Purchased vehicle in7/2003. Rear small door (so called "suicide door") on passenger side broke in 11/2012. Would not open or close from inside or outside. Had two latches replaced at walker ford in clearwater, fl also in 11/2012 at a cost of $615.59. Same door broke again in 9/2015. Took truck back to walker ford . They offered to repair it again for about $500 and stated the latches they replaced in 11/2012 had "deteriorated from non-use"!. I declined the repair offer as it is clear to me that the latches are inadequate and/or of defected manufacture. It is my position that these rear door latch problems are a huge safety issue if there is a situation of water immersion, fire, smoke, fumes, etc. In such an event, any rear seat passenger would be trapped. I am asking you to consider an immediate recall to replace these latches.
2003 Ford F-150 body complaints
Page 2 of 2: complaints 11 to 32 of 32, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2003 ford f-150 lariat supercab it was raining, I got in the truck, water was dripping inside through the center area in the ceiling where the compass is. There are wires up there, so water is not good. I climbed up and looked at the roof outside, and discovered rust on every one of the channels on the roof, one completely rusted through and the rest partially rusted through. Aside from the negative effect on the appearance, this is a problem because: 1. Water dripping into the wiring could cause a short which could lead to a fire 2. Rust-through on the roof could cause the metal to break off at highway speeds and injure someone 3. Decreased structural integrity of the roof could decrease safety in the event of a rollover 4. Rust in the area attaching the windshield could cause the windshield to fail or fly off 5. Water leaking into the roof caused mold, which is a breathing hazard the problem was caused by the defective design - the channels collected water with no way for it to drain, so the water pooled and caused rust, both in the ends of the channels and along the rim of the windshields. The older models were smooth on top so the problem didn't exist. Newer models have fins sticking up rather than indentations, so ford clearly realized there was a problem and changed the design. Ford did not respond when I contacted them about this.
Gas tank straps corroded/broke causing the tank to drop and leak. Excessive rust at bottoms of all four doors.
I had no problems with this vehicle until december 2013 when I discovered that I could not open the right side rear door. In november 2014 the same thing happened to the left rear door. I obtained a repair estimate from a local ford dealer and was informed it would cost $700.00 per door to have the problem fixed. (broken cables inside door) the service manager informed me that he had a 2004 f-150 and the same thing happened to his vehicle. I also spoke to two (2) other persons who had the same problem wit their 2003 f-150's. In case of an accident I think this problem could cause deaths since any passengers riding in the rear seats would not be able to exit through the rear doors. I contacted the ford motor company and was told no recalls had been issued for this problem.
Hood paint bubbling as though there is rust. Hood is aluminum! Repaint is necessary.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. While inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the fuel tank straps were rusted and corroded. The dealer stated that the straps needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v385000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was being inspected when it was found that the rear suspension was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer advised that that the rear leaf spring, shackle and mount were rusted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. The contact stated that both rear doors locked and would not open. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The failure and current mileage was 61,000.
My ford f 150 frame and spring holders are rusting bad, I'm afraid the springs may fall off or the frame may break while I'm driving. It's just a matter of time before this happens. The body of the truck has no rust, I'm the original owner and only have 62,000 miles on it. Just wondering it other people are having the same problem im having with my frame and what my opptions are.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. The contact stated that the rear passenger door could not be opened from the interior or exterior. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer took a complaint and might assist with the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 41,000. Updated 7/12/12 *cn updated 07/18/12
Gas tank strap on 2003 f-150 xlt 4x4 broke due to excessive rust causing the tank to fall and rattle on skid plate. Bought new straps from local auto supply and replaced both of them since the second strap was close to breaking also.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. The contact stated that all of the interior lights would continue to illuminate even when the vehicle was shut off. The failure began to recur intermittently. The contact also stated the vehicle would also intermittently stall while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was told there was a leak within the door panels and windshield. Due to the leak, water was getting inside of the vehicle and causing a short circuit in the wiring system. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 150,000. Updated 05/13/11
I have a 2003 ford f150, with a 5.4l engine. I found out that my windshield is leaking and seeping water onto my gem/cjb and making it so in rain my windshield wipers shut off, my heater blower to stay on or go on when the key is not in the ignition, and has drained my battery. Here is a copy of the notice ford sent to there dealerships in 2004, *ford special message #15773 various electrical conditions resulting from water intrusion into the gem/cjb some 1997-2002 expedition and 1998-2002 navigator vehicles may exhibit various unusual electrical conditions, including but not limited to: front or rear blower or eatc staying on with key out of the ignition, radio staying on after doors opened and key out of ignition, wiper circuit failure codes, and multiple system warning lights with 'short to power' or 'low battery voltage' dtcs. These symptoms most often occur after a rain or snow. This may be due to gem/cjb water intrusion resulting from a windshield water leak. To service, remove the gem and cjb from the vehicle, separate them and inspect for water contamination or corrosion. If found in either component, replace both components and completely reseal the windshield. Effective date: 04/05/2002 so this is a known issue and they are charging between $900 - $1500+ for repairs and then on top of that charging for the windshield to be replaced. The hazards of this potentially shorting out and having a fire is a risk that I think should be addressed for the safety of the consumers. Having my windshield wipers stop on me in heavy rain on the highway almost caused me to get into a potential accident.
