2003 Ford Mustang GT
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › Mustang GT › 2003
These records cover every 2003 Ford Mustang GT. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
51 complaints3 involved a crash4 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Seat belts
Takata recall passenger seat belt locked up now drivers side seat belt acting up and hard to retract in and out as well.
- Seat belts
Driver side seat belt gets twisted and wont retract and gets shut in door if you don't pay attention, passenger side seat belt IS stuck and wont come out or work at all. *tr
- Seats
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang GT. While driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, suddenly, the front driver seat collapsed in a backward position. The contact was able to continue driving with caution. The contact was able to drive the onto the emergency lane and adjust the…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang GT. While driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, suddenly, the front driver seat collapsed in a backward position. The contact was able to continue driving with caution. The contact was able to drive the onto the emergency lane and adjust the seat onto the track. The vehicle was able to resume operation. The driver sustained minor back injury. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who replaced the track assembly seat. the failure mileage was 104,679. updated 3/10/10 *cn the consumer stated the sir slid back while driving. Updated 06/14/10 .*jb
- Power train
My 03' mustang spit the spark plug out of the head,again, taking all the threads with it. Now it IS unable to run do the fact it has a missing plug. The dealership says it IS out of their hands do to not being under warranty any longer. Ford motor co. Said they will not fix the car,it IS out of…
My 03' mustang spit the spark plug out of the head,again, taking all the threads with it. Now it IS unable to run do the fact it has a missing plug. The dealership says it IS out of their hands do to not being under warranty any longer. Ford motor co. Said they will not fix the car,it IS out of warranty. Sorry the spark plug was ejected out of the head. We can not fix it unless you pay for parts/labor out of your pocket. This IS a very well known issue for ford, I do not understand why the are acting like there IS not 1000's of people this has happened to. My next step IS to hire a class action attorney and see about getting my car fixed. *Tr
- Power train
Spark plug was spit out of head. It has the factory plugs in it never been changed. the dealership said that nothing was wrong with my car,the dealership, checked spark plug in question,then told me that there was nothing wrong with my car and sent me on my way. At this point I do not know if it IS ok or not? But I am driving it till it breaks again. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
On cold start, there IS a "ticking" sound. took it to mechanic and he gave me a technical service bulletin article #03-25-6, dated 12/22/03, regarding ford, lincoln and mercury engines built before 9/17/2003. emailed ford motor company to find out what could be done to rectify the situation as it…
On cold start, there IS a "ticking" sound. took it to mechanic and he gave me a technical service bulletin article #03-25-6, dated 12/22/03, regarding ford, lincoln and mercury engines built before 9/17/2003. emailed ford motor company to find out what could be done to rectify the situation as it IS a known defect of the car although it IS not a safety issue. all they could tell me IS there IS no recall and take it to an authorized dealer to have it diagnosed and repaired if need. *tr
- Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Interior a/c blower fan(dashboard vents) stops working after in use for 1 hour. *Ak
- Electrical system › Ignition · Engine and engine cooling › Engine
1) everything was running fine, no problems detected. maintenance on vehicle was up to date. was turning a corner and there was a pop and after that the engine started to mis-fire. 2) was able to limp the 2 miles to the ford service center. there, they told me that the spark plug had blown out…
1) everything was running fine, no problems detected. maintenance on vehicle was up to date. was turning a corner and there was a pop and after that the engine started to mis-fire. 2) was able to limp the 2 miles to the ford service center. there, they told me that the spark plug had blown out of the engine block and that this happens on occasion. I had two options: the first was to pay $610 to put a patch in that wasn't provided with a warranty and they told me it could last 2 years or blow 2 miles down from the shop after I left, or pay $2500 and have a new cylinder put in. after researching this issue, I found that this IS a very common occurrence with ford vehicles, that ford IS aware of but IS not taking care of. I was also told that even if the car was still under warranty that the warranty would not cover this and I would still have to pay out of pocket. I am now stuck with a car I can't afford to fix for a while and a car maker who can't admit that they built a faulty engine and fix their problem. 3) nothing has been done to fix this yet, as I am looking for someone who can fix it right at a lower cost. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
The intake manifold blow a hole at the crossover exchange, causing coolant to explode out like a guyser and got on my face when I opened the hood to see what the smoke was coming from! It IS out of warranty and I was never notified about a recall or class action settlement in 2005. Can I be reimbersed the product has been knowingly and widely viewed be evrybody as defective.
- Power train › Manual transmission
In my 2003 mustang GT with tremec tranny...grinding type feeling going into second gear. Went to dealer, and they said feeling was normal,and it would go away,it has not. I only drive it once and a while but it IS worse on colder days!!!
