2003 FORD EXCURSION Complaints

I WAS TURNING MY FORD EXCURSION AND HEARD A LOUD "POP!" MY STEERING WHEEL APPEARED TO "BREAK" AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING FORWARD. HAD I BEEN ANYWHERE ELSE, LIKE TRAFFIC, I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE OR MYSELF. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXCURSION V-10. THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE FOOT PEDALS WHICH ROUTINELY STOP WORKING, SOMETIMES IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DRIVERS SEAT ALSO DOES NOT WORK, MAKING THE VEHICLE UN-DRIVEABLE FOR MY WIFE WHOSE REACH IS CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN MINE. FORDS SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE THE SEAT AT AN OUT-OF-POCKET COST STARTING AT ABOUT $800.00, INSTEAD OF TRACING THE BAD WIRE OR FAULTY CONTROL MODULE. INTERNET RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY PREVALENT IN THE LARGER FORD SUV'S MANUFACTURED FROM 2003-2006. I FEEL THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE CORRECTED IN A FACTORY RECALL AND NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF VEHICLE OWNERS WHEN THE PROBLEM IS CLEARLY FAULTY EXUIPMENT / DESIGN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXCURSION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A WET ROAD AND SUDDENLY, EXCESSIVE WHITE SMOKE EXPELLED FROM THE REAR TAIL PIPE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A BROKEN FUEL INJECTOR WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN DAMAGES TO THE ENGINE. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $12,000. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000. UPDATED 02/01/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RAN ROUGH AND IT LACKED POWER. THE DEALER FOUND THE #1 CYLINDER HAD A BROKEN PISTON. THE CONSUMER STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED TO WARN HIM THERE WAS PROBLEM. UPDATED 02/02/10.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXCURSION XLT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IDLING, THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND DESTROYED THE GAUGE CLUSTER. AS A CONSEQUENCE NO INFORMATION IS VISIBLE ON THE DISPLAY OF THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN EXPENSE OF $500.00. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY 2003 FORD EXCURSION WITH A 6.0L DIESEL HAS BEEN SURGING AND WILL STALL SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ICP SENSOR. APPARENTLY THIS WAS RECALLED IN 2004 MODELS AND NEWER BUT NOT THE 2003 MODEL. I FEEL THAT I HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS BECAUSE FORD DIDN'T START INSTALLING THE 6.0L IN THE 2003 MODEL UNTIL LATE IN THE MODEL YEARS. SEEMS LIKE THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME AND MY TRUCK HAS THE EXACT SAME DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THE 2004 MODELS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXCURSION. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN LTX M/S TIRES, SIZE 265/75/R16. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE TIRES. THEY WERE NOT THE CORRECT TIRES HE ORIGINALLY ORDERED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE INCORRECT TIRES AND WAS GIVEN BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT TIRES, WHICH WHERE MICHELIN CLASS C'S. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. HE NOTICED THAT THE WALLS ON THE TIRES WERE CRACKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT DUE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE THREADS, THE TIRES WOULD WOBBLE. ONCE THE THREADING BEGAN TO WEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP WOBBLING. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE INCORRECT GRADE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CLASS E (LOAD RANGE 5,250) INSTEAD OF A CLASS C (LOAD RANGE 2,270). THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH MICHELIN CLASS E TIRES AT THE COST OF $907.45. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FORD MANUFACTURER AND FILED A REPORT. HE CALLED BACK TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED AND WAS NOT GIVEN AN EXPLANATION. THE DOT INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/09/09 *BF UPDATED 06/10/09. *JB

2003 FORD LIMITED EXCURSION THE BLACK PAINT IS COMING OFF THE ROOF IN 4 INCH SHEETS TO THE METAL AND RUSTING. THE HOOD IS ALSO STARTING TO CHECK UP AND CHIP BADLY THE FRONT FENDERS ARE MISSING 2 INCH PCS OF PAINT DOWN TO BARE METAL AND RUSTING THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR CO SAID ITS NOT THERE PROBLEM AND THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS. *TR

THE HEAT IN MY DRIVER SEAT STOPPED WORKING. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE SEAT COVER OFF AND NOTICED THAT IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THE WIRES AND SEAT CUSHION. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG PROBLEM HAD THE FIRE CONTINUED. MY HUSBAND FIXED THE WIRING AFTER WE WERE TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLES AGE. *TR

2003 FORD EXCURSION LIMITED WITH 6.0L DIESEL ENGINE. ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO, MY TRUCK BEGAN TO SURGE IN ACCELERATION AT BOTH IDLE AND WHILE CRUISING. IT HAS ALSO BEGUN TO STALL OUT AT BOTH IDLE AND WHILE CRUISING. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS BEGUN TO HAVE A STRONG SMELL OF DIESEL FUEL WHICH ENTERS THE PASSENGER CABIN AT START UP. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEGUN TO LIGHT UP AND I CHECKED THE LIGHT WITH A DIGITAL DIAGNOSTIC CODE READER. THE CODE WAS P2285 (INJECTOR CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR CIRCUIT LOW). THE SITUATION IS QUITE DANGEROUS. MY WIFE HAD COMPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE SURGED AHEAD AND SHE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN I DROVE THE VEHICLE, IT ALSO BEGAN TO BUCK AND SURGE IN BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE. WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED REARWARD AND ONLY BY MY HAVING MY FOOT NEAR THE BRAKE PEDAL, STOPPED IT FROM RACING REARWARD. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO CUT OFF WHILE AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING NOW. AGAIN, A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I HAVE SEEN ON THE FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES THAT I AM NOT ALONE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS CONDITION AND FAULTY INJECTOR CONTROL PRESSURE SENSORS ESPECIALLY IN THE '03 MODELS BUT EVEN LATER MODELS. I AM JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BY A WEEK, AND FORD SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. I HAVE SEEN WHAT THE DEALERS HAVE QUOTED OTHERS TO FIX THE PROBLEM UP TO $2000.00 FOR WIDE RANGING SOLUTIONS (REPLACING TURBOS, REPLACING ALL INJECTORS, ETC.) I USE THIS TRUCK TO TRANSPORT MY DISABLED CHILD AND DEFINITELY CANNOT AFFORD THE DEALER TO RIP ME OFF FOR $2000. IT IS A $140 PART AND SHOULD TAKE NO LONGER THAN AN HOUR OF A TECHNICIAN'S TIME TO REPLACE THE SENSOR AND PIGTAIL HARNESS. CLEARLY, FORD KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AS THEY HAD A CUST. SERVICE PROGRAM 03B05 AND 03B06 REGARDING THIS ISSUE FOR 47,000 OTHER '03 TRUCKS WITH THE 6.0L ENGINE. THEY SAID MY VEHICLE'S VIN DID NOT FALL INTO THOSE 47,000. OBVIOUSLY IT AFFECTS MANY MORE TRUCKS THAN THE 47,000. *TR

CRUISE CONTROL STUCK; DOES NOT RELEASE WITH PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL. THE CRUISE WILL ONLY RELEASE WITH THE CRUISE 'OFF' BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL OR IF BRAKE PEDAL IS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A REAR-END COLLISION. PLAN TO TAKE IT TO DEALER NEXT WEEK; HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE COVERED EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. I WON'T USE CRUISE UNTIL THEN. *TR