2003 Ford Mustang complaints

MY 2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA COUPE HAS AN ENGINE STALLING ISSUE. THE ENGINE CAN STALL AFTER FOLLOWING THESE SEQUENCES IN ORDER WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION. FIRST I RELEASE MY RIGHT FOOT FULLY FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THEN PRESS IT ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND WHILE HOLDING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL I ALSO THEN WITH MY LEFT FOOT DEPRESS CLUTCH PEDAL DOWN FULLY, THE CAR MAY THEN STALL, BUT IT DOES NOT ALWAYS DO SO. STALLING CAN OCCUR WHEN THESE SEQUENCES IN ORDER ARE FOLLOWED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION. IF DRIVING INTO AN INTERSECTION, THIS CAN POSE RISK DUE TO LOST VEHICLE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS IF THE ENGINE HAS STALLED. THE POWER BRAKES ON MY 2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA ARE BOOSTED BY THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM'S PUMP WHICH IS DRIVEN BY THE ROTATING ENGINE, THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA ARE NOT POWER ASSISTED BY THE ENGINE'S INTAKE VACUUM WHICH IS VERY COMMON WITH DOMESTIC VEHICLES. WITH A VACUUM POWER ASSIST DESIGN, POWER ASSIST CAN STILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE HAS JUST STALLED. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN THE ENGINE DRIVEN POWER STEERING PUMP STOPS TURNING WHEN THE ENGINE STOPS TURNING (IE HAS STALLED) ON MY 2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA, POWER ASSIST TO THE DRIVER TO PUSH ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL IS LOST AND THEREFORE THE FORCE NEEDED TO PUSH DOWN ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO SLOW THE CAR IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. THIS CAN BE A PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXERT ENOUGH FORCE ONTO THE BRAKE PE

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT ROLLED ACROSS THE PARKING LOT WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. *PH *NM

THE PROBLEM IS THE CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS ON THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. WHENWE BRAKE ALL YOU CAN HEAR IS A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE. WE GOT IT FIXED ONCE IN JUNE AT 7003 MILES AND IT BROKE AGAIN AT 8484 MILES IN JULY. THE DEALER AND FORD REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT WILL BREAK AGAIN AND AGAIN. IT IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR. QUOTE FROM FORD IT WILL COST US TO MUCH MONEY.

2003 MUSTANG'S WINDSHIELDS POP OUT VERY EASILY.*MR (NAR) *CB

JUST BOUGHT MY MUSTANG IN AUGUST OF 2003. PAINT WAS PEELING OFF FRONT BUMPER BEFORE I EVEN PICKED UP CAR. THEN HAD TO HAVE FRONT END REPLACED BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION. NOW MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. *LA

PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD POPPING OUT OF FRAME DUE TO IMPROPER ADHESION.*MR(NAR) *CB

WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AS A RESULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA - ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE ENGINE DIED, LEAVING NO POWER ASSISTED STEERING OR BRAKING. LUCKILY, NOTHING WAS IN FRONT OF ME. SVT DEALER REP STATES THEY'RE AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. HE RELAYED POSSIBLE DEATHS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT NO ALTERNATIVE AT THIS TIME OTHER THAN TO PARK VEHICLE.

ENGINE STALLS WITH CLUTCH DISENGAGED, COASTING AT ANY SPEED SUCH AS WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP, SLOWING FOR TURN, ETC. LOSS OF POWER, CAUSES INSTABILITY TO TURN, BRAKE, OR ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN ONCOMING VEHICLE TRAVELING TO FAST TO STOP HIT THE CONSUMER. NO INJURIES AND NO ONE WAS CHARGED WITH THE ACCIDENT. CONSUMER'S INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER THE DAMAGES SO HE REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES NOT COVERED. *PH

VEHICLE'S ENGINE HAS DIED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DECELERATING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ARE OBVIOUSLY LOST AS WELL. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I NEARLY SAILED INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURED I WAS COMING OFF OF AN FREEWAY EXIT AND ALMOST REAR-ENDED THE PERSON AT THE LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM TALKING WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET IS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG 2003 MUSTANG COBRA OWNERS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR KILLED.*AK

2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA COUPE: DURING DECELLERATION WHILE SHIFTING OR IN NEUTRAL, CAR STALLS, LOSING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES.*AK

2003 SVT COBRA HAS A STALLING ISSUE. THE CAR WILL STALL WHILE DECELERATING. WHILE THIS HAS CAUSED ME NO HARM, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN THE CAR STALLS OF COURSE THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING CUT OUT DRASTICALLY CHANGING WHAT YOU EXPECT TO FEEL FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHY DOESNT FORD FIX THIS PROBLEM?*AK

