2003 Ford Expedition Reliability
The 2003 Ford Expedition has 655 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and electrical system. Compared with nearby Expedition model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Expedition's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
655
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
58
Complaints citing a crash
38
Complaints citing a fire
2003 Ford Expedition complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 model year, filed between 2002 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 132 | 20% |
| Electrical system | 117 | 18% |
| Service brakes | 88 | 13% |
| Tires | 62 | 9% |
| Air bags | 61 | 9% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 59 | 9% |
| Engine | 44 | 7% |
| Visibility / wipers | 40 | 6% |
2003 Ford Expedition recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2003 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03V094000 | Mar 7, 2003 | Body structure | 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… |
| 06E023000 | Mar 13, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | 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,… |
| 06E025000 | Mar 21, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | 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… |
| 06E026000 | Mar 23, 2006 | Exterior lighting | 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… |
| 06E064000 | Jul 17, 2006 | Exterior lighting | 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,… |
| 09E012000 | Apr 7, 2009 | Exterior lighting | 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… |
How the 2003 compares with nearby Expedition years
Verdicts compare these Expedition model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 609 | 10 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2002 | 383 | 4 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2003 (this page) | 655 | 6 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2004 | 297 | 4 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2005 | 315 | 5 | Electrical system | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2003 Ford Expedition
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Tires: check tread depth and date codes, and look for uneven wear that points to alignment problems.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2003 Ford Expedition can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2003 Ford Expedition reliability FAQ
Is the 2003 Ford Expedition reliable?
The 2003 Ford Expedition has 655 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and electrical system. Compared with nearby Expedition model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Expedition's typical year.
What are the most common 2003 Ford Expedition problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Ford Expedition are engine & cooling (132), electrical system (117), service brakes (88), tires (62). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2003 Ford Expedition have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2003 Ford Expedition, including 03V094000 (body structure) and 06E023000 (exterior lighting — headlights). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2003 Ford Expedition compare with the 2002 and 2004 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2002 has 383 complaints and 4 recalls (avoid); the 2004 has 297 complaints and 4 recalls (caution). The 2003 has 655 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2003 Ford Expedition?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Ford Expedition research
Other Ford Expedition model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2003 Expedition, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.