Worst 2003 Ford F-150 Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Ford F-150.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 34 | 1 | 10 | 87,614 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 32 | — | — | 104,749 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 29 | 4 | 5 | 167,616 mi | |
| ENGINE | 27 | — | 6 | 142,273 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 23 | — | 1 | 91,683 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 21 | 14 | 2 | 178,920 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 20 | — | 2 | 150,006 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 18 | 3 | 6 | 151,019 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 17 | — | — | 102,624 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 16 | 1 | 3 | 89,241 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 15 | 2 | 1 | 73,274 mi | |
| TIRES | 13 | 2 | — | 55,096 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 11 | — | — | 30,752 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 10 | — | — | 101,499 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | 10 | — | — | 52,457 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 10 | — | — | 89,579 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 9 | 6 | — | 61,850 mi | |
| STRUCTURE | 8 | — | — | 82,946 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 8 | — | — | 49,100 mi | |
| WHEELS | 8 | 1 | — | 103,850 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 7 | 3 | — | 11,316 mi | |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 7 | — | — | 79,275 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 6 | 6 | — | 5,750 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 6 | 1 | — | 48,667 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 5 | — | — | 74,625 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 5 | — | — | 107,000 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 5 | — | — | 80,761 mi | |
| STEERING | 5 | — | — | 81,717 mi | |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 5 | 1 | — | 75,801 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT | 4 | — | — | 26,750 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Ford F-150. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2003 Ford F-150
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,100,000 vehicles.
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150, 2004 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150 HERITAGE, 1997 THROUGH 1999 MODEL YEAR F-250 LESS THAN 8,500 LBS. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR), AND 2002 AND 2003 LINCOLN BLACKWOOD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 20, 1995, THROUGH AUGUST 4, 2004, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD DEICING CHEMICALS MAY CAUSE SEVERE CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH SECURE THE TANK TO THE VEHICLE.
Other Ford F-150 Years
Wider context: See the full Ford F-150 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Ford F-150
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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