again and new program
3. Cam phase tear down and replace
4. Engine blew up coming home from trip with 45,000 miles
5. Transmission crapes out at 65,000 miles
6. Coolant leak after all these tear downs. Found hose leaking and dealer charges $1300 for that. All others under warranty or extended warranty.
7. Fords extended warranty no good on the $1300 leaking hose even though they removed and replaced (same hose)during cam phaser and engine and transmission replacements,which most likely caused it to be leaking.

 

[JasonH]

If you don't need to tow or do any offroading. Get an Odyssey. I had two before I got an Expedition and both were mostly great and made it over 200,000 miles. If you are absolutely set on having an Expedition, get an extended warranty. I've had a few repairs on mine and they were expensive ones.

 

[Moeman]

I worked at Ford for many years. There was an ebb and flow - when top mgmt decided we needed to get our warranty down, sent the message and provided the resources, we could see Ford climbing to the top of the list in all of the surveys. When it was all about cost, we sank to the bottom (never mind that cutting cost tends to create warranty cost). As others have said, all mfr's have their problems, none are perfect, but the Japanese in general seem to be better at staying with a long term quality focused strategy. Ford, in my opinion, is struggling a bit now. My F150, Explorer, Expedition (16, 17, 02) all had some pretty significant development / production problems that I don't think would have been acceptable in years past during some of the more quality prioritized years. And most mfr's struggle with perfecting software, and deploying new technologies that kinda work, but not 100%. Dealers aren't computer programmers, so it the company hasn't released a software fix, they just start guessing, often replacing parts that don't need to be replaced.

 

[JKH13]

Mass produced with a 36K warranty for north of 80K, yet you dare to expect reliability? Seriously on most of these forums folks are usually looking for help repairing their truck. I have only had minor issues with mine and have 5K worth of initial warranty left. I did purchase an extended service plan warranty as insurance though. Things these days are so damn complex you almost need the manufacturer's help if it fails imo.

I got the extended on my 24 also

 

[Wangle]

But I thought “Quality is job 1”??!! Oh wait, that was a few years ago….
We bought a 2018 Limited because of towing capability. Plus all of the wonderful features, and we had a 2003 that had 218,000 miles that was a great vehicle, and we loved it. The 2018 is SO much better! But against my nature I bought a Ford 8 year 100k extended warranty. So glad I did. The biggest thing is the cam phaser Repair that from what I hear is 3-$4000. We haven’t needed that yet, but there is a high probability that we will. Plus, the peace of mind is worth a lot. Overall quality has been pretty good, but there are the silly little things, like the lug nuts I had to replace. But we have been really happy, except for towing gas mileage. We get 8 to 9 miles per gallon. But it tows like a beast. Not towing we get over 20 on a trip. 22 to 24 miles per gallon is not uncommon.
We would not hesitate to buy one again, with the extended warranty.

 

[Samantha1]

I'm right at 27K on my 2023 XLT without any issues and love it! I keep the oil changed and change filters as needed and I plan on keeping it for a long time. We're getting ready to take in on an 8,000 mile trip out west with no concerns. Go for the Expedition!
Samantha

 

[Fastcar]

Curious, has anybody with a 2020 or newer had cam phaser issues?

 

[shane_th_ee]

I have a 2018 Expedition and a 2015 Honda Odyssey. And I'll repeat what everyone else here has said: if you're not towing or going off pavement, get an Odyssey. But if you are (or might be) towing, get the Expedition. Yes, I have the first year of the re-design and I do a lot of towing, so I came into my Expedition anticipating some issues and got an extended warranty. Outside of normal scheduled maintenance, I had the dreaded cam phaser issue and the sunroof rails needed to be replaced and I just had to have a front axle seal replaced. But everything about the Honda is cheaper: fuel, tires, oil changes, etc. The kids much prefer the Honda. And don't even get me started on small children and the benefits of power sliding doors.

Now if you are towing, I strongly recommend the Expedition over its competitors...

Do note that the Honda's "scheduled" maintenance is really expensive what with the timing belt replacement thing. So the Ford+unscheduled maintenance is not likely to be that much more maintenance wise than the Honda with the expensive scheduled maintenance.

 

[Shakeandbake]

If I had to do it over again, I'd lease the Ford/GMC/Chevy SUVs. The lease rate seems reasonable for the way these depreciate post-pandemic.

If you prefer buying, Sequioa seems to have less problems. I might pick one up in a couple years.

 

[rmillis]

Hi everyone. Looking to purchase the 2024 Expedition Max Limited for a growing family. I am coming from a 2014 Honda CRV which has been extremely reliable. In 10 years, outside of regular maintenance, I think I have spent $300 on 2 small issues. The only thing holding me back from the Expedition is my fear of losing that reliability. I am really nervous to spend so much money on a car that may have expensive issues. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Are my fears misguided? Thanks!

Expect issues, these vehicles are poorly built and the ride quality is rough. If you’re simply willing to give up reliability for more space for your family, this could be the vehicle for you.

Make sure you check for the following:

Major hood gap on driver or passenger side. Major gap on instrument cluster. Warped front/center speaker cover, misaligned doors, black plastic pillar columns that scratch after a couple car washes, poor suspension (you’ll be disappointed with ride quality coming from a Honda CRV), and much more.

I have major regrets with my new 2023 Ford Expedition. I’m obviously under warranty but having to drop my car at the dealership 5 times for extended days in my first 1.5 years of ownership has been awful. I have to drop my car off again because the overhead grab handle on the passenger side is rattling now. The car creates so much vibration that I feel the interior is starting to fall apart. I’m also not alone in these issues, search the forum for vibration, ride quality, and any other known issues with this vehicle. I’d resell this thing in a heartbeat but the economy is tough and my trade in value is well below what I can afford to lose, so I’m stuck with this thing.

For reference I bought a 2023 Ford Expedition Limited.