- Unknown or other
I own a 2003 mach1 mustang. there IS significant wear to the carpet next to the gas pedal and just above the clutch pedal. the car has less than 36,000 miles. the dealer says that IS not a warranty issue and will not fix the problem. also, the carpet has fallen down above the gas/break/clutch…
I own a 2003 mach1 mustang. there IS significant wear to the carpet next to the gas pedal and just above the clutch pedal. the car has less than 36,000 miles. the dealer says that IS not a warranty issue and will not fix the problem. also, the carpet has fallen down above the gas/break/clutch pedal assembly as well as on the passenger side. this caused difficulty in using the pedal assembly. the dealer "reglued" the carpet. *nm
- Seat belts › Front
We have owned several different model years of mustangs (2003, 1998, 1996 to be exact). for reasons unknown, the seat belts for the front bucket seats become twisted and do not secure a person properly in the seat. this has been a problem in all three of these vehicles. there has not been a…
We have owned several different model years of mustangs (2003, 1998, 1996 to be exact). for reasons unknown, the seat belts for the front bucket seats become twisted and do not secure a person properly in the seat. this has been a problem in all three of these vehicles. there has not been a specific incident related to this problem. however, if ford does not research this ongoing concern, the seat belts will not properly restrain front seat occupants in these cars. note: this program requires a date to be entered so I used today's date even though this does not reference a specific event. it IS an ongoing problem. *nm
- Steering · Suspension › Front
Tie rods (steering) went bad on my 2003 mustang (it has 37,000 miles), and convertible bezel came loose. Vin#[xxx]. parts were replaced at the cost of $236.00, however I feel this should be a manufacturer responsibility, and not consumer. also, my 1988 ford F350 had a steering problem that was…
Tie rods (steering) went bad on my 2003 mustang (it has 37,000 miles), and convertible bezel came loose. Vin#[xxx]. parts were replaced at the cost of $236.00, however I feel this should be a manufacturer responsibility, and not consumer. also, my 1988 ford F350 had a steering problem that was corrected under recall in 1988, however, recall didn't hold, and last year I had to spend $800 correcting problem a second time. I also believe this should be covered by manufacture. my 2004 expedition had it's recall done (for cruise control). years ago a new ford of mine caught on fire. why do fords seem to have constant problems with steering and/or fuel? *Jb updated 07/17/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6)
- Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Gas pedal stuck under carpet. *Jb
- Electrical system · Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor · Seat belts · Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Dt: contact states the vehicle she owns has been to the dealership numerous times for brakes, the seat belts, and the computer chip that made the vehicle start. now, the catalytic converter malfunctioned. the repairs were being made at no charge because the vehicle was still under warranty.
- Electrical system › Ignition
I pulled out of the bank parking lot and while accelerating gently I heard a loud "pop" noise from the engine. The car then began to run very badly and there was a popping noise from the engine. I pulled over and inspected the engine to find that one of my spark plugs had been forcefully ejected. I…
I pulled out of the bank parking lot and while accelerating gently I heard a loud "pop" noise from the engine. The car then began to run very badly and there was a popping noise from the engine. I pulled over and inspected the engine to find that one of my spark plugs had been forcefully ejected. I continued home where I removed the plug to find that the plug threads inside the cylinder head had all be damaged and would need fixed. I fixed the problem myself as I was informed by the local ford dealership that this would not be covered under warranty and would cost nearly $1,000 to replace. After doing some research I found that this IS a common problem with the certain cylinder heads dating back to 1997 and yet nothing has been done to resolve this issue. *nm
- Steering › Column
Dt: when the consumer would apply the brakes the steering wheel would jerk out of consumers hand. the steering would pull toward the left. this occurred at least four times. the consumer did not have any accidents because once he let off the brake it was fine. the first time he took it to a…
Dt: when the consumer would apply the brakes the steering wheel would jerk out of consumers hand. the steering would pull toward the left. this occurred at least four times. the consumer did not have any accidents because once he let off the brake it was fine. the first time he took it to a dealership they did nothing to the vehicle. the second time they greased a bushing. the third time they told him it was to dangerous to drive ,and that they would have to wait for a part. also, they told consumer that there was something broken in the steering area, but they will not tell him what it was. the vehicle has not been fixed as of yet, it IS currently at the dealership. consumer has not contacted the manufacturer as of yet. *ak
- Unknown or other
Accelerater petal stuck due to carpet folding over and no way to secure it.
- Unknown or other
Driving down pine twist road lost control of 2003 ford mustang GT on down hill curve when left tires skidded on gravel - was traveling about 35 mph but there was an acceleration of the vehicle when I hit the brakes. thought all of this was my fault until I saw the article in the local paper about…
Driving down pine twist road lost control of 2003 ford mustang GT on down hill curve when left tires skidded on gravel - was traveling about 35 mph but there was an acceleration of the vehicle when I hit the brakes. thought all of this was my fault until I saw the article in the local paper about nhtsa looking at 2003 mustang gt's for accelerator pedal interference fronm the carpet so I decided to report this - car was totaled out and was removed to the scrap yard in may so there IS no car to look examine on this issue.
