2003 Ford Explorer Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer Sport years
- Fewer complaints than other years 6th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport. That ranks 6th out of 9 Explorer Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (25 complaints, 38%), typically at around 104,500 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 65owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Explorer Sport 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 25 | 38% | 104,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 10 | 15% | 68,843 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 11% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 8% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 6% | 5,251 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 6% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 6% | 119,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 6% | 24,626 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 5% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 5% | 23,769 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 3% | 92,031 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 3% | 63,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 3% | 103,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 167,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 65,420 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 42,371 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | 132,012 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 160,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Explorer Sport recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport.
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
- Vehicle rollaway allegations (PE09020) — opened Apr 21, 2009, closed Aug 19, 2009.
- 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.
Was closing back hatch and glass window literally exploded! Vehicle was parked in my yard.
The transmission is shot i cant put it in gear and me and my husband were almost killed but were able to put it in 2nd gear to roll it to the shop. The 4wheel drive got stuck in 4 wheel low and would not shift at all. When we turned the car on it would rev up to 5 but only go 2 miles an hour.
"takata recall" airbag light keeps blinking with the seat belt noise. Changed the light bulb from the dash board and now the airbag light stays on but will not connect with mileage.
Body mounts deteriorated crumpled.body down on frame causing irregular ride control
Car has an intermittent problem and will stall and both high and low speeds, or when idling. When this happens and power assist fails, it's almost impossible to steer or to brake posing a serious risk to safety. This first starting happening about once a week last november, and now it's pretty…
Other Ford Explorer Sport years
← 2002 Explorer Sport · 2004 Explorer Sport →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Explorer Sport | 5 | 0 |
| 2004 Explorer Sport | 18 | 0 |
| 2003 | 65 | 0 |
| 2002 Explorer Sport | 133 | 3 |
| 2001 Explorer Sport | 188 | 5 |
| 2000 Explorer Sport | 71 | 1 |
| 1999 Explorer Sport | 93 | 0 |
| 1998 Explorer Sport | 121 | 0 |
| 1997 Explorer Sport | 37 | 0 |
See all Ford Explorer Sport problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport?
Owners most often report structure, visibility, visibility/wiper problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 25 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer Sport model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.