Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
NHTSA campaign 11V352000 · 2011 · reported 07/13/2011
NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
2003 Ford F-250 SD Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/14/2026
High complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel — runs 3.1× the fleet median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
178Complaints
6Recalls
6Crashes
10Fires
5Injured
0Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel (15.2% of complaints) — is covered by 1 NHTSA recall campaign.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel complaints here are 3.1× the median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
3 of the 6 most-reported categories on this page are backed by a recall or open investigation; the other 3 rest on owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel | 27 · 15.2% | Recalled | Recall 07V553000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 21 · 11.8% | Recalled | Recall 07V553000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine | 14 · 7.9% | Recalled | Recall 07V553000 |
| Power Train:automatic Transmission | 12 · 6.7% | No official action | — |
| Tires | 12 · 6.7% | No official action | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 9 · 5.1% | No official action | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 178 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 6 campaigns
Wheels:hub
NHTSA campaign 07E106000 · 2007 · reported 12/17/2007
WHEEL SEPARATION CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Vehicle Speed Control
NHTSA campaign 09V399000 · 2009 · reported 10/13/2009
A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E026000 · 2006 · reported 03/23/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Vehicle Speed Control
NHTSA campaign 07V078000 · 2007 · reported 03/06/2007
OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE, BURN, OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel
NHTSA campaign 07V553000 · 2007 · reported 12/05/2007
IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER, HE NOTICED…”NHTSA complaint 10279670 — filed 08/07/2009 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
“9/11/05 PURCHASED 4/29/06 TRUCK STALLED TOWED INTO RANCHO FORD 5/11/06 TRUCK REPAIRED 2/6/07 TUNE-UP PERFORMED AT NORTH COUNTY FORD ($525.01) ?ENGINE LIGHT IS ON? NOTED…”NHTSA complaint 10207024 — filed 10/26/2007 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
“ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2007, MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I TOWED IT TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER WHERE THEY WORKED ON IT AND REPLACED THE…”NHTSA complaint 10202130 — filed 09/07/2007 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford F-250 SD?
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel issues are the most-reported category, cited in 27 of 178 NHTSA complaints (15.2%), followed by engine and engine cooling (21), engine and engine cooling:engine (14), power train:automatic transmission (12). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 2003 Ford F-250 SD have?
178 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 6 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, and 5 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 2003 Ford F-250 SD have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 11V352000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 2003 Ford F-250 SD's reported problems?
3 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page are backed by an NHTSA safety recall or open investigation; the rest are unverified owner reports. A recall means a free repair is available at authorized dealers.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
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.
