2003 FORD Mustang

I haven’t repaired it yet. Do I need to fix it first? My paint has started to “pop” off my car. The dealership claims its rock dings, but since getting my car I have been perticular where I park and avoid tailgating at all cost. I’ve never had a paint job go bad as fast as this one did. It looks like its 5 years old. How can I be asurred I got the right amount of factory coats. The paint seems thin to me. The dealership said my hood was fiberglass and it has a “give” to it unlike metal. The slightest pebble could chip the paint easly. I’m wondering if I got the right primer where the paint doesn’t adhere to it like metal. My hood is a mess and my car is crap for only being 7 months old. Right now I have 2 chips the size of dimes and a whole lot of BB size. I seen the photos of the cars where the paint is peeling like a bannanna. Mines not that bad…yet.The other thing is once in a while when I go to shift…my RPM’s goes way up and not down like it should. I’m not even touching the pedal. I’ve drove plenty of manual transmissions to know that isn’t right. So I’ll then play with the peddal to get it to come down again. I could use the clutch to bring it down but that would cause more wear on my clutch. It doesn’t happen all the time but I’m sure it will happen at the wrong time in the wrong place and someone is going to get hurt.

I bought a2003 Ford Mustang GT black in color in Atlanta Ga. in Nov. of 03 beautiful car, it had 45 miles on.In June of 04 I was washing the car when huge pieces of paint starting coming the hood.I IMMEDIATELY called the dealer took it in they repainted the hood which I had concerns with.Now I have a brand new car that is going to have two different paint jobs nothing I did wrong.But they assured me it was only a problem with the hoods.To make a long story short by August of 04 paint was coming off my rear spoiler took it back.Zone manager for the Atlanta area Mr.George C. Moses,111.told me they would repaint my spoiler.But they would not repaint the entire car because I .eave my car outside my husband was leaving his brand new Chevy truck in the same driveway his paint was just fine.Anyway I hired a lawyer he sent some pretty impressive papers to Ford acted like we had a case.Next thing I know the lawyer calls says there is not enough proof that it was Fords fault.The real kicker Ford refused to do anything after that because I HAD RETAINED A LAWYER.

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.”

The engine makes a serious metallic ticking noise. It sound similar to a knocking connecting rod, but seems to be emanating from the driver’s side cylinder head. Ford is aware that this problem exists on most 2003-2004 4V 4.6 liter engines, but doesn’t seem to care. I’ve taken it to 3 different dealers to have it checked out, and all say that Ford’s policy is “We know they tick, don’t do anything until we tell you to”. I suspect this will evolve into a class action lawsuit before it’s all said and done.The throwout bearing began making some noise at 10,000 miles, and upon disassembly it was noted that the clutch plate had fractured and destroyed the clutch assembly. This has been satisfactorily repaired.The rear end has whined since the car was new. To date the ring and pinion has been replaced 3 times, as well as all of the bearings in the rear end, and one of the axles. The whine persists, and in my opinion it’s getting worse.

PAINT IS PEELING STARTED FEB 2003. WINDOWS LEAK MAY 2003. FRONT FENDER NOT ALIGN TO DOOR MAY 2003. COLOR DOES NOT MATCH PROPERLY MAY 2003. HEADLIGHTS NOT ALIGN MAY 2003. POSSIBLE CORE SUPPORT OFF JUNE 2003. BACK WINDOW GLASS CHIPS JUNE 2003. UPPER MOLDINGS NOT REPLACED CORRECTLY MAY 2003.

Ok here my story; back in Feb of 2005 I purchased a 2003 Ford Mustang with 22,000 miles on it. It was the

From the time I bought my ’03 Mustang GT in Oct. ’02 I have had two problems: rough running (worse when cold, but never totally goes away) and transmission grinding between 1st and 2nd gears (also worse when cold, but always present). Have had the car into the dealer twice for these problems, and once to another ford dealership. The car has 7000 miles on it. My dealer says these characteristics are “normal” for the 2003 GT. The last time I had it in, I dropped it off in the late afternoon with instructions to check the next morning when the engine was not yet warmed up. The transmission man immediately took it out that afternoon and said he and the engine mechanic would check it again the next morning. When I got the car back, it had a total of 2 miles on the trip odometer – it most likely had not been out at all that morning. I disagree these characteristics should be considered “normal” for a performance car, but I can get no satisfaction. Can you help?Charles Deming

1. 10/12/02 took car in for noises i was hearing related to steering – they could find nothing and recommended that i leave it with them for a few days when i could.2. 12/19/02 left car with them – they said they found it – a leak in the hose of the rack & pinion steering.3. 01/08/03 – lost control of my car due to collapsed steering column – almost hit by an oncoming 18 wheeler due to my car drifting into oncoming traffic – good 18 wheeler went around me and i coasted to stop on oncoming lane shoulder where i discovered the steering column was resting on my foot on the brake pedal………dealership said this was just a fluke – not common to mustang………..they\’ve repaired it per warranty but i\’m scared to drive it….asked to do a trade-in and they played a numbers game with me which would have left me in serious debt when i only owe $4k on the Mustang. I\’ll never be able to sell it to anyone in good conscience without telling the purchaser which will definitely impact my resale value……….help!

