FORD MUSTANG 2003 4.G Owners Manual
Manufacturer: FORD, Model Year: 2003, Model line: MUSTANG, Model: FORD MUSTANG 2003 4.GPages: 256, PDF Size: 2.4 MB
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firm. The dealership Board member is chosen from
Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealership management,
recognized for their business leadership qualities.
What the Board needs
To have your case reviewed you must complete the
application in the DSB brochure and mail it to the
address provided on the application form. Some
states will require you to use certified mail, with
return receipt requested.
Your application is reviewed and, if it is determined
to be eligible, you will receive an acknowledgment
indicating:
•The file number assigned to your application.
•The toll-free phone number of the DSB’s
independent administrator.
Your dealership and a Ford Motor Company
representative will then be asked to submit
statements.
To properly review your case, the Board needs the
following information:
•Legible copies of all documents and maintenance
or repair orders relevant to the case.
•The year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) listed on your vehicle ownership
license.
•The date of repair(s) and mileage at the time of
occurrence(s).
•The current mileage.
•The name of the dealer(s) who sold or serviced
the vehicle.
•A brief description of your unresolved concern.
•A brief summary of the action taken by the
dealer(s) and Ford Motor Company.
•The names (if known) of all the people you
contacted at the dealership(s).
•A description of the action you expect to resolve
your concern.
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You will receive a letter of explanation if your
application does not qualify for Board review.
Oral presentations
If you would like to make an oral presentation,
indicate YES to question 6 on the application. While
it is your right to make an oral presentation before
the Board, this is not a requirement and the Board
will decide the case whether or not an oral
presentation is made. An oral presentation may be
requested by the Board as well.
Making a decision
Board members review all available information
related to each complaint, including oral
presentations, and arrive at a fair and impartial
decision. Board review may be terminated at any
time by either party.
Every effort is made to decide the case within 40
days of the date that all requested information is
received by the Board. Since the Board generally
meets once a month, it may take longer for the
Board to consider some cases.
After a case is reviewed, the Board mails you a
decision letter and a form on which to accept or
reject the Board’s decision. The decisions of the
Board are binding on Ford (and, in some cases, on
the dealer) but not on consumers who are free to
pursue other remedies available to them under state
or federal law.
To request a DSB Brochure/Application
For a brochure/application, speak to your dealer or
write/call to the Board at the following
address/phone number:
Dispute Settlement Board
P.O. Box 5120
Southfield, MI 48086–5120
1–800–428–3718
You may also contact the North American Customer
Relationship Center at 1-800-392-3673 (Ford), TDD
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for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952 or by
writing to the Center at the following address:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121
UTILIZING THE MEDIATION/ARBITRATION
PROGRAM (CANADA ONLY)
In those cases where you continue to feel that the
efforts by Ford and the dealer to resolve a
factory-related vehicle service concern have been
unsatisfactory, Ford of Canada participates in an
impartial third party mediation/arbitration program
administered by the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP).
The CAMVAP program is a straight-forward and
relatively speedy alternative to resolve a
disagreement when all other efforts to produce a
settlement have failed. This procedure is without
cost to you and is designed to eliminate the need for
lengthy and expensive legal proceedings.
In the CAMVAP program, impartial third-party
arbitrators conduct hearings at mutually convenient
times and places in an informal environment. These
impartial arbitrators review the positions of the
parties, make decisions and, when appropriate,
render awards to resolve disputes. CAMVAP
decisions are fast, fair, and final; the arbitrator’s
award is binding both to you and Ford of Canada.
CAMVAP services are available in all territories and
provinces. For more information, without charge or
obligation, call your CAMVAP Provincial
Administrator directly at 1-800-207-0685.
GETTING ASSISTANCE OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND
CANADA
Before exporting your vehicle to a foreign country,
contact the appropriate foreign embassy or
consulate. These officials can inform you of local
vehicle registration regulations and where to find
unleaded fuel.
