Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 74 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.
The 25 most recent of 74, in the owner's own words
5.4 LITER MOTOR BLOWS SPARK PLUGS OUT OF THE ENGINE, BECAUSE SOME MORON AT FORD DESIGNED AN ENGINE WITH 2 OR 3 THREADS PER PLUG PORT ON ALUMINUM HEADS. FORD IS PAYING A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT FOR MODEL YEARS 2004 - 2008, BUT MINE IS A 2003. THANKS FOR THE SCREW-JOB, FORD.
A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT WHILE ACELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN, THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. A SMELL OF UNBURNT FUEL WAS PRESENT WHILE DRIVING TO FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-250 SD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY SMOKE RESULTING IN A FIRE. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V553000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000. UPDATED 7/1/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO FIRE, JUST EXCESSIVE PRESSURE IN THE CRANKCASE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BLOW OIL OUT THE GLOW PLUG. UPDATED 03/31/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-250 SUPERDUTY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 108,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
THE TURBO ON THE LOW END STRUGGLES. EGR IS HAVING PROBLEMS. TRUCK HESITATES WHEN STARTING OFF, IT IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR WRECKS BECAUSE THE MOTOR HESITATES FROM TAKE OFF. TURNING OUT TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
THE TURBO ON THE LOW END STRUGGLES. EGR IS HAVING PROBLEMS. TRUCK HESITATES WHEN STARTING OFF, IT IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR WRECKS BECAUSE THE MOTOR HESITATES FROM TAKE OFF. TURNING OUT TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
A HELICOIL BLEW THE SPARK PLUG ON MY F-250 6MONTHS AGO, FORD SERVICED IT, NOW 6 MONTHS LATER ANOTHER HELICOIL BLEW, OR IT MAY BE THE SAME ONE, IS THERE A RECALL ON THESES MOTORS. *TR
I WAS AT A STOP SIGN ON 12/3/2010 AND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO GO, I HEARD A EXTREMELY LOUD POPPING NOISE. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF MY SPARK PLUGS AND THE COIL WAS FLOPPING AROUND IN MY ENGINE. I CALL A FRIEND OF MINE WHO IS A MECHANIC AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS AND WHICH PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT, WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. AFTER GETTING MY TRUCK HOME AND TAKING A CLOSER LOOK, IT SEEMS THAT THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL SPARK PLUGS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THIS WAS NOT A CASE OF OVER TORQUING OR NOT TIGHTENING. THIS IS A CASE OF FAULTY DESIGN AND POOR QUALITY BY A COMPANY THAT APPARENTLY DOES NOT CARE IF SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED BY THERE POOR DESIGN. WHAT IF THIS HAD CAUSED A ACCIDENT WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR??? WHAT IF THIS STARTED MY VEHICLE ON FIRE????? AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS IT IS QUITE COMMON ON FORD VEHICLES. WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH???? I AM CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND AM BARELY ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH MY MONTHLY OBLIGATIONS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I AM GOING TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR NOW. PLEASE, IT IS TIME TO HOLD FORD MOTOR COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT FIXING A KNOWN PROBLEM AND POTENTIALLY GETTING SOME ONE KILLED.
