2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › Explorer Sport Trac › 2003
These records cover every 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Newest first.
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Remedy
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. the recall began on april 3, 2006. owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Owner complaints
78 complaints5 involved a crash6 involved a fire5 injuries1 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Service brakes
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.
- Air bags
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. Yes, the…
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. Yes, the safety of others safety was put at risk. I did contact Ford Manufacturer on her behind of the airbags and they said there is nothing they can do for her with the vehicle being totaled out. But my main problem is why these airbags did not deploy. The vehicle is going to be inspected by her insurance company here in the next few days. There were no prior lamps, messages, or anything that would have indicated that the airbags were defective.
- Fuel/propulsion system
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.
- Suspension
We had purchased this vehicle bout a year ago and when we got it we went to get tires and front end alignment and they ended up replacing upper nd lower ball joints, control arm and sway bar on passenger side.this was 6/20/2017. It wasn't making any noise until 1/3/2018. I was going down city…
We had purchased this vehicle bout a year ago and when we got it we went to get tires and front end alignment and they ended up replacing upper nd lower ball joints, control arm and sway bar on passenger side.this was 6/20/2017. It wasn't making any noise until 1/3/2018. I was going down city street and something popped and then it started roaring. 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 . I have done research online for this year model sport trac and it seems like there are several complaints about this same issue. Everytime get one thing fixed on front end something else happens to it. You can drive it but if you get over 10-15 mph the roaring gets worse and it locked the the whole wheel up and jerked the truck to the side of the road
- Structure › Body · Suspension
The cab to frame mounting bolt bushings, and steering stabilizer bushings are have and are crumbling. all need to be replaced. I feel ford IS aware of this problem and should have to fix it. I just inherited this truck and just found out about this. thank you.
- Power train
Truck was running fine. 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. Sometimes it would eventually find the gear and sometimes I had to come to a complete stop, which was really…
Truck was running fine. 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. Sometimes it would eventually find the gear and sometimes I had to come to a complete stop, which was really scary since I was in traffic when this happened. A short time late (a matter of weeks). I noticed it would not go into gear when the truck was cold (after sitting overnight. This has rapidly progressed into almost complete failure. I can still get the truck to move if I shift manually into L1 or L2 but d does not work at all. Additionally I noticed that sometimes my o/d light would be blinking and sometime o/d would go completely off and the truck would not shift into high gear. I found if I stopped, turned the truck off and restarted it would often fix the issue. This IS not longer true. I will be taking the truck to my mechanic on monday. I looked up the issue and see that this IS common complaint with many early 2000 ford vehicles. Shame the company does not recognize it's failure and stand up and fix it. I did not have any accident due to this issue but I could see if this failure occurred as someone was pulling into traffic or in the middle of heavy traffic that this could definitely cause a serious accident.
- Air bags
I was leaving the store parking lot. I started the car, pressed the break, put the vehicle in drive and the passenger side airbag deployed. This IS the second time this has happened since the first incident in september 2014. The vehicle was not hit or bumped in any way. I was not backing out, I was in drive to pull out of the space. *tr
- Engine
Took vehicle in fluid changes, complete check, and to investigate a leak under vehicle. After "complete" check said they found bad serpentine belt, air filter and but nothing valve cover gaskets as cause of leak. cost to repair gaskets over $1000. While doing repair they called again and said…
Took vehicle in fluid changes, complete check, and to investigate a leak under vehicle. After "complete" check said they found bad serpentine belt, air filter and but nothing valve cover gaskets as cause of leak. cost to repair gaskets over $1000. While doing repair they called again and said they found that the rear timing cartridge was broken and pieces of it missing. Told me that bolt was wore half way through as timing chaining was rubbing it. Said if it breaks before repair engine will "blow" and need to be replaced. Told me it would costs over $2,500 to replace this cartridge. Total cost was now over $4,000. I asked why part was bad when engine only had 84,000 miles and why this wasn't found with the "complete" check. Mechanic stated only saw it because he had things apart to fix valve cover gaskets. Told me it was a plastic part and even with low mileage the plastic deteriorates with time. Said part only designed to last 100,000 miles. If I am to believe this ford mechanic, ford uses a plastic part in a crucial part of the engine (timing) and if that part fails the engine will "blow". And they cannot know the part IS bad unless they have the engine apart for other major repairs. So if the valve cover gaskets were not leaking the issue would have been undetected by the ford maintenance "complete" check up. In addition ford has not issued a warning that this engine will possibly "blow" after only 100,000 miles if this part not replaced by a $2,500.00 - $3,000.00 repair. Ford should pay for this repair. They design a vehicle this way with no warning to the buyers/owners. if I am to believe the ford mechanic there IS no way to really know you may have a problem. how are we to protect ourselves? my friend showed me this site and did some searching on other blogs/sites dealing with vehicle issues. there are numerous cases of this unacceptable issue. *tr
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that the vehicle ignited in flames while parked in the driveway. The contact did not disclose how the fire was extinguished. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.
