Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 .
2003 Mustang gt cp, purchased from planet Ford dealership 20403 I-45 north, spring, tx 77388 [phone] 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. …
While slowing down, downshifting or switching gears, the car engine will just fail and shut off/stall without any warning. The car will not "buck" or shake, it will just turn off, causing the power steering to stop operating. I have had two close incidents where I was turning into a parking lot and almost hit a car because the power steering shut off when the engine died without warning. I am afraid this problem will cause a bad accident, especially when I have two young children riding in the vehicle most of the time. I took the car to Ford dealership they stated that they did a full inspection but did not find anything wrong. I am still experiencing the same problem at least several times a day when my engine will just shut off without any warning or notice while I am operating it. …
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Transmission complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2003 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2003 Ford Mustang, 13% of the model year's 231 complaints. The component named most often is manual transmission (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Mustang transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2003 Ford Mustang, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Mustang transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 6,000 miles, and 75% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.