2003 Ford Explorer Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Explorer years
- More complaints than other years 14th of 33 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,131 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Explorer. That ranks 14th out of 33 Explorer model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (354 complaints, 31%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 60 crashes, 10 fires, 57 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 1,131owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 60complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Explorer 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 problems | 354 | 31% | 70,000 | “lift gate” (18%) | $700 |
| Power Train problems | 335 | 30% | 77,000 | “rear axle” (8%) | $4,000 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 69 | 6% | 50,000 | “timing chain” (10%) | $510 |
| Suspension problems | 63 | 6% | 72,203 | “wheel bearing” (24%) | $970 |
| Visibility problems | 57 | 5% | 67,000 | “rear window” (32%) | — |
| Wheels problems | 56 | 5% | 91,500 | “lug nuts” (23%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 54 | 5% | 51,475 | “door ajar” (17%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 50 | 4% | 102,517 | “air bag” (36%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 4% | 99,577 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 37 | 3% | 51,090 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 31 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 27 | 2% | 99,250 | — | — |
| Engine | 22 | 2% | 145,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 17 | 2% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 15 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 14 | 1% | 51,590 | — | — |
| Seats | 12 | 1% | 51,677 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 1% | 35,998 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 1% | 94,415 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 5 | 0% | 72,450 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 0% | 158,526 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 0% | 72,450 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 0% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 2 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 48,065 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 72,450 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Explorer recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the liftgate glass strut may become disengaged or the hinge may fracture allowing the glass to fall and possibly break.
Risk: If the hinge should fracture, there is a potential for the glass to fall and ultimately break and personal injuries could occur.
Fix: Dealers will have the liftgate glass strut brackets and glass hinges replaced. For the vehicles built from august 1, 2000 through march 3, 2002, the dealers will replace the hinges and liftgate strut bracket. On vehicles built from march 3, 2002 through june 23, 2003, the dealers will only replace the hinges. The recall began on september 30, 2004. A postcard was sent to owners on december 27, 2004, advising them that parts are now available. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
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
- Vehicle Rollaway Allegations (EA09013) — opened Aug 18, 2009, closed Feb 12, 2013.
- 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.
The contact rented a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the seat warmer activated, after arriving at a Rest Stop and exiting the vehicle, the contact became aware that a blister had formed on the back of her left thigh. The contact attributed the…
There is a crack down the middle section of the liftgate for quite some time. The liftgate has been unlocking and opening automatically by itself. On only rare occasions has the liftgate opened all the way while driving. On the morning of 7/28/2022 while the vehicle was parked in my driveway the…
Head lights are cloudy given poor visibility. Back hatch door has a crack.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25-35 MPH around a curb, the driver thought that the tire was flat. The contact pulled off the road and noticed that three of the wheel studs on the driverâs side rear wheel had sheared off. The vehicle…
Hello my name is [XXX] just writing you cause my neighbors have program my vehicle meaning they hack my 2003 explore pretty much they want to take over my driving they trying to dominate me in this matter when in reality is not going to be possible that's why I come to your people's corporate plus…
Other Ford Explorer years
← 2002 Explorer · 2004 Explorer →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Explorer | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 Explorer | 42 | 14 |
| 2025 Explorer | 103 | 20 |
| 2024 Explorer | 21 | 10 |
| 2023 Explorer | 110 | 15 |
| 2022 Explorer | 269 | 24 |
| 2021 Explorer | 442 | 26 |
| 2020 Explorer | 1,232 | 33 |
| 2019 Explorer | 299 | 6 |
| 2018 Explorer | 733 | 7 |
| 2017 Explorer | 1,699 | 13 |
| 2016 Explorer | 2,461 | 14 |
| 2015 Explorer | 1,806 | 8 |
| 2014 Explorer | 1,679 | 6 |
| 2013 Explorer | 2,236 | 11 |
| 2012 Explorer | 829 | 5 |
| 2011 Explorer | 1,197 | 6 |
| 2010 Explorer | 115 | 1 |
| 2009 Explorer | 33 | 0 |
| 2008 Explorer | 148 | 1 |
| 2007 Explorer | 208 | 1 |
| 2006 Explorer | 630 | 1 |
| 2005 Explorer | 497 | 0 |
| 2004 Explorer | 1,304 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1,131 | 2 |
| 2002 Explorer | 3,295 | 4 |
| 2001 Explorer | 375 | 6 |
| 2000 Explorer | 952 | 9 |
| 1999 Explorer | 1,348 | 9 |
| 1998 Explorer | 1,959 | 9 |
| 1997 Explorer | 1,731 | 7 |
| 1996 Explorer | 1,450 | 6 |
| 1995 Explorer | 843 | 5 |
See all Ford Explorer 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?
Owners most often report structure, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 354 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Explorer?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Ford Explorer a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Explorer model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.