Most common 2008 Ford Expedition problems
Share of the 146 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Expedition complaints by model year
Best Expedition years: 2014, 2013, 2012. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017, 2018. Compare all years →
2008 Ford Expedition recalls (3)
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Ford is recalling 158 my 2008 expedition and Lincoln navigator vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and the limo builders package for failing to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will reconfigure the TPMS thresholds to the appropriate pressures. The recall began on April 23, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Ford is recalling 123,632 my 2007-2008 expedition and Lincoln navigator vehicles. The door handle housing embossment retaining the bottom of the interior door handle spring on all side doors May fracture during normal customer usage. This can result in insufficient spring force to return the handle to the fully closed position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the interior handle spring on all side doors. The recall began on March 5, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the driver air bag module May not have been properly assembled.
Remedy: Dealers will replace your driver air bag module free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2007. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Ford Expedition:
Tire valve cracking
On October 14, 2008, odi opened pe08-060 to investigate allegations of cracked and leaking snap-in tire valves in model year (my) 2007 vehicles manufactured by Ford motor company.the valves were supplied to Ford by topseal auto-parts, a subsidiary of the shanghai baolong automotive corporation in china.valves made by topseal for aftermarket sale were the subject of two recent safety recalls by tech international…
What 2008 Ford Expedition owners say
Body & structure all 34 →
In 2011, my interior passenger door handle stopped opening the door but didn't come off. I thought it just broke and would get it fixed when I could afford to. But then in 2012, the back interior passenger door handle broke off in my son's hand because he was trying to open the door and get out and it wouldn't unlatch. Not too long after, the driver side back interior passenger door handle broke off in my hand. Now I was positive there had to be recall of some sort. So I went searching for information online. I called my Ford dealership and spoke with [redacted]. I even took my car in and he said my VIN wasn't covered under the interior door latch handle recall. I couldn't believe it considering I had multiple handles that broke off without any force at all. As the driver, I was responsible for opening all passenger doors to let people out of my car. …
This vehicle is equipped with the factory installed automatic deploying running boards. The vehicle occupants become reliant on this very important step up for ease of occupant entry and exit from vehicle. These style running boards are found on almost all higher-end luxury Ford & Lincoln sport utility vehicles manufactured from 2006 to present. On two random occasions, with no warning given, the motor ran, but the running board on driver's side failed to deploy. While exiting vehicle, expecting this transition step to the ground to be there, as was designed, driver fell from vehicle spraining ankle and injuring head. Medical treatment was given locally with no doctor. This surprising and unexpected height change of approximately 12 inches is equivalent to removing or missing a stair tread while descending stairs. …
Brakes all 33 →
The brake is so far left, it is unsafe to drive. It is in the position the clutch would in an a Manual transmission and my right foot has trouble moving that far over and its unsafe to use my left as i'm never braked with my left foot.
My girlfriend and I came home, I placed the SUV in park. I was fully out of the vehicle when my girlfriend informed me that the keys were still in the ignition. I reached into the vehicle to take the keys out of the ignition, the car was what I assumed to be off. The SUV begin to reverse. The driveway was on an incline and I almost got ran over by the vehicle. There was a clicking noise like the gear was trying to catch. I was fully out of the SUV with a bag in my hand, but the seat belt locked on my girlfriend and she wasn't able to get out or get the vehicle to stop. The SUV was stopped by trees and I was able to get it out, the key was in the ignition still, the car was in park, in order to get out over the curb and out of the trees, I restarted the engine. …
Transmission & drivetrain
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that after her significant other parked the vehicle and shut it off, he exited the vehicle but reached back in because the keys were forgotten in the ignition switch. The vehicle was in park but started to roll away. There was a passenger seated in the front passenger seat who witnessed the failure occur and was unable to unfasten her seat belt when the vehicle rolled away due to it retracting. The contact stated that the driver door was open and while the vehicle was rolling, the driver front door crashed against the driveway gate, then continued to roll. The contact stated that she attempted to open the passenger front door but it failed to open and the seat belt failed to unlock. …
Tl contact owns a 2008 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the transmission made a knocking noise and when traveling at low speeds and lunged forward. While slowing down to 15 MPH to make a right turn, the vehicle jerked forward and when driving straight and slowing down, it would continue to jerk after an attempt to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the plate assembly/drive plate and the screen assembly were replaced. The problem was not remedied by the repairs. The contact was driving in reverse out of the garage when the vehicle began pulling in reverse. The vehicle also pulled back 6 feet when in the park position. When the tow truck arrived, the vehicle exhibited the identical failure while it was in park. The dealer informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,035. …
2008 Ford Expedition engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Ford Expedition a good car?
Based on 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Expedition rates better than average: 49% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Expedition at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Ford Expedition?
The body & structure — 34 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body. Next are the brakes (33) and transmission & drivetrain (14).
How many recalls does the 2008 Ford Expedition have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 Ford Expedition, the most recent from April 11, 2008 (pressure monitoring and regulating systems). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Expedition?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2013 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017 and 2018. See the full Ford Expedition years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Ford Expedition problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.