2003 Ford E-250
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › E-250 › 2003
These records cover every 2003 Ford E-250. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
8 recalls name the 2003 Ford E-250. Newest first.
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 1994 F53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). the…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. on 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. repairs will be completed free of charge. the safety recall began on october 27, 2009. owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Ford IS recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. the affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that IS not compatible with…
Risk and remedy
Risk
As a result, the fuse IS located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. the recall began on february 18, 2008. owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
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 and remedy
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.
Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube interface, even though the person making the connection may believe that the quick connector IS fully…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
Remedy
Ufi will notify owners and replace the filters free of charge. the recall began on august 4, 2006. owners may contact ufi filters USA at 800-230-5876.
On certain vans built on ford e250/e350 chassis and equipped with sure-lok wheelchair securement systems, the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly IS out of alignment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries to a wheelchair occupant.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the wheelchair securement retractors as necessary. sure-lok IS conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. owners should contact sure-lock at 1-908-231-1804 or accubuilt at 419-222-1501.
On certain vans, a diode in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) module may experience an electrical short.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The electrical short may cause an ABS malfunction that would illuminate the ABS warning light, or the module may overheat resulting in a burning odor, smoke, and/or fire. this condition may occur while the vehicle IS being driven or unattended.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new fuse in the ABS circuit and install a heat shield over the ABS module. the recall began on october 15, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. also ford IS extending the limited warranty (for a one time replacement) of the ABS module for a total of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. if your vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until september 30, 2005.
On certain vans, the air filter element material process resulted in an air filter paper element that can smolder or burn. this change in filter paper composition combined with the configuration of the air induction system, may allow hot carbon particles to contact the air filter element during certain driving conditions that create hot particles.
Risk and remedy
Risk
These hot particles may ignite the air filter element with the potential for air induction system damage or underhood fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the air filter element. the recall began september 27, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. also ford IS extending the limited warranty (for a one time replacement) of the ABS module for a total of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. if your vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until september 30, 2005.
Certain vans and wagons fail to conform to the requirements of part 567, "certification." for certain 2003 E250 vans built with lt225/75r16e tires, the rear axle rating IS incorrectly listed on the label. in addition, the tire pressure IS incorrectly listed on the label for the rear tires on certain 2002 E350 wagons and for the front tires on certain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Failure to follow proper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation recommendation can result in tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with supplementary tire labels containing correct information and installation instructions. if an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them. the recall began on july 8, 2004. owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Owner complaints
17 complaints4 involved a crash2 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Tires
Tire brand and size: pathfinder sport s a/t 245/75-16 put on rear of 2003 ford E250 extended length work van. bought new from discount tire. As soon as I got on the interstate I noticed the vehicle felt unstable. Was wandering in rear. When making a lane change IS was really bad and felt unsafe…
Tire brand and size: pathfinder sport s a/t 245/75-16 put on rear of 2003 ford E250 extended length work van. bought new from discount tire. As soon as I got on the interstate I noticed the vehicle felt unstable. Was wandering in rear. When making a lane change IS was really bad and felt unsafe as the rear swayed from side to side. Had them take these tires off and replace with a major brand and this problem went away. I highly recommend some one looks into these tires as I think the potential IS there for causing a spin out or roll over.
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford E-250. The contact stated that the engine temperature gauge failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the instrument panel would need to be replaced. The failure prevented the contact from knowing if the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 60,000. *Tr
- Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owned a 2003 ford E-250. The contact stated that upon starting, the vehicle surged in reverse and crashed into a building. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent repair shop. The failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000. The vin was unavailable.
- Service brakes, hydraulic
TL* the contact owns 2003 ford E-250. The contact stated while driving 2 mph, pressure was applied to the brake pedal and it depressed to the floor. The contact engaged the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. An independent mechanic examined the vehicle and stated that there was a small…
TL* the contact owns 2003 ford E-250. The contact stated while driving 2 mph, pressure was applied to the brake pedal and it depressed to the floor. The contact engaged the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. An independent mechanic examined the vehicle and stated that there was a small pinhole in the brake lines that developed due to corrosion. As a result, brake fluid was leaking from the brake lines. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages was 93,636.
- Electrical system · Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel · Electrical system › Wiring · Steering › Electric power assist system
Loss of instruments in 2003 F250 diesel with 50,153 miles. Fuse replaced by service center and instruments came on. 3 days later they went off while in 4 wheel low and the the engine stopped (battery's dead). I had no control over steering and went off the road. Repair of damaged wiring in…
Loss of instruments in 2003 F250 diesel with 50,153 miles. Fuse replaced by service center and instruments came on. 3 days later they went off while in 4 wheel low and the the engine stopped (battery's dead). I had no control over steering and went off the road. Repair of damaged wiring in steering column fixed problem. this IS a well documented problem on the web and known to the service centers I have contacted. if wiring IS worn in a 50,000 mile truck I would think it probably will occur in similar models. The truck could have sustained severe damage and possibly resulted in injury. Why no recall or at least notification of owners. *kb
- Service brakes, hydraulic
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E-250. The contact noticed the ABS warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel and the gears would not engage. The contact restarted the vehicle and it began to function normally; however, the ABS light continued to illuminate. The dealer was contacted and…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E-250. The contact noticed the ABS warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel and the gears would not engage. The contact restarted the vehicle and it began to function normally; however, the ABS light continued to illuminate. The dealer was contacted and stated there was a fee to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. There was a recall under nhtsa campaign ID number: 04v444000 (electrical system:wiring) that may be related to the failure but the vin was not included. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
- Tires
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E-250. the vehicle has trail king a/s mud n snow load range e tires, size lt235 85 R1. the contact noticed pulsation and vibration in the front end of his vehicle while driving 75 mph. a week later, while driving approximately 75 mph again, the vibration worsened.…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E-250. the vehicle has trail king a/s mud n snow load range e tires, size lt235 85 R1. the contact noticed pulsation and vibration in the front end of his vehicle while driving 75 mph. a week later, while driving approximately 75 mph again, the vibration worsened. almost immediately, the tread separated and the front passenger side tire exploded, which resulted in $1,900 worth of damage to the vehicle. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 115,000 and failure mileage was approximately 114,800.
- Air bags
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E250. while driving 35 mph in inclement weather conditions, the contact crashed into a lightpole and several trees. the vehicle was completely destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. a police report was filed. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford E250. while driving 35 mph in inclement weather conditions, the contact crashed into a lightpole and several trees. the vehicle was completely destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. a police report was filed. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the manufacturer and dealer have not been notified. the failure and current mileages were 27,000. updated 03/04/09. *Lj updated 03/04/09. *Jb
- Vehicle speed control
I received a recall notice (#05s28) from ford concerning a defective speed control deactivation switch (creating a fire hazard) on a vehicle I own. When I contacted dealership service departments as instructed (two different dealerships) I was told the necessary parts will not be available until at…
I received a recall notice (#05s28) from ford concerning a defective speed control deactivation switch (creating a fire hazard) on a vehicle I own. When I contacted dealership service departments as instructed (two different dealerships) I was told the necessary parts will not be available until at least december 07 but that I could have the speed control disconnected until parts were available (meaning two trips to the dealership - two days without use of a company vehicle). I have contacted ford directly and was told the same. how can it possibly take longer to obtain replacements for hazardous defective parts than it takes to order a custom vehicle from the factory? does your organization have any authority to force a manufacturer to expedite such matters? *tr
- Air bags › Frontal
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph around a curve an accident occurred trying to avoid an on-coming vehicle. The consumer hit a railroad post. This launched the vehicle into a creek. the air bags did not deploy, however the seat belts did restrain the contact. due to the air bag's…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph around a curve an accident occurred trying to avoid an on-coming vehicle. The consumer hit a railroad post. This launched the vehicle into a creek. the air bags did not deploy, however the seat belts did restrain the contact. due to the air bag's failure to deploy, the contact was seriously injured. the fire department rescued the contact and a police report was processed at the scene of the accident.*ak updated 08/08/06. *Jb
- Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Dt: caller bought a used vehicle from an armored car company. The air conditioner had a bad compressor. ford offered no help because they did not work on van conversions. The company consumer bought the van sent him to an air conditioning company. They said the entire air conditioner compressor…
Dt: caller bought a used vehicle from an armored car company. The air conditioner had a bad compressor. ford offered no help because they did not work on van conversions. The company consumer bought the van sent him to an air conditioning company. They said the entire air conditioner compressor had to be replaced. the vehicle was taken back 12 times because it blew hot air. The air conditioner company returned the money the armored car company paid to fix it, and will offer no more help. The armored car company referred the caller to another air conditioner company, and they repaired the new system. Now the air conditioner IS broken again. They have replaced the compressor. The caller had to pay for the repair. Manufacturer has offered no help.*ak
- Electrical system › Wiring
The van was parked an dit caught on fire. the fire department was called to extinguish the fire. no injuries reported. the van was towed and totaled by the insurance company. *Ak
- Steering › Linkages › Knuckle › Spindle › Arm
A ford 2003 van, with 30,000 miles experiences a steering failure, when the pitman arm broke off the bottom of the steering box. it cleanly sheared off a shaft of metal which IS 1 1/4 inches of solid steel.*ak since the driver was operating at low speed on the ramp of miami international airport…
A ford 2003 van, with 30,000 miles experiences a steering failure, when the pitman arm broke off the bottom of the steering box. it cleanly sheared off a shaft of metal which IS 1 1/4 inches of solid steel.*ak since the driver was operating at low speed on the ramp of miami international airport, he struck a barrier with minimal sheetmetal damage. The driver reported that the steering wheel was spinning freely in his hands at the time of impact. I reported this to ford, who's staff determined that the shaft did not fail due to manufacturing defect. Had this vehicle been at highway speed on a major roadway, the cause of the accident would not have been so clearly obvious. And surely a fatality would have been involved. I retained the broken part. I believe this IS an incident which should be reported. Ford determined that striking the barrier caused the metal to fail. However the impact was minimal and though a centered impact on the front of the vehicle the airbag did not even deploy.