2003 ford mustang stalled 5 times between 3rd and 5th gear. ***no answer required***. *mr the dealer was unable to find a defect. *nm

Problems with windshield popping out of frame due to improper adhesion.*mr(nar) *cb

2003 mustang's windshields pop out very easily.*mr (nar) *cb

The vehicle was parked when it rolled across the parking lot with the emergency brake engaged. *ph *nm

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford mustang. the contact's vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant, spun out, and crashed into a residence. the air bags failed to deploy. the vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where it was deemed destroyed. a police report was filed. the driver sustained a fractured clavicle and suffered numerous cuts and abrasions. medical attention was required. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000. updated 01/27/17*lj

Seat belts both sides never worked to this dayy. i took the car back to the dealer twice they never fixed the problem.the belt s will not retract into the holder belts lay down get stuck in door and dangle out side car

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced a loss of power. upon inspection, the contact discovered that the spark plug was missing from the engine compartment. while tightening bolts in the engine compartment, the vehicle ejected another spark plug. the vehicle was taken to hollingsworth richards ford where the contact was notified that this was a known issue with this vehicle. since there was no recall, the engine head cylinder would need to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that, due to the mileage of the vehicle, the contact would be responsible for the repair cost even though this was a known issue with this model vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

The exhaust pipe breaks where the a/c water drips. this is due to poor design of the car. this article describes it better. https://ford.oemdtc.com/100/exhaust-leak-cracked-or-separated-right-side-exhaust-pipe-1999-2004-ford-mustang

I was driving 40 miles an hour and rear passanger tire without sound pretty much just shredded of tred .

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 ford mustang. while driving approximately 10 mph on the highway, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. the air bags did not deploy. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the front passenger sustained injuries that required medical attention. a police report was filed. the contact's vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contact's residence. the dealer was not contacted and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Both the front seatbelts will not retract, without considerable effort. this results in driving with the belt very slack over the chest and lap. i'm very concerned that if i am involved in an accident, this slack will permit injury. i have looked over your database of customer complaints, and this exact defect has been documented time after time, with no accountability by ford motor co.. i know your "standard boiler-plate response" is that ford's number one concern is safety, but why do you continue to ignore this obvious, continuing defect, year after year? is safety important, or not?

We have had issues with this car since it was bought new. all issues have been looked at by the dealer during the factory warranty and still remain unresolved. i have written a letter to ford headquarters but they sent a complete rejection letter. i was told today by a ford customer service representative to file a complaint here. i can supply documents and the original letter to ford if needed. the main issues from purchasing new and driving off the lot are (in rough order of importance): -major paint and clear coat issues (brought to dealer two days after purchase to complain. they have never resolved problem and it has continued to get worse to this day.) -driver door window stops working intermittently. -car engine surging making car lurch forward (my wife was involved in a minor accident because of this. it was reported to insurance.) -engine acts like it wants to stall when turning steering wheel in reverse. -headlight lenses completely clouded early on (have had to have restoration done to headlights several times.) -engine sounds like diesel when ambient temperature is high. -bulge in seal above windshield frame where convertible top seats against it. -stereo interference (loud continuous buzzing sound.) -ac thump (high pressure coolant line hits firewall when compressor starts.) -driver door rattle (after the window was worked on but was not fixed.) -light burned out in ac panel (occurred after stereo was replace to try to eliminate interference, but was not resolved.) we have maintained and kept our low mileage mustang in excellent condition otherwise. we don't know where to go from here. thank you *tr

I recently purchased this vehicle and noticed the next day that the passenger seat belt will neither retract or extend to a usable length . online i have noticed numerous similar complaints. my local dealer wants $287.00 plus labor of approximately 2 hours to repair and from what i'm seeing there is no guarantee it will be fixed. *tr

All 4 seat belts have operational issues. passenger seat belt fully extended and will not retract. driver side semi functional will not retract fully. both rear difficult to retract. clear coat on front bumper and spoiler coming off in sheets. *tr

While driving my vehicle on the interstate i heard what i thought was a popping sound and then experienced a loss of power. i exited off the interstate and began driving again. my vehicle felt as if my torque converter was slipping and that power was reduced from the motor. i took my vehicle to my local service mechanic who advised me that the 3rd cylinder spark plug had somehow backed itself out of the cylinder head which was causing a loss of power to that cylinder. it also was still receiving power via the coil pack which in turn melted the rubber boot and fried the coil pack for that cylinder. the rubber from the boot ran down into the spark plug and filled the hole. i had to replace both the pug boot and coil pack for the 3rd cylinder along with the labor of removing melted rubber from the spark plug hole and cylinder head. *js

