Gardendale, AL
Fire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Burning of terminal on brake light switch wiring. Brake lights left on.
NHTSA complaint #11647763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2003 Ford Mustang electrical problems
10 of the 181 complaints about the 2003 Ford Mustang are about the electrical system — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 22,174 miles.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Electrical System
8
80.0%
Ignition
1
10.0%
Wiring
1
10.0%
Electrical System across every Ford Mustang year
1984
14
1.2%
1986
11
1.0%
1987
17
1.5%
1988
60
5.2%
1989
49
4.3%
1990
42
3.7%
1991
38
3.3%
1992
31
2.7%
1993
34
3.0%
1994
26
2.3%
1995
39
3.4%
1996
12
1.0%
1997
10
0.9%
1998
15
1.3%
1999
11
1.0%
2000
17
1.5%
2001
10
0.9%
2002
10
0.9%
2003
10
0.9%
2005
231
20.1%
2006
31
2.7%
2007
35
3.0%
2008
16
1.4%
2010
10
0.9%
2011
24
2.1%
2012
21
1.8%
2013
18
1.6%
2014
11
1.0%
2015
66
5.7%
2016
72
6.3%
2017
34
3.0%
2018
31
2.7%
2019
32
2.8%
2020
25
2.2%
2024
35
3.0%
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
Palm Bay, FL
Fire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of incident....sometime over night 1/27/24. Vehicle FIRE I believe started in electrical components. Happened overnight while PARKED in front of home in parking lot Melted left side of dash (all odometer area) and center console where AC controls and radio are. Shattered front windshield which was black with soot, as well as the plastic frame around front area of convertible top. Fire has somehow extinguished itself. Whole interior car full of soot. I had actually used my key FOB to enter my car at which time I noticed what had happened & all the damage. I immediately disconnected my battery. The engine did not look damaged. The fire seemed to have stayed behind firewall. My insurance company TOTALED my car out due to the fact of it being an ELECTRICAL CAUSE TO FIRE & even if it could've been repaired, was told parts (dash, odometer area which was COMPLETELY melted) were obsolete. Regardless, the car now has posed a serious DANGER. I have photos & totaled decision by insurance company information, but have been unable to upload on your site. I believe you should REALLY SEE THE PICTURES. After incident, I searched to see if there had been any recalls. I found a couple incidents of this happening to others with their 2003 MUSTANGS & am wondering why this had never been investigated. If I had known about a problem of electrical fires, this car would NOT have been purchased in 2017. I don't understand why this problem wasn't researched. It could've been so much worse as I had a FULL TANK OF GAS.
NHTSA complaint #11576237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverhead, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Flooded salvage title not listed
NHTSA complaint #11511835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 100 miles
Asheville, NC
Crash
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
NHTSA complaint #10760959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 73,650 miles
Cerritos, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10491798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 95,000 miles
Cary, NC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH HARNESS CONNECTOR DEFORMED RESULTING IN INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS. WIRES NO LONGER FIT WITHIN PLASTIC CONNECTOR.
NHTSA complaint #10373955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntsville, AL
Fire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10210584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 34,349 miles
Pueblo West, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR OCCASIONALLY AND RANDOMLY STALLS WHEN SLOWING TO STOP OR MAKE A TURN AFTER CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #10167917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,000 miles
Marietta, GA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
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?
NHTSA complaint #10048812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 miles
Altadena, CA
Fire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. THEN, REAR SEATS CAUGHT ON FIRE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY POORLY DESIGNED SPEAKER WIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10042037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.