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2021 Ford Expedition Complaints

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

217

Total

3

Crashes

4

Fires

5

Injuries

0

Deaths

Most Reported Components

ENGINE
139
OTHER
27
ELECTRICAL
12
VISIBILITY
11
FUEL SYSTEM
8

Recent Complaints

ODI #11751578

POWER TRAIN — Filed 02/20/2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the gear shifter unexpectedly shifted to park(P). No warning light was illuminated. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train). The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the issue was escalated. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

ODI #11751393

POWER TRAIN — Filed 05/28/2026

The transmission shifts erratic and will sometimes just kick out of gear. The car was taken to ford for repair and they flashed the transmission but, it did not repair it.

ODI #11750935

POWER TRAIN — Filed 07/16/2026

The vehicle first experienced severe, violent jerking and slipping when shifting between the 4th & 5th gears. The vehicle was held by a Ford dealership for 21 days for this issue, but the repair failed. Two months after being out of the shop the transmission has rapidly degraded and is now actively experiencing the same severe, violent jerking and failing to engage in every single gear except 10th. The vehicle completely loses acceleration power while driving, creating an immediate crash hazard. Dealerships in my area are refusing to accept the vehicle for 2 to 3 weeks due to scheduling backlogs, leaving me with an active, dangerous powertrain failure under warranty.

ODI #11750488

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 07/15/2021

I have a 2021 Ford Expedition Max that we purchased new. From the time we first purchased it, it has had an intermittent issue. During these times if I accelerate hard or try to give gas to go up a hill, it will occasionally act like it is losing power- like it drops into neutral and stops accelerating. If I do not let off of the gas immediately, it is followed by a loud metallic rattling/ grinding noise. If I release the accelerator, it recovers quickly and seems to “reset” and I’m able drive like normal. On a few occasions a brief warning has popped onto my dash but it goes away so quickly that I never know exactly what it said. It MAY have said something related to parking but I can’t recall what I’ve seen before it goes away. I’ve learned to adjust my driving, making as few hard accelerations as possible to avoid this. Sometimes they can’t be avoided. It becones scary when I’m trying to merge or have to make a quick turn to get into a break in traffic because when it happens at those times I’m not able to accelerate to avoid the oncoming traffic. It doesn’t do it every time but seems to do it more the more I’ve driven like longer trips and I believe it’s gotten more frequent over time despite my adjustments in driving. Last year a Ford dealership looked at it and we thought the recall they fixed might fix it but it did not. Now they’ve reproduced the issue and diagnosed DTC P07E6 referencing TSB 23-2249 and saying the transmission needs replaced. I am aware of NHTSA Recall 26V402 (Ford 26S48) involving similar vehicles with transmission/park system concerns. Although my VIN is not currently included, the similarities prompted me to submit this complaint in case my vehicle represents the same or a related safety issue. I don’t have the official diagnostic report yet as the dealership still has my vehicle but I’ll include a photo of my conversation with the dealership,

ODI #11749973

STRUCTURE — Filed 07/13/2026

Part of the luggage rack broke off of the vehicle while driving down the road. The vehicle had not been previously damaged. The broken piece could not be recovered.

ODI #11749102

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/03/2026

I am filing this complaint because my vehicle is exhibiting the exact failure mode detailed in Ford Recall 26S48 (NHTSA Campaign 26V402000), but my VIN is currently excluded from the recall population." A loud, heavy metal-on-metal "CLUNK" or "THUNK" right under the center console or floorboards the exact second I change gears. It feels like the transmission is violently dropping or snapping into gear. I even feel a physical jar or shudder through the shift dial and I brake pedal.

