2004 Ford Expedition XLT review from North America

Since I purchased vehicle in Nov of 2008.

Replaced battery at 100,000 miles.

Replaced alternator.

Replaced steering shaft.

Replaced transmission.

Constant electrical problems.

I love a lot of things about this SUV, however it hasn't been very reliable since I purchased it.

It started with the battery, which is a common thing, but from there the alternator went. I feel like every time I fix a problem, another one occurs, and they are never simple or cheap.

The transmission went at around 100,000.

The new battery would keep dying on me. I was told it could be so many different reasons until finally a Ford dealer was able to figure out it was the rear wiper blade. The rear wiper never worked, but it didn't bother me. But then it became a problem when the motor was trying to move the wiper, which was stuck in place. It would keep trying to get itself back into the park position, and it was draining the battery. It was something so stupid I couldn't believe it. It left me running around to so many different experts telling me it's a bad battery or it's my alternator when both were new.

The power steering started going stiff on me. I had it looked at and was told nothing was wrong. It got worse and found out the steering shaft needed to be replaced.

And now the electricals seem to be acting up on me. The truck shut off on my while driving, and now my dash board lights, my fog lights, and my daytime running rears don't work. I put a new fuse in and it blows immediately.

I should have known better than to think this could be a cheap and easy fix. I've only owned this SUV for a little over a year now, and I can't go a month without something needing to be fixed. I keep very good care of it. I keep up with my general maintenance. It's just a shame I feel like it was poorly built and the side molding on the exterior doors have faded white, and I know this is a very common problem.

There's a lot of interior noise, and just little things here and there. I just can't keep dumping money into it anymore. Since ownership I've sunk over 4K into it. I'll probably stay away from Ford on my next purchase, and it's a shame because I enjoy the beefiness of this SUV. It has bigger tires, mirrors, a more truck like feel and ride, and a lot more interior space than a Tahoe, but too many headaches.