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2021 Ford Expedition

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
12
on record
MPG
combined

Heavily recalled

12 safety recalls on record. Confirm with the seller that every campaign has been completed.

Vehicle Summary

2021 Ford Expedition

12 recalls
219 complaints
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 12 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 3 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 219 owner complaints on record
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Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
12
Owner complaints
219
Complaints citing a crash
3

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

12 Recalls on Record

1 of these is high-severity. Contact a dealer to verify these have been completed.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

12 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V805000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS:SENSOR:SIDE IMPACT

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, 2021 F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The front-door side impact pressure sensor modules may have been damaged during supplier assembly, which can cause the side impact air bags to not deploy properly in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

    Consequence

    An air bag that does not deploy properly during a crash increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the driver and passenger front door side impact sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C26.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V250000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 F-150, Expedition, 2020-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and 2020-2021 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the windshield wipers to fail.

    Consequence

    Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace both front windshield wiper arms, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 24, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available 3rd Quarter 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S26.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V346000high

    Engine issue

    ENGINE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. An engine compartment fire may occur while driving or parked, even with the ignition in the "Off" position.

    Consequence

    A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles, until the remedy is performed. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery junction box, as necessary, and remove a ground wire. On models equipped with standard-duty radiator fan motors, dealers will also install an auxiliary electrical box with a wire jumper. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed May 25, 2022. Owners will receive a second letter once the remedy is available. Currently the remedy is available for vehicles equipped with heavy-duty radiator fan motors, and those letters were mailed July 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S36.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V420000high

    Equipment issue

    EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."

    Consequence

    Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Remedy

    Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V852000high

    Incorrect or missing label

    EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Consequence

    Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    Remedy

    Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V048000high

    Rear-visibility system issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Expedition, 2021-2022 Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The rearview camera may display a blank or distorted image.

    Consequence

    Rearview camera failure can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S05.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V442000high

    Backup camera software issue

    BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

    Consequence

    A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

    Full campaign record
  • 25V729000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, 2021-2023 F-150, 2022 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The moonroof wind deflector clips may be inadequately attached to the moonroof frame, which can result in the wind deflector detaching from the vehicle.

    Consequence

    A detached wind deflector can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and repair the moonroof wind deflector as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SB7. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 30, 2025.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V204000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2022-2023 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, and F-600 SD vehicles. The windshield wiper arms may break, causing the wipers to fail.

    Consequence

    Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper arms, as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S24.Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 1, 2026.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V344000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

    Consequence

    Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V368000high

    Body/structure issue

    STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:CENTER CONSOLE

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles. The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.

    Consequence

    Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.

    Full campaign record
  • 26V402000high

    Drivetrain issue

    POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.

    Consequence

    Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Ford Expedition.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    19.3%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Optional
Lane departure warning
Optional

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2021 Ford Expedition 5 out of 5 stars overall. NHTSA does not publish enough comparable results for this class and year to rank it against peers.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 19.3% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2021 Ford Expedition Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2021 Ford Expedition Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2021 Ford Expedition Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

The EPA holds no fuel-economy record for this model year.

The EPA does not publish a record for every model year.

Consumer complaints

219 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

219
Total
3
Crashes
4
Fires
5
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE140
  • OTHER27
  • ELECTRICAL12
  • VISIBILITY11
  • FUEL SYSTEM9

Notable Issues

219 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 5 reports involve injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)140
miscellaneous issues27
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)12

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Ford Expedition, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 26V402000

    Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 26V368000

    Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation AQ26001

    NU Car rental of vehicles with open recalls

  4. Recall

    Recall 26V344000

    Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 26V204000

    Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  6. Recall

    Recall 25V729000

    A detached wind deflector can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 25V442000

    A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

  8. Recall

    Recall 25V048000

    Rearview camera failure can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  9. Recall

    Recall 24V852000

    Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

  10. Recall

    Recall 23V420000

    Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

  11. Recall

    Recall 22V346000

    A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.

  12. Recall

    Recall 22V250000

    Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

  13. Recall

    Recall 21V805000

    An air bag that does not deploy properly during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Unknown
Drive type
Unknown
Engine
0L 0-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Unknown
Seats
0

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 26V402000

    Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 26V368000

    Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation AQ26001

    NU Car rental of vehicles with open recalls

  4. Recall

    Recall 26V344000

    Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 26V204000

    Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.