There are 16 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2004 Ford Expeditionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHEN DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE AFTER YOU HAVE RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL OR NOT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON A 3 LANE HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65, I BEGAN MY TRANSITION TO THE RIGHT LANE TO EXIT. WE WERE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. AS I BEGAN TO CHANGE LANES THE VEHICLE NOTICEABLEY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD BEEN ACTIVATED, BUT WHEN J ATTEMPTED TO STOP, THE CAR KEPT TRYING TO ACCELERATE. AS I ENTERED THE EXIT RAMP THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE AND THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL SURE. AS I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE ROLL, I PLACED THE CAR I TO NEUTRAL AT WHICH TIME THE CAR ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY. I FELT FOR THE GAS PEDAL WHICH SEEMED TO TO DEPRESSED AS IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. HOWEVER, I WAS STOPPED. THE ENGINE DID FINALLY SLOW TO WITHIN NORMAL RPM. I WAS SOMEWHAT CONVINCED THAT SOMETHING MAY HAVE BEEN STUCK, BUT SOON REALIZED THAT THE GAS PEDAL IS HINGED FROM ABOVE AND NOT INTO THE FLOOR, NOR WAS THERE ANYTHING ON THE FLOOR. *TR
WHILE SLOWLY BRAKING TO A STOP BEHIND TRAFFIC STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH MY RIGHT FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I PRESSED HARDER ON THE BRAKE AND WHEN I REALIZED THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING (AT OVER 3,000 RPM), I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND NOTICED THE ENGINE SPEED ERRATICALLY BOUNCING UP AND DOWN IN ROUGHLY THE 2500 TO 3500 RPM RANGE. I STILL HAD MY RIGHT FOOT FIRMLY PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I FINALLY SHUT THE IGNITION OFF AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. I WAITED A A FEW SECONDS AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THIS ENTIRE TIME I NEVER LIFTED MY RIGHT FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ENGINE STARTED AND IDLED AT A NORMAL 600 RPM OR SO. I CAREFULLY PUT IT INTO DRIVE SO I COULD GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. AT EACH SUBSEQUENT STOP, I WOULD PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL JUST IN CASE OF ANOTHER INCIDENT. I PROMPTLY DROVE STRAIGHT HOME WHICH FORTUNATELY WAS ONLY 2 MILES AWAY. I CHECKED THE FLOOR MAT TO SEE IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD HAVE GOTTEN STUCK BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF CLEARANCE. THE FLOOR MAT IS ANCHORED TO THE FLOOR SO DOESN'T MOVE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE I'VE OWNED OR DRIVEN. *TR
VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENT WHICH NEARLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS WAS A VERY NERVE RACKING EXPERIENCE AND I HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING THE VEHICLE (DESPITE APPLYING FULL BRAKES) AS THE RPM CONTINUED TO INCREASE TO APPROX. 5000. ON STOPPING THE VEHICLE I MANAGED TO PLACE IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV EXCESSIVELY. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHO CONFIRMED A HIGH REV PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL AND RECOMMENDED A "THROTTLE BODY" REPLACEMENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPEDITION. SHE SMELLED PLASTIC BURNING IN HER GARAGE; HOWEVER, SHE OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF HER VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE IS IN HER GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WERE MAJOR DAMAGES TO HER RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. HER INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT FORD WILL BE SENDING OUT AN INVESTIGATOR TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THERE IS AN INCIDENT REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT .THERE IS A RECALL ON FORD VEHICLES FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH BUT AT THIS MOMENT THEY DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAUSED THE FIRE TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 79000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE ENTERING THE DRIVE-WAY, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HE HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90000.
