1999 COBRA MUSTANG FEEDBACK

from the article: 1999 Cobra Mustang Problems Exposed.

also read: An appeal to Ford enthusiasts.

postings listed from newest to oldest. Updated 02 August 99

RE: 1999 Cobra Problems

When I found out Ford was going to change the body style for 99 and saw the photos of what it was going to look like. I called every Ford dealer in North Texas till I found a 98 Cobra in the color I wanted and bought it on the spot. I'm damn sure glad I did. Everyone has an opinion and mine is that the new Mustangs are butt ugly and the SN95 body style was one of the best looking designs in the history of the Mustang line. Good luck 99 owners.

Gentlemen, I read with interest all the quality and design flaw issues related to the 99 Cobras, although few of them relate to the staggering amount of warranty work Ford has performed on my 98 convertible (red/saddle/saddle). As the proverbial travelling salesman, I put 45,000 to 55,000 miles per year covering the South, and in a fit of middle aged crisis switched from using Crown Vics to the Cobra (I grew up with HP Fords). The Cobra now has 46,000 highway miles and has been in the shop more than the Pontiac Diesel I had years ago. I still like the Cobra, and hope finally I have "broken it in". Warranty work done to date:

1. At 8000 miles, pinion bearing noise investigation found differential near to siezing with fluid burnt worse than a ruined auto transmission. Apparent cause was casting sand left in the pumpkin.

2. From day 1, electrical "phantoms" including burnt out switches, dead battery (I was forced to carry a portable battery pack) finally lead to at about 30,000 miles total electrical failure (had to push it down a hill and throw it into gear to get it started. I immediately took it to Ford and after 10 hours, two new starters, and a new battery discovered that the engine ground had been improperly assembled causing intermittant ground failure on the aluminum block.

3. After the new differential was installed, a progressively louder squeaking began coming from the rear end/brake/axle assemblies. In a series of trips to Ford, rear brake rotors, pads, wheel bearings, axle bearings, and finally brake caliper assemblies were replaced (squeak seems to be gone but I am still holding my breath). The local Ford dealer did an outstanding job in trying to rectify all the issues.

I really think the concept of the separate SVT assembly line is excellent for low volume cars, but SVT has poorly trained their subcontractors and assembly personnel, other than the 98 engine team (I love the engine). Whomever is handling the Deming program at Ford needs to spend some time there, as Ford can build great cars (my 95 Crown Vic has 140,000 with no problems). Perhaps the SVT line ought to be moved to the Crown assembly line in Canada with their outstanding reputation for fine vehicle assembly.

I myself own a 99 Mustang Cobra and since i bought the car, a month ago i had to goto the dealer every week to fix many different problems.

1) my weather strip was out of place.

2)my rear suspension was making noise plus it hops.

3) when i go over 70 mph the car starts to vibrate.

4) on my 5th gear it has problems. when i let go of the gas and step on it again it make a big gunk noise that seems like the gears are slipping.

5)also my body kits out of place.

i had so many problems with the car even before i got my license plate. i hope u guys keep me up dated through my e mail , also ill keep on checking this site.

I ordered a 1999 Ford Mustang Cobra about March and received it in June. It is now only August and I am Having some trouble with my brakes. They tend to heat up and fade into hard braking. If at all possible I would like your input as to which course of action I should take. I have heard several different opinions as to how I should handle this but before acting I thought maybe this would be the most effective way to get the results I desire.

Also I have read an article that claims that it is not putting out the horsepower that is claimed. I have a performed a time dyno test and I thought if I were to give you the timed results that you could tell me whether my car is running at it's potential. My best time in a 1000 ft. stretch is 11.8 at 89mph with stock tires with tires spin on first, second, and third.

FORD...PLEASE LISTEN!!!!!!!

I purchased my 1999 Rio Red Cobra on 4/15/99. Having driven Fords my whole life, I consider myself a loyal Ford enthusiast (at least until now). My car has the vibration problem, horsepower problem, CD player crapped out, horn broke, driver's door realigned & AC problem. I do not expect perfection in a car, but but I do expect some quality to be evident in a new car. My car has been in the shop twice (will go in for the third time this Monday, 8/9/99) and leaves me feeling like a sucker.

I find it extremely embarrassing when I talk to my Japanese car driving friends. I continuously have defended American cars in general, and Ford in particular. With all the problems I've had, I just bow my head in shame. Also, my friend with a stock 99 Camaro Z28 toasted me at the strip the other day.

Ford, whether or not I enjoy my car and ever buy another Ford product again will depend solely on how you handle this situation. If you try and take the "save a buck" route, you can bet I'll NEVER but a Ford again.

I couldn't wait to get my Cobra. I ordered it before there was even pricing. I wanted one of the first. Now that I hear of all the problems( by the way I had a dyno done at 900 miles,256.5 which i sent a copy to SVT) I would like Ford to take it back and replace it with a 2000 if they can make a 2000 with no problems. I got my Cobra in April, it has 2100 miles on it, it is kept in my garage as a 2nd car. I love it and it looks better then when I picked it up but I didn't spend 30+K for a bunch of problems. Put me on the list for a 2000 and you can have this one back.

What a great site! I was set to buy a new Cobra, and actually had one on order from an internet purchasing service, until I started to read all the various postings. Finally, about two weeks ago, I said "enough is enough" and cancelled the order. I've purchased a 1998 Cobra instead. I will not pony up $31,000 for a new Cobra ragtop that vibrates and doesn't make the advertised power. You can tell Ford for me that there is NO WAY many customers like me will buy a 1999 or later Cobra until all the problems are solved, and proven after a year of owner driving. Ford lost a cash-paying customer for a new car, because they are simply selling a defective product. And, I would have even gone for a Camaro if they weren't so darn ugly....................again, my decision was made mostly by reviewing the various Mustang and Ford web sites, and yours is clearly the first with the information. Thanks.

I just wanted to thank you guys for keeping me updated on the current situation regarding the 99 Cobras. I purchased my Cobra 2 months ago. I was very curious as to why my 98 GTP felt significantly stronger from 0 - 60(it is rated at 240 horsepower) . Over the past few weeks as the information regarding the underpowered Cobras came to my attention, first through various magazines (especially Car and Driver), and now through your web site as well as others, I have felt a full range of emotions. Of coarse I was very angry, then afraid I was stuck with a de-valued "specialty car" (of coarse my lawyer would have something to say about that), but with the latest news (8/8/99) I am actually starting to feel a little better. By stopping the sale of Cobras Ford seems to be "owning up" to the problem. Who knows maybe the fix they propose will make the car stronger then they originally advertised. If Ford plays its cards right, I and I'm sure many others, may actually be bragging about how great they handled the situation.

I know at the corporate level the decision makers at Ford don't think much about an SS or Z28 Camaro beating their limited production, limited profit Cobra but they should think about this ; I bought the Cobra, I am a "car guy", I am the one family and friends consult when it comes time to buy a new or used automobile. I'm sure the other purchasers of the SVT product line are much like myself. We are all aware of the problem. That's thousands and thousands of us, multiplied by the number of those who seek us out when it comes time to buy that "econo" car or minivan. I think it becomes clear that Ford would be doing the right thing for its shareholders, employees and Cobra customers if it indeed does the right thing.

I have a 99 convertible, delivered May 6,1999. The front end felt less securely attached to the ground than I expected.... Come to find out the Front End Alignment Technician at my selling dealer found that the front suspension was "very loose and needed a complete retorque to be correct.(Loose from Factory repair performed at 500 miles)

They performed this repair, which transformed the car to very planted and confidence inspiring.

As to the power problem, I also have a 1998 Cobra Coupe that just spanks my 1999, seems so wrong... We have run at the local dragstrip and the 1998 gets 102.6 mph and 13.88 or so on radials, and in Florida we have that humidity thing to deal with. My 1999 ran 14.4 @ 99.2 with traction control on and 14.65 w/o traction control. I have been driving drag cars for 30 years, so this isn't a new thing for me. This car is definitely lacking power above 5000 rpm compared to the 1998, but worse, it has less torque at any speed, this has really been a big disappointment to me.

Other Problems:

1) Vibration at 65-75mph- Had all 4 wheels balanced at my expense twice...Specialty shop noted on first visit factory balance job sucked...

2) Thump in the rear over driveway entrance or other small bumps (Dealer says duh! we don't hear it) Due for third visit for this.

3) All four windows had to be adjusted to water and wind problems

Send your experience with service, my dealer claims any modification will void the warranty, especially chips or blowers, they admitted they won't look the car over for the real cause of a problem if its modified, (even if I buy SVT parts through them and have them install them). Basically that sucks.

Let's give Ford a chance to repair these cars, I called SVT and they said as soon as they knew something we would hear it, and repairs would be forthcoming

I expected the build quality to be high, but sadly my 1999 Ranger Supercab is screwed together better and for $11,000 less out the door.

I just called SVT about the performance problems with the 99 cobra. The gentleman on the phone acknowledged your recent posting about the stopping the sale of the 99' Cobra. What about me? I got my Cobra in the end of March. If I knew about all these problems I would not of bought it!! I also asked him about the new solutions and if they would work and if they don't what is Ford going to do? He replied with they will work because they have been testing the solutions for 3 months! They had to know about these problems for over three months to start testing three months ago. I am so disappointed with Ford and would never buy another Ford product again!!!! Besides the engine problems, I have had a problem with the left rear end making a clicking sound in the suspension since 750 miles which they finally fixed by taking the whole suspension apart and redoing everything to specs! This has seemed to fix the problem but if it happens ago it will be 4 times and a Lemon Law suit.

I also had my parking brake release on me at a gas station. Almost a huge disaster. A concerned owner of a 99' Cobra

I too have experienced the shotcommings of the 1999 Mustang Cobra Coupe. I took delivery the first week of April, and currently have 3800 miles. This is what I have discovered to date:

The VIBRATION is an engine imbalance, not in the drive train. With my car parked, paking brake on, transmission in neutral, and the engine turning 2000 RPM, the car shakes violently! The hood will barely stay attached to the hood prop. This is either the vibration dampener, an engine imbalance, or a combination of both. The rubber elastomer on my dampener, and several others I have seen, is beginning to bulge out from the two halves of the dampener. This has nothing to do with the driveshaft. As a matter of fact, at 2000 RPM, in 5th gear, when ypu can really FEEL the vibration, one has only to put the transmission in neutral cand cost. The vibration goes away!

Complete and total lack of low-end torque. This engine is dead below 3500 RPM. The tunmble port heads do not work without more compression. Thse engines should have somwhere near 10.8 to 1 compression. Especially with the level of sophistcated engine managemant they have. Or, bring back the Individual Runner intake manifold that worked so well before. More gearing would also help the low torque output, but probably hurt the CAFE rating.

The IRS is great, the brakes are great, the handling is great, the steering is great. The car is too high, needs to be lower. Look at a new Ram Air Camero or Firebird, and ther is barely an inch between the top of the tire and the fender lip. This looks great, The Cobra looks like an off-road or rally car. Get it down just an inch and it looks much better.

What is FORD thinking with the rear bumper/valance cover. They can iron 2 little cobra patches on the seatbelts, but can't or won't give the Cobra it's own exclusive rear bumper cover. The horn pad on the steering wheel is Cobra, but no valance. Just doesn't make any sense.

Best E.T. so far is a 14.12 @ 104 Mph. Yeah, I know that it is pulling good on the big end, but the launch is touchy. My best 60 ft. time is in the 2.2 range. On the street, if I am not careful with the launch, Big Doug's 99 GT Auto will kill my Cobra.

I hope FORD and SVT is serious about upping the performance. Based on what I have experienced so far, I probably should have spent another $6000.00 and got a Porsche Boxster. Exclusive, great handling, classy looks, wonderful interior, and almost the same performance!!

I appreciate your page and providing a place for us Cobra owners to comminucate. I'll keep you posted.

I now had my Cobra Dynoed, I am the one who had my dynoed at 244 HP> Replaced the mass air meter, and K+N filter and got 267 HP>. I had told you before that I had a 2 1/2 inch exhaust with X pipe and Mor-flow cats. It now dynoed at 276 HP. And thats it . Nine HP for the exhaust. Don't expect much from the new mufflers from Ford. I have seen others having 264 and 256 HP> ON this site. I have trouble believing those numbers. I have seen other dyno's having my same HP levels at that same HP> But if you got the numbers you don't have any problems with your motors.

MY NAME IS JOE AND I AM A CURRENT OWNER OF A 98 GT COUPE. I LOVE MY CAR EXCEPT FOR THE LACK OF POWER IT GENERATES. LAST WEEKEND I WENT TO MY FORD DEALER AND LOOKED AT A 99 COBRA CONVERTIBLE.

SINCE COBRAS HAD BECOME AVAILABLE IN 93, I WANTED ONE. I PUT DOWN CASH AND MADE A DEAL ON MY TRADE IN. MY COBRA IS ON ORDER RIGHT NOW.

