Model year record
2003 Ford Navigator recalls & problems
The 2003 Ford Navigator has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 5 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (3 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2003 Ford Navigator.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine coolingEngine | 3 | 64,000 mi |
| Air bagsFrontal | 1 | — |
| SuspensionFront | 1 | — |
| Seat belts | 1 | — |
| SteeringLinkages › Arm › Idler and attachment | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
03 NAVIGATOR BEGAN "STUTTERING" WHEN DRIVING, FELT LIKE A TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THREE OF THE EIGHT CYLINDERS WERE NOT AT FULL COMPRESSION. HE ADVISED NEW HEADS WERE NEEDED. COST: $7000. SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM, INDEPENDENT (FORMER FORD TECH) MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM. HE ADVISED THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THE TRITAN MOTOR AND THERE IS A CASTING PROBLEM WITH THE HEADS. *TR
- Engine and engine cooling
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE SPARK PLUGS EXPLODED, AND SHE HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE SPARK PLUGS AND COILS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE SPARK PLUGS EXPLODED THEY SENT SENDS THE FRAGMENTS FROM THE SPARK PLUGS INTO THE ENGINE. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED THE NUMBER 3 AND NUMBER 4 SPARKS WERETHE ONES THAT EXPLODED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON JANUARY 11, 2007 IT WAS THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. SHE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH THE MECHANIC SINCE 01/11/2007. *AK THE BRAKES SQUEAKED, THE SEAT BELT BUTTON WAS REPLACED, THE IDLER ARM WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALWAYS RUN ROUGH AND LOOSE…
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
2003 FORD EXPEDITION XLT WITH 5.4 LITER TRITON V8 ENGINE WITH 59,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND NOT ABUSED. THE #3 SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD DURING DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. THIS EVENT WAS PRECEDED BY A TAPPING NOISE WHICH OCCURRED OVER THE PRECEDING TWO WEEKS. THE NOISE WAS SIMILAR TO A NOISY VALVE LIFTER. THE ENGINE HAD THE ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLED SPARK PLUGS THAT WERE NEVER REMOVED, REPLACED OR SERVICED. THE FACTORY CHANGE INTERVAL ON THE PLUGS IS 100,000 MILES. SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT RESULTED IN THE THE NEED TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD AND COIL PACK. INSPECTION OF THE OLD PART REVEALED THAT ONLY 4 TO 5 THREADS WERE PROVIDED TO RETAIN…
- Suspension › Front
ON FEBRUARY 25, 2005, I TOOK MY 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A MAJOR FRONT AIR SUSPENSION PROBLEM; THE FRONT HALF OF MY CAR WAS SO LOW TO THE GROUND WHILE THE BACK HALF WAS SET HIGH. THE RIDE WAS VERY BUMPY, ROUGH,AND UNWIELDY . THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE PERSONNEL DETERMINED THE VEHICLE'S AIR SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR WAS INOPERABLE AND THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE CAR'S FRONT PNEUMATIC SYSTEM. DEALER INSTALLED NEW COMPRESSOR AND PERFORMED RECALIBRATING TESTS OF THE PNEUMATIC SYSTEM BUT LESS THAN A MONTH LATER ON MARCH 22ND, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER REPAIR. THIS TIME THE "RIDE HEIGHT CALIBRATION" WAS INACCURATE AND…
- Air bags › Frontal
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE'S FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS SENSOR STAYS ON. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.