FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC · model year

2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC

93 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003FORDEXPLORER SPORT TRAC carries 93 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 8 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC is electrical system with 9 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (5) and suspension (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2003 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

93
Complaints
5
Crashes
8
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

93 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5
SUSPENSION5
STEERING4
STRUCTURE:BODY4
POWER TRAIN4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
ENGINE3
AIR BAGS3
PARKING BRAKE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP2

Recalls (1)

06E02600023/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D

Recent Complaints

20210914SERVICE BRAKES

drivers side rear brake line developed a hole caused by the emergency brake cable rubbing against it causing all the brake fluid to leak & the brakes failed. Fortunately my husband was driving on our rural road & not out on the main highway. We have not been able to get it repaired yet.

20210615CrashAIR BAGS

The driver was driving down the expressway and her back tire blew out causing her vehicle to spiral out of control and the vehicle then flipped and started rolling downhill, the vehicle airbags did not deploy in the vehicle at all. The driver and her mother are in critical condition. Yes, the safety of others safety was put at risk. I did contact Ford Manufacturer on her behind of the airbags and they said there is nothing they can do for her with the vehicle being totaled out. But my main problem is why these airbags did not deploy. The vehicle is going to be inspected by her insurance company here in the next few days. There were no prior lamps, messages, or anything that would have indicated that the airbags were defective.

20190801FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TAKATA RECALL .. THE SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE CAB AND OUTSIDE IS REALLY BAD. IT'S MAKING ME SICK AND GIVING ME HEADACHES. THE TRUCK DOESN'T RUN RIGHT AND THE MILEAGE IS AWFUL.

20180123SUSPENSION

WE HAD PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BOUT A YEAR AGO AND WHEN WE GOT IT WE WENT TO GET TIRES AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND THEY ENDED UP REPLACING UPPER ND LOWER BALL JOINTS, CONTROL ARM AND SWAY BAR ON PASSENGER SIDE.THIS WAS 6/20/2017. IT WASN'T MAKING ANY NOISE UNTIL 1/3/2018. I WAS GOING DOWN CITY STREET AND SOMETHING POPPED AND THEN IT STARTED ROARING. IF YOU PUT IN 4WD IT ROARS LOADER AND JERKS. 1/23/18 REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL HUB AND BEARINGS. IT STILL ROARS WHILE ACCELERATING SPEED BUT NOT AS BAD IN 2WD BUT PUT IN 4WD ITS REAL LOUD AND JERKS YOU . I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE FOR THIS YEAR MODEL SPORT TRAC AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. EVERYTIME GET ONE THING FIXED ON FRONT END SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS TO IT. YOU CAN DRIVE IT BUT IF YOU GET OVER 10-15 MPH THE ROARING GETS WORSE AND IT LOCKED THE THE WHOLE WHEEL UP AND JERKED THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

Mileage: 176,000

20171016STRUCTURE:BODY

THE CAB TO FRAME MOUNTING BOLT BUSHINGS, AND STEERING STABILIZER BUSHINGS ARE HAVE AND ARE CRUMBLING. ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT. I JUST INHERITED THIS TRUCK AND JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU.

20171016SUSPENSION

THE CAB TO FRAME MOUNTING BOLT BUSHINGS, AND STEERING STABILIZER BUSHINGS ARE HAVE AND ARE CRUMBLING. ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT. I JUST INHERITED THIS TRUCK AND JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU.

20161203POWER TRAIN

TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE. THEN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE I WAS COMING OFF OF OR ONTO EXIT RAMPS. SEEMED LIKE AS THE ENGINE DECELERATED IT WOULD SLIP INTO NEUTRAL. SOMETIMES IT WOULD EVENTUALLY FIND THE GEAR AND SOMETIMES I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, WHICH WAS REALLY SCARY SINCE I WAS IN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED. A SHORT TIME LATE (A MATTER OF WEEKS). I NOTICED IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR WHEN THE TRUCK WAS COLD (AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. THIS HAS RAPIDLY PROGRESSED INTO ALMOST COMPLETE FAILURE. I CAN STILL GET THE TRUCK TO MOVE IF I SHIFT MANUALLY INTO L1 OR L2 BUT D DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. ADDITIONALLY I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES MY O/D LIGHT WOULD BE BLINKING AND SOMETIME O/D WOULD GO COMPLETELY OFF AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR. I FOUND IF I STOPPED, TURNED THE TRUCK OFF AND RESTARTED IT WOULD OFTEN FIX THE ISSUE. THIS IS NOT LONGER TRUE. I WILL BE TAKING THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC ON MONDAY. I LOOKED UP THE ISSUE AND SEE THAT THIS IS COMMON COMP

Mileage: 135,000

20150404AIR BAGS

I WAS LEAVING THE STORE PARKING LOT. I STARTED THE CAR, PRESSED THE BREAK, PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT IN SEPTEMBER 2014. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT HIT OR BUMPED IN ANY WAY. I WAS NOT BACKING OUT, I WAS IN DRIVE TO PULL OUT OF THE SPACE. *TR

