I may be shifting my focus back toward the expedition, though I remain a little concerned about durability and overall problems. Even if covered under warranty, dealing w/ such things is a nuisance. The shift back to expedition relates to it being the perfect size for me, having the roll in rear seat and a comfortable IRS suspension/ride, not to mention nice looks inside and out. My only issue really comes down to whether it will be troublesome.

as i look for a used 03-05 EB 4x4, can you help me be aware of typical trouble spots to either look for before i buy, or trouble spots to potentially be aware of down the road? Also, has the brake dust problem been solved in later years? I know 03 was awful.

thx

 

THe only complaint I have is the OEM Contential tires are worthless. I havn't had a problem with brake dust so the problem may have been corrected. However, a set of ceramic pads would take care of that.

 

Ditto what Wandell said. IThe dealer swapped out my ****itracs @600 miles because the thing shook so badly. A set BFG Rugged Trails and now she rides like a Lincoln!

 

Rear axle noise, rear axle noise, and rear axle noise. That's the biggest thing, IMO.

Early '03s had problems with the A/C freezing up on long trips that was fixed with a revised thermostatic switch. Some of them have noisy rear expansion valves for the rear climate control units, sounds like a slide whistle. Otherwise, they're pretty solid vehicles.

 

If you have rear axle noise you should have had the dealer do the TSB for it. My 2004 had it and they replaced the whole pumpkin for free.

 

Yes, the Conti's are crap, but other than a little noise, they'll be fine for now. On ours we've noticed little crap that needs to get looked at. Like a rattling head liner near the sunroof or the too hard window weatherstrips that cause a horrible screeching noise when opening and closing all 4 windows. Hey, are the power windows on these things super slow or it is just ours?

Note, ours is a 04 NBX 5.4 3.73 LS. Wife loves it, so all is cool.

For vehicles rated so badly in Consumer Reports, ours sure is a great truck. Is CR really that accurate?

 

I'm glad to hear somebody else thinks that there windows are slow. They are definitely slower than my old F-150 and my Ranger. I guess it's normal ops, huh?

 

The gearsets we're getting at the dealer are hit and miss, and Ford won't authorize replacing the whole axle unless the repair cost exceeds the replacement cost or the vehicle is a problem child, getting close to arbitration.

 

I have a nagging rattle between my sunroof and OEM DVD/TV screen. I think part of the wiring harness is loose above the headliner and the dealer can not seem to correct the issue.

So that is my two cents.

 

Lights in window switches are out and the drivers side fan speed button sticks. Otherwise, its a great SUV.

 

Griz, Congratulations. I'm jelous. My dealer tells me that Ford refuses to install any other brand of tire. They just keep replacing the junk Contis...And it keeps on shaking.
I'm going to blow a gasket!

 

I just placed a new set of Continentals on my 99 Expy. I was displeased with the set of Goodyears that was on it. Goodyears came on my 03 Ranger and they were thumpers. Surprisingly, my worst experience with tires has been every set of Michelins I've had. I was under the impression that Continental was a good brand. They have an 80,000 mile warranty. Guess I'll find out out how good they really are.

Ken

 

They are like every other tire manufacturer, they make good tires and cheap tires. The OEM tires are cheap. Just because a tire has BFG, Goodyear or Michelin on the side does not mean it's a good tire.

 

Contitracs were OEM equipment on 1944 Sherman Tanks. You'd think Ford would have revised its standards by now.....

Other than that, most of the above listed issues sound like individual minor things.

The slow windows, thats because of a cheaper motor. Those things are 100% plastic nowadays, whereas they used to be at least partially metal.

 

I have an '05 XLT Sport 2WD with 3.73's. Don't like the Continental tires, and the idle when in gear is VERY rough. Dealer can't fix it. Saving money for a Troyer tune and better tires. Otherwise I like the Expedition.