2003 Ford Expedition Owner Complaints

My truck stopped working in November 2025. I was told I needed fuel pump and filter. I replaced those and still didn't crank. I was then told I needed a circuit box. Purchased a circuit box and had it put on. Got my truck back February 2026. March 08,2026, truck went out again. I kept my truck maintenance and don't understand what's going on with it. I was told it is a recall on electrical parts and engine coils and spark plugs.

NHTSA ID

11722874

Incident

Mar 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and the front end of the vehicle was shaking abnormally, vibrating, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was a loud booming sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the spark plug had ejected from the engine cylinder. The engine cylinder was rethreaded, and the spark plug was installed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 230,000.

NHTSA ID

11642012

Incident

Jul 11, 2024

Mileage

230,000 mi

Fuel leaking from emissions vents on fuel tank. Non reparable part.

NHTSA ID

11587033

Incident

May 5, 2024

My Ford Expedition started randomly stalling and it stalled in the highway. The engine just shut down in the middle of the highway and it was such a scary a life endangering experience. This total loss of power in the middle of the highway when vehicles are traveling at highway speeds can cause death very, very easily to the occupants of the Ford Expeditions suffering this defect. I have been reading in many forums ( I have included the link to one of many forums) this is a common defect [XXX] ) many have Ford Expedition owners have experienced and have been very concerned and shocked that there was not recall. The issue is that the R303 relay (non serviceable fuel pump relay) fails very commonly on Ford Expeditions. In my Ford Expedition, the relay was melted. The fuel pump relay fails and cuts all current going to the fuel pump causing the engine to stall. This is a life-threatening risk caused by a defective fuse box with a defective fuel pump relay (R303). There were no warnings, the Ford Expedition just stalled randomly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11566561

Incident

Dec 7, 2023

The brakes are burning while driving & the emergency brakes are not applied. The power windows are failing 1 by 1.

NHTSA ID

11559141

Incident

Dec 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine was misfiring, and the contact smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his residence. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on five occasions where it was diagnosed that water was leaking into the ignition coil. The independent mechanic installed silicon around the boot to prevent water from leaking into the coils; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact it was not a known failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 196,000.

NHTSA ID

11491056

Incident

Dec 26, 2017

Mileage

196,000 mi

bought truck 3/2/22 from Gold cAuto In troy NY. 3/7/22 went to take kids to school 2.5 inches of water set in my weather guard mats. seats soaked console everything in front cab reversed to pull out spot and water starting pouring on my and my kids from sides in pass sides front and the front windshield area omgand the sun roof was worst.kids had to go in myslef too it was snow still out.so that dayi oh sunroof needs to be blown out i said well that right frontdoor sounds open when its shut . same night i picked it up said all was good to go and his guy didn't hear any issues with door. the next snow it was worst this was about toward end of march. i called back around 3/15 said its still leaking dude i just want my money back for real and we are good, he said no doesnt work liek that said all his winshield guy he would take a lok at it and tell hijm ihe sent me. did that talked to the guy said he woudl call me the next day week went by so i called him back long story short he said he wasnt fixing it josh the dealer never pays him , i understood. called talked joshgoldstien told him he said well u just have to bring it in and let me have it for a few days he knows i could NOT NOT do that .leave because by now im having to leave apt and in hotel w/2 kids and im not even from here i know nobody. kids have to bev icked up ad dropped off no buses. i didnt and dont trust his people by this time so i didnt it comes out now the truck is dangerous the airbag on right side light has been von since i bought he said it was old truck it was fine no its busted the air bag. the right front seatbelt now is broke it would have to be completely replaced this in 2.5 months. then find truck is like flintstones the front cab from yrs i guess leaking is gone LITERALLY my 5 yr old fits the cab from underneath its should have never been inspec. the day i bought vthe refused to trade or give refund cussed and screamed at me whenever i came lights turnoff at night form damage nooil

NHTSA ID

11471391

Incident

Mar 30, 2022

This vehicle has a faulty engine. The aluminum that Ford used to create the top end is too thin to support the pressure of the engine. As a result spark plugs explode from the engine at random with no warning. This has happened 5 times even after replacing all spark plugs, numerous coils and having kits installed by a mechanic sold by Ford to address the issue. $475 per kit from Ford. This is an enormous safety issue. The last one that blew out was on the highway with my two toddlers in the car.