Passenger seat belt started sticking and being hard to pull out in 2005, i took it back to dealership they stated it was ok, i hardly used that passenger seatbelt because i usually drive alone. in 2009 it got stuck in the holder and i could not pull it out, at that point the ford dealership wanted over $300.00 to replace their already defected seatbelt. i checked junkyards in three different states and all the 2003 ford mustang passenger seatbelts was broken. my headlight cover is made of some sort of substandard plastic that fogged up and made it difficult to see clearly and plus it causes my car to fails inspection. ford dealership requested that i pay them over $600.00 to replace headlights with more detected headlight. i call ford headquarter to no avail. headlights and seatbelt are very important tools for safety on the road and as long as the car manufacturer can get away with weighting the odds* with people lives we are all in danger!!!!! * analyzing if it is cheater to recall vehicles or to paid the lawsuits in the event of injuries or deaths. *tr

The seat belts in the front will not retract. went to the junk yard and every car i found had the same problem. i don't understand why they have not recalled them. your oldest seat belts on other cars still work. so why wouldn't these still work?? it is a big safety problem because people can't afford to buy new ones. *tr

Gas pedal catches on vehicle carpet preventing deceleration. the hinge of the gas pedal lodges underneath the lip of the carpet keeping the vehicle accelerator depressed during driving conditions. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated the windshield wiper malfunctioned and intermittently would not operate. the contact was informed by the dealer that the part needed to repair the defect (part number yr3714b205da, generic electronic module) was no longer available from the manufacturer. the manufacturer was not contacted in reference to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that the driver and passenger side seat belts failed. the seat belts would not retract and would become stuck and/or twisted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised the contact that there was nothing wrong with the seat belt. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 9,066 and the current mileage was 65,703.

I was driving on the freeway at 65 mph. all of a sudden the car just stopped running. all dash board lights came on including check engine and theft light was blinking. luckily traffic was light during the time i was driving. i ended up getting pushed off the freeway by the chp. i had to tow the car to the dealer, and the service advisor stated to me, that a wiring harness that was mounted above the cat converter, and the wire shorted out. whatever was holding the wire in place must have came off, and that over time the wire shorted out because the wire harness was resting on the very hot surface of the cat converter. the dealer took pictures, and i could not believe that they put such a vital wire harness directly above something that gets extremely hot. i was lucky, but someone else my not be so lucky. no warning lights and a car just shuts completely down while driving. i hope you will look into this issue and not just the year and model of my car. this must be recalled before someone gets hurt or killed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that the doors could not be locked or unlocked by using the keyless remote sensor. in addition, the vehicle could not be shifted into gear. the contact had to abruptly force the gear shifter into neutral. the contact then depressed the brakes and yanked the gear shift harder as the vehicle shifted into drive. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 163,035.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that both front seat belts failed to retract properly. the vehicle was taken the dealer. the dealer confirmed the seat belts needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted . the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 90,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that while refueling the vehicle, fuel emitted from the tank. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 101,000. *js

Engine stalls when parking or coasting at 5 to 10 mph or when coming to a stop. *tr

My passenger seat belt will not come out at all. the belt is not long enough for anyone to sit in. plus my driver side will not go back and always slams in my car door. i see multiple issues with 2003 mustangs online everywhere and ford told me its my problem. i am concerned about the safety too with this product. how can ford be held responsible for such faulty product and does it take an accident or death to fix this? or can we be preactive instead of reactive. just look around and you will find more people are having the same issue with ford mustangs! please help. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that black micro fibers were emitted into the vehicle from the vents through the air conditioning system. the dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing but the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the current mileage was 30,000 and the approximate failure mileage was unknown.

Driver side seat belt does not retract on its own. you have to manually mess with it to get it to retract. sometimes it has a difficult time of pulling it out to buckle. although still operable, i don't believe this is safe. *tr

Passenger side seat belt failure - will not retract or come out. *tr

Upper retaining nut came off right rear suspension trailing arm causing poor handling and a clicking noise over bumps and during parking lot maneuvers. a hole formed on the left rear brake line from rubbing against the body of the vehicle. *tr

The push button on the handle of the shifter that you have to press to get it out of park on my 2003 mustang is sticking. it's as though you try to push it while not stepping on the brake but we are stepping on the brake. we try jiggling and pushing and after a few minutes of fighting with it, it starts working fine until the next time i have to drive it somewhere. i had to replace the shift interlock cable due to it binding up and not releasing properly. *tr

Brake pedal switch harness connector deformed resulting in inoperative brake lights. wires no longer fit within plastic connector. *tr

Air bag failed to deploy. making a left hand turn from a driveway into the street and was hit with speed over 40mph. completely totaled the front end of car and buckled the hood severely. front bumper completely removed. impact was initially on driver side, but the entire front end was destroyed. *tr

I own a 2003 mach 1 mustang i have had several issues i have had to replace the wheel bearings 3 times each on the 2 front tires and now i am being told that the wheel bearing on the 2 back tires are bad my car has only 38,000 miles and i also have a problem with my car stalling i have had the car checked and nothing was found. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that the cruise control intermittently would not deactivate when the brakes were depressed when driving at speeds of at least 65 mph. the contact would have to downshift in order to get the stop the cruise control. the dealer stated there were no recalls for the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 67,000. updated 8/2/10 *cn the consumer stated whenever he used the control, the vehicle would surge and increase in speed. he would have to downshift in order to slow down. updated 08/09/10*jb

Passenger side front seat belt continually locks up. seatbelt is completely inoperative right now and will not retract or come out. asked ford about the voluntary recall i had seen elsewhere and was told that there was none and parts were $300 to fix and two hours of labor to install and would carry a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. told them that seat belts were a safety issue that they needed to look at. received a seatbelt violation ticket on the way home and since haven't driven the vehicle with a passenger. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang svt cobra. the contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and the pedal became stuck. a police report was filed for wreckless driving. the contact reviewed recall 06v108000 (vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal) which was directly related to the failure but the dealer stated that there was no recall for that problem. the vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was 38,900. the current mileage was approximately 40,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact observed that the passenger front shoulder belt retractor was inoperative. the passenger seat belt retractor webbing failed to extract whenever worn by an occupant. the contact had concern of the safety risk involved. the vehicle has not been repaired for the malfunction. the failure mileage was unknown. the current mileage was 98,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the tow dolly was made by croft trailer, model# cg85ot, and serial#15df101w92aa04466. when attempting to place the vehicle on top of the tow dolly a displaced metal piece broke the hood latch on the bumper of the vehicle. he stated that the metal piece did not belong there and the malfunction caused $1000 worth of damage. the dealer advised her to contact her insurance company for assistance. she filed claim#[xxx] 1-800-677-1412-[xxx] with the liability department. the failure and current mileages were unavailable. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

My complaint is about the seat belts. they get twisted up every time you use them. my passenger seat belt is locked right now and i cant even use it. *tr

All technical service bulletin stating that vehicles built before 12/19/04 have this problem. a engine cylinder with no compression. ford is aware but does not want to do anything about it. if fact they want the damaged part return and it's not for a core exchange since the new part has to be brand new replacement. must be for evidence of faulty part. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the vehicle has sumitomo htrzii tires, size 315/35/r17. the tires were purchased in march of 2009. while driving 5 mph and attempting to make a left turn, the contact struck a rounded curb. this caused a large slit in the sidewall of the tires. the damage was inexplicable based on the nature of the impact. several tire dealers stated that they have seen this type of failure numerous times with that particular tire brand and model. the failure mileage was less than 200 miles for the tires. the failure and current mileages were less than 48,000. updated 05/13/09. *lj the consumer also stated he has an issue with the tire size of the sidewall. the consumer stated a sidewall o a 2 rated tire, should be just as strong as the tread. updated 05/13/09.*jb

Was going 25 mph when spark plug blew out of my 2003 ford mustang. from talking with others this seems to be a known problem resulting from only 4 threads. i nearly had a wreck thinking and held up traffic in a very dangerous area as i was afraid to restart car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle began making a loud popping sound. the contact stopped the vehicle and called for assistance. the vehicle was towed to her residence. she looked under the hood and noticed that the number 8 spark plug had become detached. the powertrain was unknown. the failure mileage was 92,000 and current mileage was 93,000.

2003 ford mustang caught fire. consumer states that her stepdaughter's mustang caught fire while parked in a parking lot. fire department stated the fire was caused by something electrical in the motor wall. *kb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang. the contact stated that the wiring that leads to the brake light switch constantly fails. while driving at various speeds, the cruise control would not deactivate when pressure was applied to the brakes. the contact also noticed that the brake lights do not illuminate and when parking the vehicle, he cannot shift the vehicle out of park. new terminal ends were placed on the switch; however, the wiring continues to fail. the repair usually lasts six months. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 36,000 and current mileage was 83,000.

5 of my spark plugs on my 2003 mustang gt 4.6 popped out of the spark plug hole in the cylinder head.all these spark plugs popped out at different times,2 spark plugs holes were striped out and had to be tapped out. this all happened on the right side of the motor too. *tr

Transmission failure. forward sun gear w/torrington bearing. *tr

I was turning right in a parking lot at 15+mph when i hit a parking stall curb in the snow. the wheels stopped by hitting the curb with around a 3 inch clearance between the front bumper and the cement block. both airbags deployed upon stopping on the curb. no body or mechanical damage was sustained to the vehicle. *jb

My 2003 mustang has a driver side carpet problem where the carpet comes unattached and folds down at the top. well it hooked my accelerator pedal and almost caused me to get into an accident. heading to stop at a red light downshifting into 2nd and then having your gas pedal stuck is scary to say the least. if ford doesn't want a lot of lawsuits i suggest they open a recall on this, it will be way cheaper in the long run. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated when turning on the a/c system, the condensation dripped on the exhaust pipe continuously and rusted out the pipe.

