2003 Ford F-150 Reliability - Consumer Reports

Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

What Owners Say

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling)

"My truck colors are black over dark gray .All the black paint is cracking and peeling."

Madeline S., KY (2003 Ford F-150)

"Paint fades down to the base coat. Side Mirrors are not adjustable. Oil leaks with no apparent leaks on the ground."

Rayford G., LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Paint cracking, fading, & scaling. Paint on the roof has faded badly and are starting show signs of rust. Will need a new paint soon."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Paint on hood began peeling 2 years ago. Don't know why, but would be very expensive to repaint."

Anonymous, AZ (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Upon purchasing used 2003 Ford Pickup truck, I inherited a good used vehicle, but it had some some peeling issues on the engine hood area about 4 inches in diameter. Had bids of $300 to $400 to re-paint entire hood in same white color, but have not had it painted as its a low priority to me last few years."

Anonymous, OR (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"Hood paint began chipping, but not from any kind of contact. Looks like poor painting; had same problem previously with the cab top"

Craig H., AZ (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Left front door paint started to blister"

Lloyd S., NS (2003 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.4-L V8)

"The black paint on the side step rails is peeling off"

Larry D., IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Over the years, in the Florida sun the Red paint has completely faded on the roof"

Robert R., FL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Extrior paint fades in certain areas"

Rayford G., LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Paint peeling at rusty places"

Anonymous, QC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Rust

"Top of truck totally faded & covered with rust"

Diana W., AL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 4.5-L V8)

"Left rear quarter panel, directly behind tire. Surface rust from under the paint. Metal in that area is formed from two pieces. When dust gets between the pieces of metal, the s gets wet rust firms from the inside out. Molding and paint was removed and metal treated. Good metal below paint. Sanded, painted and replaced molding. Within one day bubbles formed and surface rust reappeared. Pocket area between metal in the area will have to be cut out and replaced to cure rust. Downtime and expense will go up."

David L., NY (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Rust at driver side wheel well of truck bed, the base of all four cab doors, hood, and truck bed door."

Thierry P., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"DUE TO THE ROOF DESIGN THIS MODEL HAS CONCAVE CHANNELS WHICH COLLECT MOISTURE AND DEBRIS. DESPITE VIGILENCE IN KEEPING THEM CLEAN TWO PLACES RUSTED THROUGH BENEATH THE PAINT ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE CAB."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"It's a 16 year old truck in New York state. What more can I say?"

Anonymous, NY (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"We had this truck undercoated Dimond trimmed and the bed liner put in when we bought the truck. we noticed how bad areas started to rust about the 6th year in along the running boards and the fender wells. Was very disappointed in Ford from that respect I wrote them and nothing was ever done. I see now 15 years latter that I was not the only one as there are a lot of customer complaints from this year"

Donald W., IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"There is a lot of body rust which seems to be common on this year F-150. The truck was Zbarded Diamond Coated and has been well maintained and has a bed liner but rusting under around the bed and tailgate. We found that water had ran down on the gas tank then the muffler and had caused rust to eat through both so i had to heave the gas tank and exhaust both replaced."

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Body rust under the doors, metal is slowly rusting away. Have cleaned and sprayed with rust inhibitor after a hole opened up in the panel."

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"The rocker panels are rusting out"

Anonymous, MI (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

"The rocker panel, the rear fender and the tailgate are all showing thru rust. The paint on the roof and in other areas is flaking"

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Sills on both sides are rusted out with holes and frame is starting to rust"

Anonymous, CT (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Rust everywhere"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Truck rocker panels have rusted through, rust is also around the wheel wells on the bed, the frame is badly rusted"

Anonymous, AL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"I'm getting rust along the lower rear quarter panels"

Larry D., IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"The entire body has rust problems. We've had it repaired twice already, and it still needs more work. Very disappointing"

Susan P., NH (2003 Ford F-150)

"Rust shows in many places"

Anonymous, QC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

What Owners Say

Alternator

"Just didn't start up after I stopped to check gauges."