CRUISE CONTROL STUCK AND THE SPEED WOULD ACCELERATE AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL OR SLOW DOWN TRUCK. *TR
ON THREE OCCASIONS STARTING 6/21/06, AFTER PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR (FORWARD TWICE, REVERSE ONCE), THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY RACED AND LURCHED, AND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO THE BRAKES TO TRY TO CONTROL THE CAR. THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT DRIVERS EACH TIME WHO WILL ATTEST TO THIS. THE LAST OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS BACKING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, STOPPED, PUT THE CARE IN 'PARK', AND THEN, AFTER A MINUTE, INTO REVERSE AGAIN, WHERE IT IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED TO A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED, SMASHED INTO MY SON'S VAN (TOTALING IT), PUSHED THE VAN ANOTHER 15 FEET OVER TWO TREES, WHERE SHE FINALLY HAD CONTROL OF THE BRAKE. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED AT FORD'S RESPONSE. I TOOK IT TO SPRINGFIELD FORD, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CARE, AND WAS TOLD THAT, AFTER A THOROUGH CHECK THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THEY EVEN TALKED TO THE FORD 'HOTLINE', AND THAT THE FORD ENGINEERS HAD 'NEVER HEARD' OF A SITUATION LIKE THIS. I TOLD THE SERVICE REP THAT IF HE GOOGLED 'SUDDEN ACCELERATION' AND 'FORD' HE MIGHT GET AN EDUCATION. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAVE APPX $3-4,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE EXPEDITION, AND THE VAN, A '99 WINDSTAR IS BEYOND REPAIR. I'M SURE THAT BY CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALER, I'LL GET NOWHERE, AS IT'S VERY APPARENT THEY EITHER DON'T BELIEVE ME; DON'T CARE; OR ARE COVERING UP WHAT TRULY IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *NM
1998 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS CUT OFF.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED HIS EXPEDITION SUFFERED FROM THE SAME DEFECT IN THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AS OTHER VEHICEL'S. *NM
WHILE ON THE BELTWAY DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE. THEN, CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER , AND THE PASSENGER OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED BY A STATE TROOPER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. CONSUMER MENTIONED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON EARLIER. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN CRUISE CONTROL NHTSA RECALL 05V017000. *AK
ON DECEMBER 5, 2004, MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 5 NEAR EDMONDS, WASHINGTON. THE CRUISE CONTROL MOTOR OF OUR 2004 FORD EDDIE BAUER EXPEDITION ENGAGED ON ITS OWN AND MALFUNCTIONED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO OPEN UP THE THROTTLE ON THE CAR. WE WERE SENT AT HIGH SPEEDS THROUGH TRAFFIC WITH NO WAY TO STOP. BRAKING THE CAR, PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL OR LOWER GEARS, NOTHING WORKED. WE NARROWLY AVOIDED MANY COLLISIONS WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO OUR FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD THAT DAY. MY HUSBAND IS AN EXCELLENT DRIVER AND REMAINED CALM. WE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO SLAM ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURN THE KEY OFF. ALL FOUR BRAKES WERE BILLOWING SMOKE. OUR LOCAL DEALER HAS "FIXED THE PROBLEM" BUT I AM COMPELLED TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS OF OUR DIFFICULTIES. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REACH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I BELIEVE THEY KNOW OF THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE CERVO MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THEIR 2005 MODEL. WE HAVE FOUND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ON THE INTERNET THAT HAD THE SAME NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. I HOPE FORD DOES NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE THEY ASK FOR A RECALL. PLEASE HELP ME WARN OTHER DRIVERS. THANK YOU!*AK
ON 9-18-04 DARRELL BALDWIN, DENICE BALDWIN AND DEVIN THEISEN WERE IN 2004 EXPEDITION SITTING IN DRIVEWAY PREPARING TO LEAVE FOR A SOCCER GAME. DARRELL PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE WITH THE BRAKE FIRMLY APPLIED. THE CAR INVOLUNTARILY ACCELERATED AT HIGH RATE UNTIL THE BRAKES QUIT AND SHOT US INTO OUR OTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. WE VEERED RIGHT TRYING TO MISS THE TRUCK BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CAR CONTINUED ACROSS OUR YARD HEADING TOWARD OUR NEIGHBORS HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET. DURING THIS TIME THE BRAKES WERE UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND THE GEAR SHIFT WOULDN'T GO INTO NEUTRAL. THE PATH LEFT SKID MARKS DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY, ACROSS THE STREET AND FINALLY IN THE DRIVEWAY OF OUR NEIGHBOR. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. USUALLY THERE ARE CHILDREN OUT PLAYING AND HAD THIS OCCURRED WHEN CHILDREN WERE PRESENT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIALLY FATAL SITUATION! THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED. FORD HAS TAKEN POSSESSION OF VEHICLE FOR INVESTIGATION.*AK
THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT IN LIGHT RAIN, MADE A RIGHT TURN AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND VEERED INTO THE STREET. THE CONSUMER WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HIT AND SCRAPED A PARKED VEHICLE, DAMAGING THE RIGHT SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A STOP AND TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AK *SC *JB
THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WHILE WAITING ON A SLOW TRAIN. WHEN ENGAGING THE TRANSMISSION INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, AFTER THE TRAIN HAD PASSED, THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLY FULLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. TO AVOID A SERIOUSLY COLLISION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THE DRIVER TURNED THE VEHICLE ON TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP AFTER DAMAGING TWO WHEELS AND HIGH CENTERING ON THE TRACKS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS VEHICLE. *NM
WHILE DRIVING IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE AT 65 MPH THE CABLE STUCK IN OPEN. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE FROM THIS MODE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN THE NEUTRAL GEAR AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CAUSE OF THE CABLE STICKING IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.*AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING IT TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK
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 Apr 25, 2026