Driver side and passenger side airbags deployed while i was driving home. the front windshield was cracked and my right arm was injured because of this unexpected malfunction. *nm

Car occasionally and randomly stalls when slowing to stop or make a turn after clutch is depressed. *nm

2003 ford mustang cobra has a stalling problem, this happens when decelerating, or shifting into neutral when stopping. this presents a serious problem, such as rear-ending someone, since you loose power braking and steering. there is a supposed fix for it, (a computer reflash) which i have had twice, but it just plain doesn't work. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the serpentine belt continues to shred. as a result, the brakes fail, the vehicle over heats and stalls. the belt has been replaced at least eight times. the dealership has been alerted and has made several determinations of the failure however, the problem persists. the vehicle is equipped with the saleen package where it has been modified to be a high performance vehicle. the manufacturer has been alerted.

Ltr fm (ok) wants to speak w/a ford representative re his granddaughter 2003 ford mustang srs defective cruise control cause the brakes to lock up. *ts

Gas pedal stuck to floor causing crash and car being totaled. *nm

While sitting at the traffic intersection awaiting the light to turn green. i heard a loud pop from under hood and all of sudden the car began to run like crap. i pulled over to check under the car to see if something had fallen off, but i found nothing. i then checked under the hood to find out my spark blew out my passenger side cylinder head. i took it to the ford dealership for repairs, but my extended warranty would not pay for the repair because they do not cover spark plug damages. this left with a $4,463 repair cost to fix my car that i only owned for three months. while doing research on the internet and asking questions in mechanic shops, it has been apparent that ford engines have defective cylinder heads and recall needs to be issues in regard to this matter. there are many victims affected by this issue and ford has done nothing about this problem. i drive a 2003 ford mustang cobra. i have not repaired my car yet because i'm still hoping for $4000 to fall from the sky. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 mph, the cruise control was activated. after the activation of the cruise control, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. the vehicle reached speeds of 80 mph and above. the contact tried depressing the brake pedal, shifting the vehicle into neutral and shutting off the engine. these attempts to deactivate the cruise control failed. the contact drove onto an on ramp to the interstate while still attempting to deactivate the cruise. the contact was able to dial 911 for assistance of the state police, who provided verbal instructions for stopping the vehicle safely. the contact placed both feet on the brakes and both hands on the emergency brake to get the engine to stall and the vehicle stopped. the vehicle was pulled safely to the side of the road where it was then towed to the dealership for inspection. the dealer stated the vehicle's cruise control would be inspected and replaced, however the vehicle was towed back to the residence where it currently resides without repair. updated 3/29/2006 - *nm

Paint began to peel from vehicle at 37,000 miles. only on hood. *jb

Pedal stuck on 2003 cobra. it happened in 2nd gear. i did not realize pedal was stuck and applied the brake and the car spun out of control slamming into some parked cars. *jb

While slowing down, downshifting or switching gears, the car engine will just fail and shut off/stall without any warning. the car will not "buck" or shake, it will just turn off, causing the power steering to stop operating. i have had two close incidents where i was turning into a parking lot and almost hit a car because the power steering shut off when the engine died without warning. i am afraid this problem will cause a bad accident, especially when i have two young children riding in the vehicle most of the time. i took the car to ford dealership they stated that they did a full inspection but did not find anything wrong. i am still experiencing the same problem at least several times a day when my engine will just shut off without any warning or notice while i am operating it. both my husband and my father have driven my car and experienced this problem so i know that it is not the way i am driving it. *nm

Gas pedal stuck to carpeting while merging onto expressway. 2003 mustang cobra coupe. *nm

Gas pedal keeps getting stuck under carpet. i almost crashed into someone because i couldn't get the gas pedal loose. *nm

Purchased a 2003 ford mustang with 22,000 miles on it in feb 2005. had a ticking/tapping sound coming out of engine bay area at 30,720 miles. took it to gervais ford in ma, tech looked at it quickly out in the lot and said it was nothing to worry about but i could make an appointment if i would like to. made an appointment the following week, had 2 tech's look at and they both said it was normal and not to worry about it. well to my surprise at 37,000 miles 1,000 miles after the warranty has expired the engine fails. took it back to gervais ford and was told both head gaskets blew and it will cost me close to $2,000 to repair. possibly more if any internal damage has been done. this is absolutely ridiculous on a vehicle that is new and the issue could have been possibly resolved earlier if that ford dealer properly diagnosed the vehicle. *jb

I was heading west on coliseum blvd and went to accelerate to pass a slow moving vehicle when my accelerator pedal got stuck on the carpeting!!! the engine was bouncing off the rev limiter before i even realized what was going on. this car should have never been released to the public like this since there is obviously a defect with the carpeting since all of my friends with 03 cobra's have all had the same incident occur. something needs to be done to address this problem because it's going to get people killed. *jb

Check engine light has come on 4 times since i have owned the car first time my machanic cleared p0460 code. 2nd time ford cleared p0460 code 3 rd time i unhooked negetive battery post and cleared