Anonymous, UT (2003 Ford F-150 4.5-L V8)

"Replaced after 13 years of ownership"

Anonymous, MS (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Battery icon came on and gauge started to show discharge.Had it checked but needed fully charged battery to do so.Bought new battery then alternator after checking out bad"

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Coil

"2 coil on plug modules failed within 3 months"

Anonymous, NY (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Coil for cylinder #5 went bad and had to be replaced"

Frank E., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Failure on #5 cylinder."

John B., GA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"this engine has individual coils for each cylinder. Significant engine disassembly is required to replace them."

Frank E., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"one coil failed on cylinder #4. Replaced all of them and the spark plugs"

Gary S., TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"This truck has trouble with the coil packs going out. We have had 4 of them replaced to date. We began having trouble in 2017."

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 5.4-L V8)

"Spark plug coil failed. Got off the freeway and had the coil replaced."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

"Check engine light began flashing and engine began to lose power.Mechanic said I needed full tuneup with all new coils and plugs.2 coils were cracked and plugs were very worn"

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Two coils failed; pulled and replaced"

Fredrick D., FL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Electronic ignition

"1 failed ignition coil"

James G., SC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Ignition switch

"Unsure at this point if it's the ignition switch. Problem remains undiagnosed. Failure to start is intermittent."

Anonymous, ND (2003 Ford F-150 4.2-L V6)

"After putting in new computer board had to get new key to start truck"

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Spark plugs or wires failure

"The spark blew out of the aluminum cylinder head and needed a hielcoil thread insert to be installed so the sparkplug could be installed."

Tom S., WI (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

"the ignition coil/pack which is now located on each spark plug failed on one cylinder. Had all four one that side / bank replaced."

Darryl D., KS (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Cylinder head and spark plug problem are the same. The plug blows completely out of the cyclinder head. This has happened to 3 of the 8 plugs. The repair shop is very familiar with the problem and puts in a heli-coil to correct."

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Spark plug broke in the engine block - 2nd time, 1st time we were able to repair ourselves, 2nd time we had to have dealer retap"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

"Some of the spark plugs and coils failed and had to be replaced"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"Coils fail repeatedly"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.4-L V8)

"Spark plug blew out of port, stripping threads out, known problem with the motor and aluminum heads. Requires re-threaded insert, such a well known problem dealer had Ford correction part on hand, repair shop fixed in less than 24 hours"

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Spark plug blew out of the cylinder head. They tell me this is a known issue with this engine. Special tool was made for repairing this failure"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Normal repair due to use"

Fredrick D., FL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Spark plug receptical threads are wearing down; replaced cylinder #3 with external receptical for spark plug. Cost $500.00. Fords traditionally have 10 year life on spark plug engine threads. I have been very fortunate so far. All cylinders still full power. Just this spark plug threads problem. Alternative is to retool all plug recepticals but that would cost about $2400.00. I am getting ready to replace this truck"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

Starter

"Unsure if failuret to start is due to the starter. Problem remains undiagnosed. Failure to start is intermittent and unpredictable."

Anonymous, ND (2003 Ford F-150 4.2-L V6)

"Had to replace starter after 13 years of ownership"

Anonymous, MS (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Antilock system (ABS)

"ABS failed around 100,000 miles. Very expensive to fix so operating without ABS, which is not an issue for vehicle inspection."

Anonymous, DE (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Do not like the antilock braking system."

Anonymous, OK (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 4.2-L V6)

"Was a defective sensor"

Frank E., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Calipers

"failed caliper led to replacing both front calipers, rotors, brake pads"

Anonymous, DE (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Front calipers would not release."

