Recalls


CampaignManufacturerManufacturing dateType# of units affectedDate Owner notified MfgRecall Initiated byManufacturers of recalled vehicles/productsReport Recieved DateRecord Creation DateRegulation Part NumberFMVSS Number
STRUCTURE
03V094000SOUTHERN COMFORT CONVERSIONSfrom 08/01/2000 to 03/03/2003V (Vehicle)367403/07/2003MFRFORD MOTOR COMPANY03/07/200303/18/2003
Defect SummaryCertain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. these units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Consequence SummaryThis overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Corrective SummaryDealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. owner notification began march 7, 2003. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.
NotesCustomers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STRUCTURE
1513708/01/2001624715Customers may complain of wind noise. *yd11/08/2001
STRUCTURE - BODY
0425112/27/200410014165Aluminum corrosion - service tip. *tt04/28/2005
1593905/01/2002637848Concerns with speed body boom. *tt12/06/2002
1453212/01/2000616841Subject regarding outer belt molding finish change. *tt03/13/2001
1445611/01/2000616539Information on squeak and rattle noise conditions. *tt03/02/2001
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
1512208/01/2001624622Some vehicles may exhibit a vibration at idle and/or engine droaning noise on acceleration from a stop. *slc11/08/2001

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STRUCTURE
01/21/20101020001
 Was driving down the road in heavy rain when windshield wipers stopped working. could not see 2 feet infront of me, so i was forced to pull over on a busy road. put the truck in park, and wipers started working. put back in drive and they stopped. finally the rain slowed enough for me to drive with out the wipers, very unsafe! when i got home, i turned the key off, pulled them out of the ignition and the heater kept running. i had to turn it to off position. lights on gauge cluster were flickering too. opened driver side door and radio stayed on. had to manually turn that off as well. smelled something burning, so i quickly unhooked the battery. came back a couple hours later, connected battery, now vehicle wont start! will turn over, but wont crank. did some research and found that this is a very common problem with many different ford vehicles! problem is caused by a faulty windshield, allowing water to leak into the cab, behind the dash, and get water on the gem and fusebox, creating corrosion. these problems could be very unsafe! possible fire from electric short, possible injury/death from wipers quitting while driving. ford should take responsibility for their faulty design! *tr
02/20/2008795001006/01/2003
 Water leak in the front windshield (following a few consecutive rainy days), causing electrical failure of the dome light, wipers, radio and gear selector. ford service advised replacing the fuse box and gem module for $1,100. this is my family vehicle and i am deeply concerned that this may cause an electrical fire or unwnated electrical activity when the car is unattended. my car is just under 80k miles. i have done some research and can see that there are many others that are experiencing similar problems. this is a safety concern that should should be attended to immediately. i hope this can be resolved without taking legal action. *tr
02/16/200894000607/07/2001
 In the last few months, i have noticed that when it rains, my blower motor will run on high-speed and my lights will flicker after i turn the vehicle off. at first it would stop after a few seconds, however this last time, it ran for about 10 minutes and finally shut off. i have a co-worker who has the exact same expedition and asked him if he's had this happen too him, which he stated yes and has been going on for around 6 months. i called ford motor co to inquire about a recall, since this is very unique in nature, and (of course) they have no record nor keep any data on anything (according too the rep). not quite sure what their job is! so i called the local dealer and they were 'familiar' with my problem and had a 'few' fixed. well, after doing some research on the internet, it turns out there's more than just a 'few' incidents.. there are several!!! the problem appears too start with a water leak in the windshield, going to the fuse box and gemodule which in turn sends electrical currents to the abs module which cause all sorts of problems. now if this isn't a ford manufacturers defect versus normal wear and tear, than i guess my college education means nothing. from my research and the local dealers quote, the cost of this repair starts a $1000.00.!! as of today, i have not fixed it, i'm deciding it i want to get a diff vehicle. *tr
08/16/200712
 I am having the same water leak problems that i've seen on here before. water is getting into my fusebox every time it rains. i don't have the money to repair this so it is an ongoing safety hazard for me. i cannot believe this has not already been recalled after viewing all the complaints on the internet. *tr
02/05/20071450001
 Windshield wipers, rear window wiper, windows, interior lights and moon roof quit working, apparent cause was gem module due to leaking windshield? *jb
01/15/2007159900211/28/2006
