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2021 Ford Expedition El
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
213 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (45% of complaints, typically reported near 60k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2021 Ford Expedition EL SUV 4WD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 19%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Ford Expedition El, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Visibility & wipers (22) · Electrical system (22) · Fuel system (11) · Body & structure (10)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
45%95 complaints · typically near 60k mi · 62 in the last 2 years
“While driving down the highway at 70 miles an hour, the transmission popped out of gear the engine revved, and when the transmission went back into gear, it engaged in…”
Engine
25%53 complaints · typically near 40k mi · 14 in the last 2 years
“When my transmission is shifting, it almost stalls about 3-4 times everytime you start off. It is a hard shift that makes it fee like the car suddenly stops then goes …”
Visibility & wipers
10%22 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“Turn.wipers on were slow to move, then just quit, now they don't move at all,all with no warning”
Electrical system
10%22 complaints · 11 in the last 2 years
“Nn 9/15/2025 While the car was running but parked, we began to smell burnt plastic/electrical. Upon trying to shut off the vehicle several service lamps came on advisi…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Ford EXPEDITION EL beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Expedition El model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Ford Expedition El against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.