- Power train
My ford sport trac has failed to lock when the gear shift IS put into the park position. when you start to get out the vehicle will roll and you will hear a clicking noise in the transmission. it has done this for some time and I had it fixed once but it IS doing it again. *tr
- Air bags
I was picking my daughter up from school. We got into the car put our seatbelts on I started the vehicle and put it in gear. I picked my foot up and moved to the gas when I noticed a car coming up from beside me and then I pressed the brake and the passenger side airbag deployed cracking the…
I was picking my daughter up from school. We got into the car put our seatbelts on I started the vehicle and put it in gear. I picked my foot up and moved to the gas when I noticed a car coming up from beside me and then I pressed the brake and the passenger side airbag deployed cracking the windshield and pulling the dash cover away from the radio and air vent. We called ford motor and we were told to take it to a dealership to be examined. Ford customer care has left messages at our home number when we return the calls we ask them to call our cell numbers and they will not. I think the do not want to talk to us. A week later the dealership called and said that ford motor would pay for the diagnostic but would not pay for the repairs because the car IS out of warranty. That the airbag failing IS no different then having to change out the brakes from wear and tear. We were not aware that a safety feature had an expiration date. I was to the understanding that a safety feature should last the lift time of the vehicle. Because of this I am worried about driving any cars with airbags. We were not asking ford motor for anything additional but to just repair the car and we can never talk to anyone at the company. *tr
- Service brakes
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that while driving approximately 34 mph down a mountain, the brakes were engaged and the rear end of the vehicle started to abruptly move from side to side. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the guard rail. The driver's…
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that while driving approximately 34 mph down a mountain, the brakes were engaged and the rear end of the vehicle started to abruptly move from side to side. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the guard rail. The driver's side curtain air bag and passenger's dash board air bags deployed. 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. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. While driving on an incline, the transmission slipped and the engine rpms increased abnormally. The vehicle stalled and the overdrive warning indicator illuminated. The failure occurred approximately ten times and at various speeds. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
- Steering
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that the power steering fluid leaked onto the ground. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the power steering high pressure tube fractured as a result of rust. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 73,300. updated 5/27/14*cn
- Structure › Body
Both rear doors failed to open from the inside after being used only a few dozen times each. The cause was the interior door handle (plastic) broke inside the door. This IS a big safety issue because this means that rear seat passengers cannot egress the vehicle without it being opened by someone…
Both rear doors failed to open from the inside after being used only a few dozen times each. The cause was the interior door handle (plastic) broke inside the door. This IS a big safety issue because this means that rear seat passengers cannot egress the vehicle without it being opened by someone on the outside. This IS evidently a common problem with many ford vehicles using this door handle - there should have been a recall issued years ago. *tr
- Engine · Power train
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact was driving with the vehicle speed control engaged at 68 mph when the failure occurred. The vehicle began to decelerate and some smoke was present underneath the vehicle. When the contact opened the hood there was no evidence of…
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact was driving with the vehicle speed control engaged at 68 mph when the failure occurred. The vehicle began to decelerate and some smoke was present underneath the vehicle. When the contact opened the hood there was no evidence of smoke in the engine area. The contact was concerned about the housing unit being cracked other than for being defective, cold temperature or high heat that comes in contact with it. The housing unit should never split apart. The thermostat housing unit was leaking. The over drive warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The contact was forced to drive the vehicle onto the emergency lane. The vehicle would drive forward or in reverse and it also failed to function in first gear. The vehicle would only move forward in second gear. The contact was able to continue driving five miles in second gear to his residence at 35 mph. After the failure occurred the contact also added anti freeze to the vehicle. The transmission also failed shortly after the failure occurred and he was unable to drive in reverse gear. The mechanic stated that the bands in the transmission may have caused the failure to occur. A local mechanic replaced the thermostat housing unit which has three hoses attached to it. Ford was currently checking the transmission to determine the cause of failure. the failure mileage was 96,600. The current mileage was 96,620.
- Engine
My engine went out after only 140000 miles on it with no warning. I know several people that own a 2003 ford explorer and there engine went out after only with 100000 miles on it. It cost me over 3200.00 for it to be repaired. *tr
- Electrical system
Rusting wires on the drivers side step plate. *tr
- Electrical system
Rusting wires under the drivers side step plate. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
I have a bad problem ( 2 ) times with the fuel pump the first one was spraying gas out top exterior of fuel pump .my husband went to a wrecking yard and purchased a used fuel pump than 5 to 6 months later done the same thing spraying out top exterior elbow of fuel pump. I use my truck to take my…
I have a bad problem ( 2 ) times with the fuel pump the first one was spraying gas out top exterior of fuel pump .my husband went to a wrecking yard and purchased a used fuel pump than 5 to 6 months later done the same thing spraying out top exterior elbow of fuel pump. I use my truck to take my daughter back and forth to school and it IS a very dangerous cause the fumes were really bad inside of cab and plus if some one was to throw a cigarette or anything that could ignite the leaking gas . I think that this matter should be fixed cause I know that I am not the only one that had or has this problem and not to say all of the other things that are wrong like my high beams not working the front door window IS very slow going up and down and the back door ( passenger right side ) blow motor and ect. the big one IS the fuel pump I fell that this IS the worst and it should be fix before someone gets badly hurt or killed. *Jb
- Electrical system · Fuel/propulsion system · Vehicle speed control
Sitting at a stop sign vehicle went into acceleration gas peddle went to floor. Foot was on the brake. Checked no carpet stuck under the gas peddle. Foot was not touching gas peddle. It was almost like the cruise control was pressing the gas peddle. Cruise control was off. Shut vehicle off then…
Sitting at a stop sign vehicle went into acceleration gas peddle went to floor. Foot was on the brake. Checked no carpet stuck under the gas peddle. Foot was not touching gas peddle. It was almost like the cruise control was pressing the gas peddle. Cruise control was off. Shut vehicle off then back on issue went away. This has happened other times to myself and my wife. Sometimes while pushing the gas the gas peddle leaves your foot and continues to the floor on its own, pressing the brake and turning vehicle off seems to resolve the issue. This issue happens so in frequently that it IS hard to reproduce for service shop. *tr
- Fuel/propulsion system
I have had fuel tank issues for a year now and they are getting worse. My gauge stopped working about 13 months ago which was no big deal. Now I am unable to put more then 4-5 gallons of gas in at a time. The safety sensor stops the pump from filling up my tank and if I try to do it a little at a…
I have had fuel tank issues for a year now and they are getting worse. My gauge stopped working about 13 months ago which was no big deal. Now I am unable to put more then 4-5 gallons of gas in at a time. The safety sensor stops the pump from filling up my tank and if I try to do it a little at a time it just shoots gas out of my fill area and gets everywhere. I have been doused in gas and I have run out of gas in very bad areas. The sensor replacement was only a temporary fix, now it's impossible to put gas in my tank and it's starting to run poorly. I have to stop everyday for gas. This IS a malfunctioning ford part that should be recalled and replaced. I have run out of gas and when that happens every thing shuts down including the power steering. It was dangerous and difficult to maneuver my truck, I was getting on the freeway and the on ramp was a semi-circle. *js
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle abnormally decelerated to 40 mph. In addition, there was smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was informed by another driver that sparks were coming from under the vehicle.…
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle abnormally decelerated to 40 mph. In addition, there was smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was informed by another driver that sparks were coming from under the vehicle. The contact maneuvered the vehicle to the shoulder and discovered that there were flames under the driver's side of the vehicle. The fire department was called and a fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was not repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 182,000.