 After a rain and ice storm water leaked around the windshield causing electrical failures, including but not limited to the windshield wipers and the headlamps. water entered the engine of the vehicle through an improperly sealed windshield causing the power distribution box and the generic electronic module to get wet. these components control various electrical systems in the vehicle. this caused the vehicle to stop running. electrical damage had to be repaired and a new windshield had to be installed. this caused the owner to pay over $2000 in out of pocket expenses. *nm
07/23/2006860003004/15/2001
 My windshield on my 201 ford expedition is leaking and has caused my gem module to act up. most notably windshield wipers not working, radio on and off. *nm
01/12/2007301/23/2006
 Hvac blower motor runs when engine is off. numerous electrical problems with this 2001 ford expedition. water also gets in the cab somehow when it rains. *nm
05/12/200659061101/10/2004
 Electrical hazard due to water intrusion resulting from windshield leak. 2001 ford expedition experienced several electrical failures during rain storm including but not limited to windshield wiper failure, headlamp failure, window/door lock failure, ac runs with ignition off and keys removed, car attempts to start without keys or driver. *jb
03/01/2006109375101/05/2002
 Windshield on 2001 expedition leaks and gem module has shorted out. *nm
03/30/20051
 Ford expedition 2001 windshield leaking through hand holds on right and left side. diagnosed as windshield sealant failure between the hand and the glass over approximately 75% of the sealant band area. solution: remove glass, strip all sealants, prime body, prime glass, replace glass (broken during removal). *jb
12/09/200550000305/14/2005
 Leaky windshield caused electrical failure of the general electronic module, causing most systems in vehicle to malfunction, including transfer case switching, transmission shifting. ford, nor advantage warranty company would stand behind the cost of this failure brought on by poor quality in manufacturing. *nm
12/28/200441733910/01/2003
 Incident: 2001 ford expedition 1. windshield wipers would not work, radio would go off when vehicle was put in gear, blower, compass, thermometer lets & bells would not work, vehicle would not start, battery eventually went dead, etc 2. had to service the vehicle for safety and performance reasons 3. expedition was serviced at a local ford dealership. service department advised us that there was a water leak around the windshield. water was leaking into an electrical box - had to replace fuse panel and reseal glass at a cost of $456.96. *nm
06/05/20052
 2001 ford expedition leaking front windshield caused electrical damage to fuse block and assembly. vehicle became a no start resulting in out of pocket repairs by ford dealer in stockbridge, mi. mechanic commented at time of repair he had already fixed several vehicles previously to my repair for water damage under dash due to leaking windshield. *jb
09/05/200548110106/20/2001
 My windshield on my 2001 expedition is leaking water in the driver side lower corner. it's seeping into the floor boards and into the engine electrical compartment under the hood. *jb
1
 Running board lights overheated,resulting in their failure. related recall 03v094000, consumer's vehicle not included due to vin. *ak
STRUCTURE - BODY
01/01/2007750001
 Similar to other complaints, paint on hood started bubbling and peeling about 18 months ago and continues to worsen even though the suv is garage kept and there is no rust anywhere on the vehicle. cost to replace and repaint hood - $1500 - *tr
STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR
10/26/20059905/04/2003
 The child safe locks on the rear doors of my 2nd ford expedition activate through normal door operation. they are activated by using the automatic door locks as well as normal interior door handle use. i have owned two expedition and this has occurred on each vehicle ( a 1997 xly expedition as well as a 2001 eddie bauer edition). i am aware of the same occurrence on my brothers ford excursion so this obviously is not a single issue but a engineering failure. this action locks people unintentionally in the back seats of the vehicle without notice or easy correction since you can't reach the exterior handle from inside the vehicle due to limited window opening height. in the case of an accident a person would be likely be locked in unable to escape the vehicle. other occupants would likely not be aware of the situation and thus possibly find necessary action unnecessary. a accident waiting to happen . *jb
01/23/2002301/25/2001
 While driving at 66 mph vehicle vibrates and shakes, consumer took the vehicle the to dealer, cause unknown. *ak consumer states cv boots failed causing front-end to squeak, the seat belt hold strap fell off, drivers window does not close properly and it makes noise and the passenger side mirror shakes while driving. *yd
STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
06/15/20071
 Bubbling and blistering of paint on hood beginning about 18 months ago and has since gotten much worse. ford expedition 2001. *tr
STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS
12/12/2010112325
 Winshield leaking due to faulty sealant. have all kinds of safety issue with the vehicle now. water leaks directly into gem module which is responsible for turning on and off all functions of my ford expedition. things just randomly start and stop working by themselves, including cruise control, four wheel drive, wipers, and heater blower. some stay on even after key is removed leaving you stranded. the only thing you can do is find someone for a jump start.