2003 FORD SVT COBRA NEW WITH 850 MILES HAS STALLED DURING DECELERATION ELEVEN TIMES TO DATE CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE YOU HAVE NO ENGINE POWER FOR ACCELERATION, BRAKES OR STEERING. I HAVE JUST MISSED BEING IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL TO ME AND OTHERS. FORD SVT KEEPS SAYING THEY HAVE A PCM REFLASH AND A TSB COMING OUT IN TWO WEEKS THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE BEEN INDICATING THAT FOR MONTHS AND ARE OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO AVOID RESOLVING THE ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS ON THE SVTPERFORMANCE.COM BOARD IN THE TERMINATOR FORUM INCLUDING MINE IN ADDITION TO CALLS TO SVT ON THEIR HOTLINE @ 1-800-367-3788. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SERIOUS ISSUE WITH FORD BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THANK YOU.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE FAILED. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING BECAME INOPERATIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

STALLING UPON SLOWING DOWN WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY ENGAGED. LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BREAKING. 2003 MUSTANG COBRA. HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. PROBLEM OCCURS SEMI-FREQUENTLY. HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ONCE FOR THIS PROBLEM, PROBLEM NOT RESOLVED. *LA

CAR STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. *LA

2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA PURCHASED ON 11/08/03, VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHEN CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. OFTEN THIS HAPPENS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND SHIFTING GEARS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE BRAKES AND STEERING IMMEDIATELY STOP WORKING. CURRENTLY TO DATE NO ADEQUATE REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA ENGINE STALLS. *LA

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. THEN, REAR SEATS CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY POORLY DESIGNED SPEAKER WIRES. *AK

I HAVE A 2003 SVT MUSTANG COBRS THAT HAS A STALL PROBLEM. IT CUTS OFF RANDOMLY AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS I LOSE POWER TO THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYSTEMS. IT HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES IN TRAFFIC AND I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO NOT HAVE HIT SOMEONE. THIS STARTED HAPPENING THE DAY I PICKED THE CAR UP AND TO DATE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FIX ONLY PUT OFFS.

I OWN A 2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA. THIS VEHICLE IS PRONE TO STALLING ON DECELERATION CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE BRAKE AND STEERING SYSTEMS. THIS CONDITION OCCURS USUALLY IN THE MORNING. THIS OCCURS AT A RATE OF AROUND ONCE EVERY WEEK OR TWO SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LAST JUNE 2002.*JB

2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA... VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHEN CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. OFTEN THIS HAPPENS WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND SHIFTING GEARS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE BRAKES AND STEERING IMMEDIATELY STOP WORKING. WHEN STOPPING ON AN INCLINE THIS CAN CAUSE A SITUATION WHERE YOU EITHER ROLL INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU OR OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS YET BECAUSE OF THIS BUT I HAVE HAD 1 CLOSE CALL. *JB

MY 2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA STALLED AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY. WHEN I HIT THE CLUTCH AFTER DECELERATING, THE CAR STALLED CAUSING ME TO LOSE BRAKES AND STEERING. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE PEOPLE AT SVTPERFORMANCE.COM, I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN OF THIS ISSUE, AND WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO START THE CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL MOVING, NARROWLY AVOIDING SLAMMING INTO A BRICK WALL AT 60 MPH.

SURGING AT A STEADY SPEED. *PH

CONSUMER STATED THAT NEW MUSTANG'S PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS LEAKED EVERY TIME IT RAINED. SHE TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER 4-5 TIMES, AND THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER SHOULD FIX IT, AND AFTER GOING BACK TO THE DEALER, DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEN, DEALER/MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER SHE HAD A LEMON. ALSO, SHE WAS TOLD THAT SINCE WINDOW LEAKAGE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE NOTHING WOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.*AK

I PURCHASED A 2003 FORD MUSTANG ON JUNE 20, 2003. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP TWO TIMES, GOING BACK FOR A THIRD ON SEPT. 3, 2003 FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. IT WORKS FOR A WEEK OR TWO THEN STARTS BLOWING WARM AIR. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD IT DIDN'T HAVE FREON, THE SECOND TIME THE COMPRESSOR WAS TAKEN OUT AND I WAS GIVEN A NEW ONE. I WON'T KNOW UNTIL I GO BACK FOR THE 3RD TIME WHAT THE PROBLEM NOW IS.

