2003 Ford Mustang Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Mustang years
- Fewer complaints than other years 23rd of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 145 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Mustang. That ranks 23rd out of 32 Mustang model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (39 complaints, 27%), typically at around 4,500 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 4 fires, 11 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 145owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 19complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Mustang problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 39 | 27% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 16 | 11% | 65,425 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 11% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 15 | 10% | 7,928 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 8% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 7% | 22,175 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 7% | 10,459 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 6% | 1,875 | — | — |
| Equipment | 7 | 5% | 11,120 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 4% | 166,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 3% | 25,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 3% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 3% | 20,615 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 180 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 3% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 44,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 1,837 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 7,428 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 20 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 163,035 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Mustang recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: On certain mustang cobra passenger vehicles, the rear surface of the accelerator pedal may come into contact with floor carpeting during heavy throttle application. The unique surface profile of the accelerator pedal may catch in the cutout on the floor carpeting behind the accelerator pedal.
Risk: This could interfere with the pedal's ability to return to an idle position. Unexpected, continued throttle application and/or increased stopping distances may occur which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a shield over the cutout in the carpet behind the accelerator pedal. The recall began on april 26, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
- Accelerator pedal interference (EA05014) — opened Sep 13, 2005, closed Apr 10, 2006, led to recall 06V108000.
- Accelerator pedal interference (PE05038) — opened Jul 7, 2005, closed Sep 13, 2005.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Breaks went out
Breaks went out
From all the research I have done on my vehicle, it has the Takata airbag inflators that uses phaseâstabilized ammonium nitrate without a desiccant which should have been in the Nationwide Ford vehicle recall. I am the original owner of my 2003 Mustang Mach 1 and it has never had the airbags…
Because of Mustangs heavy doors the latch mechanism malfunctioned and the door came open on the highway. I realize the car is old but I have read up on other complaints on mustangs. The door was fine and within the couple of hours of seeing the problem I was driving 70 on the highway. And I heard…
Burning of terminal on brake light switch wiring. Brake lights left on.
Other Ford Mustang years
← 2002 Mustang · 2004 Mustang →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mustang | 8 | 5 |
| 2025 Mustang | 18 | 6 |
| 2024 Mustang | 84 | 12 |
| 2023 Mustang | 15 | 6 |
| 2022 Mustang | 50 | 9 |
| 2021 Mustang | 55 | 6 |
| 2020 Mustang | 120 | 8 |
| 2019 Mustang | 150 | 6 |
| 2018 Mustang | 195 | 3 |
| 2017 Mustang | 267 | 6 |
| 2016 Mustang | 378 | 5 |
| 2015 Mustang | 438 | 11 |
| 2014 Mustang | 359 | 3 |
| 2013 Mustang | 271 | 5 |
| 2012 Mustang | 469 | 6 |
| 2011 Mustang | 466 | 4 |
| 2010 Mustang | 261 | 5 |
| 2009 Mustang | 181 | 5 |
| 2008 Mustang | 347 | 5 |
| 2007 Mustang | 615 | 5 |
| 2006 Mustang | 424 | 5 |
| 2005 Mustang | 705 | 5 |
| 2004 Mustang | 116 | 1 |
| 2003 | 145 | 1 |
| 2002 Mustang | 118 | 0 |
| 2001 Mustang | 173 | 1 |
| 2000 Mustang | 311 | 2 |
| 1999 Mustang | 213 | 3 |
| 1998 Mustang | 236 | 4 |
| 1997 Mustang | 176 | 2 |
| 1996 Mustang | 246 | 3 |
| 1995 Mustang | 602 | 5 |
See all Ford Mustang problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Mustang?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, seat belts, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 39 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Mustang?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Ford Mustang a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Mustang model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.