News on the revised 5.4 3v has been floating around for some time now(couple of years). In fact specs, time frames and, project schedules were posted on Blue Oval news over a year ago and many revisions since have been floating around.
There will be three versions of the 5.4 - (standard version, one that can handle leaded gas and a boosted HP version for the Navigator (I hear 325hp)
The new engine will be ready for standard model year changover. Apparently a few are out now for couple months of testing before full production anywhere from September to November.
The revised transmission will also be very big news. The 5sp and will contribute significantly to improved mpg and performance. The new tranny is said to be superior to the new GM tranny coming out which is supose to also be amazing.
Bad news, is the diesel apparently has been delayed until 2007 now, if you can believe it.
jd_attawa, thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to wait unit September before I make my purchase.
Regarding the tire pressure monitor: I have this on my 2002 Corvette. It's handy, but I sure wouldn't let it hold up your purchase, it ain't that big if a deal.
51P) Tire Pressure Monitor production delayed until 10/7/02 (240A) FX4 Off Road Pkg. on hold until 10/7/02 XLT standard steel wheel on hold until 9/3/02, to be substituted with bright alloy aluminum wheels at no charge Moonroof option has a 14-16 week lead time Navigation Radio has a 90-120 day lead time Cloth seats are a Limited Production Option
I have seen a few posts regarding a new higher hp engine and a 5 speed trans for the new expedition. Does anyone have any information that is not based on a rumor?
Ford is not going to tell you anything that would keep you from buying a Expy now. The new engine and tranny should be a significant improvement in performance and milage that many (myself included) will wait for. With luck and some attention to basic engineering Ford will solve the oil leak problem that has plagued this engine series. In the meantime for future Ford plans go to the Blue Oval News site. They seem to always have it right. Good Luck!
I am in the market for a new 2003 SUV. I really like the Expedition (the test drive was great). I am comparing it with the Chevy Tahoe and Toyota Sequoia. My mind was made up on the '03 Expedition until my very trusted mechanic advised me against it. According to him, a majority of the vehicles he sees the most and performs the most costly work is the Ford Expedition. He claims it is the engine.
Anyone have any input on the engine? Any advice that could help my decision? Cosumer reports really didn't have much info that helped.
I read the past few posts...is it worth waiting till Sept. for this "new" engine? Thanks.
I think your mechanic <<anewsuv>> may have it wrong. Consumer Reports shows Expedition engines have had fewer problems than average in each year they have data for. Expedition has won the JDPower best full-size SUV award two years in a row. And Ward's Automotive says the Triton engine family in the Expedition is one of the ten best engines in the world.
we just bought 2003 expy EB 5.4 with power 3rd seat, moonroof, climate controlled seats, DVD and 2nd row captains seats for invoice. My wife wanted out of Minivan. 3 weeks and great car-excellant handling and fantastic on trips.Makes Uturns on a dime. close decision between EXPY and sequioa but marked price difference between fully loaded 2 made Expy better buy even with supposed higher resale of Sequioa.New suspension is amazing
2003 will be the last model year. How much you wanna bet Ford introduces a HD LWB version of the (far better) Expedition to replace it?
The current Expedition is really a competitor for the Tahoe, not the Suburban. A LWB version, that can haul 4'x8' paneling with the tailgate closed, like the Suburban (and Excursion) would make a heck of a lot of sense.
We are down to 2 in our vehicle search, the Toyota Sequoia and the '03 Expedition. Any thoughts out there regarding safety, winter weather drivability, resale value and initial build quality?? The vehicle will be for a family of four, Wisconsin winters, towing up to 4,200lbs.
Has anyone put pne of these in their Expy's or Suv's? What type of increase in HP and tourqe did you get? Any other modifications that helped out. i'm looking at Superchip or Diablo chip. Please Help. Thanks Shane
I'm looking to buy the '03 expy in the next couple weeks and am wondering if the 5.4 is worth the $ over the 4.6 engine. I don't have anything to tow, just haul a bunch of kids. Any thoughts?
Also, I can get a similarly equiped expy for about $3,500 less than the sequoia and the expy's ride and handling is superior.
IMHO bigger is better. If you plan on doing any hill or mountain driving at all the 5.4 is a better choice. If all your non towing driving is on flat or gentle ground then it doesn't make much difference, except you will be getting a little better milage with the 4.6. You would be getting even better milage if you had a 4.6 with 4x2 which is something to consider if you are in a non snow area. With both those choices you will be giving up significant resale over the 5.4 with 4x4. By better milage we are talking about a maximum of 3 mpg or so. But it does add up and that is 60 extra miles from a 20 gallon fill up!
I have been driving my '01 Expy for a little over a year, and I am looking for something that my '98 had. My older model had a cable dipstick, while my '01 has what I would describe as a strip dipstick. The cable unit was much easier to use. I am curious to know if anyone knows if they are interchangeable, or if Ford offers them for newer models. Both trucks have 5.4L engines.
