, which had either a 16.8- or 22.5-gallon gas tank, is just one model year from a 30-year legacy of Explorers. The line has become a linchpin for Ford Motor Company, and consumers have loved it since 1991 for its rugged SUV styling, kid capacity, winter weather handling, and ample cargo room. And even older models like the 2003 Explorer are still running on the roads today.

If you’ve got a trusty old 2003 Explorer, or you’re thinking about buying one but can’t get your hands on the manual to see about the fuel tank, check out this guide from

Jerry

. This

super app

for car owners will cover the fuel tank capacity, as well as some tips and tricks to improve your Explorer’s fuel economy.

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How big is the gas tank on a 2003 Ford Explorer?

The 2003 Ford Explorer’s gas tank will only be one of two sizes—16.8 gallons or 22.5 gallons. And as an easy reference guide to figure out which one your Explorer has, just look at the trim level on your car. The 2003 Explorer came in several trims, including:

NBX

Each of these trims came in multiple configurations, offering a mix of options including rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive, as well as the option of a 4.6-liter V8 engine or a 4-liter V6 engine.

But to know which gas tank went in which vehicle, just remember: every 2003 Explorer except the XLS Sport and XLT Sport came with a 22.5-gallon gas tank. The two Sport trims had a 16.8-gallon gas tank.

One little oddball worth mentioning, too, is the 2003

Ford Explorer Sport Trac

. It hasn’t been produced since the 2010 model year, but it was marketed under the Explorer name despite being a mid-size pickup truck with a separate model line. Just to be thorough, you should know the 2003 Sport Trac also had a 16.8-gallon gas tank.

How to check your 2003 Ford Explorer’s gas tank size

If you’d like to double-check our accuracy on your gas tank’s size, here’s how:

Measure the gas tank

Get your measuring tape out and write down the width, length, and height of the gas tank in inches. Then, multiply these three figures together and divide the total by 231. That’s the number of cubic inches per gallon. This will tell you how many gallons your tank can hold!

Check your owner’s manual

You can check the owner’s manual if you have a copy around. If not, you can find the 2003 Ford Explorer owner’s manual in PDF format on the

Ford website

Drive till empty, then fill it up

Another easy way to find out your fuel capacity is by driving until the gas gauge is on “E.” But don’t push it too far—otherwise, you’ll end up stranded and out of gas! Once you’re down to E, go fill up your tank and see how many gallons it takes. This should give you a really close measure of what the Ford Explorer fuel tank can hold.

MORE:

How far can you drive on an empty tank of gas?

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How to save on fuel costs in a Ford Explorer

The 2003 Ford Explorer has some great features, but fuel efficiency is not one of them. It gets a combined 15 mpg, but there are still ways to save on fuel costs. Here are some tips on how to do it:

Keep your maintenance schedule. Performing your routine maintenance tasks like oil changes and tire rotations will actually help your car achieve maximum fuel efficiency.

Drive a little slower. If you don’t need to punch the gas, then let off a little to use less fuel.

Don’t idle the engine. The Ford Explorer's fuel economy is low enough as it is—don’t make it worse by burning up gas unnecessarily!

How to optimize your Explorer’s insurance coverage

Once you’ve got your fuel tank capacity figured out, you can start budgeting for your gas expenditures because you’ll know what to expect. Another budget-savvy move to make is shopping for new car insurance—which insurance experts recommend you do

every six months

for savings.

The fastest, easiest way to shop for

car insurance

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