Representative model. Photo: MercurySable99, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2003 Ford F-150 recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2003 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 11
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 464
Latest campaign: Jul 29, 2011

Recall summary by component11

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Exterior lighting	5	May 11, 2009	09E025000 09E012000 08E050000 06E067000 06E052000
Fuel system, gasoline	2	Jul 29, 2011	11V385000 06E056000
Vehicle speed control	2	Aug 3, 2007	07V336000 07V078000
Equipment	1	Aug 28, 2007	07E066000
Steering	1	Sep 22, 2003	03V349000

Safety recalls11

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

Jul 29, 2011Latest campaign


Jul 29, 201111V385000	Fuel system, gasoline: storage tank assembly AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME CASES, CAUSING THE TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND. DetailsHide details for campaign 11V385000 What's wrong FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150, 2004 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150 HERITAGE, 1997 THROUGH 1999 MODEL YEAR F-250 LESS THAN 8,500 LBS. GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR), AND 2002 AND 2003 LINCOLN BLACKWOOD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 20, 1995, THROUGH AUGUST 4, 2004, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD DEICING CHEMICALS MAY CAUSE SEVERE CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH SECURE THE TANK TO THE VEHICLE. Risk AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME CASES, CAUSING THE TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND. EITHER SCENARIO MAY RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK PRESENTING A FIRE HAZARD. Remedy FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND INSTRUCT THEM TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK STRAPS REPLACED WITH STRAPS THAT HAVE INCREASED CORROSION PROTECTION. EARLY IN THIS CAMPAIGN, IF REPLACEMENT STRAPS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, DEALERS MAY INSTALL A CABLE SUPPORT UNDER THE STRAP AS AN INTERIM REPAIR OR A STEEL REINFORCEMENT OVER THE EXISTING STRAP AS A PERMANENT REPAIR. ANY REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332. FORD'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 11S21 Campaign NHTSA 11V385000 · Jul 29, 2011
May 11, 200909E025000	Exterior lighting: headlights DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. DetailsHide details for campaign 09E025000 What's wrong DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS. Risk DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Remedy DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798. Campaign NHTSA 09E025000 · May 11, 2009
Apr 7, 200909E012000	Exterior lighting DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. DetailsHide details for campaign 09E012000 What's wrong SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS. Risk DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Remedy SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589. Campaign NHTSA 09E012000 · Apr 7, 2009
Aug 11, 200808E050000	Exterior lighting: headlights WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH. DetailsHide details for campaign 08E050000 What's wrong K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." Risk WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Remedy K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992. Campaign NHTSA 08E050000 · Aug 11, 2008
Aug 28, 200707E066000	Equipment: electrical IF THE TRAILER LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, A VEHICLE CRASH CAN OCCUR. DetailsHide details for campaign 07E066000 What's wrong CERTAIN CEQUENT 90 DEGREE 7-WAY RIGHT ANGLE ADAPTORS SOLD BY DISTRIBUTORS IN TOW PACKAGES FOR AFTERMARKET SALES TO TOW 5TH WHEEL RV TRAVEL TRAILERS. DUE TO INCORRECT WIRING OF THE HARNESS, THE TRAILER LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. Risk IF THE TRAILER LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, A VEHICLE CRASH CAN OCCUR. Remedy ALL OF THE DEFECTIVE TOW PACKAGES ARE STILL AT THE DISTRIBUTOR LEVEL AND HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD TO ANY CONSUMERS. Campaign NHTSA 07E066000 · Aug 28, 2007
Aug 3, 200707V336000	Vehicle speed control THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. DetailsHide details for campaign 07V336000 What's 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. Campaign NHTSA 07V336000 · Aug 3, 2007

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Buying a used 2003 Ford F-150? Recalls cover the model; a history report checks one car's title, odometer and accident records. VinAudit history report → Sponsored · disclosure

Owner complaints by component464

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

464Complaints filed

45Involving a crash

39Involving a fire

39Injuries reported · 1 death

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Engine and engine cooling	74	16	0	1	0
Power train	71	15	6	2	3
Electrical system	60	13	2	17	1
Vehicle speed control	33	7	4	5	6
Structure	32	7	1	3	1
Air bags	32	7	24	3	27
Service brakes	30	6	0	0	1
Engine	28	6	0	7	0
Fuel system	28	6	1	2	0
Tires	24	5	4	1	1
Gasoline	21	5	1	2	0
Unknown or other	20	4	3	7	2
Fuel/propulsion system	20	4	0	2	0
Hydraulic	20	4	0	0	1
Seat belts	18	4	8	0	8

15 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

Electrical system
“I moved my vehicle from driveway to park on the street so my husband could park in the driveway.”
Filed 08/18/2026 · ODI 11757698
Tires
“The contact owns a 2003 Ford F-150 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Firestone, Tire Size: 265/70/R17, DOT Number: (N/A).”
Filed 08/04/2026 · ODI 11754716
Power train
“UNKNOWN - however there were NO warning lights or any other indication of malfunction or to service the truck.”
Filed 06/09/2026 · ODI 11742957

Other Ford F-150 model years

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Other Ford models

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2003 Ford F-150 recall questions

How many recalls does the 2003 Ford F-150 have?

NHTSA lists 11 safety recall campaigns for the 2003 Ford F-150. The most recent, 11V385000 (reported July 29, 2011), concerns fuel system, gasoline. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2003 Ford F-150 recalls for?

The largest group is exterior lighting, with 5 campaigns. Others: fuel system, gasoline (2), vehicle speed control (2), equipment (1). Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2003 Ford F-150?

Engine and engine cooling is the most-reported component, named in 74 complaints out of 464 filed with NHTSA (16%). Across all complaints, owners reported 45 crashs and 39 fires. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2003 Ford F-150?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Ford dealer.

Check a specific Ford by VIN

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