2003 Ford Explorer Transmission & Power Train Problems

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

110Power Train complaints

9.7%Of all 1,131 complaints

#3Most-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 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

“I HAVE RECENTLY BOUGHT 2 BRAND NEW FORDS FROM CHAMPION FORD IN SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA. MY BRAND NEW FORD XLT EXPLORER 2 DOOR SPORT HAS BEEN…”NHTSA complaint 10071069 — filed 01/15/2004

“THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN THE PARK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.”NHTSA complaint 10017855 — filed 04/30/2003

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

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Ford Explorer have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Ford Explorer: 110 of 1,131 complaints on file (9.7%). 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 category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines 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.