2003 Ford Explorer Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/14/2026

141Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints

12.5%Of all 1,131 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION141 · 12.5%

STRUCTURE:BODY135 · 11.9%

POWER TRAIN110 · 9.7%

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE90 · 8%

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS55 · 4.9%

Share of the 1,131 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Ford Explorer overview page.

What owners report

“2003 FORD EXPLORER- 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY DISENGAGES. REPRODUCED BY FIRST ACCELERATING FROM 1ST OR 2ND GEAR AND BACK OFF GAS JUST BEFORE THE…”NHTSA complaint 10072332 — filed 05/10/2004

“WHILE ON ANY TYPE OF INCLINE OUR FORD EXPLORER XLT ROLLS BACK WHILE IN DRIVE. AFTER TELEPHONING FORD MOTOR COMPANY, I WAS TOLD BY ANN…”NHTSA complaint 10064339 — filed 04/01/2004

“BRAKE PEDAL GOES DOWN TO THE FLOOR INTERMITTENTLY.THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETTY ISSUE.THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM YET.TOOK IN THE SHOP FOR MORE…”NHTSA complaint 10064017 — filed 03/27/2004

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Ford Explorer have power train:automatic transmission problems?

Power Train:automatic Transmission is the most-reported problem area on the 2003 Ford Explorer: 141 of 1,131 complaints on file (12.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Ford Explorer have in total?

1,131 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 60 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 57 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.