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If you cannot find unleaded fuel or can only get fuel
with an anti-knock index lower than is
recommended for your vehicle, contact a district or
owner relations/customer relationship office.
The use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without
proper conversion may damage the effectiveness of
your emission control system and may cause engine
knocking or serious engine damage. Ford Motor
Company/Ford of Canada is not responsible for any
damage caused by use of improper fuel.
In the United States, using leaded fuel may also
result in difficulty importing your vehicle back into
the U.S.
If your vehicle must be serviced while you are
traveling or living in Central or South America, the
Caribbean, or the Middle East, contact the nearest
Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot help you,
write or call:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
WORLDWIDE DIRECT MARKET OPERATIONS
1555 Fairlane Drive
Fairlane Business Park #3
Allen Park, Michigan 48101
U.S.A.
Telephone: (313) 594-4857
FAX: (313) 390-0804
If you are in another foreign country, contact the
nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership employees
cannot help you, they can direct you to the nearest
Ford affiliate office.
If you buy your vehicle in North America and then
relocate outside of the U.S. or Canada, register your
vehicle identification number (VIN) and new address
with Ford Motor Company Worldwide Direct Market
Operations.
ORDERING ADDITIONAL OWNER’S
LITERATURE
To order the publications in this portfolio, contact
Helm, Incorporated at:
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HELM, INCORPORATED
P.O. Box 07150
Detroit, Michigan 48207
Or call:
For a free publication catalog, order toll free:
1-800-782-4356
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
Helm, Incorporated can also be reached by their
website: www.helminc.com.
(Items in this catalog may be purchased by credit
card, check or money order.)
Obtaining a French owner’s guide
French Owner’s Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.
IN CALIFORNIA (U.S. ONLY)
California Civil Code Section 1793.2(d) requires that,
if a manufacturer or its representative is unable to
repair a motor vehicle to conform to the vehicle’s
applicable express warranty after a reasonable
number of attempts, the manufacturer shall be
required to either replace the vehicle with one
substantially identical or repurchase the vehicle and
reimburse the buyer in an amount equal to the
actual price paid or payable by the consumer (less a
reasonable allowance for consumer use). The
consumer has the right to choose whether to receive
a refund or replacement vehicle.
California Civil Code Section 1793.22(b) presumes
that the manufacturer has had a reasonable number
of attempts to conform the vehicle to its applicable
express warranties if, within the first 18 months of
ownership of a new vehicle or the first 29,000 km
(18,000 miles), whichever occurs first:
1. Two or more repair attempts are made on the
same nonconformity likely to cause death or serious
bodily injury OR
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2. Four or more repair attempts are made on the
same nonconformity (a defect or condition that
substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the
vehicle) OR
3. The vehicle is out of service for repair of
nonconformities for a total of more than 30 calendar
days (not necessarily all at one time)
In the case of 1 or 2 above, the consumer must also
notify the manufacturer of the need for the repair of
the nonconformity at the following address:
Ford Motor Company
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
Mail Drop 3NE-B
Dearborn, MI 48126
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (U.S. ONLY)
If you believe that your
vehicle has a defect
which could cause a
crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to
notifying Ford Motor Company.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual problems between
you, your dealer, or Ford Motor Company.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1–800–424–9393 (or
366–0123 in the Washington D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA
U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the Hotline.
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WASHING THE EXTERIOR
Wash your vehicle regularly with cool or lukewarm
water and a neutral Ph shampoo, such as Detail
Wash (ZC-3–A), which is available from your dealer.
•Never use strong household detergents or soap,
such as dish washing or laundry liquid. These
products can discolor and spot painted surfaces.
•Never wash a vehicle that is“hot to the touch”or
during exposure to strong, direct sunlight.
•Always use a clean sponge or carwash mitt with
plenty of water for best results.
•Dry the vehicle with a chamois or soft terry cloth
towel in order to eliminate water spotting.
•It is especially important to wash the vehicle
regularly during the winter months, as dirt and
road salt are difficult to remove and cause
damage to the vehicle.