Anonymous, NE (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"completely rusted"

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"brake locking up"

Anonymous, AL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"It would not release"

Anonymous, LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Calipers ceased to open on occasion. Created wear on pads and extreme heat to rims. One mechanic thought it was ABS computer, but second opinion told me to replace calipers and problem was solved"

Jaime F., TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"New calipers were installed incorrectly and had to have the vehicle towed"

David K., VA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

Master cylinder

"Master cylinder seems to have failed. I have put in fresh break fluid and break pedal still isn't firm when I stop the truck."

Jeff C., OK (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"no pressure was replaced"

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"have replace 2-3 times"

Anonymous, NC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"I had problems with with fading breaks and at the advise of the mechanic had the master cylinder replaced. Which did not cure the problem. Then needed to have the break system controller replaced. All of this was expensive and resulted in having to find transportation for 3 weeks while was repaired. Now the ADS system is starting to have problems and I'm told the sensor units need replacing"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Normal routine brake wear

"Reg. Brake maintenance."

Rex W., NV (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Normal"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Premature brake wear

"Brakes wore out too soon"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"brakes seize up"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Pulsation or vibration

"Long braking distance, plusing and vibration"

Anonymous, VA (2003 Ford F-150)

Regular brake failure

"rusted out brae parts"

Dale M., ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"brake control module failed and dealer was unable to get part"

Anonymous, DE (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Rotors

"Rotor deterioration, due to wear."

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

"planning to replace rotors and pads"

Anonymous, WA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

Squeaking

"Rear brakes suddenly started squealing horribly anytime the brakes were applied. Rotors and pads were damaged beyond repair. There was no prior warning of impending failure. Vehicle was not safe to drive for any distance. Cost over $1400 to repair/replace brake system"

John D., LA (2003 Ford F-150 4.5-L V8)

"had to replace brakes on all four wheels"

Frank E., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Alignment

"Difficulty with truck out of alignment with no curb or pot hole incidents causing great wear and replacement of tires also needing alignment and other related repair work which is expensive. Told common in Ford 150"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat)

Ball joints

"Left side needed replacement due to age/mileage."

Anonymous, AZ (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"I was buying new tires for the truck people that I bought the tires from had me come out and look at the ball joints the lower ball joints they were loose needed to be replaced so I had them replaced"

Duane M., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"even with new tires and alignment the truck would drift"

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"fair wear and tear"

Dale F., MN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Normal replacement"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Bushings

"They were worn so I had them replace those at my request while truck was up on rack"

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Power steering leaks

"High pressure hose began to weep from O-Ring replaced myself for $60"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Power steering pumps and hoses

"Hose connection point to pump cracked and blew out all fluid. Required new pump"

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Shocks or struts

"Shocks and struts needed replacement due to age/mileage. Items had lifetime warranties (from Ford), so only had to pay for labor."

Anonymous, AZ (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Normal wear out. Still covered by shock manufacturer's warranty, so very little cost to me."

Anonymous, AZ (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Front shock stated to leak oil, I changed both of them"

Anonymous, CT (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Springs or torsion bars

"Replace bushings three times"

Len L., MN (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

Steering linkage (includes rack and pinion)

"Again age related and needed replacement."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Steering wheel vibration

"worn steering gear."

Anonymous, MO (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

Tie rods

"Tie rod malfunctioned causing the vehicle to loose control. Result was serious accident and minor injuries. Truck was total loss."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Tire wear is uneven

"Clock won't change daylight savings time without great difficulty"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat)

Wheel bearings

"right front wheel bearing worn, not bad for the milage."

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

A/C compressor

"Doesn’t cool and here in Texas we Need a/c to keep at least comfortable when driving"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150)

"The truck is old and needed a compressor replacement."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"The air compressor has been exchanged 2 times after about 16 years it seemed to go bad lol"

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"It was just old and had to be replaced"

Anonymous, TN (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"leaked was replaced"

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Had a bad replacement job then moved and couldn't get it handled 3 hrs away."

Anonymous, SC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Needed to be replaced along with lines"

Len L., MN (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

Automatic climate control

"ON SOME FORD CLIMATE CONTROL HEAD UNITS THERE ARE SOME O-RINGS THAT ALLOW THE VACUUM TO SELECT BETWEEN DEFROST, VENT, FLOOR, OR COMBINATION THERE OF. THESE O-RIGS DETERIORATE AND NEED TO BE PLACED IN ORDER FOR THE UNIT TO FUNCTION NORMAL. I COMPLETED THE REPAIRS MYSELF FOR ABOUT $10 PARTS AND 2 HRS LABOR."

Colin T., NC (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Will not blow out front vents, be lived to be a vacuum issue"

Ken B., FL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Rebuilt climate control module. Problem switching from cold to hot persisted. Probably blend door problem"

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.4-L V8)

Blower (fan) motor

"when on AC blowing normal dash front vents, it will suddenly start blowing thru the defrost vents and dash vents blow nothing. it may switch back and it might not"

Anonymous, MS (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Heated or cooled seat controls

"THE HEATING ELEMENT IN BOTH SEATS STOPPED WORKING AND THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO REPAIR WITHOUT TAKING LEATHER COVER OFF SEAT. NOT WORTH MY TIME."

Colin T., NC (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Stopped working"

Matthew L., AK (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Refrigerant leaks

"Refrigerant leaked out, so there is no cold air. I haven't tried to get it repaired yet."

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Refrigerant hose failure, resulting in complete freon charge loss."

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"just something i do every 2 to 3 years is add freon"

Ken M., IN (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Air or water leaks

"Rear glass"

Anonymous, FL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"A leak developed directly behind the rear view mirror. Water drips down and consequently the radio is not working well."

Kathleen P., NY (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Water leaking on to back seat from the back glass. Bought a tube of silicone adhesive and repaired the stripping around glass."

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"The roof leaks into the headliner, causing the electronic sensors in the headliner to malfunction and leaking water onto the driver and passenger when sharp turns are made"

Dede A., TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Air conditioning condensate water leaks onto the front passenger floor area"

Ken B., AR (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"water leaked in the cab from rear window seal"

Anonymous, AZ (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Seals and/or weather-stripping

"The rear window leaks water when it rains"

Roger B., FL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Windshield and rear window seals need replacement because they are old"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Squeaks or rattles

"Front spring isolator deterioration."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"The driver door has a subtle low base tone rattle that can be somewhat alleviated by pulling door toward inside of cab."

Anonymous, WA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Wind noise

"Wind noise"

E C., AR (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"truck can be too noisy to hear normal speech when driving on highway"

Anonymous, DE (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"The sealing around windows and doors over the years has become less effective."

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Loud wind noise with highway travel."

Anonymous, OK (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 4.2-L V6)

"The rear doors don't alwaysshut tight, preventing the front door from sealing proooooooperly"

Dale F., MN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Changed the door weatherstripping but wind noise continues"

Jack C., NM (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

What Owners Say

Emission control devices (includes EGR)

"EGR valve required replacement after producing fault codes showing gross leak"

Todd B., FL (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

"OBDII will not connect/ transmit any information"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Catalytic converter failing"

Anonymous, FL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Fuel injection system

"PVC hoses cracked/leaked causing engine to run rough and stall, engine was running too rich"

Richard B., TN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Fuel pump

"had the fuel pump replaced 3 times. the first pump dealership also re-programed the ECM the fuel mileage went from 19/20MPG hi-way to 12/13MPG .. never return to better mileage. Sad the fuel pump has been the only problem."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Fuel pump failed, unable to start engine"

Anonymous, NC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"stoped working"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"The engine would occasionally not start. Eventually it would start. Took truck to local dealer and they determined the fuel pump was going bad. they replaced pump and it has been fine ever since. The fuel pump was the only part, other than normal maintenance, that has broke on the truck in 16 years."

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Intermittent fuel pump failure. Truck wouldn't start. Bought a new fuel pump, replaced it myself."

