RoadVitals

2003 Ford Mustang Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Sep 2, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 145 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Sep 2, 2015
Crash reported

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 *TR

NHTSA ID
10760959
Incident
Mar 17, 2003
Mileage
100 mi
BrakesSuspension
Filed Aug 15, 2011

UPPER RETAINING NUT CAME OFF RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM CAUSING POOR HANDLING AND A CLICKING NOISE OVER BUMPS AND DURING PARKING LOT MANEUVERS. A HOLE FORMED ON THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE FROM RUBBING AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10419418
Incident
Aug 13, 2011
Suspension
Filed Jul 17, 2010

I OWN A 2003 MACH 1 MUSTANG I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS 3 TIMES EACH ON THE 2 FRONT TIRES AND NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE WHEEL BEARING ON THE 2 BACK TIRES ARE BAD MY CAR HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES AND I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR STALLING I HAVE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10343755
Incident
Mar 10, 2010
Suspension
Filed Jul 20, 2005

SECOND TIME FOR CONTROL ARMS NEEDING REPLACED. IN LESS THAN 4,000 HAD REAR CONTROL REPLACED AND NOW 4,000 MILES LATER NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN.HEARD A SCREECHING NOISE IN REAR OF CAR AND GARAGE COULDN'T HEAR THE PROBLEM TWICE BEFORE SO ITS NOTICABLE NOW. THEY ORDERED THE NEW PARTS FOR MONDAY 25 TO BE REPLACED

NHTSA ID
10129408
Incident
Jul 19, 2005
Mileage
26,000 mi
EngineSuspension
Filed Apr 26, 2005

THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THEN, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE FOLLOWING HAD BEEN DONE; THE FRONT END, REAR END REALIGNED, AND WHEEL BALANCED. THEN, VEHICLE BROKE DOWN, AND WAS TOWED. REAR END WAS REPLACED SINCE IT WAS CRACKED. VIOLENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKING STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10119133
Incident
Aug 5, 2003
Mileage
2,949 mi
SuspensionTransmission
Filed Feb 18, 2005

THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING POORLY, TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT ON ITS ON. DRIVER NOTICED THAT A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10111787
Incident
Feb 18, 2005
Suspension
Filed Jun 28, 2004

AT 800 MILES I HAD A CRUNCHING SOUND FROM THE FRONT END. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BUSHINGS AND ARMS. DID BOTH SIDES. I HAVE HEARD OTHER MUSTANG OWNER HAS HAD SAME ISSUE. CAN SOMEONE CHECK INTO THIS? *AK

NHTSA ID
10078964
Incident
Sep 2, 2003
Mileage
800 mi
Body & structureSuspensionTransmission
Filed Jan 12, 2004

JUST BOUGHT MY MUSTANG IN AUGUST OF 2003. PAINT WAS PEELING OFF FRONT BUMPER BEFORE I EVEN PICKED UP CAR. THEN HAD TO HAVE FRONT END REPLACED BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION. NOW MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. *LA

NHTSA ID
10052973
Incident
Aug 20, 2003
Mileage
180 mi
SteeringSuspensionVisibility
Filed Jul 2, 2003

I JUST PURCHASED MY CAR APRIL 21,2003. I ALREADY NEED THE STEERING WHEEL REPLACED DUE TO GAPPING. THERE IS A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER THAT SOUNDS LIKE I HIT SOMETHING. MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOESN'T WORK, AND MY WINDOW IS OFF TRACK.*AK

NHTSA ID
10025304
Incident
Jun 22, 2003
Mileage
5,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .