AI Damage2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac filed 78 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 78
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 10 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (12% of all).
- Fuel system: 8 complaints (10% of all).
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 78 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The driver was driving down the expressway and her back tire blew out causing her vehicle to spiral out of control and the vehicle then flipped and started rolling downhill, the vehicle airbags did not deploy in the vehicle at all. The driver and her mother are in critical condition.
Also, the contact mentioned that as the passenger's side air bag deployed, flames emitted out of it. A police report was filed and the contact sustained neck and back injuries which required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue.
On numerous occasions while parking when pressing brake pedal my foot has pressed down on the accelerator linkage causing the engine to race and the vehicle to crip forward. The harder I press the brake the more the engine revs.
I was hit from behind and pushed into a vehicle in front of me. During the impact, my seatback (driver's) moved back slightly and the center of the seat back collapsed, causing me to injure my back.
drivers side rear brake line developed a hole caused by the emergency brake cable rubbing against it causing all the brake fluid to leak & the brakes failed. Fortunately my husband was driving on our rural road & not out on the main highway. We have not been able to get it repaired yet.
Takata recall .. The smell of fuel inside the cab and outside is really bad. It's making me sick and giving me headaches. The truck doesn't run right and the mileage is awful.
If you put in 4wd it roars loader and jerks. 1/23/18 replaced drivers side wheel hub and bearings. It still roars while accelerating speed but not as bad in 2wd but put in 4wd its real loud and jerks you .
Then on several occasions it would slip out of gear while I was coming off of or onto exit ramps. Seemed like as the engine decelerated it would slip into neutral.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,048 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Explorer Sport Trac has 55 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 78, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
- Explorer Sport Trac 19976 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 19985 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 20003 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 2001167 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 2002144 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 200486 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 200566 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 20065 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 2007100 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 200823 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 20096 sources
- Explorer Sport Trac 201031 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, structure, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 78. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (9%), vibration (8%), stalls while driving (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.