Vehicle Data Hub

2003 Ford Explorer electrical system problems

Owners reported electrical system problems in 54 complaints for the 2003 Ford Explorer, 4% of the complaints on file.

At a glance

Complaints
54 4% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
51,000 miles 46 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
2 and 4
Injuries and deaths
2 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When electrical system problems show up

Electrical system complaints by mileage, 2003 Ford Explorer Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 51,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 9 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 8 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 8 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 2 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 5 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 2 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 4 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 2 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 2 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 3 complaints 200k+ miles: 1 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 51,000 miles
Based on 46 complaints that include mileage. 54% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles9
20k to 40k miles8
40k to 60k miles8
60k to 80k miles2
80k to 100k miles5
100k to 120k miles2
120k to 140k miles4
140k to 160k miles2
160k to 180k miles2
180k to 200k miles3
200k+ miles1

What the data shows

Of the 46 electrical system complaints that report mileage, the median is about 51,000 miles, and 54% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 2 crashes, 4 fires, 2 injuries.

What owners wrote

We were involved in a motor vehicle accident on the below date. A person went through a red light and hit our 2003 ford explorer on the right rear wheel area at approx 40 MPH. There was over $ 6,000 in damage on our vehicle. When our vehicle was released to us from the body shop 6 weeks later, our heater, when turned on was making a loud banging sound. It sounded like something was knocked loose from the impact. It is now april 2007, and we have been trying to get our insurance company to fix this.

Reported at 51,000 miles, July 2006 CrashInjury

There have been multiple problems with my 2003 ford explorer since I bought it brand new in august of 2003. But ironically they have all appeared after the warranty had expired. In september 2007 the air conditioning unit no longer worked. It cost me $2000 and a week without a car, to get it fixed. In august 2009 the passenger door window would no longer work. In september 2009 my SUV started making a clicking sound when turning on the heater.

Reported at 135,000 miles, March 2010

Other problems reported for the 2003 Ford Explorer

Electrical system problems in other years

Electrical system problems across all Ford models