The 2003 Ford Explorer is a pickup truck that came with a choice of 4.0L 6-cyl and 4.6L 8-cyl engines. At 23 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.0L 6-cyl, 4.6L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 13–15 city / 17–20 highway / 15–17 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,950–$4,450 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 523–592 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 12 configurations: Explorer Sport Trac 2WD, Explorer Sport Trac 4WD, Explorer 2WD, Explorer Sport 2WD, Explorer 4WD, Explorer Sport 4WD and more |
| Age | 23 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls covering the 2003 Ford Explorer. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
On certain sport utility vehicles, the liftgate glass strut may become disengaged or the hinge may fracture allowing the glass to fall and possibly break.
Risk: If the hinge should fracture, there is a potential for the glass to fall and ultimately break and personal injuries could occur.
Certain pickup truck, van, and mini van conversions equipped with southern comfort built running boards that contain certain courtesy lights manufactured by american technology components, inc. These units contain a courtesy light or lights that might overheat when the wire harness is exposed to excessive moisture and road salt.
Risk: This overheating condition can cause the running board to melt or cause a fire.
Owners have filed 1,196 complaints about the 2003 Ford Explorer with NHTSA. 64 reports involved a crash and 11 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 61 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Ford Explorer, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | — |
| 2 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★☆☆☆ | — |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 122 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2003 Ford Explorer. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or
Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels may exhibit corrosion concerns appearing as bubbled and/or peeling paint with or
Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. Oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an
Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this
Steering shudder during low speed maneuvers - 4.0l engine. *tt
Malfunction indicator lamp coming on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0171, p0172, p0174 and/or p0175 (fuel system too rich or lean). *tt
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 3 defect investigations covering the 2003 Ford Explorer.
Vehicle Rollaway Allegations
This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.By the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during EA09-013, ODI identified a number of different failure m
Vehicle rollaway allegations
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), Ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. The swing arm is a component bolte
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or t
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2003 Explorers that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2003 Ford Explorer; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
Get a free offer in minutes. Towing is always free and you get paid at pickup.