2003 Ford F-250 Sd reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 229
- on record
- Top problem area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
- 27 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 6 reported crashes · 5 injuries · 14 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#2,292
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Ford median
-108
median 338 across 514 Ford records
Vs 2001-2005
-23
median 252 complaints in 794 records
Top component share
27%
Engine And Engine Cooling: 62 complaints
What owners report fails — 2003 Ford F-250 Sd
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL 27
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 21
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 14
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 12
- TIRES 12
1 recall on record for the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd
- NHTSA 11V352000 · 2011 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2003 Ford F-250 Sd
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2003 Ford F-250 Sd units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd reliable?
NHTSA has 229 consumer complaints on record for the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel (27 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2003 Ford F-250 Sd units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford F-250 Sd?
Owners most often report problems with: engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel (27), engine and engine cooling (21), engine and engine cooling:engine (14), power train:automatic transmission (12). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2003 Ford F-250 Sd?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.