Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving this Expedition I began noticing strange intermittant electrical behavior like the windshield wipers not working, radio turning off, windshield wash light blinking, and 4x4 light blinking. Several times in the middle of the night I'd notice that the headlights would come on on their own. Also the air ride would turn on and off while the car was off, and the heater fan would also come on. This would kill the battery. Several times while driving the 4x4 would turn on in the low gear making it difficult to maneuver. On several occasions the starter would turn on while the car was already running. I replaced the gem module and had the windshield resealed several times, but after just a few months the problems would recur. The final nail in the coffin was when the starter kicked on while running and it took a minute to get the car safely stopped. …
I have a 2000 Ford Expedition and I have problems when it rains or snows with the windshield leaking and then the car starts doing things like windows going up and down wipers not working or the car will just stop working this has happened twice the first time I wasn't driving when it happened I was in my driveway. Then today I started my car up and it had been raining but everything seemed fine then the windows went down and the care shut down I could not steer and I hit a parking sign I tried to find out if the windshield was recalled I no a few people that have had the same problem with leaking wind shield and the electrical wires getting wet thank you for your time.
Summary: water leaked around the left side of windshield causing electrical failures, including but not limited to the starter, radio, windshield wipers, headlamps, etc. The water entering the vehicle wet the power distribution box (pdb) and the generic electronic module (gem). These components control various electrical systems in the vehicle. The vehicle continued to attempt to start itself without any key in ignition until it resulted in the starter burning up as well as damaging associated wiring and battery. Vehicle's windshield had to be replaced as was the starter, associated wiring and battery after vehicle was towed to repair facility.
When I turned on ignition wipers started to operate without being turned on. Smoke began blowing from vent area. I turned off ignition and all electrical. Wipers and washer failed to operate. Wiper motor connector caught fire and burnt out wiper motor. Repaired at "ron bortnick Ford" upper marlboro md. 20772.
I own a 2000 Ford Expedition. Within the last month, I would turn the key to crank my truck and no sound. Nothing would turn on. The electrical, totally dead. I would jump it off and it ran fine for 2 days and then the same would happen again. I have researched this problem and have found that a leaking windshield is the problem. It is leaking and causing my gem module and fuse box to get wet. This can cause a fire as everyone knows as well as unwanted electrical activity when the truck is unattended. It is also affecting my radio which will not turn on then turn on by itself. This is a manufacturing defect and I have read where many Expedition owners are having the same problem with windshield leakage causing no starts and electrical problems. This should be fixed at fords expense considering it was not the fault of the owner Ford has a manufacturing issue with their windshields. …
Multiple instances following rain of: vehicle turns over but will not start. Removing the key any of the following will occur- heater fan blower comes on and will only go off with the key in and in the on position. Lights May or May not come on. Radio May or May not come on. All this with key out, vehicle empty and closed. Sometimes blower will come on in empty vehicle. If the car starts sometimes the wipers will not work, the horn will not work, radio will not work, lights will not work or blinkers go on. Any or all of this May occur. Sometimes and oder like burning or sour gas will occur. If the rain quits and the vehicle sits for minutes to hours all these symptoms go away. I have pulled the lower kicker panel on the drivers side and found evidence of water below the gem near the edge of the carpet. …
I have a 2000 Ford Expedition that has an electrical problem. I have researched online and discovered many others with similar problems. It is apparently due to a windshield leak that causes the gem module to short out. This first happened to me a month after I purchased the vehicle in February 2007. The vehicle wouldn't start, dash clicking noise , locks unlocking and locking continuously, lights on dash wouldn't go out, after key is removed dash info lights still on. When vehicle did start radio wouldn't work and by the way it was raining/icy. This problem has occurred several other times. Windshield wipers not working properly, radio not working all problems happen only when it is raining. I personally cannot afford the $1,000. Or so dollars it is apparently going to cost to fix this problem, which is obviously a factory defect. …
It started with the radio and windshield wipers not working periodically this went on for several weeks and then on Saturday night 5/31/14 at approx. 11:30 am "[redacted]" showed up and my car was trying to start its self. It made a clicking sound for about 30 mins with the lights going off and on. The sound was like a dead battery sound. Then it would try to start itself. This went on for about and hour and then it finally stopped. I assumed that the next morning my battery would be dead but when I went out Sunday morning it started right up and I was able to run my errands. This morning Monday 6/2 I went out to go to work and it would not start but the lights came on and it continued to make a clicking sound even though I assumed the battery was dead. I am scared to do anything, like jump the battery , for fear it will explode or catch fire.
Water is leaking in from the windshield according to the dealership. The water is then entering the vehicle and affecting the fuse box and the gem module. It does very weird things to the electrical components of the vehicle, windshield wipers quit working while driving down the road, radio turns off once vehicle is put in drive, running lights do not work, battery dies, just to name a few the list goes on and the consequences are very dangerous in some cases. Have you ever been driving down interstate in the rain and then all of a sudden have no wipers. Let me tell you not good. The dealer wants an arm and a leg to fix it, money I do not have after spending 15K on a vehicle. So help me anything happens as a result of the failure and there will be a lawsuit. Take a look around on the internet and there are hundreds maybe thousands complaining about the same issue. Something must be done.
Tl contact owns a 2000 Ford Expedition. While driving 45 MPH the day after a heavy rainstorm, the brakes failed when the brake pedal was depressed. After approximately 100 feet, the vehicle finally came to a stop. The contact proceeded to his destination and applied the brakes again, but the same failure recurred. While driving on two separate occasions on the same day, two other vehicles pulled out in front of him, which almost caused a crash. The following day, he called the dealer and informed them of the failures and was advised to bring in the vehicle for repair. The dealer stated that the cause of the failure was due to water intrusion through the windshield, which voided the warranty. The contact would be responsible for the repair cost of the windshield defect. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 95,000 and current mileage was 96,000.
Related recalls
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began August 20, 2001.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2000 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 71 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2000 Ford Expedition, 8% of the model year's 890 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Ford Expedition window & wiper problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-258 (motor, Aug 8, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Ford Expedition window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 5 fires and 2 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.