2003 F-150 Purchase / Problems

[Sinx53]

I am thinking about trading in my 96 Ford Ranger STX and the 06 Town & Country for a 03 Ford F-150 Supercrew. I was just wondering if there are any known problems or problem areas to look at with this vehicle?

 

[Explorin94]

Rust rust rust. Look under the doors at the opening. Look at the bottom of the doors. Front corners of the bed.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

On the 5.4l;
Apparently spark-plugs can be a bear, stock are a two piece design that breaks easily and then you have to buy a special tool to remove the piece stuck in the head.

There is a gasket for the cam phazers that has a habit of leaking causing bad idle. I have a truck I bought with that problem. Its a $1700 touch to fix the gasket, or replace the motor- ~34 hours labor plus cost of new motor. After researching I put in thicker weight [15w/40] oil and have been driving it since with no problems.

I haven't noticed any rust problems personally.

It isn't great on fuel, I'm getting ~ 21L/100Km combined, truck has 220,000 Km on it. 2004 f-150 5.4/auto/3.73/275-70r18"

Richard

 

[adsm08]

On the 5.4l;
Apparently spark-plugs can be a bear, stock are a two piece design that breaks easily and then you have to buy a special tool to remove the piece stuck in the head.

There is a gasket for the cam phazers that has a habit of leaking causing bad idle. I have a truck I bought with that problem. Its a $1700 touch to fix the gasket, or replace the motor- ~34 hours labor plus cost of new motor. After researching I put in thicker weight [15w/40] oil and have been driving it since with no problems.

Richard

Those are both issues specific to the 5.4L 3-valve.

An 03 will have a 5.4L 2-valve, those have their own fun problems.

The plugs don't get stuck in the head. Quite the contrary, they tend to go flying out of the head.

There are no cam phasers or VCT systems to fail, so you don't have to worry about that.

The exhaust manifolds warp and crack and the bolts break and the manifolds leak.

Other than that they are good strong engines.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The '03's should have the improved heads with more threads than the 97-02 trucks.

The local dealer has had a run of '03's with the neglected "long life" coolant that makes the crossover pipe swell and bust out the plastic intake manifold. Check there for corrosion/leakage, probably wouldn't be a bad idea to change the coolant if you do get it.

I have an '02, I have yet to meet the truck I would consider trading it for.

 

[shane96ranger]

The '03's should have the improved heads with more threads than the 97-02 trucks.

Are you talking about PI heads? I thought I read the 5.4 started in '99 and the 4.6 started in '01?

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Are you talking about PI heads? I thought I read the 5.4 started in '99 and the 4.6 started in '01?

No, the only major change was a few more threads for the spark plugs because of the blow-out problem.

 

[adsm08]

No, the only major change was a few more threads for the spark plugs because of the blow-out problem.

I've still seen the 03 heads blow plugs. The 3-valve is the only one I haven't seen it on.