Serious
Exterior Lighting
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
2003 Ford Explorer Sport Recalls & Complaints
1
open safety recall on record
Serious
The recalls
Complaint volume
What owners reported happened
4
3
5
0
What owners report most
- Structure:Body — 13 reports
- Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate:Hinge And Attachments — 8 reports
- Visibility/Wiper — 7 reports
- Structure — 4 reports
- Visibility — 4 reports
- Unknown Or Other — 4 reports
- Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear — 3 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 2 reports
- Suspension — 2 reports
- Vehicle Speed Control — 2 reports
What to do
- Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
- Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
- Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.
Other model years
1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005
Questions
Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?
Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.
Do I pay for recall repairs?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.
Why are there complaints but no recalls?
Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.