Ford Excursion Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Ford Excursion model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 1997 drew the fewest (1) and the 2000 the most (533).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Among the fewest complaints |
1 | 1 | Exterior lighting | — | — |
| 2010 Among the fewest complaints |
1 | 0 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
| 1999 Among the fewest complaints |
7 | 1 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2005 | 65 | 2 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2004 | 95 | 2 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
| 2003 | 106 | 5 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2002 Among the most complaints |
129 | 4 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
| 2001 Among the most complaints |
209 | 6 | Tires | — | — |
| 2000 Among the most complaints |
533 | 5 | Tires | — | — |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Ford Excursion years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
2000 Ford Excursion: 533 complaints
Most-reported: Tires 184 (35%); Service brakes 61 (11%); Electrical system 59 (11%).
Reports mention 37 crashes, 49 fires, 50 injuries, 7 deaths. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 80,000 miles. 5 recall campaigns listed.
2001 Ford Excursion: 209 complaints
Most-reported: Tires 57 (27%); Engine and engine cooling 44 (21%); Power train 20 (10%).
Reports mention 17 crashes, 19 fires, 14 injuries, 2 deaths. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 82,000 miles. 6 recall campaigns listed.
2002 Ford Excursion: 129 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 31 (24%); Tires 27 (21%); Service brakes 17 (13%).
Reports mention 13 crashes, 9 fires, 11 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 63,050 miles. 4 recall campaigns listed.
The Ford Excursion years with the fewest complaints
1997 Ford Excursion: 1 complaints
Most-reported: Exterior lighting 1 (100%).
1 recall campaign listed.
2010 Ford Excursion: 1 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 1 (100%).
0 recall campaigns listed.
1999 Ford Excursion: 7 complaints
Most-reported: Electrical system 2 (29%); Engine and engine cooling 2 (29%); Suspension 2 (29%).
Reports mention 1 fire. 1 recall campaign listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Ford Excursion owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 65 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 84,000 |
| 2004 | 95 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 82,500 |
| 2003 | 106 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 57,000 |
| 2002 | 129 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 63,050 |
| 2001 | 209 | 17 | 19 | 14 | 2 | 82,000 |
| 2000 | 533 | 37 | 49 | 50 | 7 | 80,000 |
| 1999 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Ford Excursion recalls
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH/OVERHEATS (2000–2003 model years; 4,500,000 vehicles across all models; filed Oct 2009; 09V399000)
- FORD/TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLES (2001 model year; 1,400,000 vehicles across all models; filed Jul 2001; 01V227001)
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH/SUPPLEMENT (2000–2002 model years; 1,200,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2006; 06V286000)
- CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (1997–2003 model years; 1,176,000 vehicles across all models; filed Dec 2007; 07V553000)
- FORD/WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR COVER (2000–2001 model years; 1,083,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2001; 01V258000)
All 11 Ford Excursion recall campaigns · Ford Excursion problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Ford Excursion years FAQ
Which Ford Excursion year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 1997 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (1). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Ford Excursion years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 2000, 2001 and 2002 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the tires. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Ford Excursion problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the tires (286 of 1,146 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Ford Excursion have?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns covering the Ford Excursion. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Ford Excursion recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.