Spark plug blow out x3 it has begain to get very anoing.
The worst 2003 Ford E-150 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical4
- Engine4
- Acceleration3
- Brakes3
- Seat belts3
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical4
- Engine4
- Acceleration3
- Brakes3
- Seat belts3
- Transmission3
- Fuel system2
- Steering2
- Airbags1
- Body1
- Tires1
Recalls 5
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Risk
- A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1‑888‑222‑2751.
Recall number 09V399000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control: cruise control
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
- Risk
- As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.
Recall number 08V051000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- This could result in an underhood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1‑888‑222‑2751.
Recall number 07V336000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring
- What is wrong
- On certain vans, a diode in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) module may experience an electrical short.
- Risk
- The electrical short may cause an ABS malfunction that would illuminate the ABS warning light, or the module may overheat resulting in a burning odor, smoke, and/or fire. This condition may occur while the vehicle is being driven or unattended.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new fuse in the ABS circuit and install a heat shield over the ABS module. The recall began on october 15, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673. Also ford is extending the limited warranty (for a one time replacement) of the ABS module for a total of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. If your vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until september 30, 2005.
Recall number 04V444000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain vans, the air filter element material process resulted in an air filter paper element that can smolder or burn. This change in filter paper composition combined with the configuration of the air induction system, may allow hot carbon particles to contact the air filter element during certain driving conditions that create hot particles.
- Risk
- These hot particles may ignite the air filter element with the potential for air induction system damage or underhood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the air filter element. The recall began september 27, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673. Also ford is extending the limited warranty (for a one time replacement) of the ABS module for a total of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. If your vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until september 30, 2005.
Recall number 04V445000 · Recall details
See all 5 recalls for the 2003 Ford E-150
Defect investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that the federal safety agency would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition is denied.
DP05005
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Ford E-150 11
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Ford: when shifting between park, reverse and/or during 2-3 shift, an intermittent clunk occurs with a...
- Brake booster system may exhibit a brake pedal kickback and/or grabbing condition when applying the brakes. nj
- Headlight adjustment needed. kb
- Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code P1131 and/or P1151 - 4.2L engine. tt
- Headlight adjustment - chassis cab incomplete vehicles. tt
- Vibration/harshness above 45 mph (72 km/h) after tire balance. tt
- Customer satisfaction program 04N03. additional warranty coverage for anti-lock brake system module. tt
- Intermittent clunk on 3-2 downshift during coastdown/tip-in. oasis. to include 2005 F-150, e-series and...
- Low power and/or diagnostic trouble code P0299 or P2263 - turbocharger diagnostic service tip. tt
- Clunk from front suspension. tt
2003 Ford E-150 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8‑cyl | RWD | 13-14 | 17-19 | 14-16 |
| 4.2L 6‑cyl | RWD | 12-13 | 16-17 | 14-15 |
| 5.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 12 | 15-16 | 13-14 |
What 2003 Ford E-150 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford e-150. The contact stated that the cruise control and horn failed to work and the air bag light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford f1-50. The contact experienced the failure april 26, 2014. The vehicle air bags deployed while sitting in traffic. The contact current millage over 240,00. The contact was driving 5 MPH in traffice . The contact hit the vehicle in front of him. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not taken in for repairs. The contact did not notify the manuficature. Lg
I was sitting at a stop sign. When I accelerated to move, I heard a loud bang noise and then I heard a flapping noise. I turned the engine off and called a tow truck. After towing my handicapped van to the ford dealer, I was told that the engine had a spark plug blow out. I was also informed that the vehicle might have caught on fire if I had tried driving much further. This is very scary for people like me that equip these vans for special use. The mileage is 99% city driving. There should be a recall on this engine.
While traveling on the highway, my 2003 e150 ford van blew the #2 spark plug out. There was a popping sound and then the engine sounded as if it blew a rod. After checking it out, it was discovered that it was the spark plug. A few days prior to his event, I could hear a slight tapping sound coming from the engine. I had the oil changed just to be sure. The spark plug has been replaced, with a helicoil inserted, but the wall of the head was even damaged. My mechanic did an awesome job repairing it but even said he couldn't guarantee it would last a 100 miles or 100,000 due to the head damage. He even recommended I trade it in. With only 138,000 miles on it I'm not ready to let it go. Hopefully the new plug will hold and I won't have to trade in my van.
Problem: severe shimmy in steering wheel, possibly leading to loss of control. Conditions: occurs whenever brakes are hot and vehicle speed is above 45 MPH. Problem occurs when descending long & steep inclines. Problem does not occur when brakes are not hot from heavy use. Temporary abatement: drive at speeds of 45 MPH or less down inclines.
2003 focus- my ignition kept locking on me. Anywhere I turned off the car, I had to spend a good 15min turning and turning the key to get it started. My car has only 32,000.00 miles and it started at 18,000.00 miles. Today I had to get a locksmith to come in and fix it.
2003 ford e150 van with triton 5.4 engine spark plug blow out on (2) separate occasions. Spark plug blows without any warning. The last blow out happened on jan 8th 2009 while traveling on the ny state thruway during severe winter weather. The incident caused immediate loss of power to my engine and an inability to navigate my vehicle safely. An accident nearly occurred, however I was lucky to make it off the hi-way without serious injury. However, I was stranded in sub-zero temperatures until help arrived. This is a design flaw in ford manufacturing and needs to be recalled.
I own a 2003 ford f150 super crew four wheel drive pick up. When engaging the four wheel drive system most of the time the front wheels will not engage. The transfer case engages every time, but I would estimate the front wheels engage about twenty percent of the time. The system is very unpredictable and you can not count on it working when you need it. It has not caused an accident for me yet, but I have been stuck several times because of the poorly designed system.
E-150 1.cruise control use. 2.occurs intermittently while driving. 3. Ford refused. My symptom, model, and year of vehicle is included on ford recall update of 6/26/08 as fire hazard but because my VIN is not listed ford refuses even to examine my vehicle under the recall. Http://www.ford.com/dynamic/metatags/article-detail/223_important_notice_voluntary_recall_update.
Compare the 2003 Ford E-150
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Questions about the 2003 Ford E-150
Is the 2003 Ford E-150 reliable?
Owners have filed 21 complaints about the 2003 Ford E-150, 1.8 times a typical E-150 model year.
What is the 2003 Ford E-150 year score?
The 2003 Ford E-150 scores 47 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Ford E-150: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Ford E-150?
Electrical system, with 4 complaints. Next is engine (4).
How many recalls does the 2003 Ford E-150 have?
5 recalls, covering vehicle speed control, electrical system and engine and engine cooling.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford E-150 electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 04V444000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Ford E-150 have the most electrical problems?
The Ford E-150 model years with the most electrical complaints are 1994 (12 complaints) and 1996 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Ford E-150 get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Ford E-150 range from 13 to 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.6L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 13-14 city and 17-19 highway.
VIN decoder
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