Anonymous, MD (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 4.2-L V6)

"Old, needed replacement"

Anonymous, NC (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 4.5-L V8)

"Fuel pump failure. Second fuel pump failure within 5 year period"

Walter K., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"Stopped running. Dealer replaced fuel pump for $900. Stopped running again. Replaced fuel relay"

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.4-L V8)

Sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor)

"Ran rough and hard to start"

Kathy W., CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"A warning light came on on the dashboard. I took it to my mechanic and they diagnosed it as a small emissions sensor on top of the gas tank. The replacement cost would be over $350. They told me it in no way affects my engine and is not letting bad emissions of any consequence into the air. I chose not to have it fixed. My state has a emissions check every few years. It they catch it I'll replace it if required"

Jennings G., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Bad sensor near gas fill pipe causing Check Engine light to remain lit"

Robert C., MI (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

What Owners Say

Cylinder head

"The head is aluminum. The spark plug 'popped' out (2 plugs, different cylinders). Never heard of this happening before until it happened to me (found out that it is common with this head). Very disturbing and don't know when it will happen again."

Russ R., CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Cylinder #7 was misfiring. On test drive, Cylinder #5 was misfiring. Replaced 2 ignition coils, all sparks plugs, and plug boots. After all it is 15 years old."

Susan M., MI (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"spark plug blew out"

Anonymous, OR (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

"Had 2 different cylinders blow a spark plug out the top"

Robert H., CO (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Engine rebuild or replacement

"My brother in law drove it 55 mph in low 4x4 hear for half and hour. This is not the truck's fault."

Anonymous, UT (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"engine overheated and was damaged due to a radiator issue."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Head gasket

"blowed head gasket at 125ooo miles"

Frank H., KY (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"slight leak noticed, keeping an eye on any possible future increase in leaking"

Ben A., NV (2003 Ford F-150)

"Leaking head gasket at about 150 K miles. Finally fixed; exspensive repair"

Robert H., CO (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Timing belt or chain

"Timing chain was going out. Needed replaced"

Ben A., NV (2003 Ford F-150)

"@149k timing belt failed the guides'' are made of plastic that broke and the long chain got longer, causing noise and possible damage to engine. drove straight to repair shop and was told most trucks have timing chains that last the life of the engine, but not Fords. Presently still in shop."

Anonymous, VA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

What Owners Say

Accessory belts or pulleys

"Simple 100K mile service"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

Engine computer

"Undiagnosed, the engine just intermittently runs rough. The shop cannot figure out why."

Tammy B., NC (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 4.2-L V6)

"Computer board inside the truck stopped interacting with what would start the truck. Also had to get a new key made to be able to start the truck."

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Engine knock or ping

"Just makes a minor noise"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"This was an intermittent problem that was finally linked to the spark plug/coil problem that required the coils to be replaced"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

Oil leaks

"Major seal leak. Haven't repaired due to cost"

Kathy W., CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"Had engine bearing seals leaking, also the oil pan leaking."

Anonymous, FL (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"It leaks oil somewhere up high on the right side of the engine. I spent $700.00 to get it repaired. The repair didn't stop the leak. Took it to another repair shop and was told after having the truck about a week, that they couldn't find where it was leaking. Would probably cost upwards of $2000.00 to get it repaired. They would have to start tearing the engine down to find it. Leaks about a quart of oil every 150 miles."

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Seal between engine and transmission has been leaking for a while"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Oil pan leak gasket"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Oil drips onto the pavement below; but not enough to require the addition of more oil into the engine"

Ken B., AR (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

What Owners Say

CD player

"6 disc CD player has disc that are stuck in the carriage. They don't eject, it just keeps trying to play them and continues to play CD's but never loads and eventually stops. This happens EVERY time I start the truck and stop it. Sometimes even when I use the owners code to unlock the vehicle."