HOWEVER, I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING DROPPING THIS AND BUYING A CORVETTE OR TRANS AM. HOW CAN YOU SELL A CAR FOR $32 K PLUS AND ADVERTISE 320 HP AND NOT DELIVER IT?

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT REALLY TARNISHED THE CAR IN MY EYES AND OTHERS MUSTANG OWNERS.

I UNDERTSAND THAT YOU MAY HAVE A FIX IN THE WORKS, BUT YOU SHOULD OFFER AN INCENTIVE SUCH AS LOW FINANCING OR SOMETHING ELSE TO SMOOTH THIS PROBLEM OVER.

This is in response to you recent articles on the 1999 Cobra.

I recently bought a 99 Cobra Convertible and I have been very disappointed with the quality of the car. I would like to first say this car does not get drivin rough ( I have not even smoked the tires) and is parked in the garage.

The car is currently in the shop having all of the thin spots and the waves in the sheet metal around the top fixed (according to SVT there is a known paint quality issue) and repainted. Last week it was in the shop getting the start replaced (died at the movies and had to be towed). A couple of weeks earlier it was in the shop having the loose door handle fixed and before that it was in the shop getting the gas tank vent house repaired. The car just started making a clunk noise when you engage the clutch. I am still waiting for the new seat cover to come in because the drivers seat came with a small tear on the side of it. And now there are the issues with the horse power? Have you heard of anyone else who has had this many problems with a three month old car? What happened to "Quality First"? I can see why SVT has a Hertz car rental link on their page. Go to the

SVT web page http://www2.ford.com/svt/contact/default.asp and call their information number and listen to their recording and you will find they can't even get their business hours straight. If know someone high up at ford please feel free to forward thisemail to them and please ask them what's going on.

I just finished reading an article from the website Stangnet about the possibility of Ford pulling the chain on the 4.6L DOHC engine in the Cobra. Granted there was no documentation on where the claims were coming from, but the issue is still of interest to me. I will have to admit that the only thing that is keeping me from spending my hard earned dollars on a 99 Cobra is that it just does not perform. The car needs more power. When I say more power, the kind of power that only more cubic inches can deliver. Us loyal Ford guys are getting beat constantly by the GM folks on the street. We need the 5.4 DOHC engine. It does not have to be as potent at the supposed 2000 Cobra R that is coming out (and only 300 being made). But the 5.4 won't run out of "poop" when it gets high on the speedometer like the 4.6 does. I would be at the dealer tomorrow morning if I knew that there was a 5.4 DOHC being put in the Cobra for us normal folks to buy. I have thought about buying a Cobra and then swapping the 5.4 in, but that is way to risky for my checkbook and my time. We need a factory item. Nobody likes to lose, and right now us Ford loyalists are to the GM F-body's. And I will not be caught dead in a GM car, I do not care how fast it may be. I do not know where exactly this message is being sent, but if it is going to Ford, please take this to heart and see the idea and make it happen, it would make many of us buyers extremely happy.

I'm a mechanical engineering major at Kettering University in MI (formerly General Motors Institute of Technology), specializing in Automotive design, and also a student member or the Society of Automotive Engineers. I'm in my last semester and have studied engine, transmission, and chassis design, as well as vehicle performance. I'm not all books though, I've built my own Mustang and Fairlane, and am currently designing (or redesigning a 69 Fastback). I've worked in industry as a co-op engineer for 6 months out of every year since I was a freshman 4 years ago. I've seen the testing, the manufacturing implementation, as well as delays in Job 1 (which is the start date of production for a certain model or model year). Mustangs are in my blood, so believe me, I'm just as concerned as everyone else about the quality and future of the Mustang. My brother-in-law has a 98 Camaro SS and he loves to rub it in!!

BUT......Like others have tried to explain, the horsepower numbers you're seeing at the rear wheel on the chassis dyno's aren't the same numbers as Ford is rating the ENGINE itself at. You have to account for losses in the drivetrain, i.e. 18-20% for a manual transmission and about 25% for an automatic. This equates to about 260 hp at the rear wheel!!! The guys who are complaining about their rear wheel hp of 255-265 aren't looking at the same thing as the factory rating. You need to look at some automotive or hot rod books and see for yourself that this is true. Don't point fingers and get angry at Ford for cheating you out of horsepower because not all of the cars are experiencing the 220 rear wheel horsepower that doesn't meet the factory rating. My brother-in-law's SS only came out to 287 rear wheel hp stock. Not even close to the factory 345 FLYWHEEL hp the ENGINE is rated at. It's a new design, and yes I agree that testing should lead to a consistent production of quality cars, but have faith that Ford will get the cars fixed. Ford doesn't like this situation anymore than YOU do!! The engineers at Ford work everyday to make the cars they produce better, it's called continuous improvement. This problem will be no exception, it just takes time. When was the last project you worked on, perfect the first try? I'm not making excuses for Ford or am I employed by Ford, but I know many people who are, this will get fixed.

Just remember,

320 hp @ flywheel x .82 = 260 hp @ rear wheel (manual)

320 hp @ flywheel x .75 = 240 hp @ rear wheel (automatic)

I think some of your letter-writers on the '99 Cobra issue have no idea on how to interpret chassis dyno numbers. They put their 320 hp Cobra on a chassis dyno, get out 256 hp, and think that there is something wrong since they didn't get 320 hp. There isn't anything wrong! The 320hp rating is at the flywheel and doesn't take into account loss through the drivetrain, which is usually about 20% on a rear-drive, manual transmission car. A 20% loss on a 320hp engine _IS_ 256hp! If they are seeing 320 hp on a chassis dyno, then their Cobra has a 384hp engine!

I hope this will put to rest some of the fears that this issue has started. Yes, some engines have problems. But make sure you REALLY have one (like your dyno pull shows 220hp, for instance) before pointing fingers, or even worse, buying a Firechicken.

After all of the bad news we have been hearing about the new Cobra Mustangs here is another shot in the arm. On national tv a 1999 Cobra Mustang Pace car leaks fuel all over the race track.I think it even caused crash on a re-start.Ford better get their act together or I hate to say but I might turn to the Dark Side!

Ford has the opportunity to finally beat it's GM counterparts, and whether or not they do is anyone's guess. Anyone who is a true muscle car fanatic wants cubic inches and not lots of fancy technology. Several engines were mentioned as replacements, and only one is a logical choice. A 3.9L engine, regardless of horsepower will not make Cobra owners happy.....too small. A new 4.6L might keep the Cobra from going completely dead. A 5.4L V-8 with some serious horsepower, like around 330(and not more phantom hp) would ensure that there would be a line at every SVT dealership. People are not going to pay extra money for a cobra, when a GT can do just as well or better for less money.

You guys are great---first to report this so accurately and then to allow Ford to respond correctly without beating them when they are down. I still like my car but it is down on power----clearly so----and as long as Ford responds correctly this can be an opportunity for them to not only retain their customers but to also gain new ones! Do a good job Ford as a lot of people are watching-----!!!!

Bet this one tops the list. I bought a new Cobra convertible Memorial weekend. 280 miles later (I drove it very carefully) the engine completely seized up. With minor hassle ford replaced the car. Now the second car with 2000 miles has been in the shop for a total of 18 days. Two serpentine belts replaced, dealer now has replaced the belt tensioner....to early to determine if problem is corrected. The IRS bushings had to be reworked & lubricated due to loud squeaking noise. Vibration problems from 45mph up. Dealer rebalanced tires, reworked the drive shaft and the vibration only got worse. Dealer has car presently and claimed they received a TSB indicating some type of torsion device needs to be installed to eliminate vibration. Will this eliminate the vibration? Any other advice would be welcome. Is it time to invoke Ohio lemon laws??

This is not a good time for SVT. I have a 7k 98 Cobra that has had the following replaced: bad injector, bad starter, bad rear end, bad clutch and throwout bearing. The paint is cracking on the hood, and the tranny whines like a baby. I came very close to selling this monster to buy a 99 Cobra and now I am almost thankful that the sale of my car fell through. For the money spent on Cobras, better care needs to be made in their construction and testing. Maybe SVT should offer additional QC checks on the car at the factory or give extended warranties on all SVT products. This engine crisis not only affects 99 owners but it could impact the prestige and value of all prior SVT vehicles too.

My cobra is also running bad. I have a convertible Cobra and it runs 14.20's as a best quarter mile time and a worse of 14.60. This is my sixth mustang in four years and i think this one is as slow as my 96 AUTOMATIC convertible. I ran 14.40's with that one. I think Ford should fix this problem fast or purchasing this vehicle back from me. The advertisement that concluded my decision to purchasing this vehicle was the published brochure of a 1/4 mile time of 13.80. I know that is for a hard top but this car should not run over a 14.00 time..... Please advise. And then Ford should at least offer 3:73 gears for this cow to make it run like a horse, or change the emblem on the front to a cow and not a horse.... I can be reached at (504) 254-4921 for any comments or by mail:

I understand your wanting amicable relations with Ford, but please don't drop coverage simply because Ford says a letter is going out. I can tell you that each of the major problems, power, vibration, clunk, and wheelhop are complicated items. Personally, I believe almost all 1999 Cobra'shave them, but unless owners get intimate with their vehicles, they won't know enough to ask for a fix.

Power - Possibly a flawed intake manifold, reduced compression, and restrictive exhaust are involved. Will the fix involve more than one area? Vibration - SVT told me the source is the differential. Is the wheel balancing, driveshaft alignment, and vibration dampener to mask the real problem? Clunk - Some owners have had extensive parts replacement, including the aforementioned differential, and others have experienced nothing. Wheelhop - If not originating in the differential, the condition is affected by it and its bushings. Are the vibration, clunk, and wheelhop related?

I researched this purchase thoroughly, and relied on representations from Ford such as 320 HP, 5.4 seconds 0 - 60 mph, and .90g. I don't trust them to help uninformed owners, and you probably don't either. Can we see the information that will inform us?

As a owner of a black coupe, my story sounds all to much like everyone else's. The car is nice and I like it but does seem down on power. Another post told the story of selling their clean 91 GT. I sold mine for about the same price he did, $7150. I "stepped up" and bought a $30,000 dollar car thinking it would at least run with a new Z28. My 91 would probably give this new Cobra a run for the money and I could have used the money for a down payment on a house. What scares me even more is that you might not be able to give these cars away if Ford does not fix the problem. I feel lucky in that I am not experiencing a vibration.

I have not contacted my dealer about the problem. The car has less than 1500 miles on it. After being run hard and sitting, the car starts with the blue smoke. Is that a problem with all Cobras?

Dyno or no dyno, the car does not feel like 320 horse power. I guess I will wait and see what the letter says that comes out in September. "After" buying this car, then you hear about the problems. I feel like the car should have had the 5.4 motor to begin with.

I have owned Ford cars all my life and hope that the one I expected to be the best won't turn out to be the one no one wants to buy later. I hate to admit it but you start to think about all the other vehicles you can buy for $28,000, you have to ask yourself, did I make the right choice considering this power problem?

Thanks for the great job B O N.

I am the owner of a 1999 Mustang Cobra Convertible, and I have a couple of comments about the supposed "fix" for our horsepower problems. While I don't know everything about the composition of my engine(intake manifold, compression ratio, etc.), I do know that it was assembled by hand by two trained SVT technicians. Now, supposing Ford and SVT work out a fix. For example, a redesigned intake manifold...I will not stand for good 'ole Billy Bob at the local Ford dealership to take apart my high-dollar, high-technology engine. My cam cover is imprinted with the signature of those two technicians who built my engine, and if I have anything to say about it(and I would hope that someone else agrees with me), I think that the RE-building of my engine should be done by those same two men.

I feel sorry for all of you 99 Cobra owners. I own a 1997 Cobra that has had absolutely no problems at all (over 17,000 miles; about 30 runs at the local dragstrip; and quite a few street battles with F-Bodys, Corvettes, BMW M3's etc...). Mine runs a best of 13.55 at 103 MPH (power-shifted) on street radials and K&N filter. The transmission shifts as good as the day I got the car. The car doesn't squeak, rattle, or overheat. On the dyno it produces 262 HP at the rear wheels. Judging by the amount of parasitic HP loss from the flywheel to the rear wheels (roughly 15 -18% according to SVT) the HP rating of 305 at the flywheel sounds correct. So for all of you complaining that the 96 - 98's are down on power, It just isin't so. As for 99 Cobra owners, If your car can't run at least in the mid 13's - take it back. I raced a 99 and must of beat him by 8 car lengths. He turned down the nearest side street never to be seen again.

END 18 AUGUST LETTERS

RE: '99 Ford Mustang Cobra Power Problem

It seems that Ford Motor Company is assuming an official position on this matter :

Dear Mr. Gressens,

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.

The circumstances outlined in your e-mail have been given careful consideration.

We appreciate your comment regarding the procedure of generating a safety recall for our products. We had documented your comment and it will be use as future reference.

