Problems · by component

2003 Ford Expedition service brakes, hydraulic problems

64 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Expedition cite service brakes, hydraulic, 10% of all 655 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
64
10% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, DECELERATION BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES LINES HAD RUSTED. THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ROCKER PANELS AND FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 06/27/14*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, StructureODI 10584189
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY. THE CONTACT STATED HE CRASHED INTO A TREE STUMP AND SNOW ON THE GROUND AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,535. UPDATED 3/14/11 *CN IT WAS DETERMINED THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING FLUID AND ULTIMATELY FAILED. UPDATED 05/04/11”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10380957
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE HE ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT IT OUT OF PARK AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE LINES FOR THE FRONT BRAKES WERE RUSTED THROUGH. THOSE BRAKE LINES WERE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE HAS NOT RECURRED SINCE BUT HE EXAMINED HIS VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BRAKE LINES FOR THE REAR BRAKES WERE VERY RUSTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10353259
“BRAKE LINES RUSTED AND LEAKED CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF MOST BRAKING. I BOUGHT THIS FORD NEW IN JULY OF 2003. AFTER THE BRAKE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. I HAD ALL BRAKE LINES REPLACED, AND STILL HAVE THE PIECE WHICH LEAKED. THE SHOP SAID IT IS BECAUSE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ROUTED ON TOP OF THE FRAME RAILS, AND SALT BUILDS UP. BUT I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA ALL MY LIFE (I'M 66) AND HAD MANY OLDER OR HIGHER MILEAGE VEHICLES, BUT NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING CHEVY BRAKE LINE FAILURE, AND THINK YOU SHOULD INCLUDE FORDS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10328726
“BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED CONSTANTLY. PADS WEAR VERY FAST. ROTORS WEAR EASILY AND NEED REPLACEMENT WITH PADS EACH TIME. WHEN BROUGHT TO HAVE ROTORS TURN, WAS TOLD THEY ARE MANUFACTURED WITH VERY LITTLE TOLERANCE AND COULD NOT BE TURNED EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS MINIMAL VISIBLE WEAR. WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT "MIC" WITH ENOUGH RANGE TO TOLERATE THE CUT WHEN TURNING. ROTORS SHOULD NOT NEED REPLACEMENT WITH EACH BRAKE CHANGE. EXCESSIVE BRAKE DUST. BRAKE DUST HAS EATEN AWAY AT FINISH ON RIMS. AFTER LAST BRAKE REPAIR, FRONT END NOW HAS A CLICKING SOUND. BRAKE PEDAL HAS ALWAYS FELT SPONGY. ON TWO OCCASIONS WITH AGGRESSIVE BRAKING CONDITIONS, BRAKES LOCKED UP. TOLD DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THIS IS NORMAL WITH THE FORD BRAKING SYSTEMS. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE FOG LAMP NOT STAYING LIT AND THE METAL REFLECTOR PIECE IN THE FOG LAMPS COMING LOOSE. WE ARE NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TWO (FRONT DRIVERS/REAR PASSENGERS) DOOR ELECTRIC LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING OR LOCKING THE DOORS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2009Service brakes, hydraulic, Exterior lighting, Latches/locks/linkages, EquipmentODI 10256448
“MY 2003 FORD EXPEDITION HAD A SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE WHILE MY SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY SHE WAS NOT HURT WHEN THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE. I FOUND THE BRAKE RESERVOIR TO BE COMPLETELY EMPTY AND REFILLED IT IMMEDIATELY. THEN I DISCOVERED THE REAL PROBLEM. THE REAR FACTORY BRAKE LINES WERE CONSTANTLY RUBBING AGAINST THE REAR SPRINGS OF THE CAR , THUS WEARING A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE. THIS RESULTED IN RAPID LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID , WHICH ALSO LED TO SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE. THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND I CANT IMAGINE WHY SOMEONE AT FORD DIDN'T SEE SUCH AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 7, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10220394

Showing 6 of 64 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.