Problems · by component

2003 Ford F-150 air bags problems

32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Ford F-150 cite air bags, 7% of all 464 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
32
7% of all complaints
Crashes
24
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Well the passenger side in front seat seat belt needs replaced due to getting stuck after front airbags in dash and steering wheel after deployment from barley tapping a vehicle in front of the truck”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2025Air bags, Seat belts, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11687019
“ON NOVEMBER 01,2020 I WAS INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ROLLOVER IN MY FORD F150 2003 WHICH THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON AND SEATBELT LOCKED I WAS ENTERTAINING INTERSECTION AND ALMOST THROUGH IT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN THE STOP LIGHT CAUSING ME TO ROLLOVER ONE IN HALF TIMES. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT ALMOST DETACHED FROM CAB.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2020Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 11372877
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 FORD F150. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SLID ON BLACK ICE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH THE GUARD RAIL SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SUFFERED WHIPLASH AND BRUISED MUSCLES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT HOWEVER, THE HE DRIVE SLOWLY AS THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 2 DAYS LATER BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE AIR BAGS FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,807.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2020Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11308483
“MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE MAIN STREET IN OUR TOWN GOING THE SPEED LIMIT, CROSSED OVER THE RAILROAD CROSSING AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN NO COLLISION OR IMPACT OTHER THAN THE SMALL BUMP OF THE RAILROAD CROSSING. THANKFULLY, IT DID NOT CAUSE HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE IMPACT OF THE AIRBAG DID SLIGHTLY INJURE HIS WRIST, HE DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE HORN BLEW CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL HE UNHOOKED IT. HOWEVER THE TRUCK WAS FULLY DRIVABLE IMMEDIATELY, SO HE CALLED US ASKING WHAT TO DO AND WE HAD HIM DRIVE IT HOME. THERE WAS NO WRECK OR ANY KIND OF IMPACT THAT SHOULD HAVE MADE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY. THE TRUCK IS IN THE SAME WORKING ORDER THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY EXCEPT FOR BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS ARE DEPLOYED. THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN TAMPERED WITH THAT WE ARE AWARE OF. WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE TRUCK, HOWEVER. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO OUR INSURANCE COMPANY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2019Air bagsODI 11187422
“I WAS TRAVELING 285-WEST IN DECATUR, GA., AROUND 3:30 PM EASTERN TIME, WHEN I WAS IN A A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS IN THE LANE CLOSEST TO THE GRASS, WHEN A DODGE RAM FOUR DOOR TRUCK HIT MY F-150 SUPER CREW CAB 2003. THE DRIVER HIT MY DRIVER SIDE BACKDOOR, AND THEN HE HIT ME AGAIN ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT BUMPER, AND SPUN ME OFF THE ROAD INTO A WOODED AREA WITH LARGE TREES AND A RAVINE. I THEN HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A LARGE TREE. I CALLED ON THE NAME JESUS THREE TIMES, THEN MY TRUCK TURNED 180 DEGREES AND THAT TURNED ME AROUND GOING INTO THE RAVINE BACKWARDS. I FELT MYSELF COME OUT OF MY SEAT WITH MY SEAT BELT ON. MY BENCH SEAT WENT INTO RECLINE, THEN MY HEAD WENT BACKWARDS, THEN FORWARD. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I DID RESEARCH, WHEN I NOTICED A WEBSITE CALLED "WEKEEPITSAFE". THE DATABASE SHOWS 144,000 FORD F-150 2003'S RECALLED FOR FAILURE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I CALLED FORD'S MOTOR HEAD QUARTERS. THE FIRST NUMBER WAS (313)323-9100, THEN I WAS TRANSFERRED TO 1-866-436-7332. I SPOKE WITH A REP BY THE NAME OF MEL, AND HE GAVE ME A CHOICE OF MONETARY COMPENSATION OR A TRUCK. I DECLINED, DUE TO THE FACT THAT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2016Air bags, Structure, WheelsCrash reportedODI 10893205
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK, SHOULDER, BOTH LEGS, AND LOWER BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10892820

Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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