Anyone here with an '03 have experience with heavy towing? How much is the rear suspension going to sag with a boat and trailer with a tonque weight of 400 lbs? Apparently the air suspension option is no longer available? Thanks.
I posted a link in the Expedition Problems discussion last night but there wasn't much detail in it. Only affects 4x2 versions it sounds like. Hard to find stories on it -- guess the GM airbag recall story is bigger.
Hello, I was wondering if anyone had advice regarding the 2WD vs 4WD? We've tried the 4WD EB and loved it but the price difference is enough to make us consider a 2WD. Unfortunately the dealerships only seem to get in 4x4s.
Does the handling seem the same? What about safety issues? I looked at the NCAP ratings but they hadn't done 2003 yet. Thanks for any help!
The salesman at my local dealership said that the off road version (FX4) of the 2003 Expedition is not out yet and won't be released for some time. He did not have any date on the release. Does anyone have any info on this issue?
Having trouble with 2003 Expedition Eddie Bauer. When playing DVDs on the rear seat entertainment system, movie sound comes through all speakers in the passenger compartment. This is extremely distracting as two sets of headphones is supplied with the vehicle. Kid movies blaring through the entire car while driving has got to be unsafe. Is there a way to route DVD system sound through the headphones and FM or CD through the passenger compartment speakers? Dealer says "no" and "that's the way it's designed". I find this extremely hard to believe. And by the way, just got off the phone with Ford customer service and they couldn't even find it in the owner's manual and said to take it back to the dealer-what a poor pitiful joke. The woman on the other end of the line barely spoke English! Please help.
tds98. There is a button on the rear seat control console (I think it's a picture of headphones). When you push it, the display on the stereo changes from single play to dual play.
If you start a DVD, then put it on dual play, you can change the stereo to whatever you want, and the DVD noise will play through the headphones.
I have a 2000 Expedition 4x4 with the 5.4 L V8, 17 inch wheels, and the 3.55 axle ratio. I would like to increase my towing capability (currently at 6900 lbs) with a GCWR of 12,500 lbs. The Ford towing info I have indicates that having a 3.73 axle ratio increases the towing capability by 400-500 lbs and having 16 inch tires rather than 17 inch can also increase the capability by another 500 lbs. My question: Is it possible to alter the truck's axle ratio or tire size aftermarket? Would either of these be a bad idea? If altering tire size, would the rims have to be changed? Would the speedometer have to be recalibrated? Would these be prohibitively expensive? Who would do this kind of work- a Ford mechanic, a transmission guy, or some specialty shop? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The best way to upgrade your towing capacity is to trade in your Expy for a Excursion V-10 or diesel (great deals on these now by the way). If you must have the full cabin seating and major towing capability the Excursion and the big 3/4 ton Chev Suburban are really all that's out there now. You will have to change the 17" rims to fit a 16" tire. You will also need to upgrade the brakes, and possibly the transmission, to handle the increased towing load. Talk with a good recommended Ford guy before you start.
We are interested in installing a third seat in our '98 Expedition. It has rear air. We don't know if adding a third seat is even feasible. Any info would be greatly appreciated. You can also email us Okiebadger@charter.net Thanks.
Check the back a see if the "tracks" to mount the seat are there and the seat belts. If so, I would think you should be able to buy a seat and toss it in. If you don't have the "tracks" I would guess you are out of luck. If you don't have the seat belts then you will need to look into having them installed or limiting the seat to 1 passenger with the middle lap belt.
Had a rattle sound at left side of windshield...removed dealer installed front bug deflector-noise disappeared...dealer installed moon roof deflector caused rattle sound at left side of windshield...removed moon roof deflctor-noise disappeared...dealer checked molding around windshield which is secured...a big mystery for the dealer and myself...dealer tried different deflectors-same noise...anybody out there with this issue H E L P
Coming up on winter and around 73k on the original Goodyears. I am leaning towards Michelins - either LTX M/S or Cross Terrains. Any current owners of either lurking around here that could comment? The price difference is about $20 each, but I am more concerned with getting the tire that is best for the Expy than what it costs.
Well the news is finally coming out. Although the news is related to the Falcon, it is the same engine that will be used for the Expedition. The new 5.4l 3v engine will produce from 295 - 305hp for the Ex and will be produced in Windsor Canada.
I just had my 2000 Navigator tires changed out due to factory Continentals going "bad" after just 16000 miles (they later recalled these tires). The dealer installed Michelin Cross Terrain Suv tires and the truck rides smoother than ever. I don't do off-roading so I can't comment on that...so far though, they seem like great highway tires.
Hey alwaysford! I own a 2001 xlt 4x4 and I have the Michelins LTX M/S and they are wonderful. They have about 5000 miles and one winter on them. The traction is great and the ride is smooth. They are able to be used off-road. If you just want a on-road tire with good traction the Cross Terrains are also good. The LTX M/S have a better look to them if that matters.