ODI #11748552

ENGINE — Filed 04/15/2026

When my transmission is shifting, it almost stalls about 3-4 times everytime you start off. It is a hard shift that makes it fee like the car suddenly stops then goes back. I have had it happen 3 times that I thought my car died after stopping, making weird noises, then took off like normal. I am waiting for my car to just die as I am driving. The Ford dealership said I need a new transmission. The recall is out there for other vehicles like mine, yet mine is not listed. When you read what Ford says will happen- EXACTLY what my car does!!!!! My 2021 Ford Expedition Max has 70,000 miles on it now, but when it started had about 67,000

ODI #11748398

POWER TRAIN — Filed 07/05/2026

COMPONENT: 2021 Ford Expedition Max 10R80 transmission. The CDF clutch cylinder (7H351) sleeve exhibits axial movement, breaking the clutch apply-pressure seal so commanded torque is not transmitted to the wheels. Engine revs while the vehicle fails to accelerate or move forward. Vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection and testing. INCIDENTS (7/5/2026, same drive cycle): (1) Highway, after braking from a 60 mph cruise to a 15-20 mph roll over a few hundred feet, the transmission failed to engage any gear on re-acceleration. (2) City, at 35 mph while accelerating to merge lanes, the transmission again failed to engage a gear. Engine 205-220F, Trans 200-210F, Indicated Gears 4th/5th, Odometer 120,217. Second owner; purchased at 115,067 mi. SAFETY: Sudden, unannounced loss of forward propulsion with no dash warning directly endangers my wife, my children, and other motorists during ordinary driving. Merging: stuck at 40-50 mph in 65-80 mph traffic invites a high-differential rear-end impact. Intersections/left turns: a mid-turn stall exposes the passenger side (where my family sits) to a T-bone at posted speed. Evasive maneuvers: failed acceleration converts a near-miss into an unavoidable collision. Grades: the ~7,000-lb SUV can roll backward or stall in-lane on short-sight-line hills. Towing (rated capacity, used regularly) magnifies every risk to trailer and following traffic. Shoulder stranding invites secondary collisions, a known highway-fatality cause. The defect is unpredictable. I cannot pre-empt merges, intersections, hills, or tows. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: None. I have not brought the vehicle in for service, to avoid compromising any NHTSA inspection or testing. MFR/POLICE/INSURANCE INSPECTION: None; no crash has occurred to this date. PRIOR WARNINGS: None. No lamps, messages, or symptoms preceded these failures, which first occurred 7/5/2026. Ford has documented awareness of the 10R80 CDF clutch cylinder defect and has not issued a recall.

ODI #11748400

POWER TRAIN — Filed 07/05/2026

COMPONENT: 2021 Ford Expedition Max 10R80 transmission. The CDF clutch cylinder (7H351) sleeve exhibits axial movement, breaking the clutch apply-pressure seal so commanded torque is not transmitted to the wheels. Engine revs while the vehicle fails to accelerate or move forward. Vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection and testing. INCIDENTS (7/5/2026, same drive cycle): (1) Highway — after braking from a 60 mph cruise to a 15-20 mph roll, the transmission failed to engage any gear on re-acceleration. (2) City — at 35 mph while accelerating to merge lanes, the transmission again failed to engage a gear. Engine 205-220F, Trans 200-210F, Indicated Gears 4th/5th, Odometer 120,217. Second owner; purchased at 115,067 mi. SAFETY: Sudden, unannounced loss of forward propulsion with no dash warning directly endangers my wife, my children, and other motorists during ordinary driving. Merging: stuck at 40-50 mph in 65-80 mph traffic invites a high-differential rear-end impact. Intersections/left turns: a mid-turn stall exposes the passenger side (where my family sits) to a T-bone at posted speed. Evasive maneuvers: failed acceleration converts a near-miss into an unavoidable collision. Grades: the ~7,000-lb SUV can roll backward or stall in-lane on short-sight-line hills. Towing (rated capacity) magnifies every risk to trailer and following traffic. Shoulder stranding invites secondary collisions, a known highway-fatality cause. The defect is unpredictable — I cannot pre-empt merges, intersections, hills, or tows. DEALER/INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION: None. I have not brought the vehicle in for service, to avoid compromising any NHTSA inspection or testing. MFR/POLICE/INSURANCE INSPECTION: None; no crash has occurred to this date. PRIOR WARNINGS: None. No lamps, messages, or symptoms preceded these failures, which first occurred 7/5/2026. Ford has documented awareness of the 10R80 CDF clutch cylinder design defect and has not issued a recall (TSB 23-2250).

ODI #11748309

VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 07/04/2026

Turn.wipers on were slow to move, then just quit, now they don't move at all,all with no warning

About This Data

Complaints are filed by vehicle owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They represent individual consumer experiences and do not necessarily indicate a widespread defect.

View on NHTSA.gov