Jeff C., OK (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"over heats"

Anonymous, TN (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Six disk CD changer does not work at all"

Anonymous, GA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Display screen goes blank

"About 2 years ago, I noticed that when I started the vehicle, the info system would not come on, then came on later. Eventually, I would lose the info system while driving, didn't cause a safety issue, but took it to the service department and repaired it about 9 months ago. Has recently started to delay coming on, so may have to take back to the dealer if it gets worse."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 King Ranch 5.4-L V8)

"known problem in dash, cold solder joints"

Anonymous, NC (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"speedometer quit working"

Anonymous, KS (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

Radio

"Radio Quit playing. Will not pickup stations. and CD player will not play in 2 of the CD slots. Radio has been out about 3 years and CD started having problem as same time. Not resolved the problem."

Anonymous, LA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

"Audio module failed"

Anonymous, LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Works sometimes.......sometime not"

Anonymous, KS (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

"Radio volume control and lights don't work"

Linda N., GA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Speakers

"Left speaker occasionally drops out and can be restored by cranking up the volume. Interior Door panel was removed and speaker wire connections were checked and problem couldn't be duplicated at dealership, but continues to occur. I just turn up the volume and it's OK for awhile. An annoying quirk!"

Adrian D., ME (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

What Owners Say

Doors or sliding doors

"Both of my extended cab doors Latches had broken cables & I could not open either door ! passenger-side first & driver side approximately 4-5 months later."

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 4.2-L V6)

Locks and latches

"The supercabs rear door would not open due to cheap plastic spacers on the door locks cables actuators. This was a problem on both rear doors."

Anonymous, FL (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

"Just tried to open the rear door one day and it didn't open."

Anonymous, IN (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Mirrors

"Mirrors became loose. Controller switch failed and had to be replaced."

Matthew L., AK (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"outside mirror never operated satisfactorily with the inside lever"

Rayford G., LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Seat belts

"Driver seatbelt won't retract anymore."

Thierry P., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"belt retractor lost tension....$650 for Ford to repair"

John K., HI (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Windows

"Rear window seal is leaking. Research on the internet suggest this is a reacting problem with this model. Not an easy fix, must remove & then replace the seal"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Window trim around upper brake light leaks. Ruined carpet. Mold"

Anonymous, FL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

What Owners Say

12V power plug

"The re plugs in front don't work and the trail connector as everything connected to it went out in a storm while on vacation"

Linda N., GA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Clock

"radio/clock lighting stays out most of the time now for about a year but it will come on once in a while"

Anonymous, MS (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Exterior lights (other than headlights)

"Had to replace both stop/signal bulbs."

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Gauges

"Speedometer not working. Replaced speed sensor and did not solve the problem"

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 Unsure 5.4-L V8)

Headlights

"Headlights burned out at around 70000 just replaced them"

Anonymous, LA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

"Headlights won't shut off consistently, brights will come on and stay on"

Anonymous, MO (2003 Ford F-150)

Remote engine starter

"anti theft would not let truck start. had to tow to ford twice for recoding. Ford blamed corroded fuse box.525$ later, fixed ,turned key approx.25 times, anti-theft would not let truck start. rinse, repeat."

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

Wiper motor or washer

"Wiper motor went bad. I replaced it myself."

Richard P., LA (2003 Ford F-150 Lightning 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

What Owners Say

Catalytic converter

"One of 4 Converters was plunging up causing the motor to run ruff and idle ruff changed the system $1400 stainless didn’t help that much found out later that the spark plug coil systems 8 places was the biggest problem but the exhaust system was getting hot spots and did need replacing"

Duane M., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"The truck was running sluggish I had it checked out one side of the exhaust system is a lot hotter than the other I was told that the catalytic converter‘s were not working properly I need of buying a complete exhaust system for it I didn’t think that was bad considering the age of the vehicle it runs a lot better with the new exhaust system"

Duane M., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"Partially plugged causing truck not having power"

Duane M., OH (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Exhaust manifold

"cracked, lost bolt."

