What to look for when buying a gen3 expy

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vincentrose

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Got my 2014 Expy Limited (with 301A Package) last August $16,000, here are the "bugs" I had to work out
A/C Blower cutting off - Resistor and plug burnt out - $100
Plastic Drivers seat trim was broken - $250
Misfiring when punching it - worn out spark plugs - $90
Heated/Cooled Seat Filters - $30
Additional Ignition Key - $165
Serpentine Belt - $40
Navigation System Upgrade - $150, (probably unnecessary)
Front parking sensor - $60
Rear Brakes - $310
Idler Fan belt pulleys & Tensoner - $150
 

tkdgirl4

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Hi all!

So glad I found this forum/thread. I'm currently looking at a used Gen 3 EL Limited/Platinum (I tow a TT that's 5,500lbs loaded). Reading about some of the things to look for has been enlightening! I'm hoping to look at a 2012 EL Limited with 123k miles. CarFax said its had 5 owners and originated in Ontario, Canada. Other than looking at the underside, what other things should I look for? Are 5 owners too many?
 

Josh Hagg

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5 months ago I grabbed an '11 Expedition EL Limited. I'm not sure what package I have, could someone tell me how to figure that out? 1 owner here in FL, his title said he bought with 5 miles on it.

It had 144k mi, looks nice, and at the low low price of $3400 I felt I couldn't pass it up. Knowing it had the cam phaser problem, my mechanic took care of that for a little under $2k and I still feel I'm well in the green on this for some upcoming repairs I need to take care of. It had new tires, and the moonroof mechanism was replaced on it under warranty, so it worked. kbb private party price was $11-14k

What I've found was wrong with it when I bought it or have gone wrong since:

Real things -
-cam phaser
-Drivers door lock actuator not functioning ($16 part and my mechanic slipped it in while doing the phaser cause I had trouble getting to it)
-lack of power between 1-2 and when going hard and downshifting from 3-2. Mechanic says no codes, everything is fine. (gonna try a few things I saw in this thread)
-Brake sensor triggers a lot of lights, ABS, Traction Control, AdvanceTrac message on the dash. Brakes are all working fine. Mechanic says we just need to replace the sensor. He knows which one it is, I don't... so I'm waiting.
-Passenger side manifold gasket (mechanic says $500, but I found the manifold, gasket and bolts for $65-and think I can do it myself)
-ac drain leak... this one strikes me close to the heart. started about a month ago... leaking into the floor boards. It's not clogged, it'll drip slow out of the drain, but the water pours into the floorboard... mechanic says have to replace that whole unit... I knew it already cause I'd googled it but was hoping he had another fix. $2k the entire dash has to come out. Lots of labor and a $400 part

Trivial things or just reg maint-
-Paint bubbling liftgate and hood
-paint scuff on rear bumper
-3 small dents (altogether I'm not fancy I don't give a shi about these first three)
-Drivers door window is slow to roll up
-moonroof leak (it was just a clogged drain, easy fix with an airhose)
-rear doors slosh after rain with the water getting stuck in them (pull the weather stripping out a bit so it drains)
-rear window defrost does not work
-drivers heated seat does not heat the butt as well as the back
-drivers seat plastic trim pops off (drill + black zip ties = done)
-chrome shift knob trim is loose (3 of the four anchor points are broke, a little super glue when I get around to it will fix)
-center console arm rest, the "button" where it touches the base is broke off (a stack of 3 quarters is just the right size to fit this perfectly, will eventually super glue these too)
-1 key has some intermittent issue that will trigger the anti theft when trying to start the vehicle. 1/100 times. But takes about 5-15 minutes to clear up. Actually shut off the vehicle while I was driving it once. I do not use that key anymore.
-AC Blower doesn't always blow (loose wire under the passenger dash, jiggle it to make it work)
-spark plugs and boots(did these myself with no problem, just make sure you have a good air wand to clean everything out, and do it right, didn't do the coilpacks because other forums said they were fine, no idea why they recommended the boots, but they were cheap so w/e)
-air filter (5 minutes)
-sunglasses holder "hinge" is cracked so it doesn't fit right (I'll pull this down some day and superglue it back together eventually)
-second row latch trim piece has a broken tab. (gonna glue it)
-oil change
-brake fluid change (still haven't done this)

