2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, and owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 5 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 68,007 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 13 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 14, 2021 · Service brakes
“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 no”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2021 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Ford Explorer (Explorer 2WD, Explorer 2WD FFV, Explorer 4WD, Explorer 4WD FFV, …). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 15–17 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 13–15 / 17–20 |
| Fuel | Gasoline or E85, Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 4/4.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Ford Explorer Sport Trac model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Explorer Sport Trac model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 6 |
| 1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 5 |
| 2000 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 1 | 3 |
| 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 4 | 167 |
| 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 2 | 144 |
| 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 78 |
| 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 86 |
| 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 66 |
| 2006 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 5 |
| 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 1 | 100 |
| 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 1 | 23 |
| 2009 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 0 | 6 |
| 2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac | 1 | 31 |
Checking a specific 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
How do I know if my 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.