Regarding the horsepower rating posted on our website, the rating is directed to the actual engine performance not the vehicle itself. The same engine is also used on one of the Lincoln vehicle. However, at the present time, we do have concern about Ford Mustang Cobra canreach 320 HP and our engineering group is looking into this concern already. Once a repair procedure is available, they will be contacting our customers.

Owner satisfaction is Ford Motor Company's most important objective, and we commit significant resources in a sincere attempt to resolve the concerns of our owners. Please feel free to contact us again with any other questions you may have.

Sincerely, Ford Motor Company Customer Assistance Center

I have a 99 Cobra convrt and called SVT today about the engine horsepower issue. SVT stated that :1)Any fixes will be applied to all 99 Cobra's. 2)That each owner would be getting a letter in September telling them the nature of the problem and to come into their dealer 3)That the fix would only take several hours 4)That they were testing several fixes right now 5)That they thought only a small number of car's were effected 6)That there would be no need to replace the engine.

While they were not specific it sounds like a manifold manufacturing problem.

Ford SVT assured me that they will do the right thing on this.

Royal Palm Beach, Florida:

My 99 Black coupe first dyno'd at 244 at the rear wheel. After a Big Mouth Mass Air Meter and a K&N filter, it dyno'd at 267 at the rear wheel. A complete 2 1/2 custom exhaust, x-pipe, moreflow cats, and flowmasters (2 1/2 to the tail pipes); I have not dyno'd it yet with the new exhaust.

Before I raced, I put Nitto drag radials on the car (HIGHLY recommended because street radials lose traction on a 1st to 2nd shift, almost spun the car around). I have noticed post's that refer to the launch technique that would get less wheel hop between 1500 - 3000rpm and I have noticed just the opposite! You have to launch between 3000 -4000rpm, yet get less hop AND you can power shift with the drag radials. I ran the best at 13.82 with a 2.13 shortime at 100.08mph. YOU HAVE TO COME OUT HARD to get any mph. Plus, I've noticed much less hop. Let me remind you this is in South Florida where our humidity is extremely high therefore, the air is very poor.

Hope this helps some of my fellow 99 Cobra (FRUSTRATED) owners.

I paid top dollar for a product that Ford advertised as having 320 hp. Anything less would amount to false advertisement, especially if Ford was aware of this problem and continued to sell defective vehicles. Unfortunately the magazine article appeared after I recently purchased my Cobra. I would not purchase this vehicle had I been aware of these problems. I may have waited to see how Ford reacted to this unfortunate situation. It appears they are not being candid with their new customers. I have many questions that have not been answered.....

This could be a major embarassment for Ford. Maybe enough to convince GM to keep producing Camero/Firebird for a while longer.

I'm a long time Ford owner, with a 99 Cobra. Let me start by saying I enjoy the car, but it certainly doesn't produce big horsepower. I don't have the vibrations or other problems other than the occasional clunk or turns from the rear end. On the other hand, the Fords of recent (94 on) vintage seem to have problems with recalls, and quality. I had a 94 TBird that was in the shop 15 times in 36 months - once with a bad transmission at only 24,000 miles. I have a newer Explorer that had the transmission replaced at 38,000 miles. My point here is that the Cobra is supposed to be the flagship model for Ford since they've dropped out of the performance markets (SHO is leaving too). I think they need to respond with updates to owners of the Cobras with the fix they have in mind and when.

My sights are set on the BMW M3 if Ford drops the ball on this one!

I have dyno'd my Cobra and it came up 264.1 rear wheel. According to FORD this is "normal", 262 - 270 is the acceptable range. I would NOT expect a 55 HP loss due to the drive train, would you?? IRS or not.

FORD have looked at my car (4 days or looking) and ordered a new drive shaft and complete rear end sub frame!!! My '99 Cobra is two months old, Job 1 my _ss!!

I have seen any recent posts about the Cobra low HP issue nor the drive shaft issues? Talking to SVT group via hot line number has not resolved any issues.

I think some of your letter-writers on the '99 Cobra issue have no idea on how to interpret chassis dyno numbers. They put their 320 hp Cobra on a chassis dyno, get out 256 hp, and think that there is something wrong since they didn't get 320 hp. There isn't anything wrong! The 320hp rating is at the flywheel and doesn't take into account loss through the drivetrain, which is usually about 20% on a rear-drive, manual transmission car. A 20% loss on a 320hp engine _IS_ 256hp! If they are seeing 320 hp on a chassis dyno, then their Cobra has a 384hp engine!

I hope this will put to rest some of the fears that this issue has started. Yes, some engines have problems. But make sure you REALLY have one (like your dyno pull shows 220hp, for instance) before pointing fingers, or even worse, buying a Firechicken.

I purchased my '99 Cobra back in April and really have not driven the car much (only 150 miles so far, it's a garage queen), but the problem I have noticed is the vibration. I haven't put the car on the dyno, so I am not sure what the power output is. However, since so many Cobra owner's have been complaining about the lack of power, I decided to call SVT myself for some first hand information.

VIBRATION: Since not all the cars have this problem, not all the dealers are aware of the problem. I purchased my Cobra from Rod Baker Ford in Plainfield, IL and they have not any complaints about the Cobra at all. The procedure to resolve this problem is outlined in Oasis message #12971 (Ford e-mail or general communication system ?). I figured it would be better to reference this Ford document than a printout from a Website (no offense).

LACK OF POWER: Ford Engineers are supposedly finishing up their analysis of the power problem. Before a TSB is issued, Ford wants to confirm the solution and work with the appropriate vendors to make sure their are enough replacement parts for all 8,000 '99 Cobras. SVT stated that all '99 Cobras will have the opportunity to have the problem corrected regardless of whether they have had their car dyno'd or not, or have complained to Ford.

When talking to the SVT person about this issue it seems that Ford is completely aware of the magnitude of this problem and are going about solving the problem in the proper way. I would rather wait and have the problem corrected right the first time then have a bandaid fix.

Overall, I feel the '99 Cobra is the best looking Mustang yet and I have NO regrets in my purchase.

Thank you for providing the most in-depth coverage on the new Cobra's problems. Please clarify the vibration issue for me. I believe this is related to a specific engine rpm range, like "Bill" in his posting to your site during the week of June 21. This posting has the best description I have seen of what my car exhibits, namely, that between 1800 & 2300 rpm, there is a periodic resonance, perhaps every second or so. This occurs in more than one gear at the same engine rpm, which tells me the problem is in front of the driveshaft. From the transmission on, at 1800 - 2300 engine rpm,the driveshaft would be spinning at a different rpm in each gear.

If this is the case, all the wheel and driveshaft balancing in the world won't help

Being a true "Blue" Ford fan and owner of mutilple Mustangs, I have to say "Whew" on this issue that Ford faces regarding the 1999 SVT Cobra. "Whew" from my point of view. Prior to my present car, I owned a new 1997 Cobra. The car was an exceptional piece to look at and drive. However I did encounter problems with that car that do not seem to be as well documented as this new Cobra's faults. My old Cobra car felt very sluggish under 2000RPM and over 5000RPM. It ran ruff, started with a blue puff of smoke everytime and would not start on occasion (winter months). I solved the problem of not starting in the winter months by adding octane boost to my tanks. The brakes that received such high praise in all the magazines were the worst feeling and responding brakes I have ever felt. It was scary. My 1969 Mach I had better brakes than that Cobra. I spent many a wasted trips to the dealership, who found absolutely nothing wrong with the brakes or the engine (I am positive it was an injector). Needless to say, the car was very comfortable to drive, very easy on the eyes and still got 27 mpg on the highway. However I was not completely satisfied with my dealer's support nor was I completely satisfied with my $28,000 car.

In response to my feelings, I was going to go all out and order a brand new 1999 Saleen S281 Cobra Mustang. After getting serious sticker shock and finding out that Saleen would not install their Roots style blower on the Cobra, I opted to just buy a 1999 Cobra. Needless to say, the problems that people are reporting "NOW", I experienced on the test drive ( very good friends with the dealer ). I swore that my Cobra I was trading in had more power and felt better on the road than the Cobra I was considering for purchase. I am fortunate that they had a new 1999 Saleen S281 with the supercharger on the floor ready to go. Even though it is built off of the GT platform, this car rocked and the test drive was all it took. $5500 more than a Cobra but it was well worth it, every penny. The brakes are standard GT but the feel is the best I have felt in a Mustang, ever. With the blower and Saleen mods, the car has massive amounts of torque. Definitely superior to the Cobra and definitely a viable solution to the need for speed.

Mustang owners have it bred into them that bigger is better. This is definitely not the case. If you look back in history, the fun cars to drive were the Boss 302, Boss 351, SVO, and now the 1999 GT. The Boss 429, 427 SOHC, 429 CJ and now the 4.6 DOHC have all been plagued with small design flaws. Cobra owners are also of the mentality that "It is a Cobra or nothing." Having owned a 1987 Cobra (Canadian, GT in the US), 1995 Cobra, and a 1997 Cobra, I would ask them to reconsider their thought process. I can't say enough about the new GT. I think Ford has done a wonderful job with the GT. I did test drive a 1999 GT and was very impressed, but the looks and feel of the Saleen were more along my tastes. In the Cobra's defense, the 1987 Cobra from Canada was an extemely great car that I dearly miss.

As I was saying, I am glad from the standpoint of myself that I did not purchase the 1999 Cobra. I can empathise with the new Cobra owners because it is a lot of money and you have to be happy with that purchase. The truth is Ford has to remedy the problem as I am sure nearly 50% of all purchases are repeat business. If they lose that market of die hards, they can kiss the Cobra good bye. From my standpoint now, I would not miss it. It is an overpriced, over-rated car. If you would have asked me the same question 4 months ago, I may have had a different answer as I considered the GT a far inferior car. Today it is not the case. Sometimes you have to grow up and lose your true love to actually see the situation for what was.

If Ford wants to recapture the top-horse position in the pony car wars, I would suggest concentrating on the torque figures and forget about the horsepower. Who real cares if the car has 400HP, if it doesn't have that kick in the pants, "fun" feeling that the late 80's and early 90's 5.0L had, nobody is happy. Numbers mean nothing if the car does not feel good to drive. It was what the placed the Mustang into the postion it is now. Concentrate on that and lowering the price. The 1999 Mustang is a huge step forward for Ford but an even bigger step backwords for SVT, which I am sure is counting it's days until Ford finally absorbs it. Ford needs to work on it's dealer service the most of all. Job 1 is look out for yourself first, isn't it Ford! Do us proud and live up to that claim.

I'm very disappointed by the turn of events. The dealer has given up and will no longer attempt repairs for the vibration problem. Can't blame them since they did everything SVT has indicated as "the fix" and it still vibrates. Haven't even touched the low HP problem (251 rwhp) or several other quality problems. The dealer urged me to go with the Dispute Settlement Board procedure, which I sent in today. I have asked that Ford buys back the car and replaces it with a new one that has been properly manufactured, even if that means waiting for a 2000 version. I have not given up all hope yet, it's up to Ford to see if they treat me right.

I had a 97 Cobra Convertible. I loved the torque, but always thought that I was down on power. The car lacked the rush to red line that I expected from a 32v engine, and the engine ran out of steam at 6k RPM. I always thought the problem was poor gearing (for gas mileage), but now I wonder. Anyway ... I test drove a 99 and was less than impressed with both the handling and the engine power felt very weak. I decided to buy a 99 M3 instead, it is only listed as 240 HP, but it felt every bit as strong as my Cobra (I had both cars for 1 month, until my lease ran out and I sold it). The other day while waiting at a traffic light I noticed a 99 Cobra pull up along side my and rev his engine. By 70 MPH I was a good car and a half in front (I slowed down as the speed limit was only 55). The only modification I have done to my M is having the ECU reprogrammed. I know the M is $15k more and I bought it for the combination of speed and handling, but I never expected it beat a 320 HP, V8 Cobra. Ford should be ashamed of itself for ever letting these cars out of the factory. With the limited amount of these being made and the big deal they make about a "hand built engine", they should have tested each one before it is installed in the car (I understand the exhaust ... plus it is a simple recall fix). It kills me to have to go to a foreign car to get this type of performance (I know I could have gone with a vette, but I have always been a Ford man and besides ... Friends don't friends drive GM's).

I have a 99 cobra and have all the problems and then some stated in BLUE OVAL NEWS. I will make this short and simple and all my info is 100% true I will stand by it and show results if needed. My car failed to make over 238 horsepower to the rear wheels and also failed to have the performance of a similarly equipped 1999 GT( cobra convertible-GT convertible). I had a 98 cobra and this made 263 horse at the rear wheels. I will provide you with any info needed I live in the detroit area and have many friends with 99 cobras with the same problems. If my problems cannot by fixed or some one at ford doesn't attempt to fix them I will be forced to purchace a brand x and will prolly not buy another ford vehicle in the near future. I am embarrassed to own such a mustang COBRA that is this SLOW!!!!!