NHTSA ID

11450943

Incident

Oct 28, 2021

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED TO MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, FOLLOWED BY CONTINUOUS POPPING LOUD POPPING NOISE LIKE A BROKEN EXHAUST MUFFLER, SOUNDED LIKE A MOTORCYCLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, FOUND OUT THAT THE #3 SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT (EJECTED) OF THE HEAD CYLINDER, BROKE THE SPARK IGNITION COIL. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I SMELLED FUEL, AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, SO I DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR AND TOWED THE CAR HOME. I HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL AND SPARK PLUG AND REINSTALLED THE SPARK PLUG BUT IT SEEMED TO BE STILL LOOSE, SO I TOOK IT OUT AND PUT THREAD LOCK AND REINSTALLED IT BUT DID NOT TIGHTEN IT TO THE MAX AND DID NOT START THE CAR TILL AFTER 24 HOURS SO THE THREAD LOCK WILL HOLD IT IN PLACE. YESTERDAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO #8 SPARK PLUG, IT ALSO BROKE THE COIL, AND WHEN I TRIED TO INSTALL THE NEW SPARK PLUG, FOUND OUT THAT THE THREADS ON THE HEAD CYLINDER WILL NOT GRAB THE SPARK PLUG, AND NOW I AM STUCK WITHOUT A CAR. WHEN I ASKED AROUND, PEOPLE SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE FORD EXPEDTION. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD KILL SOMEONE IF THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, BECAUSE I SMELLED GAS AND SMOKE. IF THIS IS A COMMON DANGEROUS PROBLEM ON THE FORD EXPEDTION, HOW COME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT???? ARE WE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE DUE TO ENGINE / VEHICLE FIRE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE ASAP AND LET FORD FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SPARK PLUGS EJECTING OUT LIKE THIS? I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE ONLY 4 THREADS ON THE HEAD CYLINDER HOLDING THE PARK PLUG, BUT THE SPARK PLUG HAS 10 OR 11 THREADS AND OFCOURSE ONLY 4 OF THOSE THREADS ARE BEING HELD BY THE HEAD CYLINDER. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WAITING TO HURT OR KILL SOMEONE, PLEASE ASK FORD TO FIX THIS BIG PROBLEM, THANK YOU....

NHTSA ID

11447639

Incident

Jan 14, 2022

Faulty fuse panel. This is a known issue. It is ALL over the internet. There has never been a recall. The vehicle will stall while driving. On attempting restart or crank, there is a buzzing noise from the fuse panel. The pcm #203 I believe, corrodes or melts through the board on the panel causing the fault. Replacing the fuse/relay will correct, but for a time. Panel replacement is required. First incident at 165k. Second incident at about 205k. After the last panel replacement, the vehicle continued to stall. Another faulty fuse, for the day running lamps, caused a fault, which melted the housing between the panel and the wiring harness. The screw attachment is "crunchy" because of the melted elements. The smell is noticeable, and the panel requires replacement again. Third incident about 246k. This is a fire hazard. The wiring harness is hot to the touch. Being a KNOWN issue, having discussed on various socials and with ford dealer techs, this should have been recalled ages ago.

NHTSA ID

11420216

Incident

Jun 1, 2014

THIS SUV STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. IT WAS CAUSED BY A FAULT IN THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL PUMP RELAY. PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11388658

Incident

Jan 15, 2021

Mileage

205,000 mi

FUEL PUMP RELAY SHORTED OUT IN MOTION. HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS. STEERING LOCKS UP ENGINE JUST DIES IN MOTION. SUPER DANGEROUS AND SCARY REPLACED FUSE BOX AND SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. NO POWER STEERING ENGINE JUST DIES IN MOTION. SO SCARY ON HIGHWAY 75 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11373099

Incident

Sep 20, 2016

Mileage

156,000 mi

LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHEN USING AUTO CONTROL, SINCE THIS IS AN 03' I BELIEVE HEADLIGHT CONTROL UNIT IS BAD AS THIS SAME UNIT WAS RECALLED ON MY 03' CROWN VICTORIA

NHTSA ID

11364900

Incident

Oct 17, 2020

Mileage

199,000 mi

FUEL TANK VAPOR RECOVERY UNIT DEVELOPED A CRACK DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS IN PLASTIC WELD, PERMITTING GASOLINE VAPOR AND GASOLINE FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE FUEL TANK IN AN UNCONTROLLED AND UNSAFE WAY. THE PROBLEM MANIFESTED AS A FUEL VAPOR LEAK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A 0-DEGREE SURFACE (LEVEL SURFACE) AND AS A CONTINUOUS FUEL DRIP WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A 10-DEGREE DOWNSLOPE, WITH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE POINTED DOWN-HILL.

