Your vehicle report
2003 Ford Mustang
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 145
- Received Sep 2002 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving22 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract17 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking17 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #06V108000On 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 19 crashes, 4 fires, 11 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 34 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 3 |
| Total | 145 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 22 | 15% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 17 | 12% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 17 | 12% | – | NHTSA recall #06V108000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 6.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 4.1% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 3.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 3.5% | – | |
| Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head | 4 | 2.8% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 2.1% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 3 | 2.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #06V108000April 7, 200619,140 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
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.
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.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2003 Ford Mustang.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN