2003 Ford F-150 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · data through 07/12/2026

32Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

7.6%Of all 421 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34 · 8.1%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING32 · 7.6%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL29 · 6.9%

ENGINE27 · 6.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE23 · 5.5%

Share of the 421 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Ford F-150 overview page.

What owners report

“I PURCHASED AN 2003 F-150 STX 4X4 IN JULY OF 2003. LESS THAN 1 YEAR LATER THE AIR CONDITIONER HAD TO BE REPLACED. STOPPED WORKING…”NHTSA complaint 10128607 — filed 07/13/2005

“DT: OWN A 2003 FORD F150 WITH 11,000 MILES. THERE IS A HEAT SHIELD OVER THE MUFFLER THAT WAS FALLING DOWN. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE…”NHTSA complaint 10124002 — filed 06/28/2005

“WHILE DRIVING,THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER…”NHTSA complaint 10097197 — filed 10/19/2004

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Ford F-150 have engine and engine cooling problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Ford F-150: 32 of 421 complaints on file (7.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Ford F-150 have in total?

421 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 43 involved a crash, 36 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.