Lemberg Law is investigating multiple complaints that the 2022 Ford Expedition has disturbing issues with its sound system. Owners report ear-piercing screeching, crackling, and popping noises that sound like fireworks when the radio is turned on. There are also complaints that dealerships are unable or unwilling to diagnose the problem.
Don’t be stuck with a lemon. You have legal rights to cash, return or buyback.
The law makes Ford pay legal fees.
We've fixed thousands of lemon problems. Message or call 877-795-3666 today.
Are There Sound System Problems?
There are serious sound system problems with the 2022 Ford Expedition. Complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describe “horrifying” noises that they describe as a safety hazard capable of causing a crash.
Some complaints indicate that dealerships weren’t able to identify the problem. A couple of dealers allegedly weren’t even willing to investigate the issue.
However, it is also a major issue with the 2022 Ford F-150. As a result, Lemberg Law has been investigating complaints related to the F-150 since October 2022.
Clearly, evidence of the problem has subsequently been investigated by Ford. While the automaker hasn’t issued a recall, there is a very short special service message (SSM) on file with the NHTSA that describes the issue and specifies a solution.
Popping Noise in Ford F-150 and Expedition Speakers
SSM 51663, issued on May 26, 2023, affects both 2021-2023 Ford Expedition and F-150 vehicles. It addresses the issue of a “pop noise and/or static” in the speakers at start-up that can’t be turned down or switched off using the vehicles’ audio system controls.
The SSM states that to “correct the condition,” dealers should “reprogram the audio digital signal processing module (DSP) to the latest software level using the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part 18B849 and applicable labor operations in Section 10 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.”
What Audio Problems are Owners Experiencing?
The problems Ford Expedition owners are experiencing are exactly the same as those described by owners quoted in our earlier F-150 sound system post. All these vehicles appear to have the “award-winning” Bang & Olufsen Unleashed Sound System installed.
Same Sound System Issue as the Ford F-150
A 2022 Ford Expedition owner from Massachusetts states in an NHTSA complaint that her sound system issue is the same as that described in the F150 GEN14 forum.
She states that there was “Extremely loud max volume screeching static through the speakers.” She tried turning the car off and on several times. Then she tried turning the radio off, and switching to SiriusXM radio. But, “nothing would make it stop and it was completely unsafe to drive it like that. It was too loud to hear anything else over it (the noise) and it was so jarring. I now have a headache and I’m nervous to drive it for fear of it happening again. My husband had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop.”
Dealers Won’t Help Unless They Hear the Sound
An owner from Alabama complained to the NHTSA in May 2023 after experiencing the sound system issue four times.
“It initially started out where the 15.5-inch screen locked up and (there was) no radio.” He states that Bluetooth wouldn’t work and he wasn’t able to use climate control. “The dealer got to see this first hand and had no interest in investigating.”
From there the problem went from bad to worse. The next three times it happened, the owner describes hearing horrifying pop noises “and extremely loud static and popping like fireworks inside the car.” He states that “luckily” his wife was only driving on one of these occasions.
“The most recent time this happened as we were driving down the road and THANKFULLY no car was in the opposite lane as it caused me to jump and swerve because I thought we had been hit. This could have ended very badly under the wrong timing.” He was especially concerned because their 4-year-old child and infant were in the car and they “started screaming because it was ear piercing.
“After a little investigation I have come to see this is no new issue with the Ford Sync B&O sound system.” He discovered that some people had their amplifiers changed, at no charge, which seemed to solve the problem. “Sadly the two dealers in my area will not even look into it unless the problem is currently occurring. The bad part is that the next time it does occur could be detrimental to the life of my wife and kids!”
Loud Booming Noise Sounded Like a Crash
An owner from Indiana describes how, when traveling at low speed in a rural area, he heard a “loud booming sound followed by loud crackling coming from (the) speakers.” He thought he “was in an accident, and slammed on the brakes. No one was behind me, but if there was, the person may not have been able to stop.”
He went straight to a Ford dealership in an attempt to solve the problem. Someone from the service department “did something and the crackling finally stopped.” But “they could not diagnose the problem,” and returned the car to him a week later.
What Should You Do if Your Ford Expedition Has Speaker Issues?
If you think your 2022 Ford Expedition might be a lemon you could probably do with some help. Lemberg Law has helped many clients who found themselves with problem vehicles.
It’s a lot easier for an experienced lawyer to negotiate settlement deals with manufacturers than for owners with little or no knowledge.
All you need to do is fill in our contact form or call our Helpline, and we will do a free assessment. There are no costs involved because the law says Ford must pay the legal bills for all lemon law cases.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
