Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Expedition submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
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
I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR POPPED, SPUTTERED AND DIED. HAS STEADILY GOTTEN MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. ENGINE DIES AT IDLE, DIES AT SLOW SPEEDS AS WELL AS FASTER SPEEDS. VERY DANGEROUS! HAVE REPLACED THE PCM, WIRING HARNESS, AND FUEL PUMP. IS NOT REPAIRED. POWER MIRRORS READJUST THEMSELVES WHEN THE KEYLESS ENTRY IS USED. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS STAY ON, DOOR AJAR, CHECK FUEL CAP, ADVATRAC WILL NOT TURN ON. REAR WINDOW WILL NOT WORK. BACK UP SENSOR WILL NOT WORK. INTERIOR LIGHTS AS WELL AS EXTERIOR LIGHTING WILL NOT POWER OFF WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. YOU MUST MANUALLY TURN THEM OFF OR THE BATTERY DRAINS.CD PLAYER WILL NOT EJECT CD'S LOUD POPPING SOUND IN THE FRONT END AND GRINDING SOUND WHEN STOPPING. I HAVE HAD THIS IN THE SHOP SINCE JUNE OF 2014 AND THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. HAVE ALREADY SPENT $1000 TRYING TO REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AND CAN VERY LIKELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. FORD AUTO SHOP WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 AN HOUR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THEN THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM, THEY ARE TELLING ME IT COULD COST BETWEEN $500-$1000 JUST TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CHECKED SEVERAL WEB SITES AND SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED FROM THE CAR STALLING!!! *TR
BULBS MELTING THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY INTERNALLY. THIS HAPPENED TO ORIGINAL AND RECENTLY REPLACED UNIT. BULBS WERE SEIZED TO THE PLASTIC MOUNTING AND MELTED/DEFORMED BOTH BULB MOUNTS AND REFLECTOR. UNIT IS NOW DEFECTIVE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY TURN OFF AND BACK WITHOUT WARNING. THE HEADLIGHT RELAY MADE A NOISE AS WELL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,000.
BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED CONSTANTLY. PADS WEAR VERY FAST. ROTORS WEAR EASILY AND NEED REPLACEMENT WITH PADS EACH TIME. WHEN BROUGHT TO HAVE ROTORS TURN, WAS TOLD THEY ARE MANUFACTURED WITH VERY LITTLE TOLERANCE AND COULD NOT BE TURNED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS MINIMAL VISIBLE WEAR. WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT "MIC" WITH ENOUGH RANGE TO TOLERATE THE CUT WHEN TURNING. ROTORS SHOULD NOT NEED REPLACEMENT WITH EACH BRAKE CHANGE. EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST. BRAKE DUST HAS EATEN AWAY AT FINISH ON RIMS. AFTER LAST BRAKE REPAIR, FRONT END NOW HAS A CLICKING SOUND. BRAKE PEDAL HAS ALWAYS FELT SPONGY. ON TWO OCCASIONS WITH AGGRESSIVE BRAKING CONDITIONS, BRAKES LOCKED UP. TOLD DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THIS IS NORMAL WITH THE FORD BRAKING SYSTEMS. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE FOG LAMP NOT STAYING LIT AND THE METAL REFLECTOR PIECE IN THE FOG LAMPS COMING LOOSE. WE ARE NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TWO (FRONT DRIVERS/REAR PASSENGERS) DOOR ELECTRIC LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING OR LOCKING THE DOORS. *TR
2003 FORD EXPEDITION HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM TO DRIVE SAFELY. HUSBAND HAS RETURNED VEHICLE TO FORD DEALER AND HAD THEM CHECKED, NOT LONG AFTER WE BOUGHT IT NEW. SERVICE DEPT SAYS HEADLIGHTS ARE FINE. BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE WITH THE DIMS ON, BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE FAR ENOUGH IN FRONT OF US. THE BRGHTS ARE FINE, JUST THE DIMS SEEM TO BE FAULTY. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE LIKE THAT WHEN THE CAR WAS BRAND NEW, SO IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT STARTED DETERIORATING WITH AGE. HUSBAND THOUGHT MAYBE THEY WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, AND HAD THEM CHECKED, BUT WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE. WE OWN A FORD ECONOLINE VAN AND A FORD F-150 PICKUP AND BOTH OF THE OTHER FORD VEHICLES HAVE MUCH BETTER VISIBILITY THAN OUR 2003 EXPEDITION. DUE TO MOUNTAIN DRIVING IN A RURAL AREA IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE FAR ENOUGH IN FRONT OF US TO AVOID HITTING ANIMALS. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE FAR ENOUGH IN FRONT OF US TO AVOID ROCKS IN THE ROAD OR EVEN DEER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN NIGHT DRIVING HERE. I AM ADDING A NUMBER IN THE FIELD (NUMBER OF FAILURES) THAT REALLY ISN'T ACCURATE BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED.
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE UNLOCKING THE DRIVER'S DOOR WITH THE AUTOMATIC SWITCH BOTH SIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY MOVE UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR MOTORS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB CONSUMER ADDS BOTH SIDE VIEW MIRRORS MOTORS REPLACED 2 TO 3 MORE TIMES. THE FOG LIGHT HOUSING REPLACED, REAR LIGHT COVERS REPLACED DUE TO MOISTURE, HEATER CORE SWITCH REPLACED FROM DASH. BRAKES SQUEALING WHEN APPLIED. TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND POWER STEERING PUMP WINDING. *TT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .