Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving on hwy 38 in sc, the steering wheel started shaking real bad and then the entire SUV started shaking and we veered off the right side of the road into a field. The front left tire came off and we came to a complete stop. Upon further investigation I saw that 2 of the 5 lug posts were sheared off and the other 3 were bent. In addition the molding around the front right tire came off and the driver's side door was jammed shut. After everyone was out safely the SUV has been towed and is with an auto center for repairs and body work. I searched online and this is a known problem for this vehicle yet Ford has not had any recalls despite the frequency of this issue. If you search "2003 Ford Explorer problems" it will come up. This needs to be looked into before someone gets killed. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving 45 MPH the steering wheel locked without warning. Suddenly, the driver loss control of vehicle and crashed into a bridge. The air bags deployed with the massive impact. The police was called to the scene. The driver was taken to the hospital. The driver sustained moderate injuries to the back neck and chest. The vehicle was towed to an auto collision center. The cause of failure has not been determined at this time. The failure and current mileages were 165,000. Updated 11/23/09. Updated 11/24
Shift lever broke off inside steering column of my wife's Explorer when changing from park to drive to exit from a boat launch ramp with no boat on the trailer. Vehicle was towed on a flatbed wrecker to my garage. Broken element ( see photos) was not replaceable by itself. Steering column had to be replaced. This was not normal wear and tear, but rather a faulty /weak component that represents a danger. I have noted reports of identical incidents online. Thus far, neither the dealer nor Ford national "customer service" is prepared to reimburse.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the check engine and ABS indicator illuminated. The contact mentioned that the brakes failed and the steering wheel seized. The emergency brake was engaged in order to come to a complete stop. The contact restarted the vehicle after few minutes and it functioned normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,000.
Was leaving gas station, shifted from park to drive, shift lever broke off into my hand. Obviously a defect, as I have over 2 million miles under my belt, driven numerous cars & trucks, and have never had this happen before in over 40 years of driving, both personally and professionally. I see there are hundreds of similar complaints for this, why is there no recall??
2003 Ford Explorer...during yield to turn left and then making left turn steering wheel locked as if someone had pulled key out of ignition causing vehicle to steer left into oncoming traffic. Vehicle was moving between 5-15 MPH at time of failure. Turning off vehicle and restarting we found that steering again released and we were able to drive vehicle home. I took vehicle into dealer next day and they said they "could not duplicate concern" of course it happened for the first time at 27,000 miles,,,very unlikely to get it to happen the day they look at it. They did however replace the complete steering column to remedy an additional problem where the shift selector would pop into drive(after accellerating)even though it indicated the selector was in drive already. I need immediate remedy to this problem and have since contacted Ford motor company hoping for help. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Explorer. While driving 60 MPH, on February 17, 2008, the engine shut off immediately without warning. Several vehicles were rapidly approaching the contact, which nearly caused a fatal crash. There were no warning lights present prior to the failure; however, after the engine shut off, all of the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and diagnosed. The mechanic was unable to restart the vehicle. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The part was ordered and May be available by next week. The vehicle has been at the dealer for two weeks. The manufacturer's president was notified on two occasions and the secretary forwarded the messages to a liaison. The contact wanted the vehicle replaced, but the liaison stated that she could not assist. …
While parked in my driveway, which is on an incline, I proceeded to start the car and shift from park to reverse. The gear shift lever broke off into my hand. I was fortunate because I was not on the road or highway, nor did I back over a child, cat or dog, etc. It would have been disastrous if I were on train tracks and the train was coming and I couldn't get out of gear, or try to park on a hill in san francisco, or downshift to make it up a mountain grade. Towed vehicle to tuttle click Ford. Received quote from them as well as santa margarita Ford. (over $600 difference. Quote was doubled when the vehicle was towed to tuttle click vs over the phone quote!) car was then towed to automotive plus where a reliable mechanic replaced the entire steering column, as Ford recommended. Also, a rental car was needed, and there was a "diagnostic" charge of $50. …
My 2003 Ford Explorer has some serious electrical issues. My right front passenger window will not roll down. It gets very hot in my truck out in the heat. It stopped working all of a sudden and the A/C in the car does not blow. (I didn't break any of these things) my door ajar light is always on the dash... My driver's door sensor went out for some reason and now my vehicle thinks that the door is always open, which drains my battery and my lights will not turn off at times. I have to manually turn them on/off. I dislike doing that because I'll forget sometimes. My rear lift-gate cracked one day too. I believe its from the cheap plastic. It's dangerous and my glass can fall out any day now. I also pinched two blood clots in my hand from opening this cracked rear hatch and had to see a doctor for it. Please help me get these things fixed. Thanks in advance.
I was driving on the 118 fwy west,exited off the balboa exit, which has an incline, I started applying my brakes to reduce my speed so I could turn left. When attempting to make a left turn, my steering wheel locked, it felt like no gas was going to my engine,therefore I had to really try to force my vehicle to go left. I was able to get the wheel rotate about an inch-the vehicle coasted to the right (we avoided going over the overpass). I shut the car engine off, waited a couple of minutes ,turned the ignition on and the car started up again. Needless to say, I'm scared to death to drive my car. I keep it maintained, I have relatively new tires on it and it has approximately 57,400+ miles on it.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Steering complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2003 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the steering of the 2003 Ford Explorer, 2% of the model year's 1,131 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Explorer steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2003 Ford Explorer, though it has 2 recalls 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 Explorer steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 101,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering 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.