•Immediately remove items such as gasoline, diesel
fuel, bird droppings and insect deposits because
they can cause damage to the vehicle’s paintwork
and trim over time.
•Remove any exterior accessories, such as
antennas, before entering a car wash.
•Suntan lotions and insect repellents can
damage any painted surface; if these
substances come in contact with your
vehicle, wash off as soon as possible.
WAXING
Applying a polymer paint sealant to your vehicle
every six months will assist in reducing minor
scratches and paint damage.
•Wash the vehicle first.
•Do not use waxes that contain abrasives.
•Do not allow paint sealant to come in contact with
any non-body (low-gloss black) colored trim, such
as grained door handles, roof racks, bumpers, side
moldings, mirror housings or the windshield cowl
area. The paint sealant will“gray”or stain the
parts over time.
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PAINT CHIPS
Your dealer has touch-up paint and sprays to match
your vehicle’s color. Take your color code (printed
on a sticker in the driver’s door jam) to your dealer
to ensure you get the correct color.
•Remove particles such as bird droppings, tree sap,
insect deposits, tar spots, road salt and industrial
fallout before repairing paint chips.
•Always read the instructions before using the
products.
ALUMINUM WHEELS AND COVERS
Aluminum wheel rims or covers are coated with a
clearcoat paint finish. In order to maintain their
shine:
•Clean with Motorcraft Wheel and Tire Cleaner
(ZC-37–A), which is available from your dealer.
•Never apply any cleaning chemical to hot or warm
wheel rims or covers.
•Some automatic car washes may cause damage to
the finish on your wheel rims or covers.
Chemical-strength cleaners, or cleaning chemicals,
in combination with brush agitation to remove
brake dust and dirt, could wear away the
clearcoat finish over time.
•Do not use hydrofluoric acid-based or high
caustic-based wheel cleaners, steel wool, fuels or
strong household detergent.
•To remove tar and grease, use Ford Extra
Strength Tar and Road Oil Removal
(B7A-19520–AA), available from your dealer.
ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they are clean
because grease and dirt buildup keep the engine
warmer than normal. When washing:
•Take care when using a power washer to clean
the engine. The high-pressure fluid could
penetrate the sealed parts and cause damage.
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•Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to
avoid cracking the engine block or other engine
components.
•Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser
(ZC-20) on all parts that require cleaning and
pressure rinse clean.
•Cover the highlighted areas to prevent water
damage when cleaning the engine.
•3.8L OHV V6 engine
•4.6L SOHC V8 engine
•Never wash or rinse the engine while it is
running; water in the running engine may cause
internal damage.
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PLASTIC (NON-PAINTED) EXTERIOR PARTS
Use only approved products to clean plastic parts.
These products are available from your dealer.
•For routine cleaning, use Detail Wash (ZC-3–A).
•If tar or grease spots are present, use Ford Extra
Strength Tar and Road Oil Removal
(B7A-19520–AA).
WINDOWS AND WIPER BLADES
The windshield, rear window and wiper blades
should be cleaned regularly. If the wiper does not
wipe properly, substances on the windshield, rear
window or the wiper blades may be the cause. These
may include hot wax treatments used by commercial
car washes, tree sap, or other organic contamination.
To clean these items, please follow these tips:
•The windshield or rear window may be cleaned
with a non-abrasive cleaner such as Motorcraft
Ultra Clear Spray Glass Cleaner (ZC-23), available
from your dealer.
•Do not use abrasives, as they may cause
scratches.
•Do not use fuel, kerosene, or paint thinner to
clean any parts.
•Wiper blades can be cleaned with isopropyl
(rubbing) alcohol or windshield washer solution.
Be sure to replace wiper blades when they appear
worn or do not function properly.
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CLUSTER LENS
Clean the instrument panel with a damp cloth, then
dry with a dry cloth.
•Avoid cleaners or polish that increase the gloss of
the upper portion of the instrument panel. The
dull finish in this area helps protect the driver
from undesirable windshield reflection.
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