NHTSA ID

11338287

Incident

Jul 7, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY FUSE AND RELAY PANEL HAS A DEFECT AND NOW MY TRUCK WON'T START. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330232

Incident

Jun 22, 2020

Mileage

186,000 mi

WAS DRIVING CAR HAD AT LEAST 80 MILES WHEN CAR CUT OFF AT LIGHT IN WOULD NOT COME BACK ON SO I HAD REPLACED FUEL PUMP ONLY TO FIND OUT MY FUSE BOX ISN'T READING MY FUEL RELAYS FROM THE BURNING RELAYS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327392

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

130,989 mi

AS MY FIANCE WAS COMING FROM WORK THE CAR SUDDENLY JUST QUIT ON HIM WHILE DOING 75 MPH. HE GUIDED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO A COMPLETE STOP. HE TRIED TO CRANK THE CAR AGAIN TO ONLY HEARING A BUZZING SOUND. THE FIRST MECHANIC THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER SO HE CHANGED IT OUT. THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START BUT KEPT MAKING THE BUZZING SOUND. THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AGAIN TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS TOLD ME TO CHANGE MY RELAY SWITCH I DID STILL HASN'T STARTED UP YET. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING UP FOR THREE WEEKS NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

11321046

Incident

Mar 10, 2020

Mileage

190,035 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11289948

Incident

May 1, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUSE BOX FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 85 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED, AND THE FUSE BOX MADE A BUZZING SOUND. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, REACHED UNDER THE DASHBOARD, AND PULLED THE RELAY FUSE TO STOP THE BUZZING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS BURNED. ANOTHER MECHANIC CAME ALSO CAME TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND INFORMED HER THAT THE FUSE RELAY AND THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED ANDERSON FORD (3900 CLEMSON BLVD, ANDERSON, SC 29621, (864) 225-4151) AND WAS PROVIDED WITH A QUOTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE FUEL PUMP/FILTER, 402 SENSORS, AND FUSE RELAYS WERE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 236,000. *DT *TR

NHTSA ID

11266998

Incident

Jun 5, 2019

Mileage

236,000 mi

KEEPS BLOWING THE FUEL PUMP REPLY. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REPLY 4 TIMES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. AFTER REMOVING THE REPLY FROM THE FUSE PANEL AND LOOKING AT THE PORT IT IS BURNING BOTH FUSE AND FUSE PANEL.THIS HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE RUNNING AND WHEN THE FUSE BLOWS IT KILLS THE VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET

NHTSA ID

11265641

Incident

Sep 29, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES, FIRST TIME STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN FOOT WAS PUT ONTO GAS TO GO VEHICLE INSTANTLY LOST POWER WITH NO STUTTERING OR STALLING AND HAD TO PUT IN PARK TURN KEY OVER TO GO AGAIN. SECOND TIME, GOING 65 DOWN THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACTED LIKE IT LOST POWER AND SPEED DECREASED, PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY AND PUT IN PARK AND STARTED RIGHT UP. THIRD TIME, GOING 65 DOWN HIGHWAY STARTED TO ACT LIKE IT WAS LOSING POWER AND SHOWED DASH LIGHTS AS IF ALL POWER WAS CUT SHORT AND THEN GAINED ALL POWER BACK WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL OVER AND RESTART.

NHTSA ID

11253937

Incident

Aug 16, 2019

Mileage

248,000 mi

I HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH MY 03 FORD EXPEDITION SHUTTING OF RANDOMLY IT IS VERY DANGEROUS ON HIGHWAYS YOU LOSE POWER STEERING AND ALL POWER TO MOTOR ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS MANY TIMES I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT ALL RELATES TO THE FUSE BOX PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL SO MANY PEOPLE CAN GET HURT OR EVEN KILLED

NHTSA ID

11245286

Incident

Apr 1, 2018

Mileage

25 mi

THE TRUCK WOULD JUST TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 55 OR 60 MILES AN HOUR , NO STEERINGWAS ON HIGHWAY ,NO BRAKES PUT IN NEURAL TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD WITH CARS ALL AROUND ME .THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES, THEN IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL WHEN FULLED UP WITH GAS, HAD TO BE TOWED, THEN WHEN I WAS DOWN TO 1/4 TANK ,WOULD NOT TURN OVER, HAD GAS IN IT TOO, BUT WOULD NOT START, HAD TO BE TOWED IN SHOP NOW AGAIN 3RD TIME ,HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR AGAR GOING OFF HAD SENOR REPLACED STILL COMES UP

NHTSA ID

11231014

Incident

Jul 8, 2019

Mileage

250,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND. THE SOUND WAS A DISTRACTION TO THE CONTACT'S DRIVING. THE VEHICLE SHOOK FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE RIDE TO THE END AND THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11221525

Incident

Jun 19, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, WHEN UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY, IT MOVED THE SIDEVIEW MIRRORS AND NEVER MOVWS BACK. I PUT THE MIRRORS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG AND EVERY FOLLOWING TIME WHEN I UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY FOB, IT CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THIS WAY.

NHTSA ID

11205517

Incident

May 3, 2019

Mileage

204,000 mi