I was doing some routine maintenance on my 2003 jack roush edition svt cobra coupe when i noticed something really scary. the inside sidewall seam of a front and rear tire was splitting around its circumference. i'm certain that had i been driving at speed or on a hot road surface that pressures would have built to the point of causing a blow-out. i had a similar tire defect, coincidentally, with another set of bfg-kd's that were on my roush convertible. unfortunately for me that tire blew out while i was on the road from the port in florida to my new duty station in texas. anyway, i got in touch with bf goodrich corporate and initially only offered 50% reimbursement of all four tires. later that change to 75% then they agreed to replace them with 4 new bfg-kds in my roush-oem sizes. they claim that due to tread wear their warranty allows for that compensation. my position was that i should receive 100% reimbursement because whether or not the tires had x% of tread remaining or were new, the fact remains that they were still defective. the first time i was unlucky because the tire blew-out right i was going to put more air in it. this time i caught the defect before the tires could blow-out. one can only imagine what would have been the result if a blow-out occurred especially if it happened while i was traveling at my "normal" speeds. since this claim i have done some research and discovered that other owners of bfg tires have experienced the same defect which has resulted in tire failure. additionally the bfg tire distributor in my area (t.o. haus, omaha ne) confirmed that they too have seen these failures before in my exact type of tire. bfg corporate knows that there is a problem and has chosen to ignore it and only offers partial reimbursement for loss. i'm certain that it will take more tragedies and fatalities before they are held accountable for their defective product. *nm

I am writing this because of the research regarding the accelerator pedal interferance with the carpet with my 2003 ford mustang. the carpet frees itself from the holder and lodges itself between the pedals. to date there has not been any damages occured by this, however it does interefere with the gas pedal.

Accellerator pedal sticks down (at full throttle) because it gets entangled in factory carpeting that is incorrectly installed or attached at time of manufacture of vehicle.

Gas pedal stuck under carpet

I have a 2003 ford mustang cobra that had the throttle get stuck in a wide open mode that could only be stopped by turning the key to the off position. this was extremely scary as i almost rear end another car.

Dt: the consumer stated that the accelerator stuck on 2003, ford mustang. consumer was parked in a parking lot when he put the car into reverse and backed up. the motor started racing , and the accelerator stuck while the driver was backing, and he crashed into a moving car. the police came and wrote the consumer a ticket for improper backing, but did not write a police report on the accident. the owner had no prior problems with the vehicle, but the owner has only owned the car since april 10.. consumer was still driving the car. the owner has not had the car checked for any malfunction. consumer has not talked to the dealership, or the manufacturer. also, here was no insurance report on the accident. the owner was traveling at a 10 mph when the accident happened. owner planned to have the car looked at today for cosmetic damages, and the accelerator checked. there were no injuries to report. *ak *tt

Drivers side floor matt is causing the gas pedal to stick at full throttle

2003 ford mustang stalled 5 times between 3rd and 5th gear. ***no answer required***. *mr the dealer was unable to find a defect. *nm

I was on my way to work today and was getting on the highway. when i went to let off the gas the pedel was stuck to the floor....i did not get the car turned off untill almost 100 miles per hour....then, at that speed with no power brakes and steering...i almost slamed into the four cars ahead of me..( i missed them by just a few feet)..with the e-break on and pushing as hard as i could on the brakes i managed to stop the vehicle about 1500' down the road. upon investigating the car i found the reason for the stuck throttle was that the pedel had stuck under the edge of the carpet by the pedel (bottom). i could have been killed and the wife might not have thought quick enough to know what to do and my kids could have been in the car. i know for sure it would have taken alot longer for her to stop than me. ford needs to look into this before someone gets killed. the carpet should be updated and the carpet should be replaced with better fit in the gas/brake/clutch area. this is extreamly dangerous because most these cars put down 380 hp at the wheels!

Second time for control arms needing replaced. in less than 4,000 had rear control replaced and now 4,000 miles later needs replaced again.heard a screeching noise in rear of car and garage couldn't hear the problem twice before so its noticable now. they ordered the new parts for monday 25 to be replaced

Paint defective

2003 ford mustang cobra gas pedal getting stuck down after accelerating due to the carpet not secure by the gas pedal causing it to be stuck down .

The steering wheel vibrated. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and they rotated the tires. the problem got worse. then, consumer took the vehicle back to dealer several times, and the following had been done; the front end, rear end realigned, and wheel balanced. then, vehicle broke down, and was towed. rear end was replaced since it was cracked. violent steering wheel shaking still exists. *ak

The vehicle was performing poorly, transmission failed to shift on its on. driver noticed that a loud knocking noise was heard coming from the rear. driver took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission and suspension needed to be replaced. *ak

I bought a 03 ford mustang from bob mccormick ford in hughesville pa. my first problem with this car was it had a squeaking noise in the rear of the car so they replaced the right and left side control arms and bushings on the rear end.this seemed to get rid of most of the noise but not all of it they are checking it out after they fix the gas leakage problem. now this car has 24,480 miles on it and now has a gas leak problem around the neck and the gas tube leading to the fuel tank.they are going to replace a seal around the neck and see if it stops the leak.*ak

A noise came from the left front wheel strut. the left wheel became detached when making a left turn which caused the vehicle to spin out of control. *jb

