There are 23 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2003 Ford F-350in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
JUST DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 41 AND IT JUST STOPPED. ENGINE WENT DEAD. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND TRIED STARTING AGAIN AND IT WOULDNT START. HAD TO GET IT TOWED. ITS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 20 DAYS. NEEDS A NEW FUEL TANK BECAUSE THE INNER LINING IS PEELING AND PARTICLES ARE GOING THROUGH ENGINE! NEED HELP I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN 2015 AND ITS BEEN IN SHOP 7 DIFFERENT TIMES.
DRIVING ALONG LOUD NOISE PULLED OVER TO FIND A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK TAKING THE THREADS WITH IT. NO FIRE THANK GOODNESS!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL WAS FOUND TO BE PREMATURELY LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HEAD GASKET HEAD BOLTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY MY 2003 FORD F350 SD. SC. 4X4 5.4 ENG. WITH THE PROBLEM WITH BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ROTTING AWAY & THE STUDS & NUTS THAT HOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS TO ENGINE HEADS THAT THEY WERE ALL ROTTING AWAY , THEY TOLD ME WE WON'T FIX THE PROBLEMS FOR FREE . I WOULD LIKE FOR TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE MANY PEOPLE WILL GET INJURY OR MANY FATALITY WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS FALL OFF AND CATCH ON FIRE & BURN UP BECAUSE FIRE COMES OUT OF THE ENGINE TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS . I TALKED TO MANY FORD DEALERS THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY OF THESE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE & HAD TO CHARGE THE OWNER OF THESE TRUCKS & MANY OTHER YEARS OF THESE FORD TRUCKS . PLEASE HELP ME & MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THESE FORD TRUCKS TO MAKE FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALL THIS PROBLEMS BEFORE PEOPLE WILL DIE & FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE . THANKS *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, A SPARK PLUG FLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND HIT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE A COIL AND THE SPARK PLUG WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES AFTER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THIS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND IN ALL INCIDENTS THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED THE TURBO-CHARGER. HOWEVER THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ON THE MOST RECENT VISIT TO THE DEALER THE TURBO CHARGER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. UPDATED 05/30/06. *AK
2ND REQUEST FAX RE CONSUMER'S CONCERNS RE HIS 2003 FORD F-350 6.0 L DIESEL TRUCK DUE TO LOSS OF POWER/IRREPARABLE TURBO LAG.*MR THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AT STOP, PARTICULARLY WHEN IN REVERSE. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO BACKUP AN INCLINE. LOTS OF EXHAUST SMOKE CAME FROM THE TAIL PIPE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER. *NM
THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING TREMENDOUS COOLANT LEAKAGE, WHICH IS CAUSING EXTREME OVER HEATING. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY HEAT. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F350 DIESEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED IN COLD WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE EGR EXHAUST SYSTEM VALVE BUT THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE THE EGR VALVE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE BOX AND THE GLOW PLUGS MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,000. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ THE ENGINE GLOW PLUG WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 03/08/12
THE CONSUMER TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER WAITED A COUPLE OF HOURS, WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. FOUR DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN, LATER ON, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB *SC
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE ENGINE CAUSING THE PROBLEM.*AK
CRACKED "Y" PIPE IS LEAKING DIESEL EXHAUST FUMES INTO CAB OF TRUCK. THIS OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY WHEN THE TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY BACK IN 2004 BUT NOW IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY NOR IS THERE A RECALL. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO SEVERAL DEALERS IN THE AREA BUT UNLESS IT IS UNDER WARRANTY THEY WON'T COVER THE REPAIR. HOWEVER, I FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD WHICH I FEEL SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY, AS DIESEL FUMES ARE LINKED TO CANCER OR COULD LEAK TO AN ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE IS OVERCOME BY THE FUMES, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A DEATH. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS HAZARD AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. I DO KNOW FROM TALKING TO MECHANICS THAT THIS DOES OCCUR OFTEN IN THESE TRUCKS.
TURBO CHARGER IS ON IT'S THIRD FAILURE AND INSTALATION. I ONLY HAVE 11,000 MILES ON THE FORD F-350, THE WASTED TIME ON MY END IS REDICULOUS. FROM WHAT I HEARD FORD AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE INDUNDATED WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE REFUSING TO RECALL.
CONSUMER REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT IN THE 2003 FORD F350.*MR THE CONSUMER HAD A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE LACKING POWER AND BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE, AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE ON START UP, IT JERKED WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE WHEN THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS RELEASED FROM THE ACCELERATOR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD POPPED LOSE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BECAUSE AN AFTER MARKET CHIP WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE TURBO HOSE TO THE TURBO CHARGER CONTINUOUSLY BLEW OFF. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
VEHICLE HESITATE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
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 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 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
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
Showing 1–20 of 23 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026