TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, FORD F-250 POWER STROKE DIESEL, WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS CORRECTLY. *TR
2003 Ford E550
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
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Owner complaints by model year
Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
49 reports with mileage · 16 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
9 reportsI OWN A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. 2 PROBLEMS..1. POWER LIFTGATE DOES NOT WORK, CAUSING RUNNING BOARDS NOT TO DEPLOY..SOMETIMES I WAS ABLE TO PULL FUSE FOR LIFTGATE AND EVERYTHING WOULD RESET AND WORK FOR ABOUT 1 DAY. NOW THAT WILL NOT WORK...2 MY OVERDRIVE LITE FLASHES. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER AND PAID FOR 1 HR LABOR WITH NO RESU…
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I OWN A 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. 2 PROBLEMS..1. POWER LIFTGATE DOES NOT WORK, CAUSING RUNNING BOARDS NOT TO DEPLOY..SOMETIMES I WAS ABLE TO PULL FUSE FOR LIFTGATE AND EVERYTHING WOULD RESET AND WORK FOR ABOUT 1 DAY. NOW THAT WILL NOT WORK...2 MY OVERDRIVE LITE FLASHES. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER AND PAID FOR 1 HR LABOR WITH NO RESULTS..I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE GETTING 4 OR 5 ERROR CODES ON TRANSMISSION, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL LABOR FOR THEM TO DROP TRANSMISSION TO HOPEFULLY ISOLATE PROBLEM..THERE IS A 4/50K WARRANTY ON TRANSMISSION, AND I HAVE JUST OVER 70K. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM, AND AM WONDERING EVENTHOUGH MILEAGE IS EXCEEDED, AM I STILL COVERED BY YEARS? *NM
MY TRUCK IS A 03. I GOT IT WITH 32000 ON IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING IDEM ARM. AND SINCE I GOT THE TRUCK THIS TRUCK I HAVE A HAD PROBLEM WITH A SHOCKING IN MY FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WHEN I MAKE A TURN. I HAVE GONE BACK TO MY DEALER AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 3 OTHER PEOPLE PLUS FORD DEALER. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS …
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MY TRUCK IS A 03. I GOT IT WITH 32000 ON IT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING IDEM ARM. AND SINCE I GOT THE TRUCK THIS TRUCK I HAVE A HAD PROBLEM WITH A SHOCKING IN MY FRONT END OF THE TRUCK WHEN I MAKE A TURN. I HAVE GONE BACK TO MY DEALER AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 3 OTHER PEOPLE PLUS FORD DEALER. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DRIVE SHAFT. IT NEEDED GREASE. WELL, GUESS WHAT THAT DIDN'T WORK. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. MY DEALER WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF IT AND FORD DEALER WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THIS. I AM READY TO GIVE THIS TRUCK UP. I HATE THIS TRUCK. THIS IS MY DREAM TRUCK AND IT HAS BECAME A NIGHTMARE SINCE JAN OF THIS YEAR. I HAD A FORD RANGER AND NEVER HAD TO PUT THE KIND OF MONEY IN THAT TRUCK THEN I DO WITH THIS ONE. PLEASE HELP ME. THIS TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE THIS FIX. MICHELLE HARDENBURGH OF SANDSTON. *NM
WHEN BRAKING WHEN COMING TO AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGES AHEAD AND REQUIRES HARD BRAKING. TO AVOID RUNNING INTO AN APPROACHING 18 WHEELER MAY 27, 2005 THE VEHICLE SURGED SO HARD AFTER BRAKING THAT THE TIRES BURNED RUBBER TO STOP THE FORWARD MOTION.
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVE SHAFT JUST FELL OFF. THE PART IS AT THE DEALERSHIP.
I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION IN SEPTEMBER 2003. I DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY DRIVING AND PUT A LOT OF MILES ON IN ANY GIVEN MONTH. CURRENTLY THE ODOMETER READING IS 60540. AT ABOUT 28000 HAD A NOISE IN THE REAR END THAT WAS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE OF WARRANTY, THE NOISE REOCCURRED AT 59000 AND THE DEALERS…
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I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION IN SEPTEMBER 2003. I DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY DRIVING AND PUT A LOT OF MILES ON IN ANY GIVEN MONTH. CURRENTLY THE ODOMETER READING IS 60540. AT ABOUT 28000 HAD A NOISE IN THE REAR END THAT WAS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE BECAUSE OF WARRANTY, THE NOISE REOCCURRED AT 59000 AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S THE REAR END ONCE MORE BUT THEY SAID FORD MOTORS WON'T COVER THE REPAI ( $1300.00-$1500.00). I HAVE OWNED A NUMBER OF SUV'S IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD THIS. ANY ONE ELSE HAVING REOCCURING REAR END PROBLEMS WITH THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER?*AK
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
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 INST…
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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 IDLE, EXCESSIVE SMOKING, ENGINE MISS (SKIP) UNDER LOAD OR IDLING, POOR FUEL ECONOMY. ON AUGUST 1ST, 2003 THE ENGINE LOST POWER, A SHORT WHILE LATER STALLED, WHILE UNDER LOAD AND ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE. THIS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF BRAKING CAPACITY ON THE PULLING UNIT, WITH A HEAVIER LOAD OR ON A GRADE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS. ABLE TO GET ON SHOULDER, TRUCK RE-STARTED PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION TO NEXT RAMP ENGINE STALLED AGAIN COMING DOWN RAMP SAME BRAKING PROBLEM. THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT A NUMBER OF FUEL INJECTORS FAILED DUMPING FUEL INTO CRANK CASE, 11 EXTRA QUARTS, METAL SHAVINGS IN PAN AND DESTROYING THE TURBO. (DROP DOWN MENU FOR VEHICLE INFORMATION ONLY SHOWS OPTION OF E550 THIS IS A F550.)*AK
WAS TAKING VEHICLE IN FOR A FUEL SMELL THAT WAS INTERMITENT ON 7-30-03 TO RICART FORD WHEN I THREW IN THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT AND LOST HTE CLUTCH IT WENT TO THE FLOOR SO I PROCEED TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THE SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER SHIP WAS 1/2 MILE AWAY AND IN SIGHT WHEN THI…
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WAS TAKING VEHICLE IN FOR A FUEL SMELL THAT WAS INTERMITENT ON 7-30-03 TO RICART FORD WHEN I THREW IN THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT AND LOST HTE CLUTCH IT WENT TO THE FLOOR SO I PROCEED TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THE SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALER SHIP WAS 1/2 MILE AWAY AND IN SIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND CALLED 911 THEN THE DEALER.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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