2003 Ford Expedition Problems, Recalls & Reliability
800 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Ford Expedition, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 61/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 100,535 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2003 Ford Expedition sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2007–2016, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2003 sits among all Expedition years
What owners report
“Driving normally. #3 spark plug blew out damaging ignition coil and ruining threads. This seems to be a frequent problem with these ford truck engines.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
“Sunroof leaks badly it has fuse box shorting out. When it rains my windows go up down alone. All lights shorted out and nothing working any longer”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
“Front brake rotors completely worn down after only 23,000 miles. Seems to be a chronic problem with this year/model.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
“While traveling at 65 to 70 mph, the vehicle developed a vibration. The dealer stated that the cause is bad tires. Scc”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
“Driving on a paved road in a school zone when at approximately 5 pm, when side airbags deployed. The bags deployed deflated. I was near a residential neighborhood so i pulled off the road and exited the vehicle. I was not hit nor did i hit anyone to cause the bags to deploy.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
“Humming noise from front differentials. Spring required to be added to front differential. Rear differential also had to be replaced due to parts missing from factory according to the dealer. All this happen within 2,000 miles of purchase on my 2003 ford expedition.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Expedition
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 564 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 82,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 34,400 and 129,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108,…
Fix: TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN…
Fix: POLI-AUTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS AT ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT POLI-AUTO AT 305-477-1356.
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS,…
Fix: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
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…
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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
152 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and electrical — are on file for the 2003 Ford Expedition. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2003 Expedition TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2003 Ford Expedition reliable?
The 2003 Ford Expedition drew 800 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 61/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2003 Ford Expedition problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Ford Expedition are engine (173 complaints), electrical (117), and brakes & stability (95).
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Expedition problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Ford Expedition problems around 82,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 34,400 and 129,000 miles.
Does the 2003 Ford Expedition have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2003 Ford Expedition. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.