2003 Ford E SeriesProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2003 Ford E Series, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)

Safety recalls2Free fix at dealers Owner complaints51 with a crash, fire or injury Typical failure mileage74kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 6, 2015. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Ford E Series has problems

5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

2Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury

1Power train

1Visibility

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling	2	1
Power train	1	0
Visibility	1	0

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2003 Ford E Series recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

no report yet

Engine: diesel

Recall 07V-553 · Dec 5, 2007 · 1,176,000 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Structure

Recall 03V-094 · Mar 7, 2003 · 3,674 vehicles

Risk. THIS OVERHEATING CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE RUNNING BOARD TO MELT OR CAUSE A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other E Series year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the E Series median. How we score

1 0 0 1 1 1 3 2 1 16 13 4 6 6 6 5 2 10 0 0 5

'73'78'80'87'89'90'93'94'95'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Ford E Series, and the recalls they led to.

Sep 22, 2005
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
No recall

In owners' words

What E Series owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAVE A FORD E350 4X4 VAN 2003. THERE HAS BEEN FUMES ACCUMULATING IN THE VAN WHEN DRIVING. I GET HEADACHES AND MY EYES TEAR AND MY FEEL SICK. I NOTICED THE FUMES INTENSELY ON 1.25.08 WHEN DRIVING HIGHWAY MILES IN COLD WEATHER AT A DISTANCE OF 2.5 HOURS AND 132 MILES ONE WAY AND 264 ROUND TRIP. THE…
Complaint 10216759 · Feb 2, 2008 · 70,000 miles

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD RATTLING SOUND AND STARTED TO LOOSE POWER, EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS BAD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SINCE MAY 21,…
Complaint 10194269 · Jun 26, 2007 · 77,000 miles

Own a 2003 E Series?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.