1998 Ford Expedition Suspension Problems

PARKING ON THE STREET IN IS GONE

WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IT HAD 22 INCH CHROME WHEELS AND TIRES. IT ALSO WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD. WE BOUGHT NEW STOCK SIZED RIMS AND NEW STOCK SIZED TIRES. IT STILL WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. WE HAD IT ALIGNED. IT STILL WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. GOOGLE SHOWS MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THESE VEHICLES' SUSPENSION, BLAMING RUSTING REAR LOWER TRAILING ARMS AND IN ONE CASE A LEFT STABILIZER LINK BROKE. I HAVE NOT CRAWLED UNDER THE CAR AS IT IS MY SISTER'S AND SHE LIVES A WAYS AWAY, BUT SHE WANTS TO SELL IT AND IS WORRIED IF IT IS SOMETHING MAJOR SOMEONE MAY GET HURT. WE CAN BE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM 25MPH TO 60MPH AND THE VEHICLE JUST SORT OF FEELS LIKE THE BACK END IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE FRONT OR SOMETHING AND IT JUST TRIES TO CHANGE LANES ON ITS OWN.

I GOT IN MY 1997 EXPEDITION AND THE BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN HAVING THE BACK BRAKES INSTALLED THE MECHANICS NOTICED THE LOWER ON TROLL ARM WAS RUSTED OUT. HE THE LOOKED AT MY 1998 AND IT IS THE SAME WAY. HE SAID I CANNOT DRIVE THEM LIKE THIS. I DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE DAILY.

THE REAR LOWER AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS HAVE RUST HOLES AND OR COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY BIG PROBLEM WITH ALL EXPEDITIONS AROUND THE SAME YEARS. COMPLAINTS FROM HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OWNERS ON FORUMS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS WILL CAUSE A CRASH AND OR FATALITIES IF NOT CORRECTED OR FOUND BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. I FOUND MINE TO BE VERY RUSTY WITH HOLES AND ALSO ONE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AFTER A 400 MILE HIGHWAY TRIP WITH MY FAMILY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT FORD SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND RECALL AND FIX FOR FORD OWNERS. THIS IS A REPORTED PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED BY FORD ASAP. *TR

AS I WAS EXAMINING THE REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY TRUCK, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM. FURTHER EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT THE PROTECTIVE COATING ON THE CONTROL ARM HAD NOT ONLY FAILED BUT WAS HOLDING MOISTURE AND SALT AGAINST THE METAL OF THE CONTROL ARM. THEREFORE THIS LOWER CONTROL ARM IS ALSO QUITE THIN IN ONE SPECIFIC AREA AND APPEARS TO BE IN DANGER OF IMMINENT FAILURE. LIKEWISE I FOUND A HOLE AND THIN SOUND METAL ON THE LEFT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM. IF DRIVEN, THIS VEHICLE COULD EASILY HAVE A MAJOR LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT WITH LOSS OF LIVES. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BECAUSE THE COATING THAT WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THIS VULNERABLE PART HAS ACTUALLY HASTENED ITS FAILURE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT THE DRIVE SHAFT DROPPED OUT. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THE REAR LOWER TRAILING SUPPORT ARMS ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE HAD RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THEM TO BREAK APART. THIS RESULTED IN THE REAR AXLE SHIFTING AND THE DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPING AWAY FROM THE REAR AXLE. IF THIS HAPPENED AT A HIGH SPEED THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF LIFE, SEVERE INJURIES AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD BANG. THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY COLLAPSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR TRAILING ARM WAS FRACTURED DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

