2008 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

DRIVER FIRST NOTICED THE SMELL OF BURNING BRAKES WHEN COMING TO A STOP AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY, ALL AT LOW SPEEDS (SPEED LIMIT WAS 35MPH OR LESS). AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION, DRIVER NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. DRIVER GOT OUT TO INSPECT THE WHEEL, AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER AND BRAKE ROTOR WERE EXTREMELY HOT AND SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THEM. OTHER THREE WHEELS WERE COOL (NORMAL). THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. TURNED OFF CAR, BACK ON, IN THE HOPE OF E.G. RESETTING THE ABS CONTROLLER -- NO CHANGES. BRAKES WERE SO HOT THAT DRIVER DECIDED TO DRIVE SOME NEARBY FRONTAGE ROADS AT LOW SPEEDS, WITHOUT USING THE BRAKES, IN AN ATTEMPT TO COOL THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE. MADE LITTLE DIFFERENCE. EVENTUALLY PARKED THE VEHICLE (BRAKING CONTINUED TO BE IMPAIRED), CAME BACK AROUND 1 HOUR LATER, BRAKE HAD COOLED DOWN, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY. SIMILAR INSTANCE RECURRED ON 2012-12-18 -- AGAIN, RIGHT FRONT BRAKE, THIS TIME IN CITY DRIVING, ROTOR WAS GLOWING ORANGE (NOT YET ON FIRE) ON A COLD NIGHT WHEN DRIVER STOPPED TO LOOK AT IT AND PARK THE VEHICLE. THIS IS OF COURSE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. DRIVER IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ( 07E105000) ASSOCIATED WITH THIS YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. FORD CLAIMS THAT THIS PARTICULAR VIN IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. HOWEVER, DRIVER (WHO IS EXPERIENCED WITH BRAKE SYSTEMS) FEELS THAT THESE TWO EVENTS ARE VERY SUGGESTIVE OF A FAILURE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO RETURN FLUID FROM THE CALIPER, LEADING TO EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IN THE CALIPER, LEADING TO THESE PROBLEMS. DRIVER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET INFORMATION FROM FORD OR CONTINENTAL (OEM MANUFACTURER) THAT WOULD UNAMBIGUOUSLY SHOW THAT THE ABS AND BRAKE MODULES IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE ARE FREE FROM DEFECTS AND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. FORD SHOULD FIX THIS! *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. SLOWED VEHICLE TO A SAFE SPEED AND RPM'S JUMPED TO 3000. PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND THE RPM'S REMAINED AT 3000 AND THE ENGINE RACED LOUDLY. TOOK VIDEO OF FOOT PEDAL, TACHOMETER AND UNDER HOOD TO RECORD INCIDENT. THIS SELF ACCELERATION HAPPENED IN MARCH AT 99,000 MILES AND WIFE WAS NEARLY KILLED (ODI #10450449). THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AFTER VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED VEHICLE APPEARS TO RUN FINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK, TIRE LINE DYNAPRO A/S TIRE SIZE P265/70/R18. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING HIS TIRES ROTATED THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD A SEEM ON THE INNER WALL OF THE TIRE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT THE ORIGINAL ONES ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

WE PURCHASED THIS 2008 EXPEDITION LAST FALL WITH THE INTENSION OF TOWING A TRAILER ACROSS COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY CAME WITH HIGH REVIEWS AND COMFORT. WE FIRST NOTICED THE DRIFTING WHEN WE PICKED UP THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER FULLY LOADED IS ABOUT 6,200 POUNDS. WE HAVE A STABILIZER HITCH THAT WE USED TO TOW WITH. WE TOOK THE SUV INTO A DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. A MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THEY CHECK THE CAMBER'S. THE DEALER SAID ALL WAS FINE. WE TOOK IT ON A 7,000 MILE TRIP TOWING THE TRAILER AND IMMEDIATELY DISCOVERED THAT THE TOWING ABILITY WAS DANGEROUS. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IN ALL CASES, NO WIND OR WITH EVER THE SLIGHTEST WIND, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THE TRAILER WOULD WOBBLE BACK AND FORTH MAKING IT EXHAUSTING TO STEER. WITH HIGH GUSTS IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER EVEN AT 45 MPH, IT WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL, AND THE TRAILER FISH-TAILING BEHIND US. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. WE COULD NOT GO OVER 55-60 MPH ON A WIND FREE DAY AND FEEL ANYWHERE SAFE. WE TOOK IT INTO THE SAME DEALER WHEN WE GOT BACK HOME AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. WE TOOK IT INTO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY ALSO TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND SAID THEY COULD NOT SEE ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THIS SUSPENSION AND STEERING SYSTEM AND THE DEALERS CANNOT PUT A FINGER ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A TENDENCY TO CAUSE THE SUV TO DRIFT WHILE DRIVING EVEN WITHOUT THE TRAILER. IT FEELS LOOSE. IT ALSO AT TIMES, HAS A KNOCK IN IT LIKE SOMETHING IS EITHER SNAPPING BACK IN OR SNAPPING OUT OF POSITION. WE ARE AT A LOSS AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP. WE LOVE THIS SUV OTHER THAN THESE DRIVING PROBLEMS THAT ARE DANGEROUS. *TR

THIS IS A USED CAR WE WERE GOING TO BUY AT A REPUTABLE DEALER'S LOT. SALESMAN ASSURED US IT HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION BY OUR MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE, BEING REBUILT WITH SALVAGE PARTS AND REPAINTED, PROBABLY IN MEXICO. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED COSTLY REPAIRS. IT HAD ALSO HAD THE TAILGATE REMOVED, POSSIBLY REPLACED, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS WELDED ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS FAILED. THE WINDOWS COULD NOT BE OPENED OR CLOSED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE WINDOW FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE DOOR MOTOR. THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION EL. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 20 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 54,000. UPDATED 07/02/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A LOCAL FORD DEALER ON JUNE 25TH. THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR WHICH GENERATED THE STEEL WHEEL POSITION DATA INPUT FOR THE ROLL STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS FAULTY . IT APPEARED, THE ROLL STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND DISABLED THE BRAKES. UPDATED 07/05/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING FROM A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A VEHICLE BEHIND HER. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED UNTIL CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE PRECEDING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS IT ACCELERATED THROUGH A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO A STOP INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THREE PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED WERE REPORTED INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TEST DRIVEN AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE FAILURE. THE TRANSMISSION AND BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUED TO ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07E105000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR: ANTILOCK: CONTROL UNIT/MODULE FRONT BRAKE PADS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO SHIMMY AND THE BRAKE WAS ABNORMALLY DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.