2003 Ford F-150 Reliability
The 2003 Ford F-150 has 464 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby F-150 model years (2001–2005), it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the F-150's typical year, while the 2004 drew 2,036 complaints.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
464
NHTSA owner complaints
11
Recall campaigns
45
Complaints citing a crash
39
Complaints citing a fire
2003 Ford F-150 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 | 74 | 16% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 71 | 15% |
| Electrical system | 60 | 13% |
| Speed control / throttle | 33 | 7% |
| Body structure | 32 | 7% |
| Air bags | 32 | 7% |
| Service brakes | 30 | 6% |
| Engine | 28 | 6% |
2003 Ford F-150 recalls
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03V349000 | Sep 22, 2003 | Steering — gear box / shaft pitman | On certain pickup trucks, the pitman arm to steering gear retaining nut was not fully tightened to the required specification. |
| 06E052000 | Jun 12, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain eagle eyes headlamps, p/nos. Fr208-b101r, fr208-b101l, fr208-b001r, and fr208-b001l, sold for use as replacement equipment for the passenger vehicles listed above. These headlamps fail to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor… |
| 06E056000 | Jun 13, 2006 | Fuel system | Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from January 16 through June 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube… |
| 06E067000 | Aug 1, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 331-1129l-asn and 331-1129r-asn, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor vehicle… |
| 07V078000 | Mar 6, 2007 | Speed control / throttle | On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat. |
| 07V336000 | Aug 3, 2007 | Speed control / throttle | On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn. |
| 07E066000 | Aug 28, 2007 | Equipment — electrical | Certain cequent 90 degree 7-way right angle adaptors sold by distributors in tow packages for aftermarket sales to tow 5th wheel rv travel trailers. Due to incorrect wiring of the harness, the trailer lights may not operate properly. |
| 08E050000 | Aug 11, 2008 | Exterior lighting — headlights | K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard… |
| 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… |
| 09E025000 | May 11, 2009 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 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… |
| 11V385000 | Jul 29, 2011 | Fuel system — storage / tank assembly / mounting | 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… |
How the 2003 compares with nearby F-150 years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year F-150 analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,340 | 19 | Engine & cooling | Caution |
| 2002 | 955 | 10 | Engine & cooling | Caution |
| 2003 (this page) | 464 | 11 | Engine & cooling | Solid |
| 2004 | 2,036 | 16 | Visibility / wipers | Avoid |
| 2005 | 1,121 | 14 | Visibility / wipers | Caution |
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 F-150
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 11 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 F-150 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 F-150 reliability FAQ
Is the 2003 Ford F-150 reliable?
The 2003 Ford F-150 has 464 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and powertrain / transmission. Compared with nearby F-150 model years (2001–2005), it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the F-150's typical year, while the 2004 drew 2,036 complaints.
What are the most common 2003 Ford F-150 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Ford F-150 are engine & cooling (74), powertrain / transmission (71), electrical system (60), speed control / throttle (33). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2003 Ford F-150 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2003 Ford F-150, including 03V349000 (steering — gear box / shaft pitman) and 06E052000 (exterior lighting — headlights). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2003 Ford F-150 compare with the 2002 and 2004 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2002 has 955 complaints and 10 recalls (caution); the 2004 has 2,036 complaints and 16 recalls (avoid). The 2003 has 464 complaints and 11 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2003 Ford F-150?
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 F-150 research
Other Ford F-150 model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2003 F-150, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.