2003 Ford F-250 SD Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 10, 2019 · 178 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other F-250 SD years
More complaints than other years 14th of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 178 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford F-250 SD. That ranks 14th out of 32 F-250 SD model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (72 complaints, 40%), typically at around 55,238 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 10 fires, 5 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2003 Ford F-250 SD problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine and Engine Cooling72 · ~55,238 mi
Power Train20 · ~50,000 mi
Tires18 · ~52,494 mi
Steering15 · ~45,000 mi
Electrical System14 · ~35,000 mi
Suspension10 · ~46,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control10 · ~14,000 mi
Fuel System, Diesel9 · ~16,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline9 · ~8,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8 · ~16,613 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine and Engine Cooling problems7240%55,238“spark plug” (21%)—
Power Train2011%50,000——
Tires1810%52,494——
Steering158%45,000——
Electrical System148%35,000——
Suspension106%46,000——
Vehicle Speed Control106%14,000——
Fuel System, Diesel95%16,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline95%8,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic84%16,613——
Equipment63%65,460——
Fuel/propulsion System63%116,500——
Unknown or Other53%98,000——
Structure42%38,000——
Engine21%105,000——
Exterior Lighting21%20,248——
Service Brakes21%111,000——
Electronic Stability Control11%1,249——
Parking Brake11%———
Seats11%14,296——
Service Brakes, Air11%3,000——
Visibility11%———
Wheels11%120,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2003, with 33 complaints
2003: 332003332004: 30302005: 122005122006: 17172007: 8200782008: 14142009: 102009102010: 19192011: 122011122012: 662013: 4201342014: 442015: 4201542016: 332018: 1201812019: 11

n = 178 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2003 Ford F-250 SD recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:brake lights; exterior lighting:tail lightsJul 13, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V352000 · 26,715 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.

Risk: Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on august 15, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Vehicle speed controlOct 13, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V399000 · 4,500,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.

Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.

Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.

Engine and engine cooling:engine:dieselDec 5, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V553000 · 1,176,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.

Risk: In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor free of charge. The recall began on december 29, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Vehicle speed controlMar 6, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V078000 · 155,584 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.

Risk: Overheating could result in smoke, burn, or an underhood fire.

Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on march 12, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. (note: also see recalls 05v017, 05v388, and 06v286)

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

  • Engine stalling (EA06012) — opened Jun 22, 2006, closed Dec 7, 2007, led to recall 07V553000.
  • Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
  • Engine stalling (EA05003) — opened Feb 15, 2005, closed Nov 2, 2005, led to recall 05V270000.
  • Engine stalling (PE04070) — opened Oct 7, 2004, closed Feb 15, 2005.
  • Accelerator pedal sensor (etc) (EA04006) — opened Feb 23, 2004, closed Feb 10, 2005.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-250 sd. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the fuel tank was hanging down. The contact looked underneath the vehicle and saw that the fuel tank strap was fractured and the fuel gauge was damaged. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Jul 10, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11230742

The rear fuel tank strap failed while traveling on a state highway.

Fuel/propulsion System · received Nov 11, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11150844

I have american eagle - 20 " eagle alloy wheels. They are approximately 24 months old. This summer a spoke cracked all the way through on one wheel. The dealer would not warranty it and i had to purchase a replacement. This week i noticed another of the wheels cracked all the way through. I have…

Wheels · received Dec 14, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10935359

I have had several problems with the spark plugs blowing out of motor and breaking coil causing it too leak fuel vapors out possibly causing a fire this has happened several times. Three different certified mechanics have advised this is caused to defect in the aluminum heads from factory not…

Electrical System · received Jun 1, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10871769

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-250 super duty. While attempting to use the cruise control, the vehicle speed function would not work. The contact stated that the switch became hot and failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vin…

Vehicle Speed Control · received Feb 9, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10825075

Other Ford F-250 SD years

← 2002 F-250 SD · 2004 F-250 SD →

See all Ford F-250 SD problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

Similar Ford models

Embed this 2003 Ford F-250 SD 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 F-250 SD?

Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, tires problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 72 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford F-250 SD?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2003 Ford F-250 SD a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-250 SD model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.