2008 Ford Expedition.

The 2008 Ford Expedition is better than average by owner complaints: 50 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 80, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 14 mpg combined. The best Ford Expedition year is 2014.

80Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.2× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2014 · Worst year 2003

Photo shows a 2012 Ford Expedition. Ethan Llamas, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemBrakes20% of owner complaints Recalls4Free fix at any dealer Better year to buy20144.3× fewer complaints than average Repair notes from Ford31Ask a seller if they were done

Owner complaints50first 3 years

Fuel economy14 mpgcombined, EPA

Front crash★★★★★NHTSA, driver

How serious. Out of 146 owner complaints, owners reported:

24crashes

10injuries

2fires

7tows

31 repair notes from Ford

Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

brakes20%

body structure16%

speed control12%

transmission & drivetrain12%

visibility12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Ford Expedition year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 62K

0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 30K to 96K miles on the car (117 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

body structure complaints mostly came at 52K–94K miles
brakes complaints mostly came at 43K–130K miles

Recalls 4

tires 2008
FORD IS RECALLING 158 MY 2008 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) AND THE LIMO BUILDERS PACKAGE FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEH…
latches/locks/linkages 2008
FORD IS RECALLING 123,632 MY 2007-2008 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VEHICLES.
service brakes, air 2007
CERTAIN CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE ABS AND ESC CONTROL MODULES SOLD FOR INSTALLATION ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Show all 4 recalls

airbags 2007
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE DRIVER AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Ford told dealers about

Ford sent dealers 31 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

Oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal
Water leaks, wind noise and/or noise on opening/closing the moon roof/roof opening panel
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

ClosedTire valve cracking2008–2009

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard

Collision warningNot offered

Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆

NHTSA front crash test of the 2008 Ford Expedition — Front crash test · NHTSA

Fuel cost and engines

About $4600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 5.4L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

S10 direct reply-forwarded from epa, a letter from regarding problems with her 2008 Ford Expedition
2008 Ford Expedition owner · NHTSA complaint 10382211

More owner reports

2008 Ford Expedition with brake failure. Consumer states that on at least six occasions the brakes have failed momentarily. Pedal ratchets down, makes a tapping sound then braking power is lost.
NHTSA complaint 10253488

I have a 2008 Ford Expedition that has paint corrosion around the front hood latch. I had an estimate done by a local body shop and he pointed this out to me. He said it will eventually corrode through and the hood will fly open.
NHTSA complaint 10403782

Quick answers

Is the 2008 Ford Expedition reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 80; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Expedition year by this measure is 2014.

What are the most common 2008 Ford Expedition problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (20%), body structure (16%) and speed control (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2008 Ford Expedition have?

4 safety recalls (latest: tires). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Ford Expedition get?

14 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2008 Ford Expedition problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 30,500 and 96,500 miles. The middle report was at 62,000 miles, from 117 complaints.

Does the 2008 Ford Expedition have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2008 Ford Expedition cost in fuel a year?

About $4600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2008 Ford Expedition have?

5.4L 8-cyl.

What Ford Expedition year is better than the 2008?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2012 and 2013.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works