REAR LOWER TRAILING ARMS RUSTED COMPLETELY THRU GAS TANK STRAPS RUSTED THRU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RUSTED HOLE IN THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE TRAILING ARMS ON THE REAR AXLE ARE FAILING ON THE EARLY MODEL FORD EXPEDITIONS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE, I SEE WHERE THE FAILURE IS GOING TO OCCUR. THE TRAILING ARMS ARE ROTTING OUT AND WILL ALLOW FOR THE REAR AXLE TO TWIST OUT OF PLACE CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO BECOME DISLODGED AND BECOME A LARGE RUN AWAY COMPONENT. THESE COMPONENTS ON MY VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE BEING PLACED BACK IN SERVICE AS THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY CONCERN. I AM WRITING DUE TO THIS DEFECT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS ONE WHICH IS VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN BY THE CONSUMER AS IT IS NOT AN INSPECTABLE ITEM ON ANY ANNUAL INSPECTION. MY INTERNET RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THERE ARE MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WHERE THE ISSUE IS COMING TO LIGHT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THESE COMPONENTS AT THIS POINT BUT SHOULD BE EXAMINED VERY QUICKLY DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. I ALSO FIND THAT FORD HAS UPDATED THE COMPONENTS ON LATER VEHICLES IN MATERIALS AS WELL AS OVERALL DIMENSIONS. MY FEELING IS THAT SOMETHING IS KNOWN ON SOME LEVEL AND THE INFORMATION IS NOT BEING PASSED ALONG TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

WHILE SITTING AT THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT ,WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN TO GO UPON TAKING OFF AT NORMAL SPEED THE DRIVE SHAFT FELL COMPLETELY OUT AND BROKE AT THE DRIVE SHAFT UNIVERSAL EARS OF THE SHAFT AND THE RIGHT LOWER REAR CONTROLLING/TRAILING ARM BROKE AT COUPLER BECAUSE IT WAS VERY BADLY CORRODED WITH RUST FROM WEAK MATERIAL AND DRIVERS SIDE REAR LOOKS THE SAME WAY . ALSO MY EXPEDITION IS NOT A RUST BUCKET, IT IS DRIVEN VERY LITTLE IN THE WINTER. THE DRIVE SHAFT EARS THAT HOLD THE UNIVERSAL JOINT IS MADE OF CAST STEEL,WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE, IF FORD WOULD SEND THE PAIR OF TRAILING/CONTROLLING ARMS WE WILL HAVE THEM PUT ON AT MY COST. WITH THE DRY SHAFT MADE OUT THE OF THAT KIND OF MATERIAL THE VEHICLE CAN FLIP OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSE DAMAGE, HARM OR DEATH. SOUNDS TO ME THAT ONE DAY FORD MAY HAVE A LAW SUIT BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND I'M SURE THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO . NO WONDER WHY ITS A LOT OF FORD EXPEDITIONS ON THE LOTS CHEAP. FROM SOME RESEARCH OF THE WEB IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT. FORD NEEDS TO MAKE RITE WHAT THEY DID WRONG!

TL *THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK SUSPENSION LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE AND THE AIR COMPRESSOR WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,805.

I HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION ARMS ON MY 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN THE ARM SNAPPED WITHOUT WARNING. HAD THIS SUSPENSION ARM BROKEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE THREATENING WRECK. THE REAR END ROLLED UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE IMMOVABLE , REQUIRING A TOW FOR REPAIRS. AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE UPPER SUPPORT ARM FOR REAR THE SUSPENSION RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH, CAUSING THE ARM TO BREAK. THE OTHER UPPER ARM IS RUSTED THROUGH BADLY, AND BOTH LOWER ARMS ARE RUSTED THROUGH BADLY. ALL THE ARMS WERE READY TO BREAK. I AM SURE THIS FAILURE IS THE FAULT OF (1) POOR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN BY FORD (2) POOR SELECTION OF GRADE OF STEEL USED IN MAKING THESE ARMS (3) POOR QUALITY CHECKS, IF THESE ARMS DID NOT MEET SPECIFICATION. THERE IS NO WAY A PART AS ROBUST AS THIS NEEDS BE, SHOULD EVER BE ABLE TO RUST THROUGH! I WROTE TO FORD AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE AT THIS TIME. I HAD REPAIRS MADE BY A HIGHLY QUALIFIED MECHANIC. WHILE HE WAS OBTAINING PARTS HE FOUND THIS FAILURE WAS BECOMING MORE COMMON. BOTH UPPER AND LOWER ARMS WERE REPLACED. ONE AIR BAG HAD TO BE REPLACED AS IT WAS PIERCED BY THE BROKEN ARM. I HAVE THE OLD PARTS IN MY POSSESSION. THIS WAS A FRIGHTENING AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ,THAT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ! MY FORD EXPEDITION IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, IT IS NOT A "BEATER". UPDATED 07/30/10 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 08/03/10.*JB *TR