This is for your Owners Survery:

As a Mustang lover since high school, I was over joyed when my wife finally said I could buy one for myself :) April 1999 that day came. I found just what I was looking for - an Electric Green Cobra coupe with Saddle leather and the optional spoiler. I traded in a 1994 Nissan Sentra XE - a much different car, but a car I was happy with. I handed over almost $30-thousand all told. Much more than the Maxima my wife was first sold on. One word - AWESOME - for 15 minutes though. The following weekend I was in front of the dealer looking for a ride home. My father and I were STRANDED when "the clutch shattered". Hmmm, just give Ford a 30-grand check and I'm thumbing (LITTERALLY!) for a ride? That's

Bull. Car was in the shop for 7-days waiting on a replacement. Two weeks after getting my car back I was defending my purchase to my inlaws (they think I am a big kid - I AM). Well, imagine my embarrasement when my car WOULD NOT START. What a joke I thought. My ford dealer told me that it was the starter. They replaced it, the new one they said did not work. They special ordered a new one. This one worked. Car was out for 3-days waiting on a replacement. At this point I was longing for my Nissan - 5 years of trouble free transportation (yes, I could live without the performance for some reliability!). We are getting close to Lemon Law status! Now, imagine my suprise when 4-days after getting my car back - IT WOULDN'T START again. Now I'm thinking what a joke Ford Service is. Well,called up, had the car towed. Dealer blamed the starter again. Okay. Car is out 2 days. Well, what do you know? It happens again. This time my father and I decide to take it into our own hands and I diagnose the problem (RED ground-wire going from engine-block to frame). I show the dealer and I get a big "Oh". Having friends with performance cars (98 z-28, 88 LX 5.0 & 92 GT) I am quite disappointed with the performance of my car in stock form. Either the other 3 cars are severely underratted or my car does not provide the performance I paid for. I think it is the latter - confirmed by a recent magazine article I'm sure wasn't SVT's favorite. Keep in mind, all the above is IN ADDITION to wheel hop under hard accelleration or when your wheels break loose in the rain (not under hard accelleration). This is not news to you, please don't leave us in the dark here. Just assure us this will be fixed and I am sure there will be a lot of happy 99 cobra owners! I know this year is the "first" for the IRS, a new engine and a body-remake - but please - don't shaft me because I liked your promises. I know things don't always work perfectly the first time (read: upon sale of the automobile), but as I'm sure anyone wth a job to do can attest - if it's not right you better make DAMN SURE it is the 2nd. At my age (25) I have quite a few automobiles left in meand at my current rate of a new car every 2 years I would say I have about 25 more automobile purchases in me - do you want them to be FoMoCo products? 1999 Cobra Owner

SVT: I can be reached at mave@tampabay.rr.com if you wouldn't mind to drop me a line and at least let me know something will be done to fix the low HP and wheel hop issue.

END 02 AUGUST LETTERS

RE: 99 Cobra Convertible

I took delivery here in San Diego in early May. I did not test drive it because I was told I couldn't because then there would be miles on it and it wouldn't sell. I read all the articles and was drooling at the thought of my Black 320HP IRS convertible with tan top!!! I now have about 1500 miles on it and here are my observations:

1. It definitely doesn't have 320HP. It sounds like an old Buick gushing air out the exhaust

2. My car doesn't vibrate noticeably on the freeway but it does run rough, kinda like a 2 stroke motor not running well. The dealer said to drive it more, it would " get to know how I drive". Well, it's still rough. I installed a K&N airfilter and it made no difference. The problem is worse after it warms up and goes into closed loop operation. I own a 24 valve 1993 Probe GT and the engine runs EXTREMELY smooth. I hoped the V8 would do likewise.

3. The convertible chassis has more cowl shake than my wife's 1995 GT convertible!!! The Cobra even has sub-frame connectors. I was hoping for a stiffer chassis.

4. When I'm under power and disengage the clutch, I get an unusual hollow vibration sound. Like its coming from the cable or near the bell housing. Ford again said to drive it!!

5. My emergency brake lever sometimes disengages and flys out of it's track. I have to release it and try again. A new lever just came in.

6. I ordered my car with no spoiler( it doesn't need one to look great) but it came with it . I made them take it off and they installed a new trunk lid. It came in painted but it was stressed in the delivery box and needs repainting.

If this car was as advertised, I would have been happy to pay sticker price, which I did. But as is, I'm very disappointed. I have no idea when Ford will solve these problems and contact me for upgrades. It would be a huge mistake for Ford to bury these issues.

As a SVT owner and entusist (93 Lightning owner), I just had to coment on this issue of the problems with the 99 Cobra..... first of all I feel that if your going to spend a chunk of cash that one of these vehicles that you should be 100% satisfied, but it think some of you new Cobra owners are getting too caught-up in Horse Power ratings/numbers?! My biggest question for you is hows the performance? My 93 Lighting ran 14.8 at only 90 mph...with a 240 hp rating....which

I'm quite pleased about, but I could care less what the horse power rating or even DYNOED hp rating, as long as I can get this level of performance. Now, I see someone down the list here going to buy a new Pontiac F-body...obviously your not true blue!!!!! I think Ford and SVT will fix any problems with the new car, as always Detroit can be alittle slow which none of us like, for me I'll keep buying my Ford products, I'll believe in the company I feel makes the BEST vehicles...just keep that GM product out of my way! I wish all you 99 Cobra owners the best of luck and don'tgive up on such a SWEET car!! And, hopefully when I return to the states from Holland for 3 years, I'll get a new 99 Lightning- SVT rules!!!!!!!

Appreciated the data on the Cobra Mustang problems. I have a 99 convertible that seems to be somewhat down on the power that I would expect from this car. Also what effect does the traction control have on the performance? I checked for the vibration on a glass smooth road and went from 55 to 90 to check. I noticed a little "vibe" or more like a tingle at about 73. Are these vibrations strong or weak? What has Ford been saying?

I also called motorsport and they stated that most owners couldnt tell if the cars were down on power unless they were racing them----!

Great website and yes I would subscribe!!

Add me to the list of Cobra owners that have low HP. Mine dynoed at 256.1 HP and 264.3 ft-lbs of torque. Car is OK otherwise, so far. I'm waiting.

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF MY COBRA. IT DOES NOT HAVE 300 HP. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT HAS 260 HP. I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM MUSTANG GT AND COBRA OWNERS THAT COBRAS ARE REGULARLY WHIPPED AT DRAG STRIPS BY STOCK GT'S. THAT'S SHAMEFULL. FOMOCO!!! WE COBRA OWNERS PAID YOU A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TO HAVE SERIOUS HORSEPOWER, SUPERB HANDLING, GREAT BRAKES, AND FINALLY GOOD RIDE QUALITY. WHERE IS THE HORSEPOWER?? I WAS LOOKING HARD AT CAMARO. BEING A LONG TIME FORD OWNER, AND FINALLY GETTING A DECENT SUSPENSION I DECIDED TO GO WITH THE COBRA. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SAY THE LEAST.

AND WHY CAN'T YOUR ENGINEERS FIGURE THIS OUT. PERHAPS THE "TUMBLEPORT" DESIGN IS NOT SO GOOD !!?? I DON'T WANT A DISCOUNT ON A FUTURE PRODUCT, I DON'T WANT A LOT OF TALK. I WANT THE CAR I PAID YOU FOR. I WANT THE CAR YOU TOOK MY MONEY FOR!! I WANT SOME ASSURANCE THAT MY CAR WON'T BE TOTALLY DEVALUED BY THE MARKET BECAUSE FORD ABANDONED IT LIKE BY MERKUR SCORPIO AND XR4 AND LOST MORE THAN 50% OF ITS VALUE NEARLY OVERNIGHT! GET OFF THE STICK, FIX THE MANIFOLD, THE EXHAUST, THE VALVE TIMING, AND ALL

THE OTHER MISTAKES MADE WHILE PRODUCING THESE ULTRA-HIGH-TECH HANDMADE ENGINES. DO IT NOW WHILE YOU STILL HAVE SOME REPUTATION LEFT IN THE PERFORMANCE MARKET, BEFORE THE GM GUYS GET AHOLD OF IT AND CONTINUE TO RUN DOWN FORDS LACK OF PERFORMANCE, LACK OF RESPONSE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND JUST THE USUAL DISDAIN OF FORD PRODUCTS. 

I picked it up in May. The day I got it I drove around and noticed an engine vibration. I took it to the dealer that night and they noticed the coolant was low. They added 1 gallon of antifreeze and 1 qt of plain water. Isn't this a handbuilt engine? I thought Ford would check more carefully. Anyway, the car doesn't have 320 HP. I'm going to Dyno it to see how much. My engine vibration occurs at all times and seems most noticeable about 3200 RPM. It feels like it is slightly missing. I installed a K&N air filter but the vibration is still there. Anyone else have this problem? I haven't noticed the 65 MPH vibration. Shouldn't this car be smooth and powerful??? Will Ford notify Cobra owners of fixes? I feel "had".

IF FORD MOTOR THINKS IT CAN FIX THE CAR BY CHANGING THEIR ADS AND INFORMATION RE: FORD OWNERS CONNECTION NOW INDICATING 275 TO 320 HP WE COBRA OWNERS HAD BETTER NOT STAND FOR IT!!

I AM NO ENTHUSIAST OF FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS BUT WE COBRA OWNERS HAVE BEEN SOLD A PRODUCT UNDER FALSE PRETENSES VIA FALSE ADVERTISING, MISLEADING INFORMATION ETC. I SUGGEST YOU CONSULT A LAWYER FRIEND, NOT SOME LOCAL AMBULANCE CHASER.

FORD HAS TAKEN A LOT OF MONEY FROM A LOT OF LOYAL AND ENTHUSIASTIC CUSTOMERS AND DELIVERED AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. IF THEY WOULD SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ERROR INSTEAD OF APPARENTLY TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND MORE "MISINFORMATION" THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME CHANCE OF SAVING FACE WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND UNHAPPY LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

LET START MY SAYING THAT I AM A LOYAL FORD BUYER AND OWNER. CURRENTLY THERE IS 5 FORD VECHICLES AT MY HOME. A 95 V-8 T-BIRD, 95 E-150 VAN, 98 ZX2, 98 GT MUSTANG AND A 99 COBRA. RIGHT NOW MY COBRA IS SITTING IN THE GARAGE NOT BEING DRIVEN BECAUSE I AM AFRAID OF BEING LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE HAS A BAD KNOCK IN IT AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE LOOKED AT NEXT WEEK BY DEALER. ALSO THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND FLASHING, THE ABS LIGHT IS ON AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT IS ON. I JUST HOPE SOMEONE AT FORD IS LISTENING TO OUR TROUBLES. BECAUSE THIS COBRA CAN TURN INTO A NEW CORVETTE VERY QUICKLY JUST BY THE MARK OF A PEN. PLEASE FORD MOTOR COMPANY GET YOUR ENGINEERS TO FIND THE PROBLEMS.

AND SOMEBODY WAKE UP DEARBORN ASSEMBLY TO THEIR PROBLEMS.QUALITY MUST BE ENGINEERED INTO A PRODUCT AND ALSO BUILT INTO A PRODUCT AND I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT NEITHER IS IN THIS NEW COBRA.

I just had my Cobra dyno'd today, (7/24/99) what a joke. Here are the numbers:

254.7 HP @ 5800 rpm

258.7 TQ @ 4200 rpm

Looking at the chart the dyno operator seems to believe the cars are leaning out at 5500 rpm's and up based upon how the curve is rising at a linear rate, flattens out at about 5500 rpm's and is very unstable up to the 6800 rpm redline. Looking at the lines without smoothing, it appears the computer is pulling timing in this range. Also you can hear a noticeable "popping" sound from the exhaust in this same range something like a backfire/miss. Ford SVT WILL be hearing from me Monday morning.

That number is 1-800-FORD-SVT right? 

End 27 JULY LETTERS

RE: Urgent: Memo to Cobra 99 owners

Can you post that about the Cobra 99 problems: To all Cobra 99 owners: Why don't we write a nice letter to the folowing guys, may that'll speed things up WILLIAM CLAY FORD, JR. Chairman of the Board and Jacques A. Nasser President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company Address: Ford Motor Company The American Road Dearborn, Michigan 48121-1899

I have owned countless Fords over the last 10 years and currently own an 1996 Eddie Bougher Explorer, 1990 Mustang GT drag car and a 1996 mystic Cobra. I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 1999 Cobras so that I could purchase one of them as well. It all looked great on paper but I am extremely disappointed with the performance of that car. My 1996 Cobra runs mid 13's on radials at almost 103mph. When I read that the 1999 Cobra only mustered 96 miles an hour I felt embarrassed for Ford's sake. This is absolutely pitiful and unless they do something to rectify the problem soon; I will not only pass over buying a new Cobra but any other Ford product as well. To hear that the cheaper Z28 is making 300 rear wheel horsepower may cause me to think twice about my next purchase.

