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2004 Ford ExpeditionProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 297 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford Expedition, most often about the air bags. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

44
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.3× the Expedition median · #10 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints297100 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage87kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 15, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Ford Expedition has problems

297 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags4631
Electrical system364
Service brakes, hydraulic349
Engine294
Power train271
Engine and engine cooling263
Tires263
Structure240
Vehicle speed control218
15 other systems9512

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2004 Ford Expedition recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

87kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 37 air bags complaints. 59% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
9under 30k miles22under 100k miles15100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Expedition year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Expedition median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Ford Expedition safety ratings

2004 Ford Expedition 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Ford Expedition frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Ford Expedition, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. STEEL WHEEL FRACTUREPE08070 · closed Apr 15, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Expedition owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I was in a collision with another car. The brakes failed.\n Going over 3540 miles per hour, airbag and passenger side and drivers side neither one deployed.
Complaint 11771286 · Oct 15, 2026
HEAD ON COLLISION WITH FORD F-250 AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS ON OUR FORD EXPEDITION. MY HUSBAND AND SON ARE VERY LUCKY I WILL NEVER OWN A FORD EVER AGAIN.
Complaint 11120927 · Aug 19, 2018 · 136,000 miles
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 - 40 MPH DOWN SPACECENTER BLVD AND WITHOUT WARNING AND FOR NO REASON MY SIDE AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED.
Complaint 11100311 · Jun 7, 2018 · 147,824 miles

Own a 2004 Expedition?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.