2003 Ford Thunderbird Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Thunderbird years
- Fewer complaints than other years 6th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Thunderbird. That ranks 6th out of 9 Thunderbird model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (7 complaints, 21%), typically at around 40,925 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 3 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
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- 33owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Thunderbird 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 | 7 | 21% | 40,925 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 18% | 7,263 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 15% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 12% | 22,150 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 12% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 12% | 23,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 9% | 30,120 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 9% | 49,357 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 6% | 75,246 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 6% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | 54,240 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 13,999 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | 300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Thunderbird recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Ford Thunderbird.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Rattle in my front end E code for transmission
Basically, all suspension rusted out, including both front suspensions, spindle rods, sway bar, outer tie rods, both rear tie rod links, rear lower and upper control arms , front upper control arms, rear shocks. All the work was performed by the local ford dealer. I was told this was not a unique…
When i open the vehicle door at night other vehicle drivers can not see my opened vehicle door when i enter or exit the vehicle even with a reflector or light on the vehicle door because it is blocked when enter or exit the vehicle by my body. I applied highly reflective tape to the lower flange of…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford thunderbird. While stopped in traffic, the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle. As a result, the contact rear ended the preceding vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck and back injuries that required medical attention…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford thunderbird. The contact stated that the headlights failed. While driving 50 mph, the headlights and tail lights failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but a failure code could not be produced due to the failure occurring intermittently. The vehicle was not…
Other Ford Thunderbird years
← 2002 Thunderbird · 2004 Thunderbird →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Thunderbird | 27 | 1 |
| 2004 Thunderbird | 34 | 1 |
| 2003 | 33 | 0 |
| 2002 Thunderbird | 93 | 1 |
| 1999 Thunderbird | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 Thunderbird | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 Thunderbird | 169 | 0 |
| 1996 Thunderbird | 233 | 2 |
| 1995 Thunderbird | 261 | 0 |
See all Ford Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird?
Owners most often report engine, power train, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Thunderbird?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 Ford Thunderbird a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Thunderbird model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.