Hi, I am a not so pround owner of a brand new 99 Cobra. I purchased the car last week. I just discovered in Fords Owner Connection web site what could be Ford's solution to the low HP problem. The site now states that the rated HP for the Cobra is 275-320HP! So, its beginning to look like there isnt going to be any fix for this problem. Have any new info on this issue?

What do i think??!!

I think that any true car enthusiast would have never considered buying a Ford in the 1st place. Everyone knows that Camaros and Firebirds have been spanking Ford's butt for some time now. And what does Ford do to try to match GM?? They screw up even more. I know that Ford sells more mustangs than the F-bodys combined, but the truth is that most of the buyers are not "true enthusiasts".

I am the owner of a 99 Cobra Vert. I will be the first one to admit this vehecle has some issues that need to be resolved. I am, however, happy overall with my car, it does seem to be a little low on power, have a slight vibration at 70mph, but I know I chose to buy the first year for the IRS and the new motor(intake). Some issues are to be expected. This is true with most manufacturers out there. I keep hearing that people are mad because they spent 6k for the extra hp over the GT. If that is true, that was the worst horsepower deal out there. You should have got a GT and thrown a blower on it if that was your main concern. We need to remember that with our Cobras came IRS, better brakes and exclusivity. The ride and handling are far superior the GT's solid rear axle. I had a 95 Cobra, I know. Ford does, need to address the power and vibration issue though. And asap, before people really get discouraged and start selling their cars. I believe (hope ) Ford will do the right thing. My only wish is that they let us, the owners, know that they acknowledege the problems, and will fix our cars. And we, don't mind if the "fix" gets us more then 320hp either.....Think about it Ford, this is a great PR opportunity........."Yeah, when I bought my car it was slow but Ford made good and fixed our cars. I even have OVER 320hp now. You wouldn't see GM doing that would you .. It was worth the wait"..............I was an assistant service manager at a high end dealer (still drove Fords) and some of the most loyal customers were the ones that had the biggest problems initially. It's not the initial problems that make or break the relationship, it's what is done to resolve them...

The ball is in your court......

As an owner I too am concerned and have expressed my concerns to SVT this past week. While I only have 800 miles on the car, it has not displayed the vibration problem, but does give a clunk from the rear once in a while. I thinks Ford has it's best opportunity to make things right. This is a short production year (maybe 8000 Cobras); if the repairs cost $1000 each, it would be an $8 million price. Small when compared to the $2 billion they made in the last quarter alone.

My suspicion is that the bad press alone could cost them $8MM if they did nothing.

I am a Ford Mustang fanatic and feel this whole Cobra mess is really going to make Ford look dumb. The Cobra is Fords Flagship model and represents the best performance that Ford has to offer. The old 4.6 (96-98) was probably not 305 hp but morel like 295. And this one even with the added weight has to be less. The trap speeds that people have gotten indicate that the 99 is not even near as quick as the old 4.6 Cobras. Ford wake up!! Stop trying to make a techno-Japanese motor and just give us some displacment!!!! We need 5.4 Mustangs. The LS1 Z-28's are rated at 305 hp but I think GM is doing the the reverse of Ford and underrating their horsepower. The LS1 has been able to run high 12's stock!!!!!! On radials!!!! I feel sorry when I'm in my modified 94 5.0 and I whip and unmodified Cobra. Please Ford give us 5.4 engines for the masses and not just for the Cobra-R. Ford could make an all out performance Mustang but chooses not to because the car sells so well. Well they are going to lose customers if they do not get their act together.

I've read the letters/responses to the disappointing news. I had/have the intermittent clunk while backing, I have not noticed the vibration. I too live in California where the local highways are 65 MPH, but I also drive an F250 HD 4x4. I KNOW VIBRATION!!!

The reason I spent the extra $8,000.00 was so I would not have to modify the engine to get mega power. Also I like the independent rear end. But if I pay for 320HP at the flywheel, I better have it.

I am a Diesel technician in the marine industry. I am picky when it comes to maintenance. I changed the oil at 1012 miles. LOTS of metal in the filter. I was told this is normal. There was quite a few large pieces. Changed the filter at 2100. Not that much metal in it. Fingers crossed.

The first week I drove the car I had several concerns. It was over a quart low of oil. The intake hose was loose on the throttle body. The best of all was the bleed screw on the coolant crossover tube was loose. After tightening it the coolant hoses on the tube started to leak because of the placement of the hose clamps(end of the hose about 1to 1 1/2 inches from the beed on the end of the tube). I kept those on so as not to void warranty and moved them closer to the beed and installed a second clamp.

Is the vibration people are having around a third to fourth shift? If so, is it possible for a little wheel spin to make the traction control think of cutting the a cylinder or two out. If an engine is missing a little that could be a small vibration???

Any way I hope the resale value holds in 15 years.

I have an 88' Thunderbird Turbo Coupe that I use as a daily driver. This car at 190 hp seems to have almost as much get up and go as my new 99 Cobra convertible. The reason I bought the Cobra was for the Bit it was to have. I didn't even read the Road and Track article. My girlfriend sent me the Blue Oval sight because of the comments I had made that I did not think it was 320 HP. Now that it is confirmed by owners and experts what now. I ordered my Cobra in February and got it the end of May. With the Cobra I have had some drive shaft problems that were taken care of by the dealer. They said it was loose bolts. I feel deceived given the fact of what I had originally suspected as a lost HP is now a reality. I paid top dollar without a test drive for a 320 HP vehicle. What now....do I need to get it dyno to prove the point. What if anything is Ford to do about this problem. The SVT is supposed to be your premiere customers. I am waiting to see the walk, not the talk. I put my money down....which means I will put up........, now will FORD back up the car as advertised. Is the new R really the true 320 HP car???

I think if SVT brands the Cosworth Focus they have slated for Europe (or might have in Europe) such as the one seen at http://www.specialcar.com/2_99/concept/concept.htm and http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/news/LosAngeles98/Ford.CosworthFocus.html would be awesome if they came here, but might take away from sales of the Mercury Cougar which would, I'm guessing, cause it's price to up or the Cougar's down. Or something similar.

But it's the 4-Door focus in SVT fashion we have to think about. I hear there will not be a V-6 available in the Focus (please tell me if I'm wrong!) so unless it's blown somehow, I don't think people will go for it. The SVT Contour, of which I own the 98, is one of the best deals out there. And now with the aftermarket starting to shine, it would be ashame not to pick one up while you can. I just hope ford picks a successor that will hold the SVT name like Lightning and Cobra do. (Although from what I hear and read-there's some issues with the Cobra!)

I'm buying or should I say have bought a 1999 Cobra. I started seeing a lot of posts about the problems and then I started seeing more so I called SVT. SVT informed me of the following: 1. The wheel hop issue is related to different launch tech. used on live axle and IRS cars. On a IRS vehicle you can't rev the engine to 4k to 5k and drop the clutch it will cause wheel hop, instead you have to rev to 1.5k to 3k and let the clutch out. 2. The vibration issue has been solved go to your dealership and have them apply the fixes if your car is affected. 3. The HP issue is being looked into by a team of engineers. And a fix will offered to across the board to 1999 Cobra owners. Now the weird thing is they said that they only have a few documented cases of this. "If you dynoed your car send them the information!"

After that I felt a lot more comfortable purchasing the vehicle. I hope Ford and SVT understands we buy Cobra's for some simple reasons. 1. We want to go damn fast in short period of time and a high top speed. 2. We demand quality. That's what a limited production vehicle is supposed to have. 3. We bought the vehicles because of the advertised stats, benchmarks, and results. And we expect the cars to live up the that. This will be my second Cobra I hope it will not be my last because I don't need to buy a car like this if Ford will not make right what is wrong. And I'm talking about all of it period. Not a second place conciliation prize. I want to hear Ford Quality is Job 1. If Ford is concerned with costs maybe a little more testing would have been in order. And how much is the word of mouth and bad press, etc going to costs if 1999 Cobra's are not fixed fully.

I have never read such an article about a bigger bunch of babies in my entire Ford mustang life. " Since 1986 " Do you folks even hear what you're saying.

You know for a fact that the Cobra owners who are alleging that they have had they're engines dyno tested. " Gee " what does that mean, they had the engine pulled and tested or did they have it dyno tested at the rear. Which one was it ?

Also, I would rather take the money that some of these nimrods paid to have their motor pulled and dyno tested, to slap on a Basani X pipe with Flowmasters or Dynomax mufflers. That's if they even had their motor dyno tested.

Tell them to put in a K & N Filter. Tell them to strap on a Vortech Stop wasting Fords time and tell all those Cobra owers to stop crying and starting thanking for the IRS 

My 99 dynoed low and has the same vibration you all are talking about. I am having problems getting the car in for service. It seems most dealers will not give out loaner cars, I was not happy with the dealer I bought the car from, but am forced to take it back there. I had the first work sheet done by a lincoln/merc dealer and they have now said that they do not want to work on the car. It seems my car has more problems than most. I was told my slip yoke is heavily scored. SVT has said they no of no other cars w/ such problems. All I know is that I have to wait til Tuesday to get it in for service and the vibration is getting worse everyday. Anyone else know of a simialar problems??

Thanks for the read. If you want updates let me know, I am very frustrated w/ the car and after one more comeback I will be yelling lemon lay.

I just got a 99 Cobra Convertable and LOVE it. It has no vibration. The power seems there. I've not driven many stangs, so it's hard to tell whether there is less HP. It seems SVT has acknowleged the problems and have a fix for the vibrations, and are working on the HP issue. Don't give up on them!! Many redesigns have their glitches. Be patient for god's sake- stay positive- they will do the right thing.

I'm glad someone "exposed" the problem before more people spend their hard earned $30,000 plus. First, if anything, Ford should DOWNPLAY their horsepower ratings like Porsche does. This makes customers really happy to know they are getting MORE than what they paid for! Secondly, the modular motor put into the Mustang as a performance application has been poor from the start: cooling problems, no torque, no real race results. They may want to put this out to pasture and work with something else. The 4.6 motor reminds me of the SVO 2.3 litre powerplant of the mid 1980's. They can crank all the tech they want into it, but low cubes equals low cubes. Matching GM's power rating at 320 seemed like it's really pushing it with this powerplant. God forbid if we ever get ram air or six speed packages. Don't even mention the 2000 Cobra R. At $45,000 or so it may be a fast playtoy. But it's also going to be a "testbed" for 300 guinea pigs who bleed Ford blue. I totally agree with the philosophy of getting the '99's correct before launching anything else. Downrating the power ratings on paper for the '99 Cobra (275-320) is a total slap in the face to all enthusiasts and may set a precendent for what other manufacturers will do. A lame way out. SVT's response seems to be "whatever." Grip the probel anddeal with it....

I just wanted to take the time to congratulate you on your excellent coverage of the 99 cobra problems. If I was a new mustang ownere I will definately be willing to pay for a subscription to your site. But since everyone already knows everything about the fox mustang and I will not be in the market for a new car for many years to come; these things tell me to save my pennies for tuition costs.

Can someone educate me on how they come out with the 320 HP rating for the Cobra. My understanding is that, this HP is arrived at via some kind of statistical sampling since, due to allowed tolerances, not all engines coming out of the factory will have exactly 320 HP.

I had an 88 5.0 which was initially rated at 225 HP but was then dropped to 215 and an article in Road & Track suggested that Ford had made mistake in the so-called "statistical sampling" and so they had to drop it down to 215HP.

I don't know what the standard deviation of this sampling is, but if the tolerances are say 5%, the actual COBRA engine you get could have HP as low as 304 or as as high as 336HP, i.e. 320 plus or minus 16(5% of 320).

END 26 JULY LETTERS:

RE: Ford's Owner Connection

I was wondering if you guys were aware of the fact that, under Ford's Owner Connection web pages, they now list the '99 Cobras as having 275-320HP. I've been told that even the '96-'98 Cobras have been "modified" to 260-305HP. Apparently, this change took place within the last week or so (source: rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang), so I decided to check it out. I hope this isn't Ford's solution to the low-HP Cobra problem for '99 (and previous years for that matter). If so, I am no longer a Ford enthusiast.

I own a 98 GT and am ready to step up to a Cobra.....or should I say WAS ready to step up to a Cobra. SVT better get their act together and have the 2000 Cobra better than ever or they'll be losing MANY loyal customers and Mustang Cobra fanatics such as myself. I think they have lost enough respect with the problems regarding the 99 Cobra. GET THINGS RIGHT IN 2000 SVT.

I just wanted to say a few positive words about my '99 Cobra.

No vibration, seems to have plenty of power, people love it (so do I !). I have had some minor problems, (light switch failed, bad horn, GT brake on LF) but the dealer has fixed every item, and loaned out new Explorers for free to boot.

Frankly, I don't think any other auto manufacturer would have responded as well, or as quickly as Ford & SVT have. Don't forget that SVT wants to be the best, and they sell cars on their reputation.

