FordF-7502003Overview/ford/f-750/2003/base/
750 platform

2003 Ford F-750

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 F-750.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2003 Ford F‑750 rides on the 750 platform and is equipped with an automatic four‑speed transmission, returning EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 11/15/13 mpg. Its reliability record shows a total of 27 owner complaints, with the engine cited as the top complaint area and no recalls issued for the model year. Looking at the broader complaint history for the series from 2004 through 2022, the lowest annual tally was a single complaint in 2009 while the highest reached three complaints in 2017, indicating a consistently low‑volume issue pattern. Consequently, the 2003 F‑750 occupies an early position in a span marked by modest complaint numbers and an absence of recalls.

Model year200920082007200620052004200320022001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy11/15/13 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined11 / 15 / 13 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelNatural Gas

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the F-750 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.0–8.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.96 sec — 2003 F-150 Harley-Davidson SuperCrew (5.4 ft. Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2003F-150 Harley-Davidson SuperCrew (5.4 ft. Bed) 5.4L Supercharger V85.96 sec14.39 sec340 hpRWD
2003F-150 Lariat SuperCab Styleside (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.20 sec16.30 sec260 hpRWD
2002F-150 Lariat SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.30 sec16.70 sec260 hp4x4
2004F-150 FX4 SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.90 sec16.30 sec300 hp4x4
2004F-150 Lariat SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.30 sec17.00 sec300 hp4x4
2004F-150 Lariat SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.90 sec17.40 sec300 hp4x4
2000F-150 XLT SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.90 sec16.70 sec260 hp4x4
2007F-150 FX4 SuperCab (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.80 sec16.70 sec300 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs.

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts212 DI Diesel ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts89 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
152-53 ft. lbs., Step 2: 8052–53 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
176 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9676 ft. lbs

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2003 model shows three fire‑related complaints, the only fire complaints recorded for the entire series, while reporting zero crash complaints and no recalls. In the surrounding federal records, the next documented year (2004) had two recalls and no complaints, indicating a comparatively low‑risk profile shortly after 2003. Across the generation, complaint counts rise steadily, peaking in 2011 with 15 total TSBs, suggesting that early‑model years like 2003 experience fewer overall issues than later years. The 2003 model’s top complaint area is the engine (8 reports), followed by engine‑cooling and diesel fuel system, reflecting early‑model mechanical concerns. Given the presence of fire complaints and the early position in a trend that later escalates, the 2003 F‑750 is not the safest or most reliable used purchase relative to later model years.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
65
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
6
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
27
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 27 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine8
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Fuel System, Diesel3
Equipment1
Service Brakes1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1
Wheels1
Steering,Suspension,Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 65 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
ASI-444082014-02-01Equipment Adaptive/MobilityFORD: THE RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE (RCM) WHEN USING VCM II, WOULD HAVE AN ERROR CODE 35…
TSB-10-12-62010-06-11Fuel System, GasolineFORD: RUNS ROUGH, LACKS POWER, HARD START, NO START. SOME VEHICLES AND TRUCKS EQUIPPED…
TSB-09-15-62009-12-09Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 6.0L ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE A P006A, P132, P0401 OR…
SB-09M022009-08-19EquipmentFORD: CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH AMBULANCE PREP PACKAGE AMBULANCE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT…
SB-09M032009-08-19EquipmentFORD: CERTAIN VEHICLES, E SERIES AND F SUPER DUTY, WITH AMBULANCE PREP PACKAGE AMBULANCE…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific F-750. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2003 F-750 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the F-750 get?

EPA figures are 11 city / 15 highway / 13 combined mpg.