Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
bought truck 3/2/22 from Gold cAuto In troy NY. 3/7/22 went to take kids to school 2.5 inches of water set in my weather guard mats. seats soaked console everything in front cab reversed to pull out spot and water starting pouring on my and my kids from sides in pass sides front and the front windshield area omgand the sun roof was worst.kids had to go in myslef too it was snow still out.so that dayi oh sunroof needs to be blown out i said well that right frontdoor sounds open when its shut . same night i picked it up said all was good to go and his guy didn't hear any issues with door. the next snow it was worst this was about toward end of march. i called back around 3/15 said its still leaking dude i just want my money back for real and we are good, he said no doesnt work liek that said all his winshield guy he would take a lok at it and tell hijm ihe sent me. …
Dt: the drivers side tie rod has broken twice. Both times was without warning. The dealer has fixed it once and now it is back to the dealer for the second time for same problem. The manufacturer took information from the consumer, but she has not heard back from them. Passenger side rear window does not go down from master switch. Door ajar light does not go off. Left front ball joint separated, then vehicle hit sign. Lower control arm broken, upper ball joint bad, spindle broken sway bar link broken, cv boot torn and axle pulled out of front differential. Tie rod end on left side broken and vacuum hub cracked on spindle and tire and rim damaged. Also fender liner ripped out. Spindle, upper control arm, lower control arm, cv boot replaced. Clip for axle vacuum hub and wheel and tire, removed front differential to reinstall, axle and clip replaced wheel and tire and performed alignment. …
I owned this vehicle since 2003. A couple of years ago I noticed small perforation/rusting on the top of the vehicle and over time it became worst. Now there are numerous badly corroded areas . It appears that due to the design and the materials used water remains trapped especially when the vehicle is parked. Also poor workmanship or poor materials are contributing factors. This May have caused this unforeseen issues. There is a possibility that the hood can become weak in the areas affected by the corrosion, therefore I am seeking guidance. I did reach of to the Ford company with negative results, they only advise that this was not a warranty issue. On another note I am the only owner and I have not lived close to the beaches or even where you would expect corrosion of this magnitude.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving, the muffler detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to fz perfections auto body and collision (191 us-9w, congers, ny 10920) where it was diagnosed that the crossmember was cracked and the rear of the vehicle was rotted. The schutlz Ford dealer was contacted at [phone] and confirmed that Ford expeditions were known to rot from the rear of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,851.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving 50 MPH, the vehicle began to vibrate. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger side subframe corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 186,000.
My Expedition is a 1yr and 5 months. With less than 500 miles paid for a front end alignment and tire rotation, because of bad vibration at speeds of 60-70 miles an hour. Still had vibration, took it back to dealer, they said the truck came with tires out of balance. Still had vibration, took it back to dealership, a box dealing with the steering wheel had to be replaced. Since then I have paid for another front end alignment and tire balance, now tires have worn so bad dealership will probably blame worn tires for the vibration. There is more!!! The seal on the front windshield came loose and started leaking, and had to be replaced. In the front defrost vent some foam stuff had come loose and would flap around when the vent was on, the dealership called it ( packing) it was replaced or glued back down. …
Outside mirror lights and interior lights would not go off after getting out of vehicle and pressing remote lock button. They eventually ran the battery down. This was after a hard rain. A few weeks later the same thing happened only this time, the radio would not turn off (key out of ignition and doors open) the chime kept going off and the battery went dead because I did not disconnect it. I researched online and found this is not uncommon because the windshield leaks, from the factory, and water drips down onto the computer module and fuse box. I checked my fuse box and I did have dripping water in it along with corroded connectors, inside the vehicle, indication long term intrusion of water. This causes all kinds of problems. Other owners have reported complete loss of power while driving. …
My 2003 Expedition had a crack in the overhead console when I purchased it used in 2004. I didn't see it at the time of purchase and didn't think that much of it when I did discover the crack. In the past year and a half the console has simply cracked apart and the plastic is very brittle. I've glued it a number of times but it keeps cracking apart in different places. I've called the parts department at my local Ford dealer and they tell me that I cannot purchase the housing for the overhead console separately. Therefore, I must purchase an entire new console package including the lights, switch, etc. According to the dealer, this part will cost me approximately $450.00 not including any installation labor. I don't need the lights, switch, mirror, etc., because those parts are all functional and fine. All I need is the housing. …
I was driving my 2003 Expedition o the highway with my family in the car, all of a sudden the Jeep just cut right off no warning anything I hit my blinkers to come on try and cut it on again and it did but again cut right back off. I had to continue cutting on and cutting on constantly until I got it to the side of the road. It was the scariest moment of my life this could have caused a serious accident injuring not only my family but other people on the highway. When I take the Jeep to the mechanic he states that this is a problem a lot of people complain of and Ford will no take responsibility for it. Ford build this Jeep this way so people can only return to Ford for the repairs which cost a lot. The coils on the Jeep were white and rusted because the way this Jeep was but is very difficult to get to them a mechanic literally has to move the motor or motor parts toget to it. …
My passenger window and both back windows have dropped several times. I have had to have this fixed more than once on the back passenger side window, what happens is ill try to put the window up and the window motor makes a struggling noise and I am unable to roll up the window. At this point I'm sure it must be a defect because of how it has happened to each window more than once. Also the bumper that goes around the entire car is extremely faded and I am unable to get fixed I have gone to get estimates for a pain job but have been told due to the material it is just going to fade I would need to get it sanded and have them do some special treatment I cant afford and they will not just paint over it for me because they guarantee there work and would have to redo it too often. All the expeditions I see have the exact same issue.
Related recalls
Structure
Certain pickup truck, van, and Mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by American technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these running boards. Owner notification began March 7, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Body complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2003 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the body & structure of the 2003 Ford Expedition, 5% of the model year's 615 complaints. The component named most often is body (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Expedition body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-094 (structure, Mar 7, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Expedition body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.