Things I love about it: Overall condition is good, no cracked leather, the body is in good shape, paint overall looks nice, everything is automatic, windshield wipers, lights, powered folding mirrors (the drivers side one has some automatic tint too), automatic running boards. I like the powered liftgate, turn signals on the mirrors, heated and cooled seats, power rear vent pop out windows, all the cupholders, there's one in each door, plus 2 for the front seats, 2 more for the second row and I think 2 on each side of the third row. Power ports... there's 4 12v dc ports. 2 in the dash, 1 in the back of the center console for the second row and 1 in the back. It has the nice navigation package and HD radio, the dvd players in the headrests for the kids. the space with the third row is amazing, plus the lay flat in cargo mode for when I'm hauling lots of stuff, that's what had me looking at the nav or expy over tahoe or anything else in the first place. I grabbed some cheap brand new weathertech floormats off fb marketplace and that's been good, but I still need one for the third row. backup camera is great (my first car with it). I wanted bench 2nd row for the extra seat. I've had 8 people in it. It won't be the last time that happens. The EL is great because I can have stuff loaded in the back while everyone is still sitting comfortably in the second and third row and grandma can ride with us without having to move all sorts of things around. The whole thing is super clean too. No scrapes or scratches. No fading. Carpet was great even though I covered it with the weathertechs. It doesn't look like a ten year old truck.

Things I would love to know wtf I'm doing with it...
-why is there a clip attachment thing in the center console? What was supposed to be clipped into it?
-I can't figure out how to get the dvd players to play through the speakers wirelessly and my audio ports or cables are finnicky and don't work 100% of the time. my remote will work on one of the dvd players, but I can't change the fm station on it and I need to because there is a local station on the default, the kids wear headphones... but I like singing to the disney songs too and I don't like to mess with the cable while driving.
-how do i upgrade the OS on the stereo? it has sync, but I've tried downloading the package from the ford website and following the instructions, but it won't read the file on the USB drive (and I'm a tech so... wtf?)
-rear view mirror is supposed to be the automatic tint adjustment thing but I don't think it's working.

Things I don't like:
-controlling the odometer stuff with buttons on the dash. put em on the steering wheel, wtf.
-garage door opener. this thing is a POS. it works kinda. I just use my phone "hey google, close my garage"
-the slippery dash storage, everything slides out of this. recommendations?
-the silicone cup liners, the liners come out when my wife pulls her drinks out. recommendations?
-window tint: I'll be tinting the windows soon. Going to go darker on the back, probably 10-15%... I'm guessing they are about 25% now. The fronts have nothing, I'll match the front sides to the back and tint the windshield to about 35%. Yes I'm legal, I have a permit for it, and yes I've done it on other cars... my last car was 45% on the windshield and no problems at all, but I do want it a bit darker. Going with ceramic on the sides and back to keep out the heat, probably just colored on the windshield so i don't risk the haze.
-rust... not that it's bad. but like my 04 crv had no rust and came from iowa before getting to FL. this expy has been FL it's whole life and the wiper arms have rust, under is surface rust... I just wasn't expecting that and seems like Ford went poor quality here.
-my drivers window has a creak. I can't figure out how to get it to stop. silicone spray is not doing it. It might not be the window and it's the trim but stops when I push on the window. I have no idea, but it's annoying
-glare: I cannot tell you how many times those chrome trim pieces around the shifter and the cup holders cause me momentary blindness

Oh and obviously an expy does not quite have the turn radius that my dumb little CRV does, but it seems even worse than what my 99 Tahoe was.
 
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Machete

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Hi all!

So glad I found this forum/thread. I'm currently looking at a used Gen 3 EL Limited/Platinum (I tow a TT that's 5,500lbs loaded). Reading about some of the things to look for has been enlightening! I'm hoping to look at a 2012 EL Limited with 123k miles. CarFax said its had 5 owners and originated in Ontario, Canada. Other than looking at the underside, what other things should I look for? Are 5 owners too many?

I suggest you think twice or at least be super vigilant on that Canadian Expy. Rust, emissions, it’s a northern car. Did I mention rust?
 

Goofy173

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Never ever get a 5.4 3 valve engine! Soured a life-long Ford fan (since 79)
 

p38fln

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Never ever get a 5.4 3 valve engine! Soured a life-long Ford fan (since 79)
It’s the 2004 to 2008 that suck. 2008+ are generally ok, but 2004 to October 2008 every single one had those horrific multiple piece spark plugs
 

p38fln

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Every single one of these that I’ve ever seen has rusty rocker panels, even vehicles that are absolutely spotless otherwise. It’s the sunroof drains. Some freaking idiot at Ford thought draining them into the rocker panels was the best idea ever (I mean it’s a great idea if you want to force the cars to rust out) instead of two inches to the side, where they could safely drain straight onto the ground
 

sjwelds

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Sunroof drains don't have that much to do with it. My 2012 has rusty rockers and no sunroof.
 
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