NHTSA Complaint #10086412 — 2003 FORD MUSTANG

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 FORD MUSTANG COBRA ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2002. AROUND 2000 MILES, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVABILITY. I THOUGHT THAT IT MAY BE A LITTLE QUIRK THAT WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT DURING THE BREAK-IN PERIOD. *AK NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT HASN'T. THE FIRST PROBLEM BEGAN WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGHLY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND HAD IT INSPECTED AT 6,000 MILES. THE ENGINE BEGAN STALLING DURING DECELERATION AND ALSO HAD POWER CUTTING OFF DURING TAKE OFF. THIS HAS BEEN A DAILY OCCURRANCE SINCE THAT TIME. THE CAR NOW HAS 15,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. THIS RECURRING PROBLEM HAS HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP SIX DIFFERENT TIMES WITH SIX FAILURES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 12,000 MILES. THE AIR CONDITIONING IS NOW CYCLING WHERE IT BLOWS NO COLD AIR FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. THE ADHESIVE SEAL FOR THE SPOILER IS COMING LOOSE AND THE REAR BUMPER COVER IS WARPING AS HAVE PREVIOUS MUSTANGS I HAVE OWNED. THE DRIVABILITY CONCERN IS A HAZARD TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE HAD NO FEWER THAN A DOZEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHERE I NARROWLY ESCAPED A MAJOR COLLISION DUE TO THE ENGINE BOGGING DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FORD'S REPAIR FACILITY FOR MORE THAN 4 CUMMULATIVE WEEKS FOR REPAIRS. IT IS GOING BACK IN AGAIN VERY SOON. I WENT THROUGH FORD'S ARBITRATION BOARD WHICH WAS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE AND WASTE OF MY TIME. THE BOARD CITED THAT "DRIVABILITY CONCERNS STILL EXIST, HOWEVER FORD HAS NOT BEEN GRANTED SUFFICIENT TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM". EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN IN, I HAVE SAID, I DON'T WANT THE CAR BACK UNTIL IT IS CORRECTED. FORD ALSO TRIES TO CLAIM THAT VEHICLE WAS ONLY IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIME ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE SEVERAL WORK ORDERS THAT SAY OTHERWISE. I WOULD LIKE ANYONE WHO HAS HAD OR STILL DOES HAVE A SIMILAR ISSUE TO CONTACT ME. THIS CAR IS A LEMON, THAT FORD DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT.