2003 Ford Expedition Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Expedition years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 33 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 615 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Expedition. That ranks 5th out of 33 Expedition model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (127 complaints, 21%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 57 crashes, 36 fires, 70 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 615owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 57complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Expedition problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 127 | 21% | 90,000 | “spark plug” (63%) | $3,400 |
| Electrical System problems | 104 | 17% | 96,453 | “fuse box” (17%) | $690 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 61 | 10% | 20,000 | “brake dust” (23%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 59 | 10% | 84,385 | “side air” (20%) | — |
| Tires problems | 57 | 9% | 34,500 | “continental contitrac” (21%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 50 | 8% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 44 | 7% | 154,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 37 | 6% | 18,250 | — | — |
| Structure | 32 | 5% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 21 | 3% | 153,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 20 | 3% | 129,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 3% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 20 | 3% | 17,493 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 3% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 3% | 101,179 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 14 | 2% | 64,162 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 14 | 2% | 116,785 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 2% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 11 | 2% | 60,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 9 | 1% | 29,900 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 1% | 115,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 7 | 1% | 116,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 1% | 18,747 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 0% | 136,500 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | 55,200 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 0% | 30 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 85,017 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 0% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 204,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Expedition recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure
Problem: Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Risk: This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began march 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My truck stopped working in November 2025. I was told I needed fuel pump and filter. I replaced those and still didn't crank. I was then told I needed a circuit box. Purchased a circuit box and had it put on. Got my truck back February 2026. March 08,2026, truck went out again. I kept my truck…
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and the front end of the vehicle was shaking abnormally, vibrating, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was…
Fuel leaking from emissions vents on fuel tank. Non reparable part.
My Ford Expedition started randomly stalling and it stalled in the highway. The engine just shut down in the middle of the highway and it was such a scary a life endangering experience. This total loss of power in the middle of the highway when vehicles are traveling at highway speeds can cause…
The brakes are burning while driving & the emergency brakes are not applied. The power windows are failing 1 by 1.
Other Ford Expedition years
← 2002 Expedition · 2004 Expedition →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Expedition | 0 | 2 |
| 2026 Expedition | 10 | 2 |
| 2025 Expedition | 37 | 6 |
| 2024 Expedition | 77 | 7 |
| 2023 Expedition | 65 | 8 |
| 2022 Expedition | 116 | 12 |
| 2021 Expedition | 237 | 12 |
| 2020 Expedition | 425 | 18 |
| 2019 Expedition | 517 | 11 |
| 2018 Expedition | 380 | 14 |
| 2017 Expedition | 357 | 4 |
| 2016 Expedition | 217 | 3 |
| 2015 Expedition | 164 | 3 |
| 2014 Expedition | 72 | 0 |
| 2013 Expedition | 92 | 0 |
| 2012 Expedition | 118 | 3 |
| 2011 Expedition | 71 | 0 |
| 2010 Expedition | 58 | 0 |
| 2009 Expedition | 28 | 1 |
| 2008 Expedition | 146 | 3 |
| 2007 Expedition | 215 | 2 |
| 2006 Expedition | 299 | 2 |
| 2005 Expedition | 315 | 0 |
| 2004 Expedition | 297 | 0 |
| 2003 | 615 | 1 |
| 2002 Expedition | 340 | 2 |
| 2001 Expedition | 578 | 6 |
| 2000 Expedition | 890 | 7 |
| 1999 Expedition | 946 | 5 |
| 1998 Expedition | 836 | 5 |
| 1997 Expedition | 853 | 7 |
| 1996 Expedition | 3 | 0 |
| 1995 Expedition | 1 | 0 |
See all Ford Expedition problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
Embed this 2003 Ford Expedition badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Expedition?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 127 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Expedition?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Ford Expedition a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Expedition model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.