Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Coil pack, spark plug issue. My Expedition sounded like it was "missing". Not sure when I 1st heard it. I took it in for some maintenance- oil change, change spark plugs, basic tune up. But I was told by the shop that the coil pack/spark plugs were defective & if I attenpted to change the plugs & could that there is a good chance it will blow the head. The shop refused to change the plugs n coils. Stating that they will not attempt it, being as they do not want to be responsible for the head. So, I have to live with a defective engine. Ford needs to own up to the problem. If this blows while I drive it & anyone gets injured as a result, I will sue Ford. The 97 Expedition is a great SUV. But I can't believe the coil pack/spark plug issue has not been included in any recalls! This is a very serious & dangerous & expensive problem. Shame on you, Ford.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise underneath the vehicle. She pulled to the side of the road and inspected underneath the vehicle and hood. The contact smelled a burning odor underneath the hood. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they stated that the failure was related to a disconnected spark plug in the engine. The vehicle was repaired for the malfunction. On two separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 96,000.
Spark plug blow out. On my trip from va to pa spark plug blew out while on i95 in delaware a snowstorm about to start and I got stranded. No part store has any answers, auto repair shops want to change $300+ dollars to fix. There is a repair kit that cannot be bought in any auto part store only online. My truck is yet in pa can't afford having it towed back to va.. Had to get a rental to come back home. Ford needs to do the right thing here.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire, which originated from under the hood. The police and the fire department were called and a police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 232,936.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that his vehicle caught fire. The engine and hood burning were able to control the fire. A fire report was filed. The manufacturer is aware of the failure, but there are no recalls available. They advised the contact to have the insurance company perform an investigation. The current and failure mileages were 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that smoke emitted from under the hood. The contact inspected the vehicle and found that oil leaked onto the brake pressure switch. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileages were 190,000.
My 1997 Ford Expedition xlt beige in color since I have own this vehicle I have had to replace five (5) spark plugs and coil for they have blown out of the cylinder and I have had to have the vehicle towed into a repair facility which have been costly to me. The engine on this vehicle is a 5.4. The vehicle was in motion at the time of the problem on the highway
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the engine caught on fire while parked in a driveway. Only the frame remained after the engine fire was extinguished by the fire department. The manufacturer was notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 190,000. The VIN was not available.
Feburary 28, 2011 I purchased a 97 Ford Expedition. I drove the truck for one day and on March 4, 2011 I parked the truck under the garage around 8:30 a.m. And around 10:45 a.m the truck caught fire under the hood on the drivers side by the time the fire was put out . The whole front end was burned up.
1997 Ford Expedition lost #7 spark plug. All 7 people on-board died in ensuing fire. Defect known by NHTSA and Ford for many years. NHTSA is the headline your waiting for? This is your responsibility. Do your job. Updated 11/29/10 updated 12/07/10
NHTSA investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Engine complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1997 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 100 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1997 Ford Expedition, 12% of the model year's 853 complaints. The component named most often is engine (29 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Expedition engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1997 Ford Expedition, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Ford Expedition engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 140,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 10 fires and 0 injuries and 7 deaths to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.