2003 Ford F-250 SD Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

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

21Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

11.8%Of all 178 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

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL27 · 15.2%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING21 · 11.8%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE14 · 7.9%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION12 · 6.7%

TIRES12 · 6.7%

Share of the 178 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Ford F-250 SD overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING…”NHTSA complaint 10267896 — filed 05/06/2009

“2003 F250 6.0 DIESEL ICP SENSOR, LEAKING OIL IN THE WIRE CONNECTOR. THE TRUCK STALLS AT IDLE AND THE RPM'S JUMP UP WHILE DRIVING MAKING…”NHTSA complaint 10251170 — filed 12/09/2008

“ORIGINAL SPARK PLUG IN F250 5.4 LITER SHOT OUT OF MOTOR.”NHTSA complaint 10228329 — filed 05/20/2008

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-250 SD have engine and engine cooling problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Ford F-250 SD: 21 of 178 complaints on file (11.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Ford F-250 SD have in total?

178 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 6 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 5 reported injuries, and none 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.