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2003 Ford F-150Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 423 owner complaints about the 2003 Ford F-150, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

2003 Ford F-150
65
CarFlaw IndexSolid year46% below the F-150 median · #29 of 42 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints423106 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage93kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 18, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Ford F-150 has problems

423 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling691
Power train628
Electrical system4716
Vehicle speed control329
Structure324
Air bags2925
Engine287
Tires213
Fuel/propulsion system202
18 other systems15320

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

4 recalls

2003 Ford F-150 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

Tank assembly: mounting

Recall 11V-385 · Jul 29, 2011 · 1,100,000 vehicles

Risk. AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME CASES, CAUSING THE TANK TO CONTACT THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Gear box: shaft pitman

Recall 03V-349 · Sep 22, 2003 · 300 vehicles

Risk. IF THE PITMAN ARM TO GEARBOX ATTACHMENT NUT LOOSENS, A NOISE AND A LOOSE FEEL IN THE STEERING COULD OCCUR.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

93kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 59 engine and engine cooling complaints. 61% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
11under 30k miles36under 100k miles23100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

21 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $400 – $3,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other F-150 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 F-150 median. How we score

'73'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2003 Ford F-150 safety ratings

2003 Ford F-150 2-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2003 Ford F-150 side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Ford F-150, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. Fuel Tank Strap Failure Due to CorrosionEA11006 · closed Aug 19, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-385
  3. CNG REGULATOR LEAKPE08063 · closed Feb 27, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What F-150 owners report

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

ANOTHER CRACKED PASSENGER SIDE MANIFOLD ON REGULARLY SERVICED VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD ISSUE RECALL OR PROVIDE "GOODWILL" BASED ON THE NUMBER OF FAILED COMPONENTS BEING REPORTED BY FORD OWNERS. *TR
Complaint 10660425 · Nov 24, 2014 · 120,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXHAUST FUMES WERE PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED…
Complaint 10638705 · Sep 24, 2014 · 80,000 miles
MY 2003, FORD F-150 BLEW A SPARK PLUG FOR THE FOURTH TIME YESTERDAY. EACH TIME A DIFFERENT PLUG. I WAS HEADING TO CHURCH AND "POP". WE WERE JUST GETTING ON THE ON RAMP WHEN IT HAPPEN. FOUR TIME NOW AND EACH TIME I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. RIGHT NOW I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT AND IT'S SITTING IN…
Complaint 10631545 · Sep 8, 2014 · 160,000 miles

Own a 2003 F-150?

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