2003 Ford E550 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
65 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
33,900 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 49 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 65 complaints (13.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 15.4% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 10.8% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 10.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 6.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 6.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 4.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel | 9 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Tires | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 9; Electrical System: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Tires: 4; Air Bags: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 24 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 16 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 8 |
2003: 14; 2004: 14; 2005: 18; 2006: 11; 2007: 8
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10031141 · 2003-08-09 (August 9, 2003)
SINCE MAY 2ND, 2003 HAVE HAD FARM TRUCK, F550 6.0 LITER DIESEL 4X4 CAB & CHASSIS, INTO DEALER SIX (6) TIMES FOR A PROBLEM WITH 6.0 LITER DIESEL MOTOR, HAVE ASKED TWICE TO FIX LEAKING TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE AND HAVE COMPLAINED ONCE ABOUT SEVERE FRONT END SHAKE (TO WHICH NO RESPONCE WAS MADE AND AFTER DISCOVERING FORD HAD INSTALLED DRIVE POSITION ONLY TIRES ON FRONT AXLE, REPLACEMENT WAS MADE WITH PROPER STEERING TIRES). TRUCK USED FOR LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORTATION OF HAY, STRAW, CATTLE AND MACHINERY. ENGINE SINCE HAVING 2,000 MILES HAS ROUGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 18,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031141 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078421 · 2004-06-18 (June 18, 2004)
WE BOUGHT A FORD F150 AROUND AUGUST OF 2003. WE HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL MARCH OR APRIL OF 2004. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THE WIPERS HAVE NOT FUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. AT THE BEGINNING, THEY WOULD WORK IN THE SELECTED MODE BUT IF YOU CHANGED THE SETTING, THEY WOULD STOP. THIS HAD HAPPENED ABOUT EIGHT TIMES. HOWEVER, IT HAS PROGRESSED TO STOPPING AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, NO MATTER WHAT MODE YOU ARE IN. THE RAIN IN LOUISIANA COMES DOWN IN TORRENTS, YOU CANNOT SEE EVEN WITH THE WIPERS ON FULL SPEED. WHEN YOU HAVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 70 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078421 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015580 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 6,375 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015580 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098888 · 2004-11-15 (November 15, 2004)
2003 FORD F250 6.0 DIESEL, THE HOSE BETWEEN THE TUBRO AND THE INTERCOOLER IS BLOWING OFF. THIS RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER AND IF THE CLAMP CUTS THE BELT IT WILL RESULT IN THE FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKING SYSTEMS. FORD HAS A UPGRADE HOSE KIT (5C3Z*6C646*AA) FOR $100.00 IF THE TRUCK HAS MORE THAN 36000 MILES.MINE HAS 41000. THE HOSE FAILED ON INTERSTATE 26 AS I WAS PULLING MY 29' TRAVEL TRAILER UP A 6% GRADE AT THE SALUDA MOUNTAINS, AFTER THE HOSE FAILURE I WAS ONLY ABLE TO PROCEED AT 20MPH, NOT GOOD ON A INTERSTATE WITH TRU…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098888 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041683 · 2003-10-13 (October 13, 2003)
TRUCK IDLES VERY ROUGH. WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE TRUCK GOES DEAD. EXCESSIVE SMOKE WHEN CRANKED. ENGINE RACES WHEN IDLING. TRUCK LAGS WHEN ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039316 · 2003-09-22 (September 22, 2003)
FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS WITH FORD 6.0 POWER STROKE DIESEL ENGINE, DEFECTIVE INJECTORS INSTALLED ON EARLY PRODUCTION MODELS PRIOR TO 05/03, INJECTORS LEAK, BREAK, BAD O-RINGS. FORD PULLED FROM INVENTORY, BUT BUILT HUNDREDS, OR THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MINE BROKE AT 2500 MILES, LEAKED OVER 7 QUARTS DIESEL FUEL INTO OIL, SEIZED TURBO CHARGER, VEHICLE LOST POWER IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. FORD ONLY REPLACED ONE INJECTOR, THE REMAINING INJECTORS ARE OF THE SAME DESIGN, AND WILL ULTIMATELY FAIL, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE AWAY FROM …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039316 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052755 · 2004-01-09 (January 9, 2004)
2003 FORD SUPER DUTY F350 6.0 LITER DIESEL: THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO PULL MY 5TH WHEEL WITH THIS TRUCK, IT WOULD BUCK FURIOUSLY AND I COULD ONLY STOP THE BUCKING BY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR OF IMMEDIATELY LET UP OFF THE PEDAL. DURING THIS TRIP WITH THE 5HT WHEEL IN TOW, AT 815 MILES THE ENGINE QUIT AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE TIMES. I WAS CLIMBING A 5% GRADE AND TRAVELING IN THE TRUCK SLOW LANE ON INTERSTATE 68. I MANAGED TO GET THE RIG TO THE SHOULDER BUT STILL IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT TOOK 3 HOURS TO GET THE RIG MO…
Owner-reported narrative. 851 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030589 · 2003-08-01 (August 1, 2003)
ON 6-17-03 PURCHASED 2003 F350, SUPER DUTY, 6.1 D ON 7-22-03, 2000 MILES EXCESSIVE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE, RESULTS: ROCKER ASSEMLBY BROKEN.*AK ON 7-30-03, ALL DASH GAGES, RADIO, WINDOWS NOT WORKING, RESULTS: ELECTRICAL SHORT NUMBER 35 FUSE BLOWN ON 7-31-03 AFTER 200 MILES, ALL DASH GAGES, RADIO, WINDOW NOT WORKING: WHILE DRIVING YOU HAVE NO SPEED, OIL PRESURE OR FUEL READINGS.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,573 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126097 · 2005-06-21 (June 21, 2005)
I READ AN ARTICLE IN TODAYS HOME NEWS TRIBUNE. U.S. PROBING FORD WIPER PROBLEM IT STATED THAT THE VEHICLES AFFECTED WERE 1999 TO 2001 EXPEDITIONS. I MUST INFORM YOU THAT I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 F-150 PICK-UP AND EXPERIENCED THE EXACT PROBLEMS. I PERSUSED MY RIGHTS UNDER THE LEMON LAW AND RECIEVED A $10,000 SETTLEMENT FROM FORD. I AM HAPPY TO SAY I TRADED IN THE VEHICLE AND AM RELIEVED THAT I NO LONGER OWN IT. I THINK YOU WILL FIND THAT MORE VEHICLES THAN ORIGINALLY INVESTIGATED WILL ULTIMATELY BE AFFECTED. I HOPE MY INFO WILL ASSIST YOU AND PO…
Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126097 at NHTSA ↗