2003 Ford Mustang Powertrain & Transmission Problems

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.

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

MY 03' MUSTANG SPIT THE SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE HEAD,AGAIN, TAKING ALL THE THREADS WITH IT. NOW IT IS UNABLE TO RUN DO THE FACT IT HAS A MISSING PLUG. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS OUT OF THEIR HANDS DO TO NOT BEING UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER. FORD MOTOR CO. SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THE CAR,IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SORRY THE SPARK PLUG WAS EJECTED OUT OF THE HEAD. WE CAN NOT FIX IT UNLESS YOU PAY FOR PARTS/LABOR OUT OF YOUR POCKET. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE FOR FORD, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE ARE ACTING LIKE THERE IS NOT 1000'S OF PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. MY NEXT STEP IS TO HIRE A CLASS ACTION ATTORNEY AND SEE ABOUT GETTING MY CAR FIXED. *TR

SPARK PLUG WAS SPIT OUT OF HEAD. IT HAS THE FACTORY PLUGS IN IT NEVER BEEN CHANGED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR,THE DEALERSHIP, CHECKED SPARK PLUG IN QUESTION,THEN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. AT THIS POINT I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS OK OR NOT? BUT I AM DRIVING IT TILL IT BREAKS AGAIN. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. FORWARD SUN GEAR W/TORRINGTON BEARING. *TR

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

I HAVE A 2003 FORD MUSTANG GT THAT DURING COLD WEATHER HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT'S ALMOST AS IF I AM NOT EVEN PUSHING THE CLUTCH IN. I HAVE 700 MILES LEFT ON MY WARRANTY AND IT WILL BE MANY MONTHS BEFORE IT IS COLD AGAIN TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM FOR THE DEALER SO I SUPPOSE I WILL BE EATING IT ON THIS UNLESS FORD OWNS UP TO IP. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE NHTSA SITE I SEE MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND GETTING NO RESULTS FROM THE DEALER.

IN MY 2003 MUSTANG GT WITH TREMEC TRANNY...GRINDING TYPE FEELING GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. WENT TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID FEELING WAS NORMAL,AND IT WOULD GO AWAY,IT HAS NOT. I ONLY DRIVE IT ONCE AND A WHILE BUT IT IS WORSE ON COLDER DAYS!!!

THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT GEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT IT WAS A COSMETIC PROBLEM, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF IT. HOWEVER, THE RECALL WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE FOURTH QUARTER. *AK *NM *SC

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

MY 2003 MUSTANG GT WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION (5 SPEED), GRINDS WHEN I GO FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR. THIS GRINDING GOES AWAY AFTER THE CAR IS WARM AND IS MUCH WORSE IN THE WINTER AND COLD DAYS. THIS IS A COMPLAINT THAT ALMOST EVERY MUSTANG OWNER HAS AND IS DOCUMENTED WELL ON WEBSITES SUCH AS STANGNET.NET. THE DEALERS NEVER FIX THIS PROBLEM AND TELL YOU THAT IT IS NORMAL OR IS NOT REPRODUCEABLE. FORD IS NOT OWNING UP TO A PROBLEM WITH THEIR CAR, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT NHTSA HELPS WITH OR DO I NEED TO CONTACT SOMEONE ELSE? MIKE HAMILTON. *AK

2003 MUSTANG GT CP, PURCHASED FROM PLANET FORD DEALERSHIP 20403 I-45 NORTH, SPRING, TX 77388 (281) 719-3891 ON JUNE 28,2003. I WAS ONE HAPPY CUSTOMER UNTIL I DROVE MY VEHICLE INTO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT APRIL 10,2004 WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE ABOUT MY MUSTANG; STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION, REAR END VIBRATION AND DELAYED SHIFT IN TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD TO ROTATE MY TIRES, BALANCE TIRES, UPGRADE THE WHEEL BALANCING AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT. ALONG WITH THE PROBLEMS I RECEIVE THREE EMBARRASSMENT; POLICE ESCORTED ME OFF THE PROPERTY BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO PROVE TO BOTH DEALERSHIPS THAT MY PROBLEM WAS NOT MY TIRES. BUT, THEIR WORDS WERE THAT FORD HAS THE BEST MECHANICS. I THEN HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR TO LEADERSHIP FORD IN DALLAS, TX IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO PROVIDED WITH THE PROPER CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I WAS DENIED BY PLANET, TEAM AND RUSSELL & SMITH FORD IN HOUSTON. LEADSHIIP FORD TOOK THE TIME TO LESSON TO THE ISSUES AND TEST DRIVE THE CAR TO VERIFIED THAT I HAD A PROBLEM. THEY DETERMINED THAT VIBRATION THAT I EXPERIENCE WAS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION AND THE REAR END, NOT THE TIRES NOR THE FRONT END. AS A RESULT THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND THE REAREND. I MEET WITH PLANET FORD GENERAL MANAGER - RON EUREN, WHOM APOLOGIZED FOR THE PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE CAR. BUT, HE FOLLOWED HIS APOLOGY WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS - "SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS FOR THIS DEALERSHIP FOR ANY ADDITION ISSUE YOU MAY HAVE WITH YOUR MUSTANG TAKE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. DO NOT RETURN TO PLANET FORD OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE ARRESTED ON THE SPOT.*JB

AUTO TRANS IS SHIFTING SLOW INTO THIRD. THEN WHEN SHIFTING DOWN IT CLUNKS INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

CONCERNS WITH A TR3650 MANUAL TRANSMISSION EXHIBITING CLASH/GRINDING SOUND DURING THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING. *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

GRINDING 2ND GEAR WHEN SHIFTING UP FROM 1ST GEAR. MUCH WORSE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. DOWN SHIFT OKAY. TREMEC 3650 TRANSMISSION. DEALER STATES CONDITION IS NORMAL. *AK

MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN 2003 FORD MUSTANG GT SHIFTS WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY FRM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR. SOMETIMES, IT HAS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD GEAR. THIS SITUATION MAKES THE CAR DANGEROUS AS ONE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE AWAY FROM A POSSIBLE COLLISION DUE TO THE CAR SLOWING DOWN WHILE TRYING TO GET IT INTO GEAR. SECOND GEAR WILL OFTEN "GRIND". FORD SUPPOSEDLY HAS A FIX BUT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE 2-3 MONTHS.*AK

2003 MUSTANG COBRA , 600 PLUS MILES, WAS DRIVING AT AROUND 32 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH TO SHIFT AND THE CAR DIED, WHICH LOCKED UP THE STEERING WHEEL, NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. THE LOCAL DEALER HAS NO CLUE HOW TO FIX THIS, AND SUPPOSEDLY SVT IS WORKING ON A FIX BUT IN THE MEAN TIME THERE ARE OVER 13000 OF THE CARS DRIVING ON THE ROADS WAITING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROMPTLY THANKS. *LA

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

UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION MAKES CHATTERING/RATTLING SOUND. THE SOUND IS VERY PRONOUNCED. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH, REAR DIFF FLUID, OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL AND SEVERAL BEARINGS IN THE TRANS WITH NO LESSENING OF THE EFFECT. DEALER STATED NO REPAIR WAS POSSIBLE. TRANS STILL LEAKS FROM THE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL, AND STILL MAKES A NASTY RATTLE UNDER ACCELERATION LOADS. POST REPAIR, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR WHEN BEFORE THE TRANS HAS WARMED UP. AFTER A BIT OF WARM UP, THE HARD SHIFT GOES AWAY, THE RATTLE NEVER DOES.