- Electrical system
While the vehicle was parked in the driveway it caughton fire. electrical/abs system's was the defective. manufacturer urged consumer to file a complaint. recall 04v444000. *ak
- Steering
When driving 55 mph or more steering vibrated violently. *Ak
- Suspension › Front
While driving front end suspension caused steering wheel to vibrate when driving and hitting rough or uneven surfaces. Consumer took vehicle to dealership several times, but mechanic was unable to resolve the vibration problem.*ak
- Unknown or other · Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
The ford van E-250 2003 were produced and sold with the wrong lug wrench. can not change my tires because the lug wrench will not fully cover the lug nut because the wrench IS to thick and hits the iner rim. This in turn causes the wrench to slip off or strip the nut.*ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- HVAC Switch Failures
This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data…
This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the existence of a safety defect trend.ODI reviewed 1,036 complaints, claims, and field reports of failed blower motor control switches and determined that only two fires were likely to have been caused by a failing subject blower motor control switch.This represents a failure rate of 0.2 R/100K on a population of 1,076,975 vehicles that have been in service for up to 14 years.ODI has found that when the subject switches do fail and begin to melt, they are constructed in a manner that typically prevents the failing switch from igniting and developing into an open flame.Ford Motor Company has agreed to take two actions to further reduce the likelihood an overheated blower motor switch in the subject vehicles.Ford informed ODI that it has implemented a series of design changes to the subject switch that will help prevent it from developing internal high resistance short circuits.Ford has also informed ODI that it would release a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB-11-11-21) instructing subject vehicle owners to replace the electrical connector at the same time a failed switch is replaced.In light of the low rate of failure resulting in open flame and fire spread on the subject vehicles, and Ford's actions to reduce the likelihood of a switch failure through switch design changes and a TSB, further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following (ODI) numbers: 10427875, 10114393, 10257890For additional information, see the attached closing report.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or…
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi IS not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi IS aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10148820This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly. Excessive friction in the ball joint assembly may cause a perceptible increase in steering effort.
- 10056196Ford: 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 chassis, low cab forward.
- 10022675Brake booster system may exhibit a brake pedal kickback and/or grabbing condition when applying the brakes.
- 10022232Headlight adjustment needed.
- 10018941Vibration/harshness above 45 mph (72 km/h) after tire balance.
- 10018741Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p1131 and/or p1151 - 4.2L engine.
- 10017865Headlight adjustment - chassis cab incomplete vehicles.
- 10012941Diagnostic trouble code b1876, b1880, b1915 and/or b1920 in the ecs module - vehicles equipped with aftermarket high current devices.
- 10011181Low power and/or diagnostic trouble code p0299 or p2263 - turbocharger diagnostic service tip.
- 10010743Intermittent clunk on 3-2 downshift during coastdown/tip-in. Oasis. To include 2005 F-150, e-series and expedition.
- 10010545Customer satisfaction program 04n03. Additional warranty coverage for anti-lock brake system module.
- 10007350Clunk from front suspension.
- 10004072A bump steer steering feeling, noted when the vehicle's front wheels/tires contact road surface irregularities.
- 10002673Brake drag or failure to fully release.
- 10002645Vehicles with vacuum boost brakes may exhibit a condition of brake drag, however due to equal brake drag there IS no brake pull condition.
- 637767Subject regarding early wear of the inner brake pad on the rear disc brakes.
Every Ford E-250 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.