FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE · model year

2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE

42 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003FORDMUSTANG CONVERTIBLE carries 42 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE is engine and engine cooling:engine with 5 filings, followed by structure:body:roof and pillars (3) and suspension:rear (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 2003 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

42
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

42 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS3
SUSPENSION:REAR3
EQUIPMENT2
SEATS2
STRUCTURE2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL2
STEERING2
AIR BAGS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER1
WHEELS1

Recent Complaints

20140708SERVICE BRAKES

THE BRAKES BEEN WEARING DOWN AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FIXING THEM. *JS

20140630ENGINE

LOUD POP NOISE AND VEHICLE SPEED VERY QUICKLY DECREASED. ENGINE RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH. VEHICLE TOWED TO FORD DEALER. *TR

Mileage: 77,300

20130820SEAT BELTS

AS AN OVERWEIGHT 6'9" CITIZEN AND PHD SCIENTIST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR PEOPLE THAT DEVIATE FROM A NORMAL SIZE AND WEIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR CHILDREN, BUT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY TALL, OR AS IT IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM IN THE US, PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY OBESE? MY SEAT BELT TOUCHES MY NECK RATHER THAN GOING OVER MY SHOULDER, POTENTIALLY EXPOSING ME TO NECK INJURIES. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL IMPACT MY KNEES RATHER THAN MY BODY, AND THERE IS NO NECK SUPPORT FROM MY HEADREST. I AM QUITE CONCERNED THAT I COULD BE SEVERELY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE VEHICLES ARE NOT PROPERLY TESTED TO SUPPORT TALL AND/OR OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS. PRESUMABLY THE NHTSA AND NTSB COULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR A LACK OF SUCH TESTING WERE SOMEONE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT. EVEN NEGLECTING SAFETY INFORMATION, SOMEONE WHO IS 6'9" SUCH AS MYSELF WILL NOT FIT INTO MOST VEHICLES, AND ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH AMPLE LEG/HEAD ROOM ARE SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE COMFO

Mileage: 96,000

20130820SEATS

AS AN OVERWEIGHT 6'9" CITIZEN AND PHD SCIENTIST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR PEOPLE THAT DEVIATE FROM A NORMAL SIZE AND WEIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR CHILDREN, BUT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY TALL, OR AS IT IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM IN THE US, PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY OBESE? MY SEAT BELT TOUCHES MY NECK RATHER THAN GOING OVER MY SHOULDER, POTENTIALLY EXPOSING ME TO NECK INJURIES. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL IMPACT MY KNEES RATHER THAN MY BODY, AND THERE IS NO NECK SUPPORT FROM MY HEADREST. I AM QUITE CONCERNED THAT I COULD BE SEVERELY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE VEHICLES ARE NOT PROPERLY TESTED TO SUPPORT TALL AND/OR OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS. PRESUMABLY THE NHTSA AND NTSB COULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR A LACK OF SUCH TESTING WERE SOMEONE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT. EVEN NEGLECTING SAFETY INFORMATION, SOMEONE WHO IS 6'9" SUCH AS MYSELF WILL NOT FIT INTO MOST VEHICLES, AND ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH AMPLE LEG/HEAD ROOM ARE SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE COMFO

Mileage: 96,000

20130820AIR BAGS

AS AN OVERWEIGHT 6'9" CITIZEN AND PHD SCIENTIST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR PEOPLE THAT DEVIATE FROM A NORMAL SIZE AND WEIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT SAFETY TESTS ARE DONE FOR CHILDREN, BUT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY TALL, OR AS IT IS AN INCREASING PROBLEM IN THE US, PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY OBESE? MY SEAT BELT TOUCHES MY NECK RATHER THAN GOING OVER MY SHOULDER, POTENTIALLY EXPOSING ME TO NECK INJURIES. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL IMPACT MY KNEES RATHER THAN MY BODY, AND THERE IS NO NECK SUPPORT FROM MY HEADREST. I AM QUITE CONCERNED THAT I COULD BE SEVERELY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE VEHICLES ARE NOT PROPERLY TESTED TO SUPPORT TALL AND/OR OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS. PRESUMABLY THE NHTSA AND NTSB COULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR A LACK OF SUCH TESTING WERE SOMEONE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT. EVEN NEGLECTING SAFETY INFORMATION, SOMEONE WHO IS 6'9" SUCH AS MYSELF WILL NOT FIT INTO MOST VEHICLES, AND ONLY SOME VEHICLES WITH AMPLE LEG/HEAD ROOM ARE SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE COMFO

Mileage: 96,000

20130316AIR BAGS

MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A SPEED OF APROX. 10 MPH THE AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE PASSENGERS SIDE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION WITH ANY KIND OF OBJECTS (CAR,PETS.VARMENTS,ROAD DEBRIS ETC;;... ) THERE WAS NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER TO THE CAR. BUT MY SON WAS KNOCK-OUT BRIEFLY AND HAD INJURIES TO HIS FACE, CHIN, AND ARMS. THANKFULLY NO OTHER CARS ARE PEOPLE WERE IN THE PATH WHILE HE WAS TURNING. *TR

Mileage: 93,490

20120419VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM GOT STUCK CAUSING THE CAR TO CONTINUE ACCELERATED. I HAD TO HIT THE GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE SYSTEM DESENGAGED, AVOIDING REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BY JUST A FEW FEET. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY IN THE NEXT EXIT TO GET A COFFEE, PUT THE CAR IN "PARK" AND THE TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN "PARKING" CRUISE CONTROL HAS NOT OPERATED SINCE. *JS

20110719UNKNOWN OR OTHER

PUDDLE OF WATER IS FORMED IN THE "WELL" BEHIND THE BACK SEAT WHERE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP SITS WHEN LOWERED. I ALSO NOTICE MOISTURE IN THE OTHER AREAS SUCH AS REAR FLOOR MATS AND TRUNK. THIS HAPPENS AFTER RAIN OR AFTER CAR WASH. I'VE NOTICED HUNDREDS OF SAME ISSUES ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FORUMS AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS DISTRACTS THE DRIVER AND CAUSES SAFETY ISSUES.

Mileage: 57,000

20110719STRUCTURE:BODY

PUDDLE OF WATER IS FORMED IN THE "WELL" BEHIND THE BACK SEAT WHERE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP SITS WHEN LOWERED. I ALSO NOTICE MOISTURE IN THE OTHER AREAS SUCH AS REAR FLOOR MATS AND TRUNK. THIS HAPPENS AFTER RAIN OR AFTER CAR WASH. I'VE NOTICED HUNDREDS OF SAME ISSUES ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FORUMS AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS. THIS DISTRACTS THE DRIVER AND CAUSES SAFETY ISSUES.

Mileage: 57,000

20101228STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE FELT AS THOUGH SOMETHING HAD FALLEN ON HIS LEG. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE WHEELS HAD DISENGAGED FROM THE TIRES AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT ADVISED THAT THEY COULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000. UPDATED 12/7/11 *CN

Mileage: 102,000

20090603EQUIPMENT

I HAVE OWNED A 2001 AND 2003 FORD MUSTANG AND A 2001 FORD EXPLORER ALL OF WHICH HAD A FACTORY IN DASH 6 DISC CHANGER. EACH ONE OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE HAD CD'S GET STUCK WHILE IT WAS BEING EJECTED AND WOULD JUST POP UP CD ERROR AND NOT WORK. ONCE IT STARTS IT HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. I HAVE REPLACED ONE AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH IT. JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE I ATTEMPTED TO GET THE CD PLAYER TO WORK AS I WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IF YOU THE DASH IN THE RIGHT SPOT IT WILL WORK USUALLY. AS YOU CAN TELL THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING FROM DRIVING. I CANNOT SAY THAT IT HAS CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT IT HAS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD I WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO TRY TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP. THAT THEY WORK WITH YA'LL ON RECALLS. I KNOW THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE DIRECTLY, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY LIVES ARE LOST BY DISTRACTED DRIVERS EVERYDAY IT TURN