I STARTED TO HEAR A TICKING NOISE IN MY TRUCK. SO I T HAD IT LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC. HE COULD NOT TELL WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. SO ABOUT A WEEK LATER I WAS GETTING READY TO GO TO WORK, I STARTED UP MY TRUCK AND A LOUD POP!!! AND BLACK SMOKE FROM UNDERNEATH MY HOOD. I SHUT THE TRUCK DOWN AND POP THE HOOD AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE MANGLED COIL PACK. SO THERE I WAS [XXX] OUT OF A DAY OF WORK CAUSE I HAD TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, WHICH TOOK ME ALL DAY TO FIX. OFF TO PEPBOYS I WENT TO BUY ANOTHER COILPACK AS WELL AS ALL 8 SPARK PLUGS. MIGHT ASWELL RIGHT? SO $120.00 LATER THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED UNTIL NOW!!! HERE WE GO AGAIN..... SAME FREAKIN NOISE AND ITS GETTING LOUDER. SINCE I CAN'T TELL WHICH SPARKPLUG IT IS I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROB BEFORE ANOTHER COILPAK BLOWS AGAIN. I REALLY HATE THIS ENGINE. IT HAS ONLY BEEN ^ MONTHS FROM THE FIRST TIME I FIXED THE OR AT LEAST THOUGHT I FIXED THE PROBLEM. I DIDN'T SAVE ANY OF THE OLD PARTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE 2003 FORD F 250 2W/4W DRIVE V-10 MOTOR. WAS THIS MOTOR [V10-6.8L VIN S] RECALLED ? WAS FORD TO REPAIR / OR REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE MOTORS? THE VIN # ON THE TRUCK IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
FORD 2003 F250 SPARK PLUG EJECTED CYLINDER #7 TRITON 5.4L OCCURRED TWICE. FIRST REPAIR (HELI-COIL INSERT) FAILED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 V10 TRITON F250 TRUCK. IT HAS 86,000 MI. AND STILL HAS THE FACTORY SPARK PLUGS IN IT AT THE FACTORY TORQUE SETTINGS. THE SPARK PLUG EXPLODED OUT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUGHT THE ENGINE ON FIRE (I READ IN SOME CASES WHERE IT DID CATCH THE ENGINE ON FIRE WITH THE SAME INCIDENT). IT CAUSED SOME INTERNAL DAMAGE WHEN BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE, BUT THE PLUG WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. I HAVE NOTICED THAT FORD HAS A PROBLEM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND OTHERS, WITH THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTING OUT OF THE HEAD, BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR ENGINEERING DEFECT. I NOTICED THAT THE HEAD ONLY HAS THREE THREADS HOLDING THE SPARK PLUG IN PLACE AND THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO HOLD ONE IN PLACE WITH AN ALUMINUM HEAD. THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS PROBLEM IS HIGH AND VERY SEVERE. I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO REPLACE ALL THREADS AND SPARK PLUGS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. IF ONE SPARK BLEW OUT THAN IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ANOTHER ONE BLOWS OUT POTENTIALLY CATCHING FIRE AND/OR CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. *TR
MY 2003 FORD F 250 SHOT A SPARK PLUG OUT - MECHANIC LOOKED INSIDE AND SAID ALL THE THREADS HAD BEEN RIPPED OUT AND HAS HAD THIS ISSUE WITH SEVERAL OTHER FORD PICKUPS IN RECENT MONTHS. OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM AS THIS IS A SMALL TOWN AND NOT THAT MANY FORD PICKUPS AROUND. 2 OPTIONS TO FIX REPLACE THE HEADS OR RETAP. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 FORD F-250 WHEN A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD BREAKING THE COIL, AND CAUSING THE TRUCK TO RUN ON 7 CYLINDERS. MY TRUCK HAS ONLY 72340 MILES ON IT AND THOSE ARE THE ORIGINAL SPARK PLUGS FROM THE FACTORY.