I called SVT about the problems I've had, and had a 15 min. discussion with the SVT rep. about the problems others have had. He took the time to listen to my concerns, then addressed each issue in turn. He stated that the vibration problem has a fix, and that it had been forwarded to the dealers. He said that the low H.P. issue is still being reveiwed by the engineering team, and that Ford will fix the Cobras to make 320 H.P. as advertised.

I have enjoyed every one of the 3500 miles I've put on my Cobra so far, and I think the car is GREAT. Keep the faith! SVT & Ford haven't gotten this far by selling bad cars.

I thought about getting the 99 or 2000 cobra, but after hearing about all the problems there are with these cars I'm going to wait and see and maybe even go for another car. Ford better get this figured out soon.

Thanks. I used to not check you guys out much since it was mostly Ford marketing stuff and future car news etc... Now that you guys have jumped right in the middle of this Cobra mess, you have a new fan. I'll bet I'm not the only one either!

I was going to purchase a 1999 Cobra. THANK GOD I did not!!! I should have bought a 1998 Cobra in blue. I have only seen one (Ugly Green) Cobra on the street and the owner is NOT happy with it. My local Ford dealer has had a Black Convert. on the showroom floor for weeks and its not getting any bites. Another dealer who I spoke with told me that someone returned his 1999 cobra due to the stated problems at a great monetary loss. I am a long time Mustang owner & presently own a 1990 5.0 LX which I purchased new. I love the car and at 140,000 miles it still runs and looks great with little needed service. Next week I will be putting a deposit down on a 2000 Pontiac Ram Air/Trans Am. I will still keep my 5.0. I hope Ford SVT will start hearing what us Mustang people are saying. Pontiac offers eight colors on the Trans Am. Ford offers only four colors on the Cobra. Pontiac offiers two transmissions, a four speed with overdrive or six speed stick. SVT only offers a five speed stick. WHY?? I hope "Jack the Knife" is listening. I really wanted a 99 Cobra but I just can't do it.

I just wanted to let you guys know that we appreciate what you're doing for us '99 Cobra owners. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Another problem that should be addressed by FoMoCo is the extreme wheel hop experienced by the 1999 Cobras. I can't believe that they would turn their new IRS loose on the world, with the terrible wheel hop problems that it has. Maybe they assumed that the owners would just leave the Traction Control on, and never notice the problem?

I have never driven the '99 Cobra, but I have seen several of them running at the track. Any wheelspin at launch will cause the rear tires to hop violently, and shake the entire car. Also, an enthusiastic shift into 2nd gear will also cause the problem. This KILLS the Elapsed Time, and is a large contributing factor to the slow times that these cars are running. Of course, the low horsepower engine doesn't help either... :)

When you think about the competition's vehicles, you would have to admit that the Mustang GT should compare with the Chevy Z28, and that the Cobra should compare to the SS Z28. I have to admit that the new Chevy Z28's are on top of both the Mustang GT AND the Cobra! The SS Z28 is in a class of it's own... The brakes are the only thing that I would give the Cobra marks for in this comparison, since they are larger. However, the Z28's rear suspension design evens out the braking performance, by allowing its rear brakes to do more work than the Cobra's.

This coming from a Ford man, and Mustang driver: If I were to buy a new car right now, it would be a Chevy Z28. Ford needs to wake up, and stop catering to luxury car drivers.

First, thanks for the very interesting story. It confirms what we have been seeing on the dragstrips and also hearing on the newsgroups. I found it odd that this was not addressed sooner on fordnatics or the 5.0 e-mail lists.

My theory in that is the owners of the new Cobras were in somewhat of a denial state. I have certainly seen some of that in the newsgroups, where one person would mention the problems you outlined on blueovalnews and then several new Cobra owners would jump in and report that they were glad they had purchased a new Cobra and there was nothing wrong with them. 

Well, for every one of us who actually takes our cars to the track and finds out what we can really run, there are 10 people who simply assume their car is the fastest car on the road.

Getting to the point about what Ford can do about this - the obvious first step is to fix it by 2000. It is a sad shame, but once again this confirms the AGE OLD wisdom of not buying a new design of a car in it's first year of release.

I have no idea what Ford can do to satisfy the current Cobra owners that are unhappy with their cars. I'm would think that an intake manifold revision and exhaust revision would certainly be a good start. If they could recover most of the lost hp, then that would be a reasonable beginning. Maybe they could even shoot for an improved design which would overcome other limitations elsewhere in the drivetrain - particularly the CR. In other words, maybe they could come up with an improved manifold and exhaust that was good enough to reach 320hp without fixing the CR.

For my part, I was very ready to buy a 99 Cobra and almost did. I currently own a 93 Cobra. However, thanks to the mad rush of the early adopters, 99 Cobras were going for $2,500 over sticker and I balked at that. I had seen people pay $5,000 over sticker for the 96's when they came out and laughed when I talked to dealers in 97 who were discounting Cobras by as much as $2,500. I can only IMAGINE how upside down someone who paid $5,000 over sticker for a 96 must have been at this point. Probably over a $10k depreciation in the first year!

So, the mad rush of people willing to pay over sticker for the 99 saved me from getting caught up in Ford's fiasco right now.

I haven't decided if I will wait til Y2K or just get a new Corvette. They have a premium right now over sticker, and the best I have found is sticker price - but this is 2 years into production. The cars are holding their value, so maybe they are worth the price.

If Ford thinks that knowledge of the 99 Cobra problems are limited to the United States - get this:

I was over in Belgium (Antwerp) for the week on business. I am in a cab (Mercedes Benz - all the cabs are Mercedes over there!!!) on my way to the airport in Brussels (going 180KPH - about 125MPH I think!!), the cab driver asks me what car I drive back in America. I told him a new Mustang Cobra. He turns around and smirks at me and says "Heh, I hear they have lots of problems...."

I couldn't believe it.

I have seen lots of people post here being concerned about these problems affecting resale value but I figured that only .0001 percent of the population would even know about these problems. Now, I'm not so sure.

Ford, you better take care of these problems with your flagship performance car!

I am an owner of a 1999 Cobra....you're not listening ! I know you are reading these letters and the posts on all of the Mustang BBSs. My Cobra has the 'vibo'(driveline problem)...'clunko(driveline problem)...and 'clanko'(driveline problem) ...I don't know about the missing HP(engine problem)...I haven't dynoed it...YET!

But, what irrates me the most...is your faliure to COMMUNICATE... with your customers and your dealers. I have called FORD & SVT several times expressing my concerns, yet when I visit my dealership's service department...they don't have any idea what I'm talking about... LACK of communication with your dealers!

A simple letter to your CUSTOMERS telling us that you are working on ALL of the problems, and that our COBRAS will be fixed in a timely manner(better hurry)! And, it would be helpful not to keep you dealers in the dark!

Sooner or later....we're going to get fed up with the BS and the "run-around" ....I LOVE my COBRA....but...are you hearing me? The Fat Lady hasn't sung YET! I hope she doesn't.....but she's warmig up....the tune? A golden oldie from the 60's...I think... "LemonTree"

THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE INSTERESTED IN ADNOTHER H.P. SHORTAGE. HAD MY 99 COBRA RUN ON A DYNO ON 7/17/99 IN ORLANDO FLA. CAR WAS RAN TWO TIMES TO BACK UP READINGS. FIRST PULL WAS 242.1 HP AND SECOND PULL WAS 254.7 HP. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM UPSET, SVT WILL BE GETTING PHONE CALL MONDAY MORNING FROM UPSET LOYAL FORD OWNER. THE FIGHT HAS YET TO BEGIN

END 19 JULY 1999 LETTERS

RE: BlueOval News

I am regular reader of your site, and enjoy it quite a bit. Just some comments on the 99 Cobra "situation". I have seen some of the letters, and while some people have a legit beef against Ford, some do not. One letter claims he wants to sue, because he dynoed it at 280hp to the rear wheels. A rear wheel dyno has 12%-15% parasitic loss. At the crank, that car has just about 320hp. And the problems he had with the dealer, have to be taken up with the dealer.

I am not writing as a Ford Employee, just as an educated reader. I think that people need to understand what the chassis dynos mean. Anything over 270hp to the wheels is certainly acceptable for those cars. I am not saying that no one has a legit beef, but some people certainly do not.

Also, as one person suggested, they think that the Ford Dealer should put their car on a chassis dyno. Can you imagine if Delearships put a car on the dyno everytime someone came in claiming their car felt "down on power".What a zoo that would be!

I have 1998 Cobra and I have had so many problems I'm thinking of converting to a GM Product. After only 2,844 miles my car has been at the dealership 5times for repairs. The biggest problem being the rear main seal. It leaks and the car stinks of oil. Ford replaced the rear main seal in April and now it's back at the dealer for the same problem. I've thought about trading for a 99 but after hearing that SVT is having more problems I'm going to give it a second thought. The other problem being a bad vibration like the ones I've read about on the 99's. The vibration was calmed a little by balancing the tires but it still remains. But the oil problem really concerns me. Has anyone else had problems with this? What the heck is wrong with Ford! Cobra's are supposed to be their "special vehicle."

Thanks for posting the info on the '99 Cobras. The Cobra, Lightning, and GM F-bodies are my short list for a new vehicle next year, but I am reconsidering based on Ford's response (or lack therof) to guys that I know are loyal Ford owners. I am a lifelong Ford guy too, with a '99 SD dually and a '69 Mach 1, but I will probably end up with a Firebird Formula in my garage if Ford doesn't straighten this out soon.

My 99 Cobra is the first Ford product that I've bought in many,many years...it all looked good on paper...DOHC...4v....IRS...320hp...etc.. I never dreamed it would be such a nightmare...My car did not exhibit the vibrations on my test drive...I first noticed the problem @ about 400 miles....I figured it was a driveshaft related problem & then remebered your article of 1/99 concerning pre-production problems with the IRS....In 2/99, before I bought my Cobra, I questioned SVT about your IRS article & they replied that the problem was resolved...I DON'T THINK SO!

I do not own a '99 Cobra- I do own a ' 96 GT. In the case of the 96's, the cooling system was inadequent and the plastic intake manifold cracked. In both cases Ford repaired the known defect but only after the defect rendered the car inoperable. This is not only a pain for the owner who has to wait for his car to strand him to get it fixed but what about subsequent owners of a vehicle with a design flaw that hasn't reared it's ugly head and is now out of warranty.

Ford and every other manufacturer needs to own up to design defects and fix them. It needs to inform the poor bastard that payed over $30,000 for his Cobra that it is not as advertised- and it will be fixed by a given date or his money will be refunded. I think all of the Cobra owners should file a class action suit against Ford. Or have their cars taken back under the lemon law Let's be honest here, the '99 Cobra will always be known as a turkey much like the '84 Vette- the people that own them will never enjoy the resale or respect of the "fixed" Cobras to come.

I just finished reading the articles on the 99 Cobra vibration and power problems. As the extremely happy owner of a 97 Cobra; one warranty problem in two years. when my engine management computer died in my garage. The dealer had a flat bed pick it up at home, and Ford sent the replacement part by overnight air. The dealer stored the car inside to insure it was not damaged. I had my car back the next day. I was impressed!

I would hope Ford will consider whatever it takes to repair the problems or replace the cars. I have been telling people for almost a year now how great the car is, as well as how the dealer and Ford corrected my problem. Good press, and word of mouth count!! The overall monetary loss will be nothing compared to the bad press, and word of mouth complaints by owners, if Ford leaves them hanging.

Quite honestly, I am not a mad Ford fanatic. I have driven two Trans Ams (No Flames :) back when I was young and dumb), and my last three cars were VR6 VW Corrados (one was my wife's). I bought the Cobra because I truely like the car. It is one of the best I have owned in the last 37 years. I was planning on upgrading to the IRS when it becomes available or purchasing the next generation Cobra when it arrives. How Ford handles this problem will have a lot to do with any decision I make on future purchases. And I am sure I am not alone.

I just want to say that I've had my 99 Cobra Convertible for about a month now and I could not be more pleased. I've got 4000 miles on the car already -- I simply cannot stop driving the thing.

It does have a small vibration at 70mph in 5th gear, but it is so minor that I don't even notice unless I'm "looking" for it. As for the horsepower, it's fine with me. I can easily hang with the F-Bodies and previous years Cobra Coupes. I've clocked a 14.3 1/4 mile on an accelerometer, and I'm taking it to the track this week to make some passes. I'm sure it's do 13s which is plenty fast for me.

Not to mention, I've got 18 year old girls screaming compliments at me, kids asking me to 'light em up' at stop lights, and yuppies in Beamers and Acuras staring in jealousy. :^) This is a fantastic car!

With all the quality concerns surrounding the new Cobra, I wondered if Dearborn goes through the same b.s. that Michigan Truk does. Everyone on the outside thinks that quality is job 1, well at Michigan truck where the Expedition and Navigator are built, quality is certainly NOT job 1! It's more like QUANTITY is job 1. We are told to keep the line running at all costs because there is such a big demand for these trucks. I wonder if the same is happening with the Cobra......

liked the article. don't know if i have the vibration problem yet, just picked up my 99 convertible. I do have problems. cobra brakes on passenger side (front) and smaller gt rotor and caliper on drivers side also the paint is full of dirt and small metal shavings. disappointed!!!