Mileage: 115,000

20081111SUSPENSION

FOR 2 YEARS I HAVE OWNED A 2003 MUSTANG COBRA CONVERTIBLE. WHENEVER I REACH 60-65 MILES AN HOUR MY CAR START TO VIBRATE LIKE A WHEEL IS OFF BALANCE. I'VE GOTTEN NEW TIRES SEVERAL BALANCE BUT NOTHING AND ALIGNMENTS AND NOTHING SEEM TO HELP THE PROBLEM. *TR

20080424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

I PARKED THE CAR ALONG THE CURB AT UCLA AND SPENT THE NIGHT AT THE DORMS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY FINE, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. WHEN I AWOKE THE FOLLOWING MORNING A FRIEND AND I WERE HUNGRY SO WE DECIDED TO GO TO MCDONALD'S. IT WAS APPROX. 1.5 - 2 MILES AWAY. WHILE WE WERE SITTING IN THE DRIVE THROUGH, I STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD NOISE, KIND OF LIKE A BELT SQUEAKING INSIDE THE HOOD. I COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS FROM MY CAR OR THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF ME, SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE NOISE STOPPED. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON HOWEVER, THE NOISE GOT UNBEARABLY LOUD AND SOUNDED LIKE METAL ON METAL, AND WE NOTICED THE AROMA OF SOMETHING BURNING. I EXITED THE DRIVE THROUGH AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT. I LOOKED AT THE GAUGES, AND THE OIL, BATTERY AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES WERE ALL WHERE THEY NORMALLY SHOULD BE, BOUT IN THE MIDDLE TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE HALFWAY MARK...WELL...THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED AND I ASSUMED THEN THAT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TR

20080331POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

CAR BEGAN STUTTERING ON ACCELERATION. DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER. UNIT REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 20,211

20080121ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

JULY 2007 THROUGH CURRENT DATE. CAR STALLS WHEN PUSHING IN CLUTCH TO STOP OR MAKE TURNS. THERE IS A TSB (17542)ON THIS ISSUE BUT NO RECALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHICH COULD BE FATAL TO A NOVICE DRIVER; ESPECIALLY WHEN CAR STALLS DURING A LEFT HAND TURN. *TR

20071123SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE WHEELS BEGAN TO SPIN. THE ENGINE STALLED MOMENTARILY. THE CONTACT REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN ACCELERATED AGAIN. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD IT RECOMPUTERIZED. A MECHANIC AT A GARAGE SENT THE VEHICLE TO FORD FOR INVESTIGATION, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BEARING MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,750. UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB UPDATED

Mileage: 27,750

20071007SUSPENSION:REAR

2003 MUSTANG SVT COBRA CONVERTIBLE. REAR WHEEL HOP WITH TRACTION CONTROL ON OR OFF. DEALER SAID THIS IS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST. I FEEL THIS COULD CREATE A HAZARD OR OTHER DAMAGE TO AUTO PARTS. *TR

Mileage: 11,200

20070403STEERING

VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED A FRONT END SHIMMY WHEN CAR IS TRAVELING BETWEEN 60-65 MPH. THIS IS A 2003 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *JB

20060202VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

ACCELERATOR CAUGHT ON THE CARPET OF CAR, HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO COME BACK UP BY BANGING ON THE ACCELERATOR, HOWEVER SEVERAL SECONDS PASSED. THIS HAPPENED WHILE MERGING ONTO I-69 NEAR CHARLOTTE, MI. NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THIS CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT MY FIRST REPORT. THIS IS A FORD MUSTANG COBRA CONVERTIBLE. THESE ARE NOT LISTED UNDER VEHICLE. *JB

Mileage: 14,500

20050929SUSPENSION:REAR

2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE REAR WHEELS WOULD BOUNCE UP AND DOWN WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS AND WHEN PULLING OFF FAST.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS ON OR OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE WHEEL HOPPING WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GO TO AN AFTER MARKET SUPPLIER. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION. *JB

Compare 2003FORDMUSTANG CONVERTIBLE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE have?
The 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE has 42 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE?
The most-complained component for the 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS and SUSPENSION:REAR.
Is the 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.