I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT SIDE. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACE A CONNECTOR IN THE LIFT SYSTEM ON APRIL 30,2008. THE LIFT SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING. 05/06/08. SINCE I PURCHASED MY 98,FORD EXPEDITION BACK IN 2000,THE LIFT SYSTEM HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I 'VE HAD THIS TRUCK. THE TRUCK WAS FLATBED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ON THE TRUCK NEVER CODED UNTIL THE 8TH OF MAY AT THE SHOP. WHEN THE LIFT/SUSPENSION FAILED NO INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THE REAR STARTED TO DROP AS I WAS DRIVING IT HOME. NOW I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT CONVERT TO A COIL SYSTEM. *TR

I TOOK TRUCK TO NAPLETON LINCOLN/MERCURY FOR REPAIR BECAUSE SUSPENSION AIRBAGS WENT DOWN THEY CHECKED THE TRUCK OUT TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $1100 TOTAL BECAUSE OF BAD PUMP AND CENSORS... ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE SAME AIRBAGS WENT DOWN AGAIN I BROUGHT THE TRUCK BACK AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT I NEED A ANOTHER PUMP THAT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY THEM IT WENT OUT AGAIN WITH NO CHARGE TO ME. LESS THAN A YEAR'S TIME THE AIRBAGS WENT DOWN AGAIN TOOK IT BACK TO SAME SHOP THEY CHECKED CAR OUT AND CHARGED AN ADDITIONAL $800 FOR AN AIRBAG PUMP AND LABOR. WITH THE ABOVE WARRANTY I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A CHARGE TO ME BECAUSE ALL CHARGES SHOULD BEEN COVERED BY THEM. *TR

ABOUT 3-4 YEARS AGO, THE LEFT STABILIZER LINK BROKE. I NOTICED A LOUD THUMP WHEN HITTING BUMPS AFTER PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE. 2 WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A LOUD THUMP UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THIS TIME THE RIGHT STABILIZER LINK WAS BROKE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED IN THE PAST HERE, HOWEVER IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DISMISSED. THIS PROBLEM INCREASES THE ROLL OF THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING AND CAN BE DANGEROUS IN A QUICK TURN TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, ETC. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT USED OFF ROAD OR WHERE INCREASED STRESSES ARE PUT ON THE SUSPENSION. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB

ABOUT 3-4 YEARS AGO, THE LEFT STABILIZER LINK BROKE. I NOTICED A LOUD THUMP WHEN HITTING BUMPS AFTER PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE. 2 WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A LOUD THUMP UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THIS TIME THE RIGHT STABILIZER LINK WAS BROKE. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED IN THE PAST HERE, HOWEVER IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DISMISSED. THIS PROBLEM INCREASES THE ROLL OF THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING AND CAN BE DANGEROUS IN A QUICK TURN TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, ETC. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT USED OFF ROAD OR WHERE INCREASED STRESSES ARE PUT ON THE SUSPENSION. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB

TRUCK WAS AT DEALER FOR MAINTENANCE. FRONT SUSPENSION: STABILIZER LINKS WERE BROKEN OFF COMPLETELY.

DT: THE FRONT STABLIZER BAR BROKE.*AK

THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, AND UPON HER RETURN, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE VEHICLE, AND THE FIRE SMOLDERED ITSELF OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THE WIRE HARNESS WAS BURNED. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SENSOR/SWITCH. FORD STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE AIR SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED ALSO THE INDICATOR FOR THE GEAR SHIFT HAD BROKEN AND WERE REPLACED. *SC *JB