I was 1 day away from taking delivery of a '99 Cobra on 7/12/99. I happened onto one of the Cobra bulletin boards and found all the bad press on the Cobra. Needless to say I cancelled my purchase and will be waiting for a positive fix for both the power problem and vibration problem before I purchase a new Cobra (likely will have to be a 2000).

I hope Ford is reading this feedback and plans on making it crystal clear that they have fixed these problems for the next production run. If not, I'll have to settle for a Corvette.

Thanks for the information on the Cobra. I purchased a Cobra a month ago and I am also experiencing problems with the vibration. I haven't had the horsepower checked but I am quite sure it doesn't produce 320 horses. It doesn't seem to have the power that our 89 Mustang GT had. I contacted the dealership from which I purchased the vehicle and they were unaware of any problems with the Cobras and I'm supposedly the first person that has complained. I certainly hope Ford rectifies the problem or I am afraid there is going to be a tremendous backlash on Ford for selling a high performance car that does not meet up to their guarantees. We paid a lot of money for the performance to not receive it. I personally thought Ford quality had improved in the last 10 years but now I'm not so sure. As to say, I'm really disappointed.

I'm having my car dyno'd on Friday (7/16/99) to see what rear wheel HP it produces. According to SVT reps I should expect a 15-18% loss due to the drivetrain (the IRS apparently has more loss than the old solid axle). So by my calculations I should be getting 262-272 on the dyno. We shall see.

The official word from SVT rep is "we are investigating the issue" -- they haven't admitted a thing yet.

The SVT rep did say that the '99 intake setup does not have the same dual camber setup of the '98 Cobra's, and hence there is no 3,200 rpm surge that you got in the '98's. Hmmmm....

Not going to Fry FORD just yet, but if this turns out to be a real problem with poor resolution from FORD, you can bet my first FORD will be my last FORD. And just when I had confidence in American engineering...

I have a '99 Cobra with an original motor that was built on 02/16/99. The motor ran storng but developed a knocking sound, which turned out to be a piece of metal embedded in one of the pistons. Needless to say Ford replaced the motor. The new motor has a production date of 10/28/98, and is noticeably under powered. I immediately brought this to my dealer's attention. They told me to drive it. After hounding the dealer and talking to a Ford rep, they agreed to replace the engine with a new one. I haven't received the new one yet but I'm praying it runs as strong as the 1st motor. Haven't had any vibrations but the I have had a ton of other fairly minor problems. Faulty wiring to oil pressure gauge, faulty wiring to starter, battery tie down missing, rubber trunk stop missing, bad horn, paint missed on front air dam, and a couple of other things I can't remember right now....Hope all this gets fixed.

Thanks for confirming what I knew were problems with my new SVT. I, too, noticed the vibration as soon as I drove the car off the lot. However, it seems to be prevelant between third and fourth gears. The HP issue is also quite obvious, and after reading the Car and Driver's report this week, I was surprised by the low numbers.

Please keep up the good work on this website....this is my first SVT, and althoughnot disappointed, am certainly interested in supporting an effort to get Ford to stand behind their claims.

I don't own one of these cars myself, but I keep up with the Mustang front, and I have a question to all of the 1999 Cobra owners out there. Some of the owners are throwing a fit because of "how much they paid" for the "poor quality" or "problems" they recieved. My question is, what kind of a moron buys a car without driving it? I understand this is a bit harsh on my part, but "Caveat Emptor" (sp?). I think Ford has a pretty good rep. I don't trust ANY car DEALERSHIP, and NEVER will. As much as I would like to buy certain new cars (A Mercury Marauder is on my list), I won't buy ANYTHING without driving it first. These people took the risk. Now they have to own up to being decieved. Just my .02.

Wow! At least I know I'm not losing too much of my mind. I have what I

that thought was "tire shake"; guess not. I had Unlimited Performance of Del Ray Beach, Florida (Joe Mainero) DYNO my Cobra, result: 244 hp at the rear wheel

That's when Joe suspected something was wrong. He had customers with older models with 265 to 270 hp at the rear wheel. Joe thought it might have been because of the IRS, I see it's not. Joe installed a big mouth mass air meter, K&N filter. It then dyno'd at 267 hp at the rear wheel. Since then, I installed a custom exhaust with an x-pipe, single cats, and a flowmaster with 2 1/2" exhaust to the tail pipes. I ran it at Moroso and I was beaten by a stock 99 Mustang GT. He ran a 14.21; I could not even come close to him....yes, I had the track lock OFF. I raced again last night but with a pair of Nitto's drag radials. The best short time I could muster 2.8; 99 mph. Could not get anything over 99 mph. So there is a bigger problem of power loss because I should have correct this (muffler issue) when the exhaust was changed out. I should be dyno'ing at 290 hp at the rear wheel but it's evident that I'm not.

As soon as the software for the exhaust is available, I will have it dyno'd again.

I recently bought a 99 Cobra, about 2 weeks ago. I wanted to buy a 98 but waited due to the hype I was reading/hearing about the increased horsepower, IRS etc. I finally broke down and got one, breaking it in as they suggested. When I got the chance to open it up, I was grasping for more. I think my 89 Taurus SHO would have kept up with it. I am not impressed. I hate Chevys but am wondering know if I should have looked at the SS Camaro or the Pontian Firebird!!!??? This is the 6th Ford I have owned and up until now I had been happy with them. I hope they remedy the problem.

it is such a shame that Ford screwed up on the Cobra... expect Camaro and Firebird sales to skyrocket next year! I predict sales to increase by around 20%...

On the Cobra powertrain problem... it is very possible that the engine COMPUTER is at fault. Maybe the timing is retarding like crazy (common with slight compression problems which are also present in the 99 Cobra) and the suspension is definitely a problem with the IRS.

IMHO the IRS was just a marketing gimmick. The Cobra is supposed to be a performance car, not a grocery getter. Ask anyone... at the track, a live axle is the best because it keeps your rear planted and handling is a lot more consistent and predictable. Why are we taking away the live-axle suspension from Ford's one performance car?

END 16 JULY LETTERS

I have mixed feelings regarding your 99 Cobra article. On one hand I am glad that Ford is looking at doing something about this very real problem. The corral.net has a bunch of chasis dyno results, and they are not pretty. It was interesting to note the apparent tone of surprise in the Ford memos, because they have been overrating Cobra hp since 96. So, on the other hand, where do 96-98 Cobra owners fall into this equation? There is NO WAY IN HELL those motors turned 305hp at the crank. Maybe 295, but not 305, where is my extra 10hp, and what is Ford doing about that? Nothing. Keep up the good work.

Very enlightening expose. I have a 99 Vibrating edition Cobra also. I have been asking SVT and the dealer for status for several weeks now. It's nice to see the documentation on exactly what the dealers are being told to check, since I haven't had much luck getting any details. I'm not sure if I have the HP deficit, but will be getting a dyno test later this month. Although I have been around awhile, this was the first car I ever bought that was brand new, and also my first car that was a Ford. It's been very disappointing tohave waited so long to be able to purchase a new vehicle and have it have a problem that is severe simply due to the amount of time it must be endured. I am trying to keep the faith that Ford will do right by the owners. Since I work in a corporate environment, I do realize that bottom line profit is the overwhelming priority for them. My biggest disappointment with Ford and SVT is that ever since the first time I inquired about the problem to SVT and the dealer, neither ever bothered to followup with me. I always had to be the one to persist in finding out what was going on. This is completely contrary to the form letter I got from my dealer shortly after my purchase telling me how my satisfaction with my vehicle was so important to them. If Ford wanted to do right by us, they would take our name and contact information on the first call and then contact us whenever there was new information or we needed to take action. Owners with the vibration problem should automatically have their cars checked by Ford for the HP problem simply as a courtesy for the aggravation endured. Anyway, that's my opinion. Thanks again for a great writeup. Your credibility now rest on your ability to follow up on this through to the end. A lot of us will be counting on you!

I am sick to my stomach. I paid a great deal of money for my 99 Cobra. The Don Reid Ford has it now ( 7-13-99) says I might get it back by Friday 7-17-99. Says it has major drivetrain problems. The body panels on my Cobra were off set the rear panels coming off the roof were out of alignment, the clearcoat has lots of "pock marks" in it. It has the dreaded vibration, low HP ...it dyoned at 282 Hp should be the advertized 320. it goes on & on. Jim T.

One must ask when Ford will take a hard look at its design and testing procedures and get to the bottom of these problems. I'm about to have a third transmission installed in my '96 Cobra, and many Cobra owners can report the same experience. A critical component made it into production with totally unacceptable levels of failure. '96 Cobra owners also had to deal with an inadequate cooling system, which Ford replaced free in most cases (although they tried to restrict its distribution to states deemed hot enough, as if cars aren't driven out of state). To Ford's credit, they have issued many technical service bulletins on the Cobra, and informed owners have apparently been able to get a lot of problems fixed. But the experience depends largely on the dealer, and owners frequently have to hold the dealer's hand and tell them how to fix our cars. This, too, is unacceptable. Most importantly, Ford needs to fix these problems instead of giving up on this market. We give them full credit for expending the effort to make a car like the Cobra, which serves a small but enthusiastic market while the rest of country stands in line for its ludicrous, oversized garbage-truck SUVs.

I ordered my 1999 Mustang Cobra in September 1998. I got picked it up at the end of May. I was screwed by my dealer and ended up paying $2000 more than I was supposed to. Now after 9 months wait and paying $2000 extra, I find out that the car is not what I thought it would be. If this is not fixed well and fast, this is my last Ford.

I'd like to report another problem I've noticed with my '99 Cobra Coupe. While reversing over uneven ground (exiting a drive way) there sometimes is a single *knock*. No there is nothing in my trunk and I've also checked the spare tire/jack assembly. I am assuming a bad IRS joint or improper bushing size. Another owner I've spoken with seems to have a similar problem. Have you heard of this before?

I have not dynoed my car yet but it doesn't feel like 320 HP. Do you know which VIN numbers were affected?

Great article on the cobras.. all the 99 cobra owners thank you for following this issue for us and informing us on what's going on.. I hope at the very least the HP problem can be solved with our vehicles...

Dan 99 Cobra Coupe (black / dark charcoal)

I am the owner of a new 99 Cobra purchased approx. 1 month ago. Although I have called SVT personally, I am extremely disappointed with the way the guys and gals at SVT are handling the "lack of H.P." issue. My car only has 300 miles on it and have not pushed it past 3800rpm yet and I need to get it broke in before I can have it dyno'd. Lucky for me, my car does not have the vibration/hum problem in the drivetrain but in saying that, it's kinda hard to check for it when you need to go 80mph, where in the state of Ca., the speed limit is 65

One other thing that bothered me about the call I made to SVT, they told me that when they identify the h.p. problem, there would not be letters sent to 99Cobra owners but instead, there would be a TSB issued on the car and that "I" would have to keep asking the Ford dealer whether there were any TSB's (specifically the lost h.p. issue) on my car everytime I visit the dealership. On the bright side, the gentleman I spoke to was very pleasant and he did answer all my questions.

Ford Motor Co. at the very least should issue an apolgy to the owners of the 99's and give us some peace of mind and tell us that they will make us 100% happy with our purchase the cobra. If they advertise 320 h.p. to the flywheel, the car should have it!

Guys and gals, I am the owner of a new 99 Mustang Cobra and I am not a happy camper. I feel that the people at Ford and SVT have mislead the buyers of the Cobra, and have not even bothered to write to us to tell us that there is a problem with the vehicle, and for us not worry about it because they are going to make the cars "as advertised".

I thought "Quality is Job 1" at Ford Motor Co.? I could go on and on but I won't.

my new 1999 ford cobra mustang has displayed both of the problems that are covered in your article "is there anything wrong with Fords Cobra Mustang." around 65 mile per hour you can feel a vibration in the seat. I took my car to the dealer and asked them to check it out. I said that I thought it was the driveshaft out of balance. they checked the suspension and then took the shaft to a machine shop to have it rebalanced. when I drove it , the car still vibrates and the balance paper from the shop showed the factory balance was in spec.

I talked to the shop foreman and asked if Ford had any TSB, on this matter.He said no, but told me he would look for any.

On the horsepower end I knew my 99 was slower than my 1997 cobra.To prove it I took my car to my friends dragstrip to check on a comparison with my 97 car. Both cars had the same mileage on them when I ran the quarter mile times. Horsepower is always found in MPH in a drag strip. My 1997 with same stock setup went 100+ on most runs, at 14.3 ET.

The 1999 had a best of 97 MPH and 14.5 ET in good air. you can notice the lack of power in the whole RPM range.My Cobra was built on March 16, 1999. The car handles great but if you power shift it wheel hops like the old Mustangs of the 1960 era. thanks for this spot.

