Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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).
The brake line that is routed to the rear brakes rusted completely through, causing me to lose all braking function hence, control of my vehicle. I had to run off into a ditch to miss a slowing vehicle. After I had come to rest in the ditch there was an engine fire caused by brake fluid spraying onto the hot engine exhaust manifold. Fortunately, I had a fire extinguisher on board, so I was able to put the fire out before there was any damage. The interesting thing about this incident is that there is another line that runs parallel with the defective line that shows zero evidence of corrosion.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving 15 MPH and making a sharp right turn, the brakes and emergency brake failed without warning. The vehicle crashed into two parked vehicles. The air bags deployed. A police report was filed. One passenger located in the rear seat sustained a fractured neck, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a hotel. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and smoke emitted into the vehicle from the air conditioning vents. The contact also noticed that there were flames under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.
The brakes are burning while driving & the emergency brakes are not applied. The power windows are failing 1 by 1.
Experienced a complete brake failure after a 6 hour drive in heavy traffic from nj to va. Parked the car in the driveway for 30 minutes, and upon backing out of the driveway, the brake pedal went to the floor. Parked the car and found brake fluid on the ground. Found brake line rusted through on the cross support under the engine. This is a serious issue that could have resulted in an accident and major injury had this occurred on the drive in heavy city traffic. The vehicle has 113000 miles on it. We have had other manufacturers vehicles with over 200000 miles and no brake line issues. This is clearly a defective part/design issue and due to the safety risk, Ford should take action. We had a 1990 f150 that had the same issue in 2002 at 100000 miles. We will be checking our 2004 f150 very carefully.
My 2003 Ford Expedition had a sudden brake failure while my seventeen year old daughter was driving. Luckily she was not hurt when this incident took place. I found the brake reservoir to be completely empty and refilled it immediately. Then I discovered the real problem. The rear factory brake lines were constantly rubbing against the rear springs of the car , thus wearing a hole in the brake line. This resulted in rapid loss of brake fluid , which also LED to sudden brake failure. This would obviously be a manufacturers defect and I cant imagine why someone at Ford didn't see such an obvious problem.
Truck shut off at 60mph towing a camper because my fuel pump relay blew because of a defect in the fuse box!! Almost killed us........ Not happy at all. I've spoken to many mechanics and been on many forums and this seems to be a wide spread and dangerous issue Ford should take care of. Spoke with the local Ford parts department and they are aware of the issue. This is not a cheap part by any means, but on top of that it almost killed my wife and family! Please do something about this defect. I can send you pictures of the fuse box board so you can see the burns.
My vehicle experienced total brake failure as I approached a four-way stop intersection on a rural county highway. Inspection by auto repair technicians revealed my brake lines had rusted and had experienced several ruptures. The technicians said the rust was the result of Ford's decision to install steel brake lines in the vehicle, rather than aluminum. When exposed to the salt prevalent on local roadways in the winter, they easily rust out long before the vehicle even approaches the beginning of the end of its life.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal dropped to the floor and the contact experienced a loss of braking capability. The contact stated he crashed into a tree stump and snow on the ground and the vehicle came to a stop. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The approximate failure mileage was 18,535. Updated 3/14/11 it was determined the master cylinder was leaking fluid and ultimately failed. Updated 05/04/11
Abrupt, no warning(on digital dash) loss of braking ability. On stopping while pulling in a parking space in a parking garage, brake pedal went to the floor. Vehicle did stop without hitting concrete wall. Very scary getting the vehicle out of the garage from the 5th floor to be placed on a roll back. Dealer states brake lines have rusted and drained brake fluid causing catastrophic brake failure. Stated they have seen this before
Brake complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 87 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Ford Expedition, 14% of the model year's 615 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Expedition brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2003 Ford Expedition, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Expedition brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 28,000 miles, and 47% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to brakes 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.