Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Same as everyone else driving normally and truck completely shuts off 4 different times all differently I changed the fuel pump driver module had fuel tank dropped and changed fuel filter and pump I'm not going to lie I love my baby she's been good to me besides this I have 250,000 plus miles on her and counting and never faced probs till now I've recently this year (technically) rebuilt her motor and that's it . Also passanger over head lightstart have been acting funny some work some don't and ac in the 3rd row sometimes goes out or makes a clicking noise and heater don't work at all on the 2nd or 3rd row I am a single female with 3 young kids id love to keep my baby running so please help and I've had one other prob one time on high way I had a fender bender I repeatedly stopped over n over on breaks and never managed to stop until I slammed into other driver in fronthe of me me and …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the air conditioning unit failed and emitted hot air from the vents when activated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic several times where the blender door actuator, compressor, and control panel were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The mechanic stated that the failure could not be remedied. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The contact was also advised that the failure could have been attributed to the control head that was located behind the control panel. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 118,000.
Tl* - while driving a 2005 Ford Expedition at approximately at 5 MPH she noticed black smoke coming from the interior of the vehicle. The contact stated she had her phone charger plugged into the cigarette light adapter. The contact initially thought the fire was coming from under the hood, she then discovered the fire was coming from inside the car. The plastic around the phone charger caught fire. The contact poured baby formula on the flames to extinguish the fire. The failure mileage was 39,000. The vehicle was towed to a Ford dealer. The vehicle failure had not been diagnosed at this time. The contact has pictures.
I have a 2005 Ford Expedition and have maintained my vehicle maintenance and only have 124,000 miles on this vehicle. It continues to shut off the engine and code fail safe mode on code appear and when I'm driving on the highway it is dangerous. After reading so many complaints this is unsafe. Also, the computer issues with locking doors, failure of the transmission (which I had to replace) such a disappointment of a vehicle. Ford should recall engine and computer issues. I purchased this vehicle brand new $50,000 + and have not be able to depend on the stability since I've had it.
While moving in traffic the vehicle engine cut-off on its own. Message came up on dash display, something about "elect throttle control". Was moving very slowly on an interstate highway bad traffic, with heaters (front and back) and the radio on. I was able to coast off to the side of the highway. Turned off radio, heaters, then was able to restart the vehicle. Battery condition was fine (replaced 2 years ago), no other warning. Vehicle is well-maintained, never driven hard or used for towing. Today I am taking it to a Ford dealer for evaluation.....updated 08/25/15
My wife was driving our 2005 Ford Expedition with 50,000 miles. She stated that the radio quit working and then the vehicle quit running. At that point the horn began to blow continuously until smoke started to come out of the right side of the dash. At this time she exited the vehicle with our boys and called the fire dept. By the time they arrived the vehicle was fully involved with fire. Needless to say the Expedition is totaled from the fire. The entire interior is burnt up and melted. I have found similar complaints on several forums.
Fuel pump driver module failed due to design flaw which caused galvanic corrosion. Aluminum body of component acts as the sacrificial anode for the frame which is steel. This caused my vehicle to stall at 65mph and lose power and thus caused the loss of power steering and hydraulic brake booster while traveling a high rate of speed. This could be especially dangerous on highways, congested areas, or areas with pedestrians such as schools. I have also notified Ford of this problem.
The dash message center lights have progressively been getting dimmer to the point the mileage information, direction of travel and temp are unreadable in daylight hours. However, at night, when the auto lights turn on, the message center is quite clear.
I have a 2005 Ford Expedition, eddie bauer. Most recently (2 weeks ago), my check electronic throttle light came on, I called my local dealer and planned to take it in the next day. I work close to home and have limited driving distance. On the way home, the throttle went completely out and the vehicle cut off on the side of the road and was unable to be restarted and had to be towed. My local dealer did fix it in a timely manner. However...this is not the first problem. We bought it brand new and within a month the fuel injector went out when I was coming back home from out of town, my drivers side seat adjustment went out twice and had to be replaced. I am short and had to drive with my seat all the way back. 2 cam phasers had to be replaced back in the summer and then most recently this. I have 2 small children and would prefer a dependable vehicle. …
This is the fourth incident regarding this vehicle. In each case, the car was traveling at a normal rate of speed under ordinary traffic conditions. Without warning, the car either lost power and shut off suddenly or lost the ability to accelerate and slowed to a stop. In each case the dashboard message center warning "check electronic throttle control" (or something similar) appeared. In each case the driver turned the ignition switch to the off position, waited several minutes, and then started the car. The warning message no longer appeared and the car ran fine without any further immediate incident. In this particular case (incident #4), the car was traveling at approximately 10 MPH and was turning right into a supermarket parking lot in Chevy chase, maryland. …
Electrical complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 76 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Ford Expedition, 24% of the model year's 315 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Expedition electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Ford Expedition. 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 2005 Ford Expedition electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 4 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.