HI! I am just coming out of a 36 month lease on a 1998 Expedition Eddie Bauer 4x4, and I was so pleased with the 1998 truck that I am getting a new 2001 on the same day that I turn the old one in (this Friday).

The 1998 Eddie Bauer 4x4 has the 5.4L engine. The 2001 that I picked out is an XLT with the Sport Appearance Group 4x4. Anyone have any experience with 2001 Expeditions? My expectations are high, considering that the 1998 was a good truck overall. Here are a few WEIRD problems that I did have with the 1998:

1. Transmission shift lever once got stuck in Park...had to get it towed and fixed at the dealer. Linkage broke.
2. Annoying rattle under the truck. Turned out to be a skid plate. The dealer fixed this one too.
3. Trailer hitch recall. Dealer fixed.
4. Rear winshield wiper wierdness. Sometimes it parks properly, other times it won't go all the way down to it's seat.
5. Ignition Coil pack needed to be replaced. The engine started running VERY rough all of the sudden. Dealer took care of it.
6. Door ajar light stays on sometimes. Very annoying.

Anyone else have these wacky problems?

 

I've got a 2000 and love it. Hd the tow hitch recall done, not problem. Adn I had the 4 peices of molding on the doors replaced, againa, no problem. Once the rear wiper was hung a little high, but I think I pulled it up when I was wahing it. Turned them on and it seated just right.

That's it!

 

I bought an EB expy for my wife in April. This replaced a Honda Van. I did not know if my wife would like driving something that big. (she is only 5') She ended up really liking it and drives it all the time. The adjustable pedals make it to where she sits further back than any vehicle she has ever drove. (Much Safer). We have not had any problems and highly recommend the Expy to anyone that asks.

I liked the Expy so much ... I decided to buy a 4X4 Screw to replace a Regular Cab Dodge Ram and a 2000 Honda Accord V6. Ford has come a long way since the 88 Bonco I got rid of in 1992.

 

Hey FamilyRide...what is the Preformance Chip that you installed?

 

Get the EB if you can. One big improvement that our '00 has over our old '97 is the climate control. In our current year it was only available with the EB's. You think you won't want it or need it, but once you have it you won't go back to the manual only system. If the truck your buying has it then my apologies. When I leased the '97 there was only ten bucks a month diff between a EB and xlt. Check it out. Also have them do the math for a purchase. With the low financing sometimes a purchase is better. After all the break even with no money down is around two and a half years. Think about it.

 

*Very closely check fit and finish.* We are sending an application to the dispute settlement board to see if we can get a replacement vehicle. Our '01 EB is chipping around the door handles, where the front quarter panels meet the headlight assembly, and along the edge of the hatch. This vehicle is only three months old.

Make sure you spend plenty of time behind the wheel of a new one. I've been very disappointed with the handling of my new EB. I traded a '97 XLT 5.4, 4x4, with LLS for a '01 EB 5.4, 4x4 without LLS. The '97 seemed very surefooted with a comfortable ride. The '01 bounces a lot, it handles poorly, and there's more vibration coming through the steering. I read a post somewhere on this board that said Ford discontinued the variable assist steering after April this year, so you may want to check the date of manufacture.


MJS

 

my door ajar ligth used to stay on after start-up, and went off a couple minutes later, but i haven't noticed it for a while. did you take that to the dealer and have it fixed, or did you learn to live with it?

 

hey HOSRACN...I have mentioned it to my dealer over the past couple of years since I had the truck, and they "looked" at it while I had the truck at the dealer for other issues. They never resolved it, and it was never important or critical enough for me to actually give them the truck and say, "FIX IT OR ELSE."