Ford MUSTANG COBRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
25 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
57,225 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 to 2000 model years. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 25 complaints (16.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 16.0% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 12.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 8.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 4 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 2 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 4; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 2; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2001: 4; 2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2005: 7; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10041781 · 2003-10-14 (October 14, 2003)
MANUAL TRANSMISSION LOCKS IN REVERSE GEAR. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 56,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041781 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100751 · 2004-11-30 (November 30, 2004)
CAR WILL NOT START, STARTER SOLENOID CLICKS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START CAUSES SMOKE TO RISE FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE SMOKE IS COMMING FROM THE RUBBER BOOT WHERE THE METAL PARKING BREAK CABLE GOES FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE ACTUALLY GLOWS RED FROM HEAT (APARENT GROUND PATH FOR SOME KIND OF SHORT). THE STARTER CIRCUIT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL START (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS SECOND OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS IN JUNE OF 2000 @ 14,500 MILES…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,801 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100751 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10319350 · 2010-03-12 (March 12, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD MUSTANG, COBRA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY HE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO COAST DOWN HIS DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED NHTSA RECALL #00V349000 PARKING BRAKE: CONVENTIONAL DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLES VIN NUMBER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93000.
Owner-reported narrative. 93,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319350 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 559719 · 2001-02-15 (February 15, 2001)
CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE TO WARM IT UP, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS FULLY ENGAGED FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE, WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD BUT BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD HIT THE BRAKE IT HAD ALREADY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 559719 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068169 · 2004-05-02 (May 2, 2004)
PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA SVT WITH 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE OWNING THE CAR, I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAULTY CHASIS WIRING SYSTEM, CAR SHUTDOWN WHEN HOT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, FAULTY IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NO BACK-UP LIGHTS DUE TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE SWITCH FAILURE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SWITCH FAILURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES I HAD NOTICED THE CAR HAD RAN LOW ON COOLANT AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BETWEEN OIL CHANGE INTERVALS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINA…
Owner-reported narrative. 64,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157690 · 2006-05-16 (May 16, 2006)
1997 FORD COBRA NUMBER 6 SPARK PLUG CAME OUT AND CAR STALLED HAD TO BE TOWED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157690 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
1997: 0; 1998: 0; 1999: 1; 2000: 1