There are 50 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 1997 Ford Expeditionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE WAS A MASSIVE RECALL ON THE MODEL. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS AND CATCHES ON FIRE WHEN THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MOST OF THE F-150 ENGINE FIRES WERE TRACED BACK TO A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLES USUALLY BURNED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS 160-180,000 MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER. MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION BURNED CAUGHT MY HOME ON FIRE AND NEARLY KILLED THREE PEOPLE AND SEVERAL PETS. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION BELONGS TO A GOOD FRIEND. THEY MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS THAT MY EXPEDITION DID JUST BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. I UNPLUGGED MY FRIENDS EXPEDITION CRUISE CONTROL. I AM SHOCKED THIS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER ON THE RECALL LIST. IF THIS VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED DURING THE RECALL IT WOULD NOT BE MALFUNCTIONING NOW.
ON 03/05/2012, MY FORD EXPEDITION EXEMPLIFIED SUDDEN ACCELERATION UPON IGNITION. THE TRUCK STARTED AND, IMMEDIATELY, ACCELERATED WITH EXTREME RPM. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PARKED GEAR BUT THE TRUCK GUNNED FORWARD EXPLOSIVELY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB AT THE END OF MY SHIFT. THE TRUCK ROCKETED FORWARD ABOUT 60 FEET THEN COLLIDED WITH A BRICK, SIX FEET HIGH RETAINING WALL. THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE EXPEDITION WAS ABOUT FOUR FEET FROM A GROUND-LEVEL POWER TRANSFORMER. THE RETAINING WALL WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFORMER. I'VE SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE TRUCK SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT FRONT END AND UNDER CARRIAGE DAMAGE. *TR
1997 FORD EXPEDITION SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN TARGET PARKING LOT ABOUT 2 HRS AFTER THE DRIVER PARKED IT THERE AND WENT IN TO WORK. THE AFT AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATING AREA AND MOST OF THE BACK SEATS WERE MELTED AND BURNED. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY DENVER FIRE DEPT. SOUNDS MUCH LIKE MANY INTERNET REPORTED ISSUES WITH "FORD EXPEDITION CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH FIRES". *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE IT. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UP TO 80 MPH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,668.
1997 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT FIRE TODAY 09-09-2008. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, NO KEY IN IGNITION. FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME TO CHECK ON THE RECALLS, I DID & IT HAD A FIRE RECALL ON THE MAKE, MODEL & YEAR OF THE VEHICLE I DID OWN. IT IS SALVAGE NOW. *TR
I HAD DROVE TO MY MOTHERS HOUSE ON 8/27/08 AND PARKED IN THE STREET. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF VISITING WITH HER I HEARD THE ALARM GOING OFF, AND WENT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS,ONLY TO FIND MY VEHICLE ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT IT WAS TO LATE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT EVIDENTLY TO A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL AND I NEVER GOT A NOTICE ON IT FROM FORD. I LOST MY CAR AND IF I HAD PARKED IT INTO THE GARAGE LIKE I NORMALLY DUE MY WHOLE FAMILY WOULD BE DEAD! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL UNIT IN HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE SERVICED FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AFTER THE REPAIR WORK WAS PERFORMED, THE CRUISE CONTROL DEVICE DID NOT OPERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THE REPAIR. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL COSTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 29,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT AWAKENED TO FIND HIS VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES AT HIS RESIDENCE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE ORIGINATED FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT MORE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE WAS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THAT HYPOTHESIS. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND THE CONTACT'S HOME SUSTAINED SEVERE PROPERTY DAMAGE IN EXCESS OF $100,000. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE VIN WAS VERIFIED, BUT APPEARS TO BE INVALID. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 160,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000. UPDATED 01-29-08. *KB UPDATED 01/29/08 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR TEN MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ONE MILE. THE SIDING ON THE NEIGHBORING HOME WAS BURNED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THE MANUFACTURER IS EXPECTED TO SEND HIM INFORMATION IN THE NEXT FEW BUSINESS DAYS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT WAS DISSATISFIED THAT THE PARTS TO REPAIR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL 2008. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED. HE HAS BAD KNEES AND CANNOT DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE PARKED HE HEARD THE SMOKE ALARM AND NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE LATER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE HOWEVER; THE FIRE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE, OFFICE FURNITURE AND PERSONAL ITEMS. AS OF AUGUST 3, 2007, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS AND MILEAGE INFORMATION WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED ON AUGUST 30TH A FORENSICS EXPERT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE TO BE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE SUPERVISOR NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL FIRING OFF AND SPREADING TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 200,000. *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE,THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL # 05V388000. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 100,003.*AK
CAR BURNED DOWN AT 2:15 AM IN GARAGE BECAUSE OF CRUISE CONTROL ON 21 MARCH 2007 AND SET CAR NEXT TO IT LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND GARAGE AND ROOMS ABOVE ON FIRE, DAMAGE ROUGHLY 380,000.-$, RECALLS ONLY WAS OFFICIAL IN AUG 2007 SINCE CNN REPORT. *TR
1997 EXPEDITION THROTTLE WAS STUCK OPEN. *TS ***NAR*** WHILE DRIVING IN BELOW ZERO TEMPS THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AND AUTO CENTER WHO LOCATED A BULLETIN INDICATING THAT THE THROTTLE STICKS AFTER STEADY DRIVING IN COLD AMBIENT TEMPS. THE DATE ON THE BULLETIN WAS OCT 26, 1998.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER RECEIVING NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V388000 CONCERNING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, THE INTERIM DEACTIVATION REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY THE DEALER. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, AFTER THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DETERMINED THERE WAS A RESISTANCE SHORT AND HIGH CURRENT EXPOSED BY THE NEWLY INSTALLED SWITCH. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THE NEWLY INSTALLED SWITCH, BUT A CONDITION AS A RESULT OF THE INTERIM DEACTIVATION WHICH EXPOSED SOME OF THE WIRES. *AK THE RESISTANT SHORT OUT AND THERE WAS HIGH CURRENT. ALL THEY FIXED WAS A FUSE JUMPER WIRE BETWEEN SWITCH AND VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL UNIT. *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL IN 2005. SINCE THAT TIME, SHE HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN FOUR ADDITIONAL NOTICES. SHE PLANS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DISCONNECTED ON APRIL 2, 2008. SHE HAS ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT IS CONTINUALLY INFORMED THAT THE PART IS UNAVAILABLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 198,000.
ON NOVEMBER 11, 2005 DRIVING MY FORD EXPEDITION ON HIGHWAY 410 AND JONES MALTBERGER IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. MY CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE FRONT HOOD. I BELIEVE IT GOT CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE IT HAS A DEFECTIVE SPEED CONTROL CAUSING ON THE VEHICLE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH BECAUSE IT OVERHEATED AND SMOKE AND BURNING UNDER THE HOOD HAPPENED. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE REPAIRS. FORD SENT AN INSPECTOR ON JANUARY 4, 2006, WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CASE FROM CONSUMER AFFAIRS. HE SENT A LETTER, AND CONCERN WAS REVIEWED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY IT AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. ALSO, COULD NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME. *AK. UPDATED 4/6/2006 - *NM. UPDATED ON 05/16/2006- *AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026