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2003 Ford Ranger

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

Body TRUCKTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2003 Ford Ranger is a pickup truck powered by a 5-speed automatic transmission that achieves EPA-estimated fuel economy of 15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined, with the 4.0-quart engine requiring 5W-20 API oil for maintenance; during this model year, the Ranger accumulated 243 owner complaints with vehicle speed control emerging as the primary concern across five total recalls issued for the model. This complaint figure positions the 2003 Ranger below the model's 1999 peak of 818 complaints but well above its later nadir of just 1 complaint recorded in 2014, indicating that while the model had moved past its most problematic era by this point, it had not yet reached the dramatically improved reliability trajectory that would define its later production years.

Model year2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2003

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 59 · 540 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 59 · 540 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP245-75R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	187.4 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	63.8 in
Wheelbase	111.8 in
Curb weight	3069 lb
Track (front / rear)	58.7 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 20 / 17 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

8.1–10.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2001 Edge Plus SuperCab

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2001	Edge Plus SuperCab 4.0L V6	8.10 sec	16.50 sec	207 hp	4x4
2001	Edge SuperCab 4.0L V6	8.10 sec	16.30 sec	207 hp	4x4
1998	Splash Stepside SuperCab 4.0L V6	8.90 sec	16.80 sec	160 hp	RWD
1998	XLT Stepside SuperCab 4.0L V6	9.80 sec	17.30 sec	160 hp	4x4
1998	XLT Stepside SuperCab 4.0L V6	10.00 sec	17.60 sec	160 hp	4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	SYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	5.1 Pints, Rear
Engine Coolant	USE FORD PREMIUM GOLD COOLANT
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	6-9 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	11-12 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings	30-36 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings	23-28 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	56-64 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	55-65 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 14-

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)	76.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket	85.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle	85.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket	72.0-97.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	162 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	75 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	75 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	MT: 815, AT: 900 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	MT: 15, AT: 20 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	900 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.88 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	59
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	540 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	59

Service checks

Pressure Test	13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	183-190 °F
Pressure Test	13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	35-55 (140)
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	40-65

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH 10 inch DRUM / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	24 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.060; Rear: 0.030 in
Brake Application	WITH 10 inch DRUM / WITH STANDARD
Drum Discard at-or-over Note	STAMPED ON DRUM
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.988 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.984 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

15 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 90

74 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	Loosen bolts 1 turn.
3	22 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
4	90 degrees.	90 degrees
5	90 degrees.	90 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Use new bolts

1	44 in. lbs.	44 in
2	11 ft. lbs.	11 ft. lbs
3	33 ft. lbs.	33 ft. lbs
4	90 degrees	90 degrees
5	90

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

1	59 ft. lbs.	59 ft. lbs
2	mum of one full turn
3	33-41 ft. lbs.	33–41 ft. lbs
4	63-73

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	24 ft. lbs.	24 ft. lbs
2	turn 80 degrees	80 degrees
3	turn 80

Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

10 ft. lbs., Step 2: 52

10 ft. lbs

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

50-60 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75-85

50–60 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 mi	Transmission Assembly (drain & refill) · Wheel Bearing (repack)
At 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Drive Belt (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

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 Ford Ranger sits at the bottom of a long downward arc from the generation's complaint peak. After federal complaints climbed from 139 in 1990 to a high of 818 in 1999, they fell steadily through 2000–2002 and reached 243 in 2003—the lowest annual complaint count since 1992. Recalls and technical service bulletins followed the same broad pattern: 2003 logged just 5 recalls (tied with 1990 for the fewest in the dataset) and 68 TSBs (the lowest since 1991), with only 1 NHTSA investigation. That made 2003 a clear low point before 2004, when complaints jumped back up to 404 and recalls rose to 12. The leading 2003 complaint categories were vehicle speed control (30), structure (26), air bags (21), and hydraulic service brakes (17), along with 37 crash-related and 11 fire-related complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Because 2003 represents the quietest point in the provided record before the 2004 rebound, it appears to be one of the better used-Ranger years to buy.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

243

Owner complaints

37 involved a crash · 11 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02’03’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’11 ’14 ’16 ’17 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 243 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control30

Structure26

Air Bags21

Service Brakes, Hydraulic17

Engine & Engine Cooling15

Power Train13

Electrical System9

Unknown Or Other8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 68 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB 20-2233	2020-07-13	Structure	This article supersedes TSB 19-2026 to update the vehicle model years affected. Some 2000…
TSB 19-2026	2019-02-07	Structure	Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels…
TSB 19-2026	2019-02-07	Structure	Some 2000 and newer Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with aluminum body panels…
06116	2006-01-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE - INSTALL SPECIAL SERVICE TOOLS PRIOR TO REMOVING CRANKSHAFT…
052212	2005-11-14	Engine And Engine Cooling	BUCK/JERK AND MISS DURING DRIVE CYCLE ABOVE 3000 RPM - NO DTC - 3.0L 2V GAS AND FFV…

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 Ranger. 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.

Group 59 battery Vehicles taking 4.0 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2003 Ranger take?

4.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2003 Ranger have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Ranger get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.