What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

[jerzyjim]

I'm considering another bird. Are there any trouble items, besides COP, to look for in '03/'04's .
thanx,
Jim

[007Cruiser]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Welcome! The COP problem seems to be the main thing. Now that Ford has extended the warranty for this on the '03 you should have one less worry.

[texasbird]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

I think these affect all years of the retrobird:

Air Bag System Warning and Failure, usually deals with the Steering Wheel Clockspring or the Switches in each seat. As we found with our 2002, the fine print in our aftermarket warranty excludes the supplemental restraint system.

There are also complaints on the complexity of replacing tail lamp bulbs, due to design.

Don't let that stop you. They are still great cars.

James

[Black Bird]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

I have an 03 and other than the Cop issue and replacing a Thermostat that had stuck, nothing else. Your biggest problem will be what color to select. Lou

[Ray]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

I bought my '03 new. Since owning it, I had the transmission reflashed due to harsh shifts and surging when coming to a stop (TSB), replaced rear defroster because it kept coming on and draining the battery (TSB), squeaky steering wheel fixed (TSB), overheating problem (TSB), stereo replaced under warranty (wouldn't keep settings, CD jammed). All of these problems occurred at less than 7,000 miles, and didn't cost me a penny. I haven't had any COPS failures yet, but I had my computer updated by Ford to the most recent performance updates. The update cost me $90, and it really improved the performance.

[tgallopbs]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

I always put a tickle charge on the battery for the winter. This year I did the same and took it off about a month ago. Went to start it today and it was dead. I can't even pop the trunk to get to the battery. Anyone know how to open the trunk? Even the keyless entry doesn't work.

[Leroy]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Look behind the drivers seat for a place to insert your ingnition key. This will open your trunk.
Leroy

[tgallopbs]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Leroy:
Thank you very much for taking the time to let me know about the trunk.
I looked in the manual but didn't find anything about that.
Thanks again,
Tom

[SixPac]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Tom, I started to respond to you, but your avatar showed that your car was a 1948 edition. That threw me.

[5bird7]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Leroy:
Thank you very much for taking the time to let me know about the trunk.
I looked in the manual but didn't find anything about that.
Thanks again,
Tom

page 39, first printing of the 03 owners manual,
page 41, 2nd printing of the 03 owners manual.
In the Driver's Control section.

[My Raven]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Check Any Evening Black You Are Considering in Bright Sunlight ...

Look for Bubbles the Size of Pin Heads in the Paint. Some of the 03 EB's Had a Serious Paint Flaw Where the Primer Was Not Applied Correctly and Air Pockets Were Trapped Between the Sheet Metal and the Primer ... Over Time Due to Engine and Environmental Heat these Air Bubbles Have Formed Pin Head Size Spots in the Paint. It Was One of the Reasons I Traded my Original 03 Raven Last Summer for Scarlett.

Good Luck!

[15AGAIN]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

03's had the Error code transmission problem

[mls7941]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Hello, we have just purchased our first T-Bird and I've been reading your posts. I was hoping you could tell us what COP stands for? Thanks.

[Borla Babe]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Hello, we have just purchased our first T-Bird and I've been reading your posts. I was hoping you could tell us what COP stands for? Thanks.

Coil over plug, a big problem for only some 02 thru 05 owners. Watch for the car missing, you can research this by sticking COP int the search menu above.
An expensive fix, but no worries for you as an 05 owner. Your car would be covered under the extended warranty Ford is giving to the 03-05 owners.

[MerlotBlue]

Re: What to look for (trouble ) in used '03 Birds?

Hello, we have just purchased our first T-Bird and I've been reading your posts. I was hoping you could tell us what COP stands for? Thanks.

COP.......... a very common design these days that for what-ever reason seems kinda unreliable on these cars.

Beats me why.......lot's of people have chimed in with what it is they think takes 'em out so often but other than the really obvious stuff like water or oil saturation ......more often than not it's an unknown as to why.

the one thing that seems certain though, if you don't want to take a BEATING on the repair, most every owner needs to get both a code checker and familiarize themselves with the remove and replacement of these parts.

Prices I've researched suggest approximately $50-$90 each is what you should expect to shell out.

Then again if you own an '03-'05 you've got a few years before this is truly your problem.


For what-ever reason Ford has been REALLY short-sighted on this one.

As a second-hand owner of an '04 and an '02 I'm grateful for the extra coverage on the '04 and I suppose since I didn't pay up for a new T-Bird I won't get all pissy about the lack of coverage on our now 7 year old '02. (easy to say since neither car has had the problem......yet)
BUT.....I do feel for those '02 owners who bought new. Many paying premium prices above MSRP.........Ford should have done more for these people, even a non-transferable warranty if Ford wanted to limit the liability here.

How the company justifies SCREWING those first buyers, a group both willing, able and loyal enough to the brand to pay as much as $45-$50,000 in some cases............well.........to me that's just INSANE and leaves me with an easier understanding of why so many former American car owners are now Foreign car owners.