2003 Ford F-150 Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2003 Ford F-150, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 93,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (45% of reports).
- 69engine and engine cooling complaints
- 93,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 59%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Spark plug: mentioned in 31 of 69 complaints (45%)
- Triton engine: mentioned in 5 of 69 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 2003 Ford F-150 at $1,200, and half of them between $620 and $4,750.
Based on 19 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 59 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 69 complaints, 1 a fire.
Ford F-150 engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 1 | 1% | 1,000 |
| 2024 F-150 | 4 | 2% | 15,135 |
| 2023 F-150 | 1 | 0% | 9,000 |
| 2022 F-150 | 3 | 1% | 30,000 |
| 2021 F-150 | 19 | 2% | 44,000 |
| 2020 F-150 | 11 | 1% | 81,557 |
| 2019 F-150 | 62 | 5% | 75,567 |
| 2018 F-150 | 88 | 4% | 71,662 |
| 2017 F-150 | 70 | 5% | 80,000 |
| 2016 F-150 | 30 | 1% | 80,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 24 | 1% | 107,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 10 | 1% | 131,300 |
| 2013 F-150 | 20 | 1% | 92,500 |
| 2012 F-150 | 17 | 1% | 13,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 33 | 2% | 8,250 |
| 2010 F-150 | 31 | 4% | 17,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 10 | 3% | 58,000 |
| 2008 F-150 | 22 | 6% | 26,670 |
| 2007 F-150 | 41 | 8% | 56,000 |
| 2006 F-150 | 77 | 13% | 58,507 |
| 2005 F-150 | 111 | 10% | 64,000 |
| 2004 F-150 | 167 | 8% | 76,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 69 | 16% | 93,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 196 | 24% | 82,000 |
| 2001 F-150 | 234 | 19% | 92,000 |
| 2000 F-150 | 135 | 13% | 87,000 |
| 1999 F-150 | 219 | 21% | 85,250 |
| 1998 F-150 | 174 | 13% | 94,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 529 | 19% | 99,250 |
| 1996 F-150 | 23 | 7% | 119,967 |
| 1995 F-150 | 71 | 11% | 138,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 2003 Ford F-150. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Ford F-150s have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 69 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2003 Ford F-150 (16% of the 423 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford F-150 engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 93,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 2003 Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $620 and $4,750), from 19 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2003 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 31 of 69 complaints, followed by “triton engine” (5).
Other 2003 Ford F-150 problems
- Power Train problems (62)
See all 2003 Ford F-150 problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all F-150 years.