2003 Ford F-450 SD Problems
- Complaints
- 16filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 55,221miles, 13 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 5campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Ford F-450 SD (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2003 Ford F-450 SD. The part named most often is fuel system, with 6 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine cooling (4) and suspension (2). 13 of the complaints include a mileage, and 38% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 55,221 miles. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 55 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the diesel and 25 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Fuel system6 38%
- Engine cooling4 25%
- Suspension2 13%
- Tires2 13%
- Brakes1 6.3%
- Other or unknown1 6.3%
- Steering1 6.3%
- Wheels1 6.3%
Example complaints
Fuel system: “The lining of the fuel tank has been flaking off into my fuel lines, which is restricting my fuel filters. Because of the lack of fuel, 2 fuel injectors went bad and had to be replaced. And the turbo was over compensating for the lack of power, due to fuel shortage, so the turbo had to be replaced as well. Now that we have found the source of the problem, the fuel tank and fuel pump has to be replaced as too. Into this for $5000 already without replacing the tank and pump. Need some help.”
NHTSA complaint #10256109, filed 2009-01, 136,000 milesEngine cooling: “When driving down a hill with lots of turns. The truck stalled (shut off) all of the sudden right before a turn. Luckily was able to keep the truck on the road and restart the truck in neutral. Took truck straight to hansel Ford asked them to tell me what was wrong with the truck. They checked the computer in the truck, and said they could not find anything and didn't know what to tell me.”
NHTSA complaint #10256119, filed 2009-01, 90,000 milesTires: “The contact owns a 2003 Ford f450 super duty. The vehicle has double coin radial tires, size 225/70/19.5 (na). The tires were serviced by an independent tire mechanic and tread separation was discovered in six tires. There were five tires with the same DOT number. The tires were replaced on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 95,773 and current mileage was 96,343. Updated 10/16/08. The tires were prorated. Updated 10/17/08.”
NHTSA complaint #10239016, filed 2008-08, 95,733 milesMileage when problems were reported
38% of the 13 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,000 and 95,733 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
- 11V352000Jul 13, 2011Exterior lighting › Brake lightsCovers: Ford F-450 SD 2002–2007, Ranger 2004–2011, F-350 2002–2007 +5 more
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005…
- 09V399000Oct 13, 2009Vehicle speed controlCovers: Ford F-450 SD 1993–1997, 1999–2003, E-150 1992–2003, E-350 1992–2003 +12 more
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…
- 07V553000Dec 5, 2007Engine and engine cooling › Engine › DieselCovers: Ford F-450 SD 1997–2003, E Series 1997–2003, F-550 SD 1997–2003 +3 more
On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with 7.3l diesel engines, the camshaft position sensor located on the engine of the vehicle may function intermittently, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
- 07V078000Mar 6, 2007Vehicle speed controlCovers: Ford F-450 SD 2003, E550 2002–2003, F-150 2003 +5 more
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
- 04V327000Jul 7, 2004Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v batteryCovers: Ford F-450 SD 2003, F-250 2003, F-350 2003 +2 more
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with 6.0l diesel engines, the engine ground stud that attaches the negative battery terminal eyelet to the engine block may be loose.
Recall details for the 2003 Ford F-450 SD → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 55 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10243490Sep 7, 2023Transmission and drivetrain. When performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving MERCON SP, MERCON LV has replaced all versions of MERCON SP and can be used going forward. Mixing MERCON LV and MERCON SP in the…
- 10189008Feb 10, 2021Transmission and drivetrain. This SKU is a Transmission Line. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the connector. The transmission line connector may have an incorrect thread size, which…
- 10171326Jan 13, 2020Equipment. This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for…
- 10171325Jan 13, 2020Equipment. This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for…
- 10165713Sep 2, 2019Electrical system. Some 2002-2008 F-Super Duty, F-150 and Mark LT vehicles may exhibit concern during or after programing the VSM. The programming may fail or vehicle symptoms such as inoperative door locks, dome…
- 10056196May 1, 2014Transmission and drivetrain. Ford: when shifting between park, reverse and/or during 2-3 shift, an intermittent clunk occurs with a torqshift transmission. Model 2003-2014 f-super duty, e series, excursion, f-53 motorhome…
- 10055648Feb 1, 2014Equipment. Ford: the restraint control module (rcm) when using vcm ii, would have an error code 35 and diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1035, and difficulty attempting programmable module installation (pmi)…
- 10055629Feb 1, 2014Engine cooling, Transmission and drivetrain. Ford: on some trucks, there is a no crank situation and if voltage on transmission range sensor at pin 21, is less than 5 volts, disconnect the engine cooling fan clutch, electronically, and recheck…
- 10024325Mar 1, 2008Engine cooling. 6.0l turbocharger carbon deposit diagnostics and service tips. *nj updated 5/29/08.
- 10021281Dec 1, 2007Fuel system. Water in the fuel tank behind rear axle - 6.0l, 6.4l and 7.3l diesel engine. *kb updated 2/29/08.
Other model years of the Ford F-450 SD
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 9,707 | 3 | — | — | — | Too new |
| 2023 | 5 | — | 13 | — | — | — | Too new |
| 2022 | 24 | 75,000 | 14 | — | — | — | Rising |
| 2021 | 18 | 2,763 | 12 | — | — | — | Rising |
| 2011 | 6 | 58,250 | 8 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 68 | 34,090 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Rising |
| 2007 | 16 | 53,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2006 | 35 | 49,791 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2005 | 40 | 51,650 | 4 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 33 | 48,101 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 16 | 55,221 | 5 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2002 | 14 | 55,000 | 4 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 23 | 60,351 | 7 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2000 | 43 | 61,135 | 5 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 66 | 76,000 | 9 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 5 | — | 3 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1991 | 6 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford F-450 SD model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Ford F-450 SD have?
NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2003 Ford F-450 SD as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2003 Ford F-450 SD is reported most often?
Fuel system is named most often, in 6 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 4.
Has the 2003 Ford F-450 SD been recalled?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Ford F-450 SD reported?
Among the 13 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 55,221 miles and the middle half falls between 5,000 and 95,733 miles; 38% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.