AI Damage2003 Ford Mustang Convertible reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Ford Mustang Convertible filed 35 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 35
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 20% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 7 complaints (20% of all).
- Structure: 7 complaints (20% of all).
- Suspension: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 35 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The brakes been wearing down and this is the second time fixing them.
Loud pop noise and vehicle speed very quickly decreased. Engine ran extremely rough. Vehicle towed to ford dealer.
My seat belt touches my neck rather than going over my shoulder, potentially exposing me to neck injuries. The passenger airbags will impact my knees rather than my body, and there is no neck support from my headrest.
But my son was knock-out briefly and had injuries to his face, chin, and arms. Thankfully no other cars are people were in the path while he was turning.
While driving on the turnpike the cruise control system got stuck causing the car to continue accelerated. I had to hit the gas pedal several times before the system desengaged, avoiding rear ending the vehicle in front of me by just a few feet.
Puddle of water is formed in the "well" behind the back seat where the convertible top sits when lowered. I also notice moisture in the other areas such as rear floor mats and trunk. This happens after rain or after car wash.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford mustang convertible. The contact was driving approximately 30 mph when he felt as though something had fallen on his leg. The contact then noticed that the wheels had disengaged from the tires and the steering became difficult to maneuver.
I have owned a 2001 and 2003 ford mustang and a 2001 ford explorer all of which had a factory in dash 6 disc changer. Each one of these vehicles have had cd's get stuck while it was being ejected and would just pop up cd error and not work. Once it starts it happens at least once a week.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,106 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mustang Convertible has 15 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 35, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Mustang Convertible?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, structure, suspension. Total complaints: 35. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (23%), seat belts (9%), steering or power steering problems (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Ford Mustang Convertible?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Ford Mustang Convertible from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.