14 of the 527 complaints about the 2003 Ford F-150 are about the suspension — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 29,500 miles.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SUSPENSION
TRANS WENT OUT A MONTH AFTER INTAKE CRACK HAD TO BE REPLACE ALMOST $1,650 TOGETHER ALSO BALL JOINTS AND TIEROD ENDS NO GOOD SHOCK NO GOOD BRAKE ARE FALLING AND REAR END IS GRINDING THIS TRUCK SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD HELP AND THERE'S "MORE".
NHTSA complaint #10936142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
MY FORD F 150 FRAME AND SPRING HOLDERS ARE RUSTING BAD, I'M AFRAID THE SPRINGS MAY FALL OFF OR THE FRAME MAY BREAK WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. THE BODY OF THE TRUCK HAS NO RUST, I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND ONLY HAVE 62,000 MILES ON IT. JUST WONDERING IT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IM HAVING WITH MY FRAME AND WHAT MY OPPTIONS ARE.
NHTSA complaint #10461656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
TRAVELING AT 40MPH. HIT AT THE FRONT RIGHT FENDER. SHEARING OFF TIRE AT BALL JOINTS... CAUSING TRUCK TO SLAM DOWN ON THE GROUND AND SLIDE AT LEAST 75 FEET ON THE FRAME.. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I WAS INJURED AND THINK IF THE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE COME OUT MAYBE MY INJURIES WOULDN'T HAVE OCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10240722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
I OWN A 2003 FORD F-150 FX4 WITH AN OFF ROAD PACKAGE. I HAVE RARELY TAKEN THIS VEHICLE OFF ROAD. LEAF SPRINGS BANDS WERE MOVING OFF OF LEAF SPRINGS. THEY WERE REPLACED ONCE, THE BANDS CONTINUED TO MOVE, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR CONCERN. AT THIS TIME MY VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IN FOR REPAIR THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE BROKEN, BECAUSE THE BANDS HOLDING THEM TOGETHER HAD COME OFF COMPLETELY. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NO LONGER A WARRANTY ITEM AND THAT I WOULD BE CHARGED FOR REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ITEM, MY LEAF SPRINGS WERE REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING. THE PIN HOLDING THE LEAF SPRINGS TOGETHER WERE MADE OF PLASTIC.
NHTSA complaint #10231305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURANCE THAT I HAVE HAD A OIL SEAL OR GASKET ON THE ENGINE AFTER DRIVING 80 +MILE PER HOUR. I HAD MY TRUCK LESS THAN THREE YEARS. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED IT VIBRATE WHEN REACHING THE SPEED MENTIONED.
NHTSA complaint #10175466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
I OWN A 2003 F-150 SUPER CREW TRUCK, I JUST WENT TO GET THE VEHICLE STATE INSPECTION (4/23/2005). THE VEHICLE HAS 40K MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURES RECOMMENDATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO BOTH THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE SERVICE GUY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS ON THE FORD TRUCK. THE VEHICLE IS USED MOSTLY FOR GOING BACK AND FORTH TO WORK VIA THE HIGHWAY. FOR A 2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND TO HAVE BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT THE SAME TIME SEEMS STRANGE. IN ORDER TO GET IT PASSED I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AS I WAS TOLD THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10118296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
THE VEHICLE SHOOK TO THE POINT THAT IT BECAME HARD TO CONTROL IT. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER OFFERED CONSUMER ADDITIONAL WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10117282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE FRONT HUBS LOCKED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE DISENGAGED OUT OF 4-WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #10115285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. (NAR) *PH
NHTSA complaint #10058097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
THE REAR END SUSPENSION IS GOING OUT PER THE DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD HUMMING NOISE AT 50 MPH. ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ON A SMOOTH SURFACE ROAD, VEHICLE MADE A LOUD CLUNG NOISE THAT FELT LIKE THE SUSPENSION DROPPED. DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, AND REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND OTHER SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. A FACTORY ENGINEER ALSO INSPECTED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT THERE' WAS NO SOLUTION THIS ISSUE, AND TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10080035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
WHILE DRIVING 25-40 MPH FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER TWENTY TIMES, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10064672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED. VIBRATION INCREASED RADICALLY AT 55 TO 70 MPH. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN DETERMINED REAR END WAS TOO LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10059182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE MAKES A VERY LOUD "WHINING" NOISE WHEN DRIVING. SOUNDS AS IF DRIVING AN 18-WHEELER TRUCK. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN SERVICED BY DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR CORRECT PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10024975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
ON, MARCH 21, 2003 I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD F-150 XLT. WE WERE DRIVING BACK HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP AT 65 MPH WHEN WE STARTED DOWN A SMALL HILL, THE TRUCKS FRONT END STARTED SHAKING AND VIBRATING PRETTY BAD, AND DIDN'T STOP SHAKING AND VIBRATING UNTIL I CAME TO A STOP. I PULLED ONTO A SIDE STREET AND STOPPED. I LOOKED FOR A PROBLEM AND COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. PUT THE TRUCK IN DRIVE AND CONTINUED MY WAY HOME, THE PROBLEM HAD NOW STOPPED. ON APRIL 1, 2003 I WAS DRIVING ON THE EAST-WEST EXPRESSWAY IN ORLANDO, AT ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN I STARTED DOWN ANOTHER SMALL HILL, THE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING/VIBRATING VIOLENTLY, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT ONLY MADE IT WORSE. I HAD TO WRESTLE FOR CONTROL OF THE TRUCK UNTIL I GOT IT TO THE SHOULDER. AGAIN THE SHAKING/VIBRATING DIDN'T STOP UNTIL THE TRUCK CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP.. I'M VERY LUCKY THE ROAD WASN'T WET, I'D HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR SURE. PUT THE TRUCK BACK IN DRIVE AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE AGAIN. MY TRUCK IS NOW AT ROLLING HILLS FORD SERVICE DEPT. IN CLERMONT FLORIDA. DEALER JUST CALLED ME BACK SAYING THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. WHICH MEANS THEY DIDN'T EVEN LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO RISK SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH UNTIL FORD CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10013827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.