NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Ford F-350. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. VEHICLE WOULD TURN LEFT BUT WILL NOT TURN RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX. CONSUMER HAS YET TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, CONSUMER WANTED ON RECORD THAT THE STEERING BOX DEFECTION SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65-70 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND HAD THE PROBLEM RESOLVED BY REPLACING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SENSORS WERE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE WAS BACK AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS BROKEN A TOTAL OF 5 DIFFERENT TIMES AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. *NM
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES,THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT HOME. THE DRIVER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER AND A COUPLE OF SENSORS, HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL RECURRED. *AK
DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO START THE VEHICLE IT WOULDN'T START. THE VEHICLE SAT FOR OVER 12 HOURS. IT HAD JUST COME OUT OF THE SHOP AND IT HAD A DOWN STRAP INSTALLED. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE TRUCK WERE DESTROYED. BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEP ARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE FIRE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *AK THE REAR DIFFERENTAIL MADE A GRINDING SOUND AND SHUDDERED WHEN A TURN WAS MADE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE'S STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH A POLE. NO REPORT OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE EXHAUST SENSOR, THE TURBO, AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER THREE TIMES. THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE PARTS HAD NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. IT RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. AT TIMES, IT SEEMED AS IF THE ENGINE WAS NOT RECEIVING A FUEL SUPPLY. INDICATOR LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK
PLOW AND SALT TRUCK FOR ROAD DEPARTMENT. HAS DUMP BOX INSTALLED. ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE PREMATURLY, EXTREMELY POOR STOPPING IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. FRONT END FEELS LIGHT AND "SQUIRLY" EVEN WITH EMPTY BED. WORKERS REFUSE TO OPERATE. DEEMED "UNSAFE". TOOK TO DEALER TWICE, THEY SAY BRAKES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY. VEHICAL HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IS FOR SALE.
ON DECEMBER 7 2003, OUR 2003 FORD 350 TRUCK WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55 MILES AN HOUR, PULLED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT CAUSING US TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. WE HIT A DITCH ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO FLIP OVER ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE. WE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF ALMOND TREES. WE HAD OUR 1 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER WITH US. WE'VE INFORMED FORD IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM, BUT AS YET ALL THEY'VE DONE IS START THE BODY WORK. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE TRUCK TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. WE FEEL LUCKY THAT WE WEREN'T KILLED OR THAT WE DIDN'T CAUSE THE DEATH OF ANOTHER FAMILY. WHAT WORRIES US IS WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT TIME, WILL WE ALL BE SO LUCKY. *LA
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE FUEL INJECTORS. THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED 8 TIMES, AND THE EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED TWICE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN FULL THROTTLE. THIS RESULTED IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, ANDTHEN A COLLISION WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. NO REPORT OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYING. *AK
WHILE WARMING UP THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES AN EXHAUST SMELL CAME INSIDE OF VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO BECOME ILL. DRIVER WAS CONCERNED THAT CARBON DIOXIDE POISON GAS WAS ESCAPING INSIDE OF VEHICLE AS WELL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHILE IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING A COLLISION WITH A TREE. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. *AK
A BAD ODOR WAS COMING FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS CAUSING THE SMELL. ON ONE OCCASION, CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER BECAUSE HE BECAME VERY ILL. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE PULLING FROM A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *NLM DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, WHEN TRAFFIC OPENED UP THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND WOULD STOP FOR 20 MINUTES AND UNLOCKED WHEN COOLED DOWN. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND A DRAGGING PROBLEM. *SCC JB
WHEN ACCELERATING TO 55 MPH ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEATS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED PREMATURELY. *SCC *JB
WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE DIESEL FUEL FLOWED INTO THE CRANK CASE. THERE HAS BEEN AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN FUEL FLOWED INTO THE CRANK CASE THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF UNTIL THE FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED. THE DEALER HAS SINCE FIXED THE PROBLEM.*AK
ENGINE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. COASTED TO SIDE OF RODE, TURNED IGNITION OFF THEN BACK ON AND THE TRUCK STARTED.*AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND RATTLING. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SHOULDER TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS FAULTY AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THERE WERE NO INDICATION LIGHT ON AT ALL. *PH ALL ACCOUNTS TOOK PLACE APPROX. 11:30 P.M. ON AN EXTREMELY BUSY FREEWAY. AS OF 08/20/03, FORD HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH EITHER REPLACING THE ENGINE OR VEHICLE. *PH ALSO THE CONSUMER STATED THE COOLANT WAS LOW, AND THERE WAS STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *JB
VEHICLE FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH DASHBOARD.*MR PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE FIRE, THE SIX DISC CD CHANGER WAS REPLACED DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED THROUGH NO FAULT OF THE OWNER, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL FAILURE, WHICH IS WHY THE OWNER WOULD LIKE FORD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. FORD DID AGREE BUT THE PROCESS HAD TAKEN AN EXTRAORDINARILY LONG TIME AND CONTINUED TO MOVE AT A UNACCEPTABLY SLOW PACE. THE CONSUMER HAS INCURRED MAJOR TRAVEL EXPENSES AS A RESULT OF FORD NOT SUPPLYING A RENTAL VEHICLE COMPATIBLE TO THE FORD F350. *PH *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT CONSUMER WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER'S SEAT HINGE BROKE, CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD.*AK
VEHICLE FIRE-2003 FORD 350 VAN-FIRE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN ENGINE PER FIRE ANALYSIS-VIN 1FTSS34LXHA27785. *AK
VEHICLE WONT MOVE, WHEN TEMPERATURE IS BELOW O DEGREE. HAS TO WAIT ABOUT A MINUTE TO WARM-UP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. (DIESEL ENGINE)
THE VEHICLE WAS SHOOTING OUT FLAMES FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL AREA. *NLM....*AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWLY GAINED SPEED DURING ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR THIS ISSUE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE ISSUE WAS A SAFETY RISK BECAUSE A CRASH COULD OCCUR WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED 4 SEPARATE TIMES, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL. DEALER ADVISED THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GUARANTEE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STALL AGAIN. *JB AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP IT STALLED 15 TIMES. *SCC
WHILE STOPPING AT A LIGHT VEHICLE WOULD ACCLERATE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. *NLM THE STEERING WHEEL HAD GONE AROUND IN A CIRCLE WITH NO RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER THEN TOUCHED THE BRAKES AND HAD GONE INTO A DITCH. SCC
CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND POWER STEERING PUMP ARE DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO LOCK UP AND/OR KICK BACK INTERMITTENTLY. TS
2003 FORD F350 DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PERMANENTLY RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. VARIOUS COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED/REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *NM
VEHICLE FAILS TO START BECAUSED THE ENGINE HAS A PINCHED O-RING.*AK
DRIVER SIDE DOOR MOLDING IS SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE AND COMING IN CONTACT WITH "THE FRONT FENDER". THE CONTACT OF THE MOLDING TO THE FENDER IS CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTION THAT CAUSES THE DOOR TO BE INOPERATIVE. DRIVER IS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. *AK
THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE REPLACED WITH BUCKLES THAT EXTENDED EIGHT TO TEN INCHES. WHEN THE SEAT BELTS WERE USED THE BUCKLES WERE POSITIONED ON PASSENGER'S ABDOMEN WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE PROBLEMS DURING A COLLISION. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FAILED TO GAIN SPEED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. *AK