- Parking brake
The vehicle was parked on hill for about 15 min. With emergency brake engaged. While looking at car through living room window we saw the car just start rolling away. Checked car after and emergency brake still engaged ! !
- Tires › Sidewall
I bought a 2003 GT mustang conv on friday april 15, 2005. the car had 14432 miles on it and as far as I know it was the original tires. on friday april 22, 2005 I left from work. I was driving down I-575 toward canton when I heard a loud noise. then I heard a thumping noise and I realized that…
I bought a 2003 GT mustang conv on friday april 15, 2005. the car had 14432 miles on it and as far as I know it was the original tires. on friday april 22, 2005 I left from work. I was driving down I-575 toward canton when I heard a loud noise. then I heard a thumping noise and I realized that I had a flat tire. I tapped on my brakes to slow down and get over. I was going the speed limit of 65. then I heard a loud pop. at that time my car fishtailed and I lost control of the car. I ran into the guardrail causing me to spin around landing with the rear passenger side against the guardrail. that was the tire that blew. I blacked out during the accident. I came too and slammed the door open not really realizing what had happened. a day later my neck started killing me. I went to the emergency room on sunday april 24. they told me that I had lost some of the natural curvature in my neck and that I was having muscle spasms. they put me on pain medicine and muscle relaxers. the tire completely split apart at the sidewall. the size of the tires was p245-45r17. they were goodyear eagle ZR tires
- Power train › Manual transmission
I have a 2003 ford mustang GT that during cold weather has problems shifting from 1ST to 2ND gear, it's almost as if I am not even pushing the clutch in. I have 700 miles left on my warranty and it will be many months before it IS cold again to reproduce the problem for the dealer so I suppose I…
I have a 2003 ford mustang GT that during cold weather has problems shifting from 1ST to 2ND gear, it's almost as if I am not even pushing the clutch in. I have 700 miles left on my warranty and it will be many months before it IS cold again to reproduce the problem for the dealer so I suppose I will be eating it on this unless ford owns up to ip. After research on the nhtsa site I see many others are having the same problem and getting no results from the dealer.
- Power train › Automatic transmission
2003 mustang GT cp, purchased from planet ford dealership 20403 I-45 north, spring, tx 77388 (281) 719-3891 on june 28,2003. I was one happy customer until I drove my vehicle into their service department april 10,2004 when all hell broke loose about my mustang; steering wheel vibration, rear end…
2003 mustang GT cp, purchased from planet ford dealership 20403 I-45 north, spring, tx 77388 (281) 719-3891 on june 28,2003. I was one happy customer until I drove my vehicle into their service department april 10,2004 when all hell broke loose about my mustang; steering wheel vibration, rear end vibration and delayed shift in transmission. I was told to rotate my tires, balance tires, upgrade the wheel balancing and front end alignment. Along with the problems I receive three embarrassment; police escorted me off the property because I was trying to prove to both dealerships that my problem was not my tires. but, their words were that ford has the best mechanics. I then had to drive my car to leadership ford in dallas, tx in order for someone to provided with the proper customer service that I was denied by planet, team and russell & smith ford in houston. leadshiip ford took the time to lesson to the issues and test drive the car to verified that I had a problem. they determined that vibration that I experience was caused by the transmission and the rear end, not the tires nor the front end. as a result they replaced the transmission and the rearend. I meet with planet ford general manager - ron euren, whom apologized for the problem I had with the car. But, he followed his apology with the following words - "since you have been nothing but problems for this dealership for any addition issue you may have with your mustang take to another dealership for service. Do not return to planet ford otherwise you will be arrested on the spot.*jb
- Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system › Injectors · Structure › Body
Car misfires and jerks at speed of 30 to 50 mph also spots under clear coat. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
After driving to work one morning, once I parked I noticed that coolant was leaking from bottom radator hose. dealer replaced cooling hoses and clamps. also the paint were the hood scoop meets the hood started to chip, water gets caught under the hood scoop making it difficult the keep it clean.*ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or…
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi IS not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi IS aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
- Accelerator pedal interference
Pe05-038 was opened on july 7, 2005, with 11 consumer complaints to odi alleging incidents of throttle sticking due to accelerator pedal interference with the carpet.odi has received an additional 24 complaints since the pe was opened.during pe05-038, ford supplied complaint and warranty information regarding 86…
Pe05-038 was opened on july 7, 2005, with 11 consumer complaints to odi alleging incidents of throttle sticking due to accelerator pedal interference with the carpet.odi has received an additional 24 complaints since the pe was opened.during pe05-038, ford supplied complaint and warranty information regarding 86 additional incidents of accelerator pedal interference in model year 2003 to 2004 mustang cobra vehicles.eighty-five of these had concerns of accelerator pedal sticking, 70 of which were analyzed as being related to carpet interference.odi IS continuing its analysis of the causal factors in the remaining 15 incidents.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis.
Every Ford Mustang GT model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.