2003 Ford Expedition Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2003 Expedition most often report two broad things: spark plugs ejecting from the 5.4L V8 cylinder heads and sudden loss of engine power or stalling traced to a fuel pump relay in the fuse box. Many complaints come in well past 100,000 miles, though plug ejection is reported from roughly 47,000 miles upward. Airbag indicator lights, side airbags deploying without a crash, headlights cutting out, and tire sidewall/tread separations also appear in the sample.

1. 1
   Engine

   Spark plug ejects from cylinder head

   • 113 complaints (18%)
   • median 96,386 mi at 7.3 yrs old (104 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,916 (median of 30 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2025

   Owners describe a loud pop or bang from the engine bay followed by rough running or loss of power, often while accelerating or merging onto a highway; some find a plug or coil sitting loose on the engine. Complaints say the cylinder head threads holding the plug strip out, and that mechanics recommend a thread insert repair or head replacement as the permanent fix. Several owners report the dealer tightened plugs or declined goodwill repair, describing the insert as a repeat-fix rather than a guaranteed repair. Reported from about 47,000 miles into the 130,000-180,000 mile range, often during acceleration or highway driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether any plug has blown out and how it was repaired (thread insert vs. head replacement), and have a mechanic check plug torque and listen for a ticking or popping noise at the cylinder heads.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1.) I was just driving the vehicle and the spark plug blew out of the engine. 2.) I have a 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4 l triton v8 with 78,000 miles and the spark plug blow out of the engine. 3.) a Ford dealer is replacing the head on my Expedition, cost $3000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10157627, filed 2006-05, 18 miles

   “I have a 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4l that has blown the #3 spark plug 3 times. Each time I have purchased oem plugs. It appears that I am not alone in this experience and many speculate that the thread depth is not enough to secure the plug appropriately.”

   NHTSA complaint #10330579, filed 2010-05, 123,789 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or cuts out (fuel pump relay / fuse box)

   • 165 complaints (27%)
   • median 102,000 mi at 9.1 yrs old (134 state mileage)
   • 27 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 19 quotes)
   • filed 2003–2026

   Owners report the engine dying without warning at city and highway speeds, sometimes with a no-start afterward; power steering and brake assist are lost when it happens. Complaints attribute this to a failing fuel pump relay that is built into the fuse box, so the whole box has to be replaced, and several owners say the problem returned after replacement. Some also describe water leaking from the passenger-side front window or windshield area onto the interior fuse panel, causing relays to burn out or the vehicle to cut off. Mostly reported between roughly 100,000 and 200,000 miles, with a few at much lower mileage; occurring in traffic, at stoplights, and at highway speed.

   Recall 03V0940002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask if the fuse box/fuel pump relay has been replaced and whether the passenger-side window or cowl area leaks; check for water staining around the interior fuse panel and test that the truck restarts reliably after a stall.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2003 Ford Expedition will be driving fine, then all of a sudden it will die in traffic and have had several close calls of being rear ended. One other time it died and while coasting after it died, it started again causing vehicle to lunge and my wife almost rear ended someone else. The vehicle is at the repair shop and it is diagnosed as a PCM that is and now has a hard failure.”

   NHTSA complaint #10393880, filed 2011-03, 135,000 miles

   “Fuse relays keep burning out! I have brought over 10 relays in 2 weeeks. I have done my research and this is a common problem with all 2003 fords and is very exspensive to fix. I was shocked to find that it has not been recalled! There are videos on you tube to prove that all of these trucks have this problem. I was told I had to replace the entire fuse box but eventually I will have the same problem out of that fuse box because thus is a defect in all 2003 Ford expeditions. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10893675, filed 2016-08, 124,000 miles
3. 3
   Tires

   Tire sidewall bulging, splitting or tread separation

   • 52 complaints (8%)
   • median 36,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2017

   Owners of the original-equipment tires report sidewall splits and bubbles, blowouts, and tread separation, often while driving at highway speed; some describe vibration noticed from the first day and repeated road-force balancing that did not resolve it. Complaints mention pro-rata replacement by the tire maker and the dealer as the typical outcome. Reported on original tires from under 8,000 miles up to about 107,000 miles, usually at highway speeds.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect all four tires for sidewall bubbles, cracks and uneven wear; check DOT date codes and ask whether the truck still vibrates at highway speed, since a tire/wheel runout check is described in a service bulletin.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My new 2003 Ford Expedition SUV purchased late june o3, two tires rf anf rr coming apart at 6,400 miles! Tires are continental 17 factory new install! I noticed a vibration at 60+ MPH 1st day with this SUV, advised dealer! Dealer re-balanced all tires. Problem continued! Dealer sent tries to shop for weight road balance?! Problem still cont.! On 10/22/03 rf and rr tires splitting on sidewalls around beeds!! Photos taken. Ford and continental tire advised. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10043730, filed 2003-10, 6,400 miles

   “On oct 23 while driving I noticed a thumping noise. Upon inspection I discovered the left rear tire had a large bubble sticking out on the inside of the tire between the tread and the sidewall. This is the exact same failure that I experienced on the inside of the right rear tire in aug. In both cases I had been driving for a short period on the interstate and was preparing to rejoin the interstate. I was extremely fortunate that both were discovered prior to an explosive failure and tread separation at high speed on the highway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10290732, filed 2009-11, 107,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on or airbags deploying without a crash

   • 60 complaints (10%)
   • median 84,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (45 state mileage)
   • 30 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2022

   Owners report the airbag indicator light staying illuminated after airbag repairs, with the dealer describing the repeat failure as out of warranty. Other complaints describe side airbags deploying on their own at highway speed with no impact, and in separate crashes owners say the frontal airbags did not deploy. In the deployment complaints, dealers reportedly could not identify a cause and declined to cover the repair. Reported from about 63,000 miles up to the 106,000-110,000 mile range, both while parked and while driving at highway speeds.

   What to check: Turn the key on and confirm the airbag light comes on and then goes out; ask for any history of airbag module or clock spring repairs and whether warning lights were ever addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the side air bags spontaneously deployed without cause. The dealer could not identify the cause of the failure and refused to pay for the repair. The manufacturer advised the contact to call her insurance company. The failure and current mileages were 106,000. Updated 12-02-08 updated 12/02/08.”

   NHTSA complaint #10248572, filed 2008-11, 106,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition . The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact crashed the vehicle into a building and the air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure and current mileage was 100,000. Updated 05/23/13 updated 06/11/2013”

   NHTSA complaint #10505776, filed 2013-04, 100,000 miles

Buying note. Have any 5.4L truck checked for plug thread condition and ask for records of fuse box or fuel pump relay work, since those are the two most common themes in owner complaints. Budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection covering tires, brakes and airbag warning lights on a vehicle of this age and mileage.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.