2003 ford f150 king ranch 4x4 pickup all four doors are rotting out on the bottom. *dt 2/20/10 the consumer was informed the drain holes or weep holes were plugged probably from rust and road material thus trapping water inside the doors causing them to rust out. When the consumer looked at the weep holes, they were not clogged up, but plugged with factory installed plugs the consumer stated the plugs should have been removed before the sale of the vehicle. . *jb updated 04/06/10.
I bought a used 2003 ford f150 in august 2007. Within the first 2 months the gem module was replaced as there exists a design flaw with the seating of the windshield on the seal. As I am driving down the road on a rainy day, the blower fan is going, the windows are going up and down, and the electrical components are all freaking out. As I pull over and remove my key from the truck, the problem does not stop. And now the truck won't restart. Again, the gem module. Which ford will not replace along with the leaky windshield seal. Because they claim there exists no problem of the behalf of the manufacturer. See: http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/ford-f-150/taa9dvmdg7ro706ei#lastpost. I am afraid that even if I were to pay to have the gem module replaced (again) and the windshield resealed (again) that I will be driving all of my children down the road when the truck just decides to electronically fail in such a way that it causes a serious accident. Perhaps this design flaw should be an issue for immediate recall.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. Rust was found at the bottom of all four doors on the vehicle. The dealer advised the contact to call the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was 58,000. Updated 10/14/08. *lj updated 10/16/08.
Paint is spider webbing all over the vehicle. All over the hood and top. Also starting on front quarter panels. Color is black. Always been garaged. I wash and wax regularly.
We have a 2003 f150 supercrew with 39,000 miles. While washing the truck in january 2008, we noticed that all 4 doors are rusting/bubbling on the bottom of the doors. This truck is garaged and frequently washed in the winter to avoid this problem.
Paint peeling.
Bought a brand new 2003 f150 super crew in december of 2002. It now has 22,000 miles on it and the bottom inside of all four doors are rusting and bubbling out. Will bring into dealer to see what is the problem and have it fixed with some guarantee it wouldn't happen again.
I purchased a left over 2003 ford f-150 pickup truck at condit ford in newton, new jersey. I picked up the vehicle on friday evening may 28, 2004 on sunday morning at 8:00 when I bent down to pick up a piece of paper in my driveway I noticed that the under side of the rear bumper is rusted from several scratches, I walked around the truck and noticed several paint and body defects as follows: rear bumper has several scratches and rust, tow hook is rusted, the left rear fender has cracked/rippled fiberglass in the section that is near the bumper, the left door has raised paint blemish and dent, the right door on the inside by the door latch is missing paint, the right rear cab door is defective - it bows out on the bottom of the door. When I called the dealership the sales manager stated that I must have caused the damage. I mentioned that who crawls under a new truck to see if the bumper is damaged and rusted and that with an all white truck it is more difficult to immediately detect damages. And that when a consumer buys a new vehicle it is expected that the new vehicle is new and not damaged.
Dateline nbc, dec. 19th, 2003, reported that the insurance institute for highway safety gave the ford f150 the lowest rating for the 40 MPH off center collision in 2001 injury to front pasengers would be serious to critical. I cannot find any data from the federal safety agency regarding this crash test. My truck is a ford f150 super crew 4x4. I am very concerned and wish to obtain further information regarding this test.
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