The V8 engine that comes in a Ford Expedition is called a Triton engine. These engines are high torque/high horsepower output motors capable of towing up to 9,000 pounds when mated to the Expedition's transmission. Because of the abuse that this vehicle will go through, you can expect at some point to have to do some maintenance on it. When something does finally go wrong, you should troubleshoot the problem first. Fortunately, troubleshooting a Ford Expedition doesn't necessarily require an expert mechanic. You can likely do the job in your driveway or while going for a drive around the block.
Check for colored smoke coming out of your tailpipe while the Expedition is running. White smoke means that you are leaking coolant into the combustion chamber. The white smoke is steam. This is actually quite dangerous for your engine and can cause critical engine failure due to hydro-lock. Blue smoke indicates that you are burning oil. This is caused by oil leaking into combustion chamber and burning. Black or gray smoke means that your engine is getting too much gasoline and is running "rich." All of these problems need to be checked out and possibly serviced by a mechanic.
Check for leaks under your Expedition. Red liquid indicates a leak in the transmission. Green liquid is a leak in the engine coolant reservoir, hoses, or radiator. Black liquid indicates a leaking oil pan reservoir or oil seal in the engine. These issues need to be addressed by a qualified mechanic immediately before any permanent damage occurs.
Listen for a whining sound coming from your engine bay while the Expedition is running and you are turning the steering wheel. This is the power steering pump pulley. Ford's design of the power steering pump will cause this common problem on most Ford vehicles anywhere between 35,000 miles and 100,000 miles. The pulley needs to be replaced by a qualified mechanic.
Check for vibration or feedback in the steering wheel while driving. This can be the result of several problems. However, the most common problem is warped rotors. This is also the easiest to fix. However, if the brake rotors are not warped, you may have failing ball joints or a rough or worn wheel bearing. These are not components that an inexperienced person should try to replace by himself.