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD BOOM. STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO STEER WHICH RESULTED IN AN ABRUPT STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER NOTICED THEAT FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEWOUT. GOODYEAR, P22555R16.*AK

DRIVERS SEATBELT NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY. FREQUENTLY HAVE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE SEATBELT AS IT GETS PROGRESSIVELY TIGHTER. WHEN PUTTING ON THE SEATBELT I CAN FEEL A LOT OF TENSION ON THE BELT FOR SOME REASON. ALSO AT TIME IT WILL NOT RETRACT AT ALL AND HANGS LOOSE.*AK

I JUST PURCHASED MY CAR APRIL 21,2003. I ALREADY NEED THE STEERING WHEEL REPLACED DUE TO GAPPING. THERE IS A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER THAT SOUNDS LIKE I HIT SOMETHING. MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOESN'T WORK, AND MY WINDOW IS OFF TRACK.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB THE CONSUMER HAD NO WHERE TO GO ON THE FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLE HIT THE CONSUMER HEAD ON. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS SMASHED AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON IMPACT. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HIT AT 35MPH IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA. THIS IS MY SECOND 2003 COBRA (THE FIRST WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT). BOTH COBRA'S HAVE AND HAD PROBLEMS WITH STALLING, WHICH CAUSES A NEAR COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER (THE BRAKES MUST HAVE THE ENGINE RUNNING IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WORK, UNLIKE SOME VEHICLES), WHICH IS POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, CHILDREN, OR ANIMAL NEAR ME. IT HAPPENS ON DECELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS DRIVING AROUND TOWN. THERE IS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTS GOING ON THAT SHOWS NEARLY 40% OR MORE OF 2003 COBRA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. FORD HAS UPDATED THE PCM 2 TIMES ALREADY FOR THE 2003 MODEL YEAR, AND THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST! HERE IS A LINK TO A SITE WITH MANY OWNERS REPORTING THE PROBLEMS: HTTP://WWW.SVTPERFORMANCE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=25697. *NLM

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN 2003 FORD COBRA STALLS UPON DECELERATION AND BRAKES BECOME INOPERABLE. ALMOST CRASHED MULTIPLE TIMES. IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS I WILL SUE FORWARD AS THEY HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THIS AS A PROBLEM. *NLM

FREQUENT STALLING WHEN IN A DECELERATION MODE - COASTING UP TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT - PRESSING IN THE CLUTCH WHILE BRAKING. THE IDLE SPEED DROPS TO ABOUT 500 RPM, AND THEN EITHER CATCHES ITSELF AND IDLES UP, OR DOES NOT, AND STALLS OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN TURNS, AND THIS HEAVY CAR IS HARD TO TURN WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS INACTIVATED BY THE STALLED ENGINE. *NLM

2003 MUSTANG COBRA. VEHICLE STALLS ON DECELERATION CAUSING LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. CAR STARTS RIGHT UP AFTER STALL BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED A DOZEN OR MORE TIMES FIRST THING IN THE MORNING OR AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR AN EXTENDED TIME. *TT

THE CAR SOMETIMES STALLS AND THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING TURN OFF. VERY DANGEROUS, I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK. *JB

IN DECEMBER OF 2002 I PURCHASED A 2003 SVT COBRA MUSTANG FROM SATCHER FORD. THIS CAR HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED FORD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, RE-FLASH THE COMPUTER, REPLACE CLUTCH. THIS CAR HAD A STALLING PROBLEM THAT LEFT ME AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. WHEN YOU WOULD DEPRESS THE CLUTCH, THE CAR WOULD SOMETIMES STALL. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE LOSS OF BRAKES AND STEERING AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FORD FINALLY AGREED TO BUY BACK THE CAR AND GET ME ANOTHER CAR, BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME STALLING PROBLEM WITH THAT 2003 COBRA AS WELL. SATCHER FORD HAS INDICATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX YET. FORD NEED TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WILL GET SOMEONE KILLED IF THEY DO NOT CORRECT IT. *NLM

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN COASTING IN NEUTRAL WITH CLUTCH RELEASED. CONDITION IS MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHEN COASTING DOWNHILL. ENGINE STALL CAUSES POWER STEERING AND BRAKES TO REVERT TO MANUAL WHICH MAKES CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE VERY DANGEROUS. TS

CAR WOULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT AT 15 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE(BRAKES DID NOT FEEL RIGHT) TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT THE CAR KEPT RIGHT ON GOING. THERE WAS NO PULSATION FEELING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO TO THE FLOOR. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THEY PUSH ON THE CLUTCH AND RELEASE THE GAS VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT. *MR

CONSUMER STATED A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR END WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. *MR THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE.*JB

2003 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA OWNER WEB SITES ARE WIDELY REPORTING THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS WELL. SEE INTERNET LINK: <HTTP://WWW.SVTPERFORMANCE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=&THREADID=19630>. AMAZINGLY, THE GAS PEDAL APPEARS TO BE CHEAP PLASTIC AND IT FRACTURES QUITE EASILY WITHOUT WARNING. BROKEN PARTS GET STUCK UNDER PEDAL AND FOOT. NLM