Replaced the original Goodyears on my 1999 about 14K ago with Mich LTX M/S. They are dramatically better than the Goodyears. Quiet. Excellent traction (on-road and pretty good off road). Much smoother ride. Much better wear. By 15K I already had uneven wear on the Goodyears, but these look perfect. No hydroplaning (a problem I had with LTX A/Ts on another SUV). They have done great on snow and ice as well.
They appear to have more flex than even the Goodyears, so they always look like they could use a few more PSI. I run them at 40 on the highway (above the recommended pressure). That's a little hard for dirt roads, but seems right for paved roads and the wear is even.
My recommendation for any Mich tires is to mount black walls out. Michelin letters are ugly.
Does anyone out there know if the new 03 expedition has a cab air and pollen filter? No one at the dealership seems to know or if it is available as a dealer installed option as was the old model. Thanks
We got these about two weeks after we bought our 2001 EB 4x4. Had to drive on those #**^%$#@# Firestones for those two weeks. Amazing difference! Better ride AND handling. Now, after almost two years and over 18K miles, there is still lots of tread left, and we have had NO problems with the tires. They still need to be rotated about every 4-5K miles to even out the wear.
I had Goodyears on my 97 EB. Couldn't believe the difference with the Michelins!! I love them so much I'm pulling them off the 97 and sticking them on the new 03 when it arrives. Great wet weather traction (no snow here), excellent durability and fair pricing (got mine at Costco) all add up to a great tire. You won't be disappointed!
Have a 5.4L 1998 XLT 2wd...we've now replaced 4 cylinder/ignition coils after only 135k miles. unfortunately, the expy replaced our 1992 CHEVROLET custom van...152k miles only 'major' service was replace starter. This blasted expy has given nothing but drivability prob. starting at 14k coming back at 92k and it's here to stay....hang on Mr. CHEVROLET SUBURBAN...here i come since ford is tacky and is too pround to offer 0% on it's '03 models. Besides what kind of company redesigns a vehicle but does not offer NEW ENGINE choices?????
Comments
There will be three versions of the 5.4 - (standard version, one that can handle leaded gas and a boosted HP version for the Navigator (I hear 325hp)
The new engine will be ready for standard model year changover. Apparently a few are out now for couple months of testing before full production anywhere from September to November.
The revised transmission will also be very big news. The 5sp and will contribute significantly to improved mpg and performance. The new tranny is said to be superior to the new GM tranny coming out which is supose to also be amazing.
Bad news, is the diesel apparently has been delayed until 2007 now, if you can believe it.
Regarding the tire pressure monitor: I have this on my 2002 Corvette. It's handy, but I sure wouldn't let it hold up your purchase, it ain't that big if a deal.
(240A) FX4 Off Road Pkg. on hold until 10/7/02
XLT standard steel wheel on hold until 9/3/02, to be substituted with bright alloy aluminum wheels at no charge
Moonroof option has a 14-16 week lead time
Navigation Radio has a 90-120 day lead time
Cloth seats are a Limited Production Option
Anyone have any input on the engine? Any advice that could help my decision? Cosumer reports really didn't have much info that helped.
I read the past few posts...is it worth waiting till Sept. for this "new" engine? Thanks.
Bob
2003 will be the last model year. How much you wanna bet Ford introduces a HD LWB version of the (far better) Expedition to replace it?
The current Expedition is really a competitor for the Tahoe, not the Suburban. A LWB version, that can haul 4'x8' paneling with the tailgate closed, like the Suburban (and Excursion) would make a heck of a lot of sense.
Bob
http://www.bonforums.com/powertrain/engine_modular543vapproval.htm
Thanks
Shane
Also, I can get a similarly equiped expy for about $3,500 less than the sequoia and the expy's ride and handling is superior.
I have been driving my '01 Expy for a little over a year, and I am looking for something that my '98 had. My older model had a cable dipstick, while my '01 has what I would describe as a strip dipstick. The cable unit was much easier to use. I am curious to know if anyone knows if they are interchangeable, or if Ford offers them for newer models. Both trucks have 5.4L engines.
Thanks,
Scott
(edit - had to dig for this one: Continental Tire North America Initiates Voluntary Recalls).
Steve
Host
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Does the handling seem the same? What about safety issues? I looked at the NCAP ratings but they hadn't done 2003 yet. Thanks for any help!
Bob
If you start a DVD, then put it on dual play, you can change the stereo to whatever you want, and the DVD noise will play through the headphones.
Took me a while to figure it out.
Lots of articles out. Here is one.
http://www.australiancardirectory.com.au/index.cfm?page=news_details&id=943
They appear to have more flex than even the Goodyears, so they always look like they could use a few more PSI. I run them at 40 on the highway (above the recommended pressure). That's a little hard for dirt roads, but seems right for paved roads and the wear is even.
My recommendation for any Mich tires is to mount black walls out. Michelin letters are ugly.
I also rotate every 5K.