I was really surprised when I read that the low power problems where mechanical. I had thought that it was going to be discovered that it was an electronic "limiter" much like SVT did with the 1993 Cobra.In that car they pulled the timing out under hard acceleration to preserve transmission life,I had figured they were doing the same to make the IRSlast.This is really embarrasing for Ford as these engines are supposedly hand built.I'd be angry if I spent $8000 over a '99 GT and only tun a tenth or so quicker in the quarter mile!

The Cobra was on my short list of which new vehicle to purchase until I found out about the production problems SVT and Ford are having. Checking a representative sample of production cars to see that they meet or exceed advertised specifications is fairly basic. How could an organization with the long history of Ford Motor Company neglect to do something this basic?

I also had a Ford Ranger or F-150 on my short list, but now my confidence in FoMoCo has been shaken bad enough that I may have to look elsewhere. This will depend upon how fast I see them respond to correcting this problem.

If they rapidly respond with a fix for all 1999 Cobra's, then I might let it slide. The rapid response to a problem of this nature should be automatic. If it isn't, I wouldn't touch one of FoMoCo's vehicles. The Cobra is their flagship performance vehicle. If they can't fix these cars quickly, what hope is their for owners of any other vehicle.

First of all I will admit that I am biased toward the F-bpdy(Camaro/Firebird) platforms with the LS1 engine. I find it sad that ford has choosen to do what they have done. In essence(in my view anyway) Ford knew that they had no choice but to up the horsepower ratings for the GT and the Cobra's to try and not appear out powered by the mustangs main competition. Unfortunately instead of actually upping the ante and making GM play cath up, a game where we all win, Ford designed a car that in final production spec falls very short of the mark they advertise. I find it quite bizarre that GM rates the f-body LS1 at 305 and the SS/WS6/Firehawks at 320, and people have been seeing rwhp dyno numbers in the 300rwhp range on a stick for all of the LS1 cars, putting the f-body's at roughly 340 crank hp. Sure the SS/WS6/Firehawk cars do not syno at more hp than the Z28/Formula/Trans Am but they all dyno rwhp numbers that put the crank hp *above* the advertised number. Chevy underrated the engine so as not to step on the toes of Corvette owners, whose cars bring a larger profit margin with them the the f-bodys do.

Ford is advertising the Cobra at 320 bhp and the GT at 260 hp. It is sad to see that Ford has choosen to compete through phantom horsepower instead of actually building the car they are selling and relying on loyalty and the media to sell their car despite the fact that is underpowered. The dyno numbers I have heard from dyno owners for the '99's are way to low for what was advertised. There are quite a few f-body owners who were excited by the idea of actually having a cobra of GT that was worth lining up against with both cars in stock trim.

Had Ford built the car they advertised it would have been one hell of a car (even though it is a blue oval<g>). Mustang owners would once again be able to hold thir heads in pride the the blue oval brigade had once again produced a great car to compete with. I have no doubt that some resolution will be made and I honestly hope that people who bought these cars are satisfied by how ever ford handles this. Screwing over loyal customers(most Cobra purchasers are previous ford owners and many are previous mustang owners) is not the way to stay on top. The Mustang is indeed the better selling vehicle, but for the moment, the Camaro outruns the Cobra stock vs. stock in just about every category accept the slalom and the very close numbers obtained for lateral acceleration. Hopefully the f-body will survive and ford will straighten this mess out. The friendly competition between owners is what makes this all fun. Ford has damaged it's reputation and made f-body owners everywhere laugh. I know I certainly wouldn't be psyched up for a good race if a new cobra lined up beside me at a stoplight. I would feel sorry for the guy(not just because he is in a ford either<g>...I just gotta take all the cheap shots I can) because he got screwed by Ford. I wish ford would scrap the 4.shit modular and start from the ground up for the GT/Cobras. The old 5.0's were great and I have ridden in some insanely fast ones(such as a 92 or 93 Cobra with a bulletproof engine and 22psi of vortech blown fury...) but for the performance enthusiast the 4.6 just leaves something to be desired IMO. To all '99 Cobra owners out there,I hope things work out for you guys as I know I would be pissed if I was in your shoes.

I have been planing to order a 2000 Cobra for some time, until recently when I learned of the performance issues 1999 Cobra owners were experiencing, via RAMFM, Car and Driver, and Blue Oval News. I now plan to delay my order based on satisfactory resolution of this issue. Additionally, I will watch the way Ford treats owners of 1999 Cobra's experiencing performance problems; if the customers are not treated fairly and satisfactorily, I will not purchase a Cobra, or any other Ford Motor Company product.

I have been a loyal Ford owner for more than 22 years, having personally purchased many new and used Ford vehicles: 2 Mustang GT's (both new), 1 Explorer (new), 3 F150's (one new), a Bronco, 2 Gran Torinos, a Fairlane GT, a Galaxie, a Starliner, and a Thunderbird. In addition my family has been loyal to Ford products since the model T, with hundreds of vehicles purchased over the years. I currently own a '94 F150 and '92 Lincoln Town Car.

I am aware of the type of issue Ford is dealing with and the finical impact involved, as I work in product support for a major, and well known manufacturer. I have considerable experience dealing with customers and resolving their issues, both in and out of warranty. I consider this to be an opportunity for Ford to show its customers the kind of company Ford is, and I fully expect Ford to do the right thing, take responsibility for the mistakes or deficiencies, and resolve to satisfactorily correct the problems for the customers.

No real vibration probs in my 99 Cobra and haven't dynoed it yet. Were can I get the car dynoed?

Just when I think Ford is finally coming out of their self induced coma they go ahead and apply a relapse. Ford makes me think the worst is over when they actually break the laws of physics and put only two seats in the Thunderbird. Its about time! But then they announce that a "HP race with GM will never be in the cards". I'm not a marketing genius by any stretch,but I can tell you one thing for sure. The dude responsible for that quote should have been fired seconds after he said it. Wake up fella's....I want, we want, a Mustang with power...not just some limited "R" code that for all intents and purposes could be the moon buggy...in other words no one in my club ,neighborhood,or state will ever own one. I hear the excuse that Mustang sales are "2 to 1" over Camaro and Firebird combined, so why should we change any thing? Make an affordable V8 that can race on Saturdays at the local tracks and the new sales ratio will be "3 to 1". Its simple...you need "hook" the young car owner to make him or her a life long enthusiast...you need middle aged folks like myself who parade our vintage Mustangs (70 Mach 1)..around to buy the Lincolns, TBirds and the SUV's.....Our garages look like shrines to Henry Ford..all we are asking for is a competetive Mustang. A no frills V8 machine that can finally take away the sensation of being the "red headed step child" that comes with being a Ford enthusiast. Its almost like Henry's Ghost is still calling the shots in Michigan.. after all if it was up to him Ford cars would still have mechanical brakes.

Thanks for keeping everyone in the loop! Great article.

I have one glaring question regarding Ford's internal claims. How can lower CR only yield a loss of 1-2 HP? Or did I read the article wrong. Lower CR will certainly cause more loss than this, and it is insulting for them to think that the public would buy this (if they ever admit the problem publicly).

Guess I'm just glad I didn't think twice about buying a new Cobra.

Bleeding Ford blue

I currently own a 99 Cobra and I havenot realized the power problems. The "other 40%" does exist, but they seem to not be quite as vocal. I have run a best of 13.48 at 103mph at the track. The car had <500 miles, is completely stock, and was turning these type of trap speeds all day. According to some calculations I have done, the mph does reflect close to the advertised outbut of the 99 4.6DOHC engine.

Congratulations on a great article. (re: Cobra SVT Problems). As an owner of a 1999 Mustang Cobra I am greatly concerned with the issues discussed. In a previous letter to Blue Oval News, I discussed some of the problems (wheel hop & 2000-RPM vibration) that have been noted on my vehicle. On the subject of low horsepower I can only rely on a "seat of the pants" impression. I suspect that the horsepower is lower than specified. I plan to schedule a dynamometer test to bare this out.

It is not surprising to find early production problems related to new designs in motor vehicles or any other machines. SVT should be commended for producing a great car. I trust that Ford will make good on these few shortcomings and make the necessary repairs available to all 1999 Mustang Cobra owners under warranty.

The way in which Ford and SVT deal with this situation is critical in maintaining customer satisfaction in this unique market niche.

Oh my god!!!!

It WILL be a messy one. Glad I kept my 95 5.0 5.0 Owner close to 320HP at the wheels... 

Now, at least we '99 Cobra owners are getting some vendication of our complaints. I for one don't know if I have a power problem as I have neither raced the car, nor have I had it put on a dyno. I do however, have the vibration problem. Took the car back into the dealer this morning to have the problem diagonosed again as per the SVT memo that was put out to the dealers. There again, if I hadn't been watching some of the other bb's, I would never have know of the follow up SVT issued, as neither they, nor my selling dealer had notified. I can be perfectly happy with the car, just get the darn thing fixed. Will be waiting for the follow up article and also the VIN number article forth coming on Wednesday. One other item of note, when you get the new subscription site going, lewt me know. I'll gladly sign on.

I'm about to buy a 99 Cobra convertible. I had a 97 before this one. How will I know if this new one is going to be affected by this power shortage problem??

I have noticed degrading engine performance in my 99 cobra convertible... I've twice taken it to the dealership and all they've done is take it for a joy ride and tell me nothing's wrong with the car. They refuse to hook it up to a dyno... they ran it through some bogus computer tests and issued a "NO FAULT FOUND AT THIS TIME" statement to all my complaints.

This is indeed an outrage. My cobra is the 6th vehicle I have purchased/ leased from Ford in the last 12 years. My father worked his entire adult life for FMC... what are we to do? My congressman's phone is about to ring off the hook...

This reminds me of the release of the 1996 Cobra with the first 4.6 liter DOHC engine. The "hot" summer field testing took place during one of Arizona's coldest summers. So after the new 96 Cobra's rolled out and summer began the cooling system was not able to keep up with the routine heat load. Less than half of all owners were complaining that the cooling system would peg the temp. gauge and barf up green coolant. It took Ford engineers almost a year before the fixwas made available. The bad thing is that Ford did not alert all Cobra owners of the problem or fix. Soif you drove your Cobra as a weekend toy or lived in a cool climate you might not see the problem everyday or you might think it was an anomoly and Ford saved the money. To bad for the subsequent owner(s) if they choose to use the car as a daily driver or move from Idaho to Florida.

Thanks! Keep us posted. No vibes, but low on power.

So why didn't ford care when all of the '96-'98 cobras dyno'ed at 260 HP when they were supposed to have 305? Are they going to even consider doinganything about that?

Dear B.O.N., First off thank you for the information regarding 99 Cobra problems and thank you for an excellent site that I have enjoyed for almost a year now. I discovered your site last year while searching for spy photos and info on the 99 Cobra. After reading about the Cobra on B.O.N and other sites, I felt I had to have one and placed an order around Feb of this year.

I am generally happy with the car with one BIG exception, lack of power! Prior to the Cobra, I drove a 91 GT, that I had purchased new 8 years ago. Comparing the advertised HP ratings between the 91 GT (225) and the Cobra's (320), I expected to be "stepping up" to a more powerful car. The GT was more satisfying in the "seat of the pants" feeling than the Cobra! I had an AOD in the GT; I have also owned manual transmition cars and they usually feel like they accelarate better than automatics...

I sold my clean, 91 GT (68K miles), that was in perfect mechanical condition for $7200. The new Cobra cost me 31K out the door... I feel like I should of kept my old car! I got caught up in the hype of the 99 Cobra's performance and bought one without even test driving it first.

All the recent talk of lack of HP in the Cobra confirms what I thought about the Cobra's performance since I have had it. I hope ford does the right thing, whatever that may be. Maybe they'll throw in free super chargers as an upgrade? Just kidding...white coupe w/charcoal

Guys / gals your doing a great job on the COBRA problems...keep it up.

I'd be pretty ticked just about now if i went with a 99 Cobra. I really feel for those people who went the blue oval route.

Little wonder i've yet to see any of these new cobras break the 14 sec barrier. Ford better work day and night to fix this, because their new cobras are getting slaughtered at the track. It's pretty obvious that they don't even know what's wrong with these cars... it's all speculation as to where the problems reside... That's pathetic.

Dear Sirs: I really appreciate your article on the twin 99 Cobra problems. I'm not sure about power loss since I haven't been to the drag strip or a dyno. If the 320 Hp is supposed to be there by design and as advertised I want what I paid for, not a more expensive Mustang GT. However vibration is a different story. Starting about 68 mph it appears on my Cobra and gets louder as speed increases. It is more like a low frequency rumble and causes me to get a headache. I called SVT about it and was told to have the dealer check it out. They did seem to admit to the problem. I must admit this whole issue disturbs me and I would not have bought this car if I had any idea that the problems could exist. I should have gone for the SS Camaro. I hope Ford has the integrity to fix these problems with the delivered Cobra's. My car was built in mid April and appears to be right in the middle of the group that may have both problems.

CAN ANYONE SAY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT?