Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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 contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the engine was misfiring, and the contact smelled a burning odor inside the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his residence. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on five occasions where it was diagnosed that water was leaking into the ignition coil. The independent mechanic installed silicon around the boot to prevent water from leaking into the coils; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact it was not a known failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 196,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated and the front end of the vehicle was shaking abnormally, vibrating, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was a loud booming sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the spark plug had ejected from the engine cylinder. The engine cylinder was rethreaded, and the spark plug was installed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 230,000.
My Ford Expedition started randomly stalling and it stalled in the highway. The engine just shut down in the middle of the highway and it was such a scary a life endangering experience. This total loss of power in the middle of the highway when vehicles are traveling at highway speeds can cause death very, very easily to the occupants of the Ford Expeditions suffering this defect. I have been reading in many forums ( I have included the link to one of many forums) this is a common defect [redacted] ) many have Ford Expedition owners have experienced and have been very concerned and shocked that there was not recall. The issue is that the R303 relay (non serviceable fuel pump relay) fails very commonly on Ford Expeditions. In my Ford Expedition, the relay was melted. The fuel pump relay fails and cuts all current going to the fuel pump causing the engine to stall. …
This vehicle has a faulty engine. The aluminum that Ford used to create the top end is too thin to support the pressure of the engine. As a result spark plugs explode from the engine at random with no warning. This has happened 5 times even after replacing all spark plugs, numerous coils and having kits installed by a mechanic sold by Ford to address the issue. $475 per kit from Ford. This is an enormous safety issue. The last one that blew out was on the highway with my two toddlers in the car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Expedition. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact heard a loud blast followed by smoke from the hood. The contact also perceived a fuel odor and the service engine indicator illuminated. The contact opened the hood and noticed a wire hanging at the back of the engine. The contact also stated that there was a small amount of oil on the side of the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the spark plugs popped out of the engine. The technician remedied the engine head and replaced the spark plugs, but the failure recurred a couple of times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not fully repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
My Ford Expedition is equipped with a 5.4l triton engine and like many other engines of the same family, it blew a spark plug out of the head while driving down the interstate. This allowed fuel to escape and almost created a fire under the hood. Luckily, I was able to contain it without any damage. However, I am mechanically savvy, so others May not know what to do in such an event. However, the reason is because the spark plug came out of the engine without assistance and being that I have never installed spark plugs in it, the failure was not due to my negligence. Being that this has happened to many other people and the nature of it being potentially fatal, I do not understand why this has not been addressed and considered for a recall to remedy this issue.
Fuel pump relay shorted out in motion. Highway and city streets. Steering locks up engine just dies in motion. Super dangerous and scary replaced fuse box and same thing happened again. No power steering engine just dies in motion. So scary on highway 75 MPH.
Spark plug ejection! I just experienced a problem with my Ford triton motor where the spark plug will eject from the aluminum cylinder head. I have a 2003 Ford Expedition that experienced this on Saturday. I was driving home from wal-mart with my family in the truck, we turned a corner and my heart stopped! It sounded like I was involved in machine gun fire. I pulled over immediately and my looked. Couldn't initially see anything. My husband checked under the truck thinking it was exhaust related. We were luckily 2 blocks from home, so we were able to get it home and into the driveway. My husband began trying to diagnose the problem and I took to the internet. He took the engine cover off and discovered the spark plug missing and the coil wire broken off and sparking. …
Check engine light came on while driving home and the engine shut down 4 times each time the battery would die instantly. We had to keep jump starting it to get home. 2 days later the check engine light started flashing. Scanned it came back p0304 cylinder 5 misfire. Changed spark plugs and coils. Engine light went off.ran obd2 scanner to double check codes. Code p2503 charging system low voltage . Took battery to advanced auto parts had them test it. The coca should have been 650cca and was at 11cca so bought a new battery. Next day took son to school less the 2 miles ran fine on my way home it died 3 times this time I would wait a few minutes then restart it. Check engine light never came on started searching on line and and calling mechanics. So bought new alternator. Started the truck to warm up after 5 minutes it shut down again waited a minute and started back up did it again. …
My wife was driving with our infant son and our teenage daughter in our 2003 Expedition xlt 4.6l 2x4. She heard a loud pop and the vehicle lost power and started smoking and shaking violently. She thought the Expedition was going to blow up. We had the Expedition checked out and the cylinder number 7 spark plug blew out. The aluminum threads in the head gave and the spark plug blew out, the injector kept spraying raw fuel and the coil ignited it. When all this happened it burned the ignition coil, coil boot, spark plug and the coil harness. Now we were told we would have to have the cylinder head replaced. We love our Expedition and I considered buying a new one, but I don't know now.
NHTSA investigations
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 the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Engine complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2003 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 171 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2003 Ford Expedition, 28% of the model year's 615 complaints. The component named most often is engine (43 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Expedition engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 13 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.