Dina J., AB (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

"There is a bimetallic issue with the manifold bolts and the aluminum engine block causing bolts to stick and break causing re drilling and tapping"

Joyce K., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Ford service manager told me many years of the Ford trucks have had exhaust manifold cracking and bolts breaking"

Anonymous, NY (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

Muffler

"Drove over a construction cone"

Anonymous, ON (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

"I was having my car serviced at a tire place and they had my truck jacked up and we opened the hood to get out the tool to lower my spare tire. Long story short we created a vapor lock in my exhaust system. I was told that I would need to replace my catylitic converts, but when I went to a muffler shop, I was told that my catalytics were okay, I needed a new muffler"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 Lightning 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

What Owners Say

CV joint

"returning to Colorado from Florida. Bearing collapsed while driving on interstate. Had to be twoed to get repair done on my way id 4 hours, no problems since"

Ralph H., CO (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Differential

"The differential became very noisy and I was concerned with driving the truck as a result. I took it to a well rated independent garage for repairs. It was necessary to replace all of the bearings in the differential at a cost of $1200."

Anonymous, IL (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"limited slip rear end"

Norman T., VA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.2-L V6)

"Had to have entire rebuild over $600"

Anonymous, MI (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

Driveshaft or axle

"Grinding noise coming from the rear axle. Limited-slip differential needed to be rebuilt"

Christopher R., AB (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Front wheel hub & bearing assemblies worn out on both sides."

Anonymous, (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Had noise coming from rear of truck and it turned out to be a damaged driveshaft"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

What Owners Say

Antifreeze leaks

"The intake manifold started to fall apart, and was discovered due to a coolant leak. This is, apparently, a fairly common problem with this engine at this age."

Anonymous, UT (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Leak was in the crossover within the intake manifold which had to be replaced"

Frank E., MD (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Overheating

"This was a fairly unusual issue because the check-engine light would come on, the coolant temperature gauge would jump into the red-zone, and even the oil temperature light would come on; and when this would occur, the computer would put the truck into engine preservation mode, which robbed it of almost all power, BUT the engine was not actually overheating. The actual problem was that the cylinder head temperature sensor was failing and giving false high readings. I have video of the coolant temperature gauge jumping up and down in ways that are incompatible with the laws of thermodynamics."

Anonymous, UT (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

"Engine is overheating because coolant is constantly lower and has to be filled up weekly, yet there is no leaking coolant on my garage floor, so it must be leaking into the engine somewhere."

Tom S., WI (2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson 5.4-L V8 supercharged)

"This was caused by the coil failure which I already covered"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.5-L V8)

Radiator

"The radiator stopped working one day while driving, before I knew that had happened, the engine threw a rod. The heat and check engine light came on seconds before the engine died"

Anonymous, TX (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 4.5-L V8)

Transmission Major

Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.

What Owners Say

Clutch replacement

"Truck shudders when accelerating and turning from a stop. Clutch pack in rear differential need to be replaced"

Anonymous, MI (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

Transmission rebuild or replacement

"transmission went out"

Anonymous, CA (2003 Ford F-150 XLT 5.4-L V8)

"Continued to have problems from the day I purchased the truck and for at least the first 6 months after I purchased it."

Larry B., WA (2003 Ford F-150 XL 5.4-L V8)

"Transmission started slipping and was rebuilt."

Duane P., GA (2003 Ford F-150 Lariat 5.4-L V8)

Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

What Owners Say

Rough shifting

"On service appointment on November 2019, I had manual transmission checked out because of difficulty in shifting between 1st and 2nd gear. mechanic discovered metal shavings in gear shifter enclosed compartment and replaced gear box fluids and its solved problem. I purchased vehicle with 88,000 miles as used truck in 2014. I surmised that previous owners might have ground gears to cause metal shavings in shift gear box which caused difficulty in manual shifting. Ford dealership maintenance said to report any changes in operating."

Anonymous, OR (2003 Ford F-150 XL 4.2-L V6)

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