- Structure › Body
TL* the contact owns a 2003 ford explorer sport trac. The contact stated that the driver's side rear body mount fractured and was protruding through the bottom of the cab. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis but was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. . Updated 04/11/12 *bf updated 04/30/12
- Engine and engine cooling
Faulty cylinder head causing a thrown spark plug, and a broken coil pack. *tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Vehicle rollaway allegations
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm IS a component…
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm IS a component bolted to the steering column that assists in shifting through the transmission gears.an engineering evaluation conducted by ford of returned steering columns found the groove could be created over time if consumer shift more quickly from the drive or reverse to park than the brake shift interlock (bsi) solenoid pin retracts after the brake pedal IS applied. In november of 2004, ford released a redesigned bsi solenoid with a shorter pin retracting time as a serviceable component. Ford has noted the shorter retraction time significantly lessens the likelihood of bsi solenoid pin to swing arm contact even with rapid consumer shifts.ford also issued a technical service bulletin, tsb 04-22-12, to instruct service technicians on the proper diagnosis and vehicle repair. Reviewing complaints to odi and data submitted by ford, odi has identified 200 alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement after consumers believe they have shifted the vehicle into park, resulting in 85 alleged crashes and 32 alleged injuries.in addition to the reports of alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement, odi has also identified 883 reports of consumers alleging difficulty or the inability to shift the vehicle into park.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-013) to further assess the scope, frequency and risk to motor vehicle safety of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.
- 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.
- 10018061Steering shudder during low speed maneuvers - 4.0L engine.
- 10017891Front axle leaks fluid from vent tube - vehicles equipped with 4X4 or AWD.
- 10017860Malfunction indicator lamp coming on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0171, p0172, p0174 and/or p0175 (fuel system too rich or lean).
- 10016814Irregular tire wear.
- 10014263Moan/vibration during air conditioning operation.
- 10014138Safety belt retraction speed.
- 10014096Revised procedure for adjusting alignment on all suspensions - new right hand upper control arm design for torsion bar front suspensions.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10013369General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
- 10013365Squeaking noise from rear sway bar link.
- 100131124X4 not engaging or intermittent 4X4 engagement - vehicles built prior to 4/1/2004.
- 10013084Fast idle strategy to prevent spark plug fouling.
- 10012954Safety belt web stop button service.
- 10011166Power lumbar bladder expanding through back of seat.
- 10010746Speed control inoperative or not holding the set speed. Oasis. Various models including 2005 explorer, sport trac, mountaineer and aviator.
- 10010719Oil leak from oil filter adapter - 4.0L SOHC engine built before 4/1/2004.
- 10008608Equipped with a hard tonneau cover. * mj
- 10008580Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock.
- 10008552Rear leaf spring noise.
- 10008359Diagnostic trouble code (dtc) c1233 & c1234 - replace anti-lock brake system euc.
- 10008351New tonneau cover lock cylinder retainer clips released for service.
- 10008344Rear brake rotor rubs on backing plate / contact request.
- 10008329No start/no communication-contact request.
- 10008328Squeak noise from the rear stabilizer bar link.
- 10008305Noise-gear whine noise in 1ST and 2ND gear only-vehicles equipped with 5r55e transmission and 4.0L engine only.
- 10008191Rough idle, hesitation on cold engine tip-in and/or hesitation during a 5-3 downshift.
- 10008190Intermittent engine driveability issues. Vehcles with automatic transmission built between 03/04/2002 and 12/01/2002.
- 10008189Lacks power/runs rough/black smoke condition.
- 10008154Bed extender component replacement service tip.
- 10008139Seat material ripping and/or separating at the seams.
- 10008115Generator noise in cold ambient temperatures.
- 10007416Paint peeling and/or bubbling on the center finish panel of the instrument panel.
- 10007369Steering shudder felt when turning, driving at slow speeds or at stop.
- 10007144Emissions recall 03e05: evaporative emissions canister fresh air inlet hose connector replacement.*mr
- 10004933Scraping noise from the right rear axle area usually while turning left.
- 10004924Generator whistle/hoot noise in cold ambient temperatures.
- 10004908Clicking/popping noise from upper steering column area when turning. 2004 e series and explorer sport trac also included.
- 10004907Water leak near the roof opening panel. 2004 explorer sport trac included.
- 10004886Malfunction indicator lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457 or p1442 or a check fuel cap lamp illuminated with dtc p0457 for the evaporative emission system.
- 10004070Vibration when driving 35-75 mph. 2004 explorer sport trac included.
Every Ford Explorer Sport Trac model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.