2003 Ford F-350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-350 years
- Fewer complaints than other years 15th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford F-350. That ranks 15th out of 24 F-350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (19 complaints, 21%), typically at around 15,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 8 fires, 7 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 90owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford F-350 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 | 19 | 21% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 14% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 12% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 8% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 8% | 63,800 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 7% | 36,620 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 6% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 4% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 17,250 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 4% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 4% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 3% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 3 | 3% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | 196,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 75,750 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 63,800 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford F-350 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights; exterior lighting:tail lights
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.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Problem: On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with 6.0l diesel engines, the engine ground stud that attaches the negative battery terminal eyelet to the engine block may be loose.
Risk: If the ground wire is loose, electrical current may flow to the radio suppression strap causing it to heat and potentially melt or ignite adjacent components which could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine ground stud and the radio suppression strap and adjacent components will be inspected for damage and replaced, if necessary. The recall began on july 23, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
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.
- Engine stalling (PE04070) — opened Oct 7, 2004, closed Feb 15, 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.
When the 03 Ford F350 dually, is placed in Park, it will just roll away!
I was under the truck working on it and the truck was on I had the emergency brake on and the truck went into reverse and ran me over
The wires for the camshaft position sensor are failing just like they have in others models of the f series and cause the truck to suddenly die while driving. There was already a recall in place but it doesn't cover this vin and so I would like to request the recall be extended to this trucks vin
As i am sure you must be aware of this issue: i purchased used a 2003 ford -f350. I had many issues and had worked most of them out. There were many issues that were possible i was clearly unaware of. One being of utmost safety to myself and others. My high pressure oil pump located inside the…
Just driving on highway 41 and it just stopped. Engine went dead. Pulled over to side of road and tried starting again and it wouldnt start. Had to get it towed. Its been in shop for 20 days. Needs a new fuel tank because the inner lining is peeling and particles are going through engine! Need help…
Other Ford F-350 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 F-350 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 F-350 | 91 | 0 |
| 2013 F-350 | 76 | 1 |
| 2012 F-350 | 149 | 4 |
| 2011 F-350 | 136 | 4 |
| 2010 F-350 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 F-350 | 28 | 2 |
| 2008 F-350 | 131 | 8 |
| 2007 F-350 | 36 | 3 |
| 2006 F-350 | 145 | 3 |
| 2005 F-350 | 114 | 3 |
| 2004 F-350 | 159 | 2 |
| 2003 | 90 | 2 |
| 2002 F-350 | 116 | 2 |
| 2001 F-350 | 160 | 5 |
| 2000 F-350 | 304 | 4 |
| 1999 F-350 | 413 | 12 |
| 1998 F-350 | 12 | 1 |
| 1997 F-350 | 155 | 3 |
| 1996 F-350 | 130 | 3 |
| 1995 F-350 | 134 | 2 |
See all Ford F-350 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 F-350?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford F-350?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Ford F-350 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-350 model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.