While driving down road i went to adjust drivers seat up, heard clicking sound and seat would not go up. stopped for red light and felt seat move in a slight rocking motion. when arrived at destination looked under seat and found a white plastic piece (broken) and a white ring that resembles a washer. i went to the nearest ford dealership and requested service. mechanic looked at car and looked up piece on computer. can not replace just the broken piece the whole railing of seat has to be replaced at a quoted price of part at 62.10 an hr. labor. i have 44,000 miles on car so is not covered under warranty. due to this failure i feel this could be a real safety hazard due to when applying brakes you can feel slight rocking motion of seat at times when applying brakes at red lights normally feel that if i had to stop suddenly it could be a bigger problem. i feel for this car to be less than 2 years old with normal usage of seat controls that it should not have broken so easily. i have also had problems with drivers side window not rolling back up and squeaking while going down. mechanics at same dealership looked at this problem and window did not hang down on them they did lubricate window which stopped squeaking for approximately 1 week continues to be a problem. when the consumer forks out 20.000.00 dollars for a vehicle you expect better quality and service than i have received. *jb

I purchased a new 2003 ford mustang cobra on christmas eve 2002. around 2000 miles, i began to notice that the car was having problems with the drivability. i thought that it may be a little quirk that would work itself out during the break-in period. *ak needless to say, it hasn't. the first problem began with the engine running roughly. i took the vehicle in and had it inspected at 6,000 miles. the engine began stalling during deceleration and also had power cutting off during take off. this has been a daily occurrance since that time. the car now has 15,000 miles on it and has had several other problems. this recurring problem has had the car in the shop six different times with six failures to correct the problem. the car had the transmission replaced at 12,000 miles. the air conditioning is now cycling where it blows no cold air for short periods of time. the adhesive seal for the spoiler is coming loose and the rear bumper cover is warping as have previous mustangs i have owned. the drivability concern is a hazard to say the least. i have had no fewer than a dozen different occasions where i narrowly escaped a major collision due to the engine bogging down. the vehicle has been in ford's repair facility for more than 4 cummulative weeks for repairs. it is going back in again very soon. i went through ford's arbitration board which was an absolute joke and waste of my time. the board cited that "drivability concerns still exist, however ford has not been granted sufficient time to diagnose the problem". each time it has been in, i have said, i don't want the car back until it is corrected. ford also tries to claim that vehicle was only in for service three time according to the report, despite the fact that i have several work orders that say otherwise. i would like anyone who has had or still does have a similar issue to contact me. this car is a lemon, that ford does not want to correct.

During a 30 mph rear end collision, the consumesr air bag did not deploy. the consumer suffered minor injuries. please provide more information.

Problems with vehicle's transmission.*mr the first time the consumer took the vehicle in for service was for a noisy transmission and it was running rough. the dealer was unable to find a problem but topped of the fluid and reprogrammed the pcm. the dealer instructed the consumer to continue driving the vehicle and it would work itself out. the second visit was for the transmission again, however this time it was griding between first, second and third gears when cold. the dealer was unable to find a problem, but informed the consumer other mustangs were having the problem and they were waiting on a bulleitn to see what could be done. *jb

2003 mustang. while driving in a hard down pour i went through a puddle causing the breather to suck up some water and blowing my engine. i went to the dealer and they told me ford would not fix the problem. it is still under warranty with less than 20,000 miles. they also informed me this has happened before to others. it has stalled on me before while driving in the rain. *jb

At 800 miles i had a crunching sound from the front end. they had to replace the bushings and arms. did both sides. i have heard other mustang owner has had same issue. can someone check into this? *ak

2003 mustang mach 1 has had shifting problem since i bought it in sept 03. ford supposedly has been aware of this problem for a year or two. they have yet to come out with a tsb. the car is difficult to shift, especially when temperature outside is cool. because it sometimes takes 2 or 3 seconds (or more) to shift into the next gear the car is just coasting upon leaving a stoplight and i have almost been rearended numerous times because the trans won't allow quick enough shifts. car only has about 3,500 adult driven miles, 2400 of which are highway. many acquaintances have had this same complaint. trans manufacturer (tremec) told people at 40th mustang anniv that ford was supposed to issue a tsb. it hasn't come to pass yet.*ak

While applying the brakes consumer noticed that the seat moved forward. driver's seat shook while applying the brakes. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and did not resolve the problem.*ak

Vehicle had no heat, coolant leakage, vehicle ran rough, etc. (nar) *ph *cb

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.

Auto trans is shifting slow into third. then when shifting down it clunks intermittently. *jb

Vehicle began a sudden acceleration surge making the car impossible to control and ended up striking a tree. (nar)*la *cb

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 pedal to stop the car in a timely manner for the circumstances needed in an intersection, should the engine stall. also, of course, the power steering assist to the driver in order to easily turn the steering wheel is lost. ford should figure out why the engine stalls while the car's in motion during these conditions and put forward an effort to fix it. thank you. joe.*ak

2003 ford mustang gt rt axle snaps on freeway car is totalled and the dealership acts like its not there problem the car is 8 months old with 14,000 miles on it .i have been in the automotive buisness for 25 years i raced cars had hot rods and i have never seen a axle do what this did i put 6,000 down my payments are 550.00 a month i have over 10,000 into this car drove for 8 months now i have 0 and a wreck on my driving record car insurance raised what do i do big valley ford were i bought this car dont care please help i still have possesion of vehicle thank you ron whitley . *ak

