2003 Cobra SVT Engine problems

[Speedy-Gonzalez]

Engine glitch holds up Mustang's production

Ford says assembly to resume Nov. 12
October 30, 2002


BY MARK PHELAN
DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Ford Motor Co. has halted production of its high-performance 2003 SVT Mustang Cobra due to a problem with the car's supercharged engine, union sources say.

Ford confirmed that production at its Dearborn assembly plant was suspended Oct. 7 and is to resume Nov. 12. UAW sources and Blueovalnews.com, a Web site frequented by disgruntled Ford workers, say the problem involves the Cobra's 390-horsepower, 4.6L V8 engine. The automaker would not deny that a problem with the engine was responsible, saying the problem is "the sort of thing that happens quite a bit at any assembly plant. It's not an issue we need to go into detail about. It was the sort of quality issue we find in our normal processes."

None of the cars with the defect was shipped to dealers or customers, Ford said. "No cars got into the field with the problem. Our dealers were informed, and we have rescheduled all the customers."

Engineers corrected the problem in about two weeks, Ford said. The remainder of the production halt is due to time it takes to reschedule parts supplies for the low-volume car.

Ford began producing the limited-edition Cobra in June. The Dearborn plant usually builds 80 a day, but Ford said the shutdown would not affect its target of selling 12,000 of the cars for the model year. Ford will increase assembly line speed or keep the car in production longer than planned. The SVT coupe sells for $34,750 and the convertible $38,995, making it one of Ford's most profitable models.

[drpipes]

Must be the GTR rotary engine.

[OmahaZ06]

for those of you in the business, is it plausible that such an "engineering" problem crept up all of a sudden and impacted vehicles not shipped, but not the early models? this doesn't sound right.

[Silver Ghost]

Ford has had major problems with their last 3 Cobra models. In '99 it was the whole Horsepower issue which forced them to recall a large number of cars and fit them with new intakes and exhaust. In 2001 they had multiple cars that had pinging problems in the engine. Mine was one of those, and I lemon lawed it partly because of that. Now in 2003 they have engine problems again. I would say it's time to hire some new engineers or drop the car all together. They just can't seem to get it right lately.

[ZO6LS6]

Well, ALL manufacturer's have problems.....

Z's are problematic in several area's, over all they are decent build quality.

But, for me to believe that NONE of the affected models got past them...is a ludicrous statement.........

I call MAJOR

[CopTzr]

the 01 Ls6 had a ring problem right? This is a new motor setup for ford. To say to drop the line is nuts. They fixed the other problems they'll fix this one to.