2003 Ford F Super Duty: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Ford F Super Duty filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 27

What fails most often

1 Engine 33% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 15% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
5 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Steering 7% of all complaints
8 Suspension 7% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Engine: 9 complaints (33% of all).
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (15% of all).
Fuel system: 4 complaints (15% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (7% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 27 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving5 · 19%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 15%
tires: bulges, blowouts4 · 15%
loss of power / limp mode3 · 11%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 4%
oil leak or consumption1 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 4%
rust, corrosion1 · 4%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine	9	0	0
Engine and cooling	4	0	0
Fuel system	4	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Suspension	2	0	0
Wheels	2	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0
Other	1	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.

Consumer writes in regards to kiddie portable fire extinguisher safety recall. The consumer stated the vehicle was sold to an unknown person(s);therefore, they did not receive the recall notice.
Equipment · 2018-02-28 · NHTSA complaint #11074828
The brake pedal sinks at stops. I've had service technicians check the systems, two mastercylinders have been installed that did'nt correct the issue. They have determined the abs valve is the issue and will not fail on a hard brake..
Service brakes · 2017-09-18 · NHTSA complaint #11024050
My truck has 101k miles on it and it just started stalling out while driving( on streets and highways), also while just idling it stalls(stationary). I took it to my local ford for them to hook it up on their computer to see what the problem is.
Engine · 2017-04-30 · NHTSA complaint #10981472
Truck stalls and or misfires when intermittent wipers are on when sitting in stopped position truck will stall and when in motion it will misfire and stumble only when wipers are on and not any other time
Electrical system · 2017-01-20 · NHTSA complaint #10946825
F-350 crew cab 4x4, dually truck with ford factory aluminum alloy wheels. The right front wheel starting leaking air and when checked, a crack beginning at the valve stem was propagating toward the center of the wheel and cracks were also developing along the base of the spokes, circumscribing several spokes.
Wheels · 2016-09-18 · NHTSA complaint #10907495
I am the second owner of this truck, it had 30,000 miles on it when I bought it from the dealer in 02/2005. There is no front end alignment issues with this truck.
Powertrain · 2015-08-23 · NHTSA complaint #10758641
Fuel injectors plugged resulting in loss of power. Happened repeatedly over the years. Now it appears to be delaminating fuel tank liner. Appears to be a widespread problem. Ford won't take responsibility.
Fuel system · 2014-12-06 · NHTSA complaint #10662570
Spark plug blew out while traveling on narrow mountain road causing engine to stall losing power steering. Steered into the mountain side to prevent head on collision. There have been several engine fires due to plug blowing out of cylinder head and fuel not properly burning.
Engine · 2014-09-01 · NHTSA complaint #10629874

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20034
20041
20052
20091
20101
20111
20122
20131
20145
20152
20163
20173
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,189 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).

On average one model year of the F Super Duty has 20 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
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.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford F Super Duty?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (19%), smoke, burning smell, fire (15%), tires: bulges, blowouts (15%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Ford F Super Duty?

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 F Super Duty 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.