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2011 Ford Expedition: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL

49%

34 of 71 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

49% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2011 Ford Expedition are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 63% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026

Looking at a specific Expedition?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.

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Drivetrain complaints

engine, transmission, fuel

Total complaints

this model year

Fires reported

owner-reported

Recall campaigns

2 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN21 · 30%

ENGINE11 · 15%

STRUCTURE10 · 14%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER8 · 11%

SEATS8 · 11%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7 · 10%

The years either side

2010

33%

17 of 58

2011

49%

34 of 71

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Ford Expedition 201033%Ford Expedition 201730%Ford Expedition 202225%

Other full-size SUVs with no elevated signal in 2011

Chevrolet Tahoe 20119%GMC Yukon 201113%Chevrolet Suburban 201119%

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER08/13/20171 INJURED

I EXPERIENCE HEADACHES AND DIZZINESS WHEN DRIVING THERE HAS BEEN TIMES I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO AVOID CRASHING. I BELIEVE CARBON MONOXIDE MAY BE THE RESULT OF THESE SYMPTOMS.

POWER TRAIN03/05/2026

Hard, delayed, jump from idle when accelerator is pressed. Hard shift from park to reverse.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE12/05/2025

I bought this vehicle early 2023. From the moment I bought it I’ve had a loud ticking sound come from the dash or the motor when I start the car also when it’s really hot out. It also didn’t blow cold air. So I had to save up enough money to replace the AC components in my 2011 expedition. After I got it “repaired” It …

Three of 34 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Before you buy a 2011 Ford Expedition

Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.