THIS THE SECOND TIME MY 2003 FORD F-250 V/10 HAS EJECTED A SPARK-PLUG. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 FORD F250 WITH 73K MILES ON IT, AND I TOO AM ANOTHER VICTIM OF A SPARK PLUG BLOWING OUT OF MY 4TH CYLINDER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY TRUCK. WHY IS FORD NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. AS MUCH AS WE PAY FOR THESE CARS AND TRUCKS, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD MAKE THINGS RIGHT. NO WONDER U.S. AUTO MAKERS ARE FAILING. JUST MORE CORPORATE GREED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-250HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND INSPECTED WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FROM THE INJECTOR WIRE HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $100.00. FOUR YEARS LATER THE CONTACT NOTICED A ANTIFREEZE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND INSPECTED WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OIL COOLER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $844.00. THREE MONTHS LATER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 76,286. BL THE DEALER DETERMINED THE HIGH PRESSURE OIL PUMP AND INJECTOR FAILED. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL. UPDATED 10/07/09.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BARELY ACCELERATED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL AT LOW SPEEDS. ONCE HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR MODULE (ICP) INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THROUGH RESEARCH, HE FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V270000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA05003 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING). IN 2004, A 2004 ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE. HE BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT BECAUSE IT HAD A 2004 ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 61,000. UPDATED 08/31/09 *BF UPDATED 09/03/09.*JB
TRAVELING AT 52MPH SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. 2003 FORD F250 5.4L. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 FORD F250 WITH THE 5.4L ENGINE WITH ABOUT 80,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THE TRUCK NEW. THE NUMBER 3 OEM SPARK PLUG BACKED OUT AND BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD. I CONTACTED FORD, THEY RECOMMENDED I COVER ALL EXPENSES AND HAVE IT TOWED AND REPAIRED AT FORD DEALERSHIP. I PAID A LOCAL MECHANIC TO REPAIR IT. HE IS UNSURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. HE SAID IT COULD BE DANGEROUS AND MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE FAILURE OCCURS AT LEAST FORTY TIMES PER WEEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE MUST TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND GIVE IT TIME TO RESTART. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT WILL NOT PROVIDE COMPENSATION SINCE THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
2003 F250 6.0 DIESEL ICP SENSOR, LEAKING OIL IN THE WIRE CONNECTOR. THE TRUCK STALLS AT IDLE AND THE RPM'S JUMP UP WHILE DRIVING MAKING YOU GO FASTER THEN YOU ARE. ICP SENSOR BEING REPLACED. *TR
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE PULLING OUR CAMPER TO VIRGINIA FOR VACATION AND HALF WAY THERE WE COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE. BY THE TIME WE GOT TO MARTINSVILLE AND GOT OUR CAMPER BACKED UP AT THE CAMPGROUND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF OUR TAILPIPE AND LATER OVERHEATED. WE CALLED AAA THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE THEY HAD INFORMED US THAT IT WAS THE EGR COOLER. THEY PUT THE NEW EGR COOLER ON AND WE GOT OUR TRUCK BACK 2 DAYS LATER. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK ANYMORE UNTIL WE WERE PULLING OUR CAMPER HOME TO OHIO AND NOTICED THE SAME THINGS WERE HAPPENING. THE WHITE SMOKE AND ANTIFREEZE SMELL WE ALSO HAD LOSS OF POWER. I MADE MY HUSBAND PULL OVER AND LOW AND BEHOLD WE HAD NO ANTIFREEZE IN THE TRUCK. THE DEALERSHIP HAD PUT 2 BOTTLES OF ANTIFREEZE AND CHANGED OUR OIL BECAUSE OF ANTIFREEZE IN THE OIL. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD US TO TRY AND LIMP IT HOME. WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ANY PART OF THAT AND ASKED THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT WHERE THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP WAS LOCATED. THEY TOLD US THE GET OFF THE NEXT EXIT AND GO 1/2 MILE UP THE ROAD. WE MADE IT A 1/4 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE TRUCK WAS OVERHEATING. TRIED TO START TRUCK BACK UP AND NOTHING. GOT A TOW TRUCK TO TOW US TO THIS DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TOLD US OUR ENGINE WAS VAPOR LOCKED. WE ONLY HAD GONE 130 MILES FROM THE OTHER DEALERSHIP BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP IS TELLING US THAT FORD HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE 6.0 LITER V6 F-250 SUPER DUTY DIESEL ENGINES. HAVE AN ONGOING LAWSUIT WITH DEALERSHIP AND FORD. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF OTHER ISSUES WITH THESE TRUCKS BECAUSE WE ARE OVER WARRANT BY 2,000 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKING A HISSING NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE HISSING STOPPED. HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE NUMBER 4 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD WITH A FAILED COIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,999.
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
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