2003 Ford Explorer Towing Capacity & Tow Rating

The table below lists every trim of the 2003 Ford Explorer with the engine, drivetrain, axle ratio, horsepower, torque, GVWR, curb weight, and payload that go with that trim's headline tow rating. Manufacturers often publish more than one tow figure per truck — a conventional bumper-hitch rating, a weight-distributing rating, and a gooseneck or fifth-wheel rating — so the highest number here is the maximum across all hitch classes the source carries for the trim.

Per-trim breakdown

Configuration	Engine	HP	Torque	Axle	Tow (lb)	GVWR	Curb	Payload
XLS 4.0L 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	5,800	5,200	4,159	1,041
XLS 4.0L Sport 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	5,800	5,200	4,159	1,041
XLT 4.0L 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	7,300	5,200	4,159	1,041
XLT 4.6L 4dr 4x2	—	239	282	—	7,300	5,300	4,166	1,134
XLT 4.0L Sport 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	7,300	5,200	4,159	1,041
XLT 4.6L Sport 4dr 4x2	—	239	282	—	7,300	5,300	4,166	1,134
NBX 4.0L 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	7,300	5,200	4,159	1,041
NBX 4.6L 4dr 4x2	—	239	282	—	7,300	5,300	4,166	1,134
Eddie Bauer 4.0L 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	7,300	5,200	4,159	1,041
Eddie Bauer 4.6L 4dr 4x2	—	239	282	—	7,300	5,300	4,166	1,134
Limited 4.0L 4dr 4x2	—	210	254	—	7,300	5,200	4,159	1,041
Limited 4.6L 4dr 4x2	—	239	282	—	7,300	5,300	4,166	1,134
XLS 4.0L 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	5,400	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLS 4.0L Sport 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	5,400	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.0L 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.6L 4dr 4x4	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
XLT 4.0L Sport 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.6L Sport 4dr 4x4	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
NBX 4.0L 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
NBX 4.6L 4dr 4x4	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
Eddie Bauer 4.0L 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
Eddie Bauer 4.6L 4dr 4x4	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
Limited 4.0L 4dr 4x4	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
Limited 4.6L 4dr 4x4	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
XLS 4.0L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	5,500	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLS 4.0L Sport 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	5,500	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.0L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.6L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
XLT 4.0L Sport 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
XLT 4.6L Sport 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
Eddie Bauer 4.0L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
Eddie Bauer 4.6L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139
Limited 4.0L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	210	254	—	7,000	5,420	4,374	1,046
Limited 4.6L 4dr All-wheel Drive	—	239	282	—	7,000	5,520	4,381	1,139

How to interpret the headline tow figure

Tow ratings at this level are normally achievable with a conventional Class II or Class III receiver hitch. Always verify your vehicle has the manufacturer's tow package installed if you intend to tow at the upper end of the rating, and inspect the door-jamb sticker for the actual maximum permitted on your specific configuration.

How this year compares to 2002

The 2002 Ford Explorer carried a maximum tow rating of 7,300 lb. The 2003 model carries the same headline figure — manufacturers usually leave the rating alone year-over-year unless there's a powertrain or hitch change. See the 2002 Ford Explorer page for the full per-trim breakdown of the prior year.

Other 2003 Ford models

The rest of Ford's 2003 lineup, ranked by maximum tow rating. Click through for the per-trim breakdown of any of these.

Model	Max tow (lb)
2003 Ford F 350	13,900
2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 2WD Reg. Cab, DRW	13,400
2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Reg. Cab, DRW	13,000
2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 2WD SuperCab, DRW	13,000
2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 2WD Crew Cab, DRW	12,800
2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Super Cab, DRW	12,600

All figures sourced from manufacturer documentation. See our methodology for how the dataset is compiled. Always confirm against your vehicle's door-jamb sticker before towing.