Most common 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems
Share of the 78 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Explorer Sport Trac complaints by model year
Best Explorer Sport Trac years: 2006, 2009, 1997. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002, 2007, 2004, 2003. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac:
Vehicle rollaway allegations
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), Ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column.
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…
What 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac owners say
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact was driving with the vehicle speed control engaged at 68 MPH when the failure occurred. The vehicle began to decelerate and some smoke was present underneath the vehicle. When the contact opened the hood there was no evidence of smoke in the engine area. The contact was concerned about the housing unit being cracked other than for being defective, cold temperature or high heat that comes in contact with it. The housing unit should never split apart. The thermostat housing unit was leaking. The over drive warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The contact was forced to drive the vehicle onto the emergency lane. The vehicle would drive forward or in reverse and it also failed to function in first gear. The vehicle would only move forward in second gear. …
I was going back home to miami and my car 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac caught on fire at the exit of the midtown tunnel in new york city. The fire started in the front motor at the passenger side. The police used 3 fire extinguishers but all the effort they did was not enough. My car was completely on fire. The motor, the seats , all the interior was completely destroy by the fire. The fireman arrived after a few minutes, but it was to late. I bought this car cash brand new from sawgrass Ford in ft lauderdale florida. I did not have full cover and I lost every thing.. I was in new york with my family and with no car to go back home.. I called Ford and they told me that they are not responsible for anything that happen to that car. I am sure this is not fair to me or to anybody. The car was a 2003 and only had about 46,000 miles.
Fuel & propulsion system
Vehicle will stall after sitting overnight and the engine has not reach normal operating temperature, fuel tank full and the vehicle is proceeding up an incline. When vehicle stalls you can start the vehicle and proceed. After reaching normal operating temperature or the vehicle have travel forty to eighty miles on the tank of gas it will not duplicate the problem until you refill the tank again. If the tank is kept full or no more than one or two gallons are used up. It will not stall. I have had it back for repair five or six times but no luck. The last visit to the dealer they put a recorder on the vehicle which I kept for three weeks and it recorded the stall. The dealer stated that it was being overfilled but I never overfill the vehicle and I explained that to them. I purchase the vehicle new on 7/31/03 and drove it home on the tank of gas the dealer put in it. …
I have had fuel tank issues for a year now and they are getting worse. My gauge stopped working about 13 months ago which was no big deal. Now I am unable to put more then 4-5 gallons of gas in at a time. The safety sensor stops the pump from filling up my tank and if I try to do it a little at a time it just shoots gas out of my fill area and gets everywhere. I have been doused in gas and I have run out of gas in very bad areas. The sensor replacement was only a temporary fix, now it's impossible to put gas in my tank and it's starting to run poorly. I have to stop everyday for gas. This is a malfunctioning Ford part that should be recalled and replaced. I have run out of gas and when that happens every thing shuts down including the power steering. It was dangerous and difficult to maneuver my truck, I was getting on the freeway and the on ramp was a semi-circle.
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact stated that the vehicle ignited in flames while parked in the driveway. The contact did not disclose how the fire was extinguished. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle abnormally decelerated to 40 MPH. In addition, there was smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact was informed by another driver that sparks were coming from under the vehicle. The contact maneuvered the vehicle to the shoulder and discovered that there were flames under the driver's side of the vehicle. The fire department was called and a fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was not repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The approximate failure mileage was 182,000.
2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac a good car?
Based on 78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Explorer Sport Trac rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Explorer Sport Trac at the same age. It is one of the Explorer Sport Trac years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
The engine & cooling — 12 complaints, 15% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (11) and electrical system (11).
How many recalls does the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2009 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2002, 2007, 2004 and 2003. See the full Ford Explorer Sport Trac years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.