The vehicle was parked when it rolled across the parking lot with the emergency brake engaged. *ph *nm

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 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

While driving at an undetermined speed vehicle stalled, causing the consumer to pull off the road. *ak

Problems with windshield popping out of frame due to improper adhesion.*mr(nar) *cb

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 mustang cobra coupe: during decelleration while shifting or in neutral, car stalls, losing power steering and brakes.*ak

While driving 30 mph the engine failed. as a result the vehicle's steering became inoperative. please provide additional information. *jb

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

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 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

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

While driving smoke came out of the air vents. then, rear seats caught on fire. this was caused by poorly designed speaker wires. *ak

2003 ford mustang cobra engine stalls. *la

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.

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

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.

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

Surging at a steady speed. *ph

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

Vehicle experienced sudden acceleration while driving without any warning. dealer notified. *ak

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

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

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

Consumer stated that when hit at 35mph in the front driver side of the vehicle the air bags did not deploy. dealer notified. *ak

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

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

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 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

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

Consumer states that when they push on the clutch and release the gas vehicle will stall out. *mr

I was doing some routine maintenance on my 2003 jack roush edition svt cobra coupe when i noticed something really scary. the inside sidewall seam of a front and rear tire was splitting around its circumference. i'm certain that had i been driving at speed or on a hot road surface that pressures would have built to the point of causing a blow-out. i had a similar tire defect, coincidentally, with another set of bfg-kd's that were on my roush convertible. unfortunately for me that tire blew out while i was on the road from the port in florida to my new duty station in texas. anyway, i got in touch with bf goodrich corporate and initially only offered 50% reimbursement of all four tires. later that change to 75% then they agreed to replace them with 4 new bfg-kds in my roush-oem sizes. they claim that due to tread wear their warranty allows for that compensation. my position was that i should receive 100% reimbursement because whether or not the tires had x% of tread remaining or were new, the fact remains that they were still defective. the first time i was unlucky because the tire blew-out right i was going to put more air in it. this time i caught the defect before the tires could blow-out. one can only imagine what would have been the result if a blow-out occurred especially if it happened while i was traveling at my "normal" speeds. since this claim i have done some research and discovered that other owners of bfg tires have experienced the same defect which has resulted in tire failure. additionally the bfg tire distributor in my area (t.o. haus, omaha ne) confirmed that they too have seen these failures before in my exact type of tire. bfg corporate knows that there is a problem and has chosen to ignore it and only offers partial reimbursement for loss. i'm certain that it will take more tragedies and fatalities before they are held accountable for their defective product. *jb

2003 ford mustang svt cobra owner web sites are widely reporting this dangerous problem as well. see internet link: . 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

On april 3, 2006, ford motor company submitted a defect information report to nhtsa concerning a defect condition that could result in interference between the accelerator pedal and floor carpeting in approximately 19,140 model year 2003 and 2004 mustang cobra vehicles (ford recall no. 06s43/nhtsa recall 06v-108, copy attached).ford will recall the vehicles to install a shield beneath the accelerator pedal to prevent the pivot pin on the rear surface of the pedal from coming into contact with the floor carpeting during heavy throttle application.in those vehicles where the floor carpeting does not fit flush with the sheet metal, the unique rear surface profile of the mustang cobra pedal may allow the pivot pin of the pedal to catch in the cutout on the floor carpeting behind the pedal, interfering with the pedal's ability to return; the result of which could be unexpected, continued throttle application.during the engineering analysis stage of the investigation, odi also examined the possiblity of the same phenomena occuring in non-cobra mustangs.however, the different design of the accelerator pedals on the non-cobra mustangs results in significant differences in the potential contact between the accelerator pedal and the carpeting, with the base of the pedal pad acting to force the carpet away from the pivot pin.this engineering analysis has been closed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On april 3, 2006, ford motor company submitted a defect information report to nhtsa concerning a defect condition that could result in interference between the accelerator pedal and floor carpeting in approximately 19,140 model year 2003 and 2004 mustang cobra vehicles (ford recall no. 06s43/nhtsa recall 06v-108, copy attached).ford will recall the vehicles to install a shield beneath the accelerator pedal to prevent the pivot pin on the rear surface of the pedal from coming into contact with the floor carpeting during heavy throttle application.in those vehicles where the floor carpeting does not fit flush with the sheet metal, the unique rear surface profile of the mustang cobra pedal may allow the pivot pin of the pedal to catch in the cutout on the floor carpeting behind the pedal, interfering with the pedal's ability to return; the result of which could be unexpected, continued throttle application.during the engineering analysis stage of the investigation, odi also examined the possiblity of the same phenomena occuring in non-cobra mustangs.however, the different design of the accelerator pedals on the non-cobra mustangs results in significant differences in the potential contact between the accelerator pedal and the carpeting, with the base of the pedal pad acting to force the carpet away from the pivot pin.this engineering analysis has been closed.