Mileage: 153,718

20150331ENGINE

TOOK VEHICLE IN FLUID CHANGES, COMPLETE CHECK, AND TO INVESTIGATE A LEAK UNDER VEHICLE. AFTER "COMPLETE" CHECK SAID THEY FOUND BAD SERPENTINE BELT, AIR FILTER AND BUT NOTHING VALVE COVER GASKETS AS CAUSE OF LEAK. COST TO REPAIR GASKETS OVER $1000. WHILE DOING REPAIR THEY CALLED AGAIN AND SAID THEY FOUND THAT THE REAR TIMING CARTRIDGE WAS BROKEN AND PIECES OF IT MISSING. TOLD ME THAT BOLT WAS WORE HALF WAY THROUGH AS TIMING CHAINING WAS RUBBING IT. SAID IF IT BREAKS BEFORE REPAIR ENGINE WILL "BLOW" AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. TOLD ME IT WOULD COSTS OVER $2,500 TO REPLACE THIS CARTRIDGE. TOTAL COST WAS NOW OVER $4,000. I ASKED WHY PART WAS BAD WHEN ENGINE ONLY HAD 84,000 MILES AND WHY THIS WASN'T FOUND WITH THE "COMPLETE" CHECK. MECHANIC STATED ONLY SAW IT BECAUSE HE HAD THINGS APART TO FIX VALVE COVER GASKETS. TOLD ME IT WAS A PLASTIC PART AND EVEN WITH LOW MILEAGE THE PLASTIC DETERIORATES WITH TIME. SAID PART ONLY DESIGNED TO LAST 100,000 MILES. IF I AM TO BELIEVE THIS FORD MECHANIC, F

Mileage: 84,292

20150311FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IGNITED IN FLAMES WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE HOW THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

20140930POWER TRAIN

MY FORD SPORT TRAC HAS FAILED TO LOCK WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT IS PUT INTO THE PARK POSITION. WHEN YOU START TO GET OUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL AND YOU WILL HEAR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS DONE THIS FOR SOME TIME AND I HAD IT FIXED ONCE BUT IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

20140924AIR BAGS

I WAS PICKING MY DAUGHTER UP FROM SCHOOL. WE GOT INTO THE CAR PUT OUR SEATBELTS ON I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN GEAR. I PICKED MY FOOT UP AND MOVED TO THE GAS WHEN I NOTICED A CAR COMING UP FROM BESIDE ME AND THEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CRACKING THE WINDSHIELD AND PULLING THE DASH COVER AWAY FROM THE RADIO AND AIR VENT. WE CALLED FORD MOTOR AND WE WERE TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE EXAMINED. FORD CUSTOMER CARE HAS LEFT MESSAGES AT OUR HOME NUMBER WHEN WE RETURN THE CALLS WE ASK THEM TO CALL OUR CELL NUMBERS AND THEY WILL NOT. I THINK THE DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO US. A WEEK LATER THE DEALERSHIP CALLED AND SAID THAT FORD MOTOR WOULD PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC BUT WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THAT THE AIRBAG FAILING IS NO DIFFERENT THEN HAVING TO CHANGE OUT THE BRAKES FROM WEAR AND TEAR. WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT A SAFETY FEATURE HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE. I WAS TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT A SAFETY FEATURE SHOULD LA

Mileage: 148,745

20140917CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 34 MPH DOWN A MOUNTAIN, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ABRUPTLY MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND PASSENGER'S DASH BOARD AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AS THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, FLAMES EMITTED OUT OF IT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Mileage: 75,000

20140811POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE OVERDRIVE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20140416STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE TUBE FRACTURED AS A RESULT OF RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,300. UPDATED 5/27/14*CN

Mileage: 73,300

20140406STRUCTURE:BODY

BOTH REAR DOORS FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AFTER BEING USED ONLY A FEW DOZEN TIMES EACH. THE CAUSE WAS THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE (PLASTIC) BROKE INSIDE THE DOOR. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THIS MEANS THAT REAR SEAT PASSENGERS CANNOT EGRESS THE VEHICLE WITHOUT IT BEING OPENED BY SOMEONE ON THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS EVIDENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD VEHICLES USING THIS DOOR HANDLE - THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ISSUED YEARS AGO. *TR

Mileage: 190,000

20140318FirePOWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ENGAGED AT 68 MPH WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND SOME SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSING UNIT BEING CRACKED OTHER THAN FOR BEING DEFECTIVE, COLD TEMPERATURE OR HIGH HEAT THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH IT. THE HOUSING UNIT SHOULD NEVER SPLIT APART. THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT WAS LEAKING. THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE AND IT ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION IN FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING FIVE MILES IN SECOND GEAR TO HIS RESIDENCE AT 35 MPH. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE CONTACT ALSO ADDED ANTI FREEZE TO THE

Mileage: 96,600

20140318FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ENGAGED AT 68 MPH WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND SOME SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSING UNIT BEING CRACKED OTHER THAN FOR BEING DEFECTIVE, COLD TEMPERATURE OR HIGH HEAT THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH IT. THE HOUSING UNIT SHOULD NEVER SPLIT APART. THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT WAS LEAKING. THE OVER DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE AND IT ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION IN FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING FIVE MILES IN SECOND GEAR TO HIS RESIDENCE AT 35 MPH. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE CONTACT ALSO ADDED ANTI FREEZE TO THE

Mileage: 96,600

20140313ENGINE

MY ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY 140000 MILES ON IT WITH NO WARNING. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT OWN A 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND THERE ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY WITH 100000 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME OVER 3200.00 FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. *TR

20140211ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

RUSTING WIRES UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE STEP PLATE. *TR

Compare 2003FORDEXPLORER SPORT TRAC to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC have?
The 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC has 93 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 8 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC?
Yes, the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC?
The most-complained component for the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.