Vehicles › Ford › Ford Expedition
2003 Ford Expedition
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2003 Ford Expedition, concerning structure, and 591 consumer complaints received since 2002.
The component named most often is engine and engine cooling: 170.2 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 77.7 per 1,000 across all 2003 model-year vehicles and against 133 per 1,000 for the Ford Expedition line as a whole.
That is more than the average of 183.7 complaints per model year across the 36 Ford Expedition model years on this register; 55 complaints reported a crash and 34 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2003 (83); the most recent in the file is dated 3 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 1 investigation naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: 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 overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Consequence: This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Remedy: 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 not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact southern comfort at 1-800-745-6096.
Filed by SOUTHERN COMFORT CONVERSIONS.
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2003 Ford Expedition (black) against all 2003 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2003 | Expedition line | All 2003 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 170.2 | 133 | 77.7 |
| Electrical System | 118.7 | 123 | 123.7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 88.4 | 48.2 | 58.7 |
| Air Bags | 76.5 | 35.6 | 82.2 |
| Tires | 75.2 | 81.8 | 20.4 |
| Power Train | 67.3 | 73.8 | 121 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 129 | 170.2 | 133 | 77.7 |
| Electrical System | 90 | 118.7 | 123 | 123.7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 67 | 88.4 | 48.2 | 58.7 |
| Air Bags | 58 | 76.5 | 35.6 | 82.2 |
| Tires | 57 | 75.2 | 81.8 | 20.4 |
| Power Train | 51 | 67.3 | 73.8 | 121 |
| Visibility | 41 | 54.1 | 55.5 | 40.1 |
| Engine | 35 | 46.2 | 46.2 | 27.3 |
| Structure | 31 | 40.9 | 41.6 | 62 |
| Suspension | 20 | 26.4 | 60.2 | 57.2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 26.4 | 83.4 | 42 |
| Steering | 19 | 25.1 | 36.1 | 47.3 |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 23.7 | 22.2 | 20.2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 22.4 | 23.6 | 36.5 |
| Seat Belts | 14 | 18.5 | 17.4 | 12.9 |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 17.2 | 12.1 | 30.5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 13 | 17.2 | 15 | 14.3 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 11 | 14.5 | 9.6 | 12.6 |
| Seats | 10 | 13.2 | 8.4 | 13.9 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 10 | 13.2 | 3 | 2.9 |
| Equipment | 7 | 9.2 | 16.2 | 21.5 |
| Wheels | 6 | 7.9 | 18.1 | 10.8 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 7.9 | 11.8 | 34.7 |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 5.3 | 3.1 | 2 |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3.1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 3 | 4 | 5.4 | 7.4 |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.4 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
591 unique complaints, 758 component mentions; 70 injuries and 3 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP05005 | Defect petition | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | engine and engine cooling:engine | 22 Sep 2005 | 4 Jan 2006 | — |
Other Ford Expedition model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1993 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1994 NHTSA | 0 | 4 | — |
| 1995 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1996 NHTSA | 0 | 3 | — |
| 1997 | 7 | 847 | 7,668,883 |
| 1998 | 5 | 833 | 7,472,437 |
| 1999 | 5 | 944 | 5,123,889 |
| 2000 | 7 | 882 | 7,466,218 |
| 2001 | 6 | 565 | 7,481,942 |
| 2002 | 2 | 331 | 4,503,674 |
| 2003 | 1 | 591 | 3,674 |
| 2004 | 0 | 277 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | 309 | — |
| 2006 | 2 | 292 | 210,003 |
| 2007 | 2 | 198 | 180,831 |
| 2008 | 3 | 126 | 123,835 |
| 2009 NHTSA | 1 | 24 | 1,357 |
| 2010 | 0 | 49 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 52 | — |
| 2012 | 3 | 74 | 164,650 |
| 2013 | 0 | 42 | — |
| 2014 NHTSA | 0 | 18 | — |
| 2015 | 3 | 58 | 1,815,628 |
| 2016 | 3 | 42 | 1,850,763 |
| 2017 | 4 | 27 | 1,974,374 |
| 2018 | 14 | 19 | 3,077,037 |
| 2019 | 11 | 3 | 3,269,466 |
| 2020 | 18 | 0 | 4,821,102 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 | 4,037,713 |
| 2022 | 12 | 0 | 9,269,618 |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 7,421,932 |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | 6,314,792 |
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | 4,740,952 |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 4,423,626 |
| 2027 | 2 | 0 | 4,423,626 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Ford Expedition model years · Ford: 201 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2003 Ford Expedition have?
1 NHTSA recall campaign name this model year; the most recent, 03V094000, was reported to NHTSA on 7 Mar 2003 and concerns structure. Across all model years the Ford Expedition line has 77 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2003 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 1 action naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2003 Ford Expedition complain about most?
Engine and Engine Cooling: 129 of 758 component mentions (170.2 per 1,000). Next is electrical system with 90. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.