Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
REAR SWAY BAR BROKEN AT LEFT END. THIS IS NOT A MOUNTING FAILURE BUT AN ACTUAL BREAK! THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT ALL DEALERS (MORE THAN FIVE) IN THIS AREA ARE OUT OF REPLACEMENT PARTS!! BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE SWAY BAR IS HANGING LOOSE THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SERIOUS SAFTY HAZARD. *AK
TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK, ALSO CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER FLUID LEAKING INO ENGINE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY NOTICEABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BY THE TIME LEAK WAS DISCOVERED, ENGINE BEARNGS WERE SEVERLY WORN.
CAR OVERHEATED ONCE AND HEAD GASKET BLOWN; ODOMETER RUNS SLOW
MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS, BECOMING SEVERE AT SPEEDS OF 50MPH OR HIGHER. WHEN BRAKING THE WHEEL PULLS HARD, THE PEDAL MUST BE PUMPED TO KEEP FROM STEERING RIGHT. IF YOU BRAKE HARD THE WHEEL "JERKS"HARD CAUSING YOU TO LOOSE HOLD OF THE STEERING WHEEL IF YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING IT. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CUT TWICE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THIS TIME IT HAS MADE IT MUCH WORSE.
IGNITION COMPUTER REQUIRED RESETTING. YH
ENGINE UNCONTROLLABLY REVVED UP. YOUR SOFTWARE REJECTS MY MAIL IF I DON'T FILL FALSE DATA INTO THE COLUMNS OF
BRAKE LIGHTS: THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO AFTERMARKET MODIFICATIONS TO ANY PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK ONLY WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS LIGHTLY PRESSED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY BEING ADDRESSED BY THE DEALER, BUT SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. SEAT BELTS: THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT. THE BELT "HANGS LOOSELY" AFTER IT IS THE DRIVER TAKES IT OFF AND REQUIRES "EXCESSIVE" MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR A PROPER AND SAFE FIT. MILEAGE ODOMETER: THE MILEAGE ODOMETER DOESN'T WORK. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN BROKEN, BUT I NOTICED RECENTLY THAT IT STOPS OCCASIONALLY. AFTER REVIEWING MY DRIVING PATERNS I BELIEVE THAT THE ODOMETER MAY BE REPORTING MORE MILEAGE THAN I HAVE ACTUALLY PUT ON THE CAR (BUT I HAVE NO ABSOLUTE WAY TO PROVE THIS).
DID YOU KNOW THAT AIR BAGS CONTAINED SODUIM AZIDE AND WHEN DETONATED WILL GIVE OFF THA TOXIC AND VERY HARMFUL SODIUM HYDROXIDE (CAUSTIC SODA) IM SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT WANT TO INHALE THESE TOXIC VAPORS WITCH HAVE VERY HARMFUL OR FATIL RESULTS WHEN INHALED I WOULD APPRICATE YOUR IMEDIATE ATTION TO MY CONCERNS. CONCERN ABOUT AIR BAG SAFETY (OTHER THAN SHORT PERSON). ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.
TIRE ARE DRY ROTTEN.
THIS CAR HAS HAD A SHIMMY IN THE TEERING WHEEL THAT IS FELT BETWEEN 50-55 MPH. THE ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN CHECKED, TIRES INSPECTED AND BALANCED, ROTORS TURNED. ALL HAVE FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SELLING DEALER HAD ALSO REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, THE PROBLEM HAS AN INTERMITTENT ELEMENT TO IT. SOMETIMES THE CAR DRIVES FINE FOR A SHORT WHILE, AND THEN IT STARTS SHAKING AGAIN.
HAND BRAKE, WHEN USED, POPS OUT BY ITSELF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL. THIS CONDITION ONLY HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE BACKING VEHICLE INTO DRIVEWAY NOTICED A DRAGGING SOUND IN THE REAR. BELIEVES THIS CONDITION IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR FOR 40,000 MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
EMISSIONS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE.
FRONT BRAKEROTORS/PADS/CALIPERS FAILED. ALSO, REPLACED TRANSMISSION GEARS/CLUSTERS/INTERIOR BODY PANELS.
THE REAR ANTI-ROLL BAR FAILED AND SHEARED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REAR MOUNTING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. BELIVE FORD HAS KNOW ABOUT POTENTIAL HAZARD SINCE 1994 BUT FAILS TO ISSUE RECALL OR TSB.
VEHICLE WAS MAKING UNNECESSARY NOISE; THROUGH CONSUMER INVESTIGATION, FOUND SWAY BAR BROKEN. BELIEVED THIS WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR FOR VEHICLE WITH 38000 MILE OF WEAR. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
DEALER DID NOT WARN MY 4'11", 100LB WIFE OF DANGERS OF AIR BAG DUE TO HER SIZE. DEALER WAS AWARE OF WIFE NECK PROBLEM. THE PASSENGER REQUIRED BRAIN SURGERY FOLLOWING ACCIDENT. DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS DEALER WILL NOT RESPOND.
OWNER'S WIFE (4' 11') SITS CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS DURING A CRASH AND CAUSED INJURIES.
BOTH FRONT BRAKE HOSES BUSTED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS IN THE SAME LOCATION; AT THE "BANJO: FITTING.
FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE COMPONENTS.
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS, ONE INCIDENT RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG CAUSING BURNS TO ARM.
BRAKE FAILURE.
WIPER DELAY SWITCH FAILURE.
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AFTER IT HAS BEEN RESET .
ODOMETER DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.
VIBRATION IN THE CLUTCH.
NINE TRANSMISSION FAILURES WITHIN TWO YEARS.
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN THE ABS BRAKES WILL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF SECOND GEAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCCELERATE/LOSE CONTROL. *AK
VEHICLE VIBRATES AND PULLS AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE DETERMINED.
DRIVING AT APPROX 60 MPH BRAKES WENT TO FLOOR, HAD TO PUMP BRAKES IN ORDER TO TRY TO GAIN CONTROL. STEERING COLUMN VIBRATES/ALL FRONT END VIBRATES AT ABOUT 55 MPH. DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTATING ARMS ON BOTH SIDES IN 1996, 3 WEEKS LATER DEFECT REOCCURRED. *AK
ABS: OWNER DISCOVERED NUMEROUS CRACKS RUNNING FROM CENTER OF BRAKE ROTORS TO OUTER EDGE; COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE. REPAIRED TWICE, DEALR HAS NO IDEA OF WHAT'S CAUSING PROBLEM. *AK
STEERING FAILURE.
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. *AK
FRONT END VIBRATES/SHAKES. IN ADDITION, BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED/STEERING ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL IN EITHER DIRECTION. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO A SPEED OF 40MPH AND APPLYING FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO VIBRATE. THIS HAPPENS ONLY WHEN DRIVING 40MPH. *AK
CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND UPON ACCELERATION THE REAR AXLE SEPARATED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN THE AXLE SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
EMMISIONS CANISTER FAILED.
CONVERTABLE TOP AND REAR VIEW MIRROR ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TWO TIMES.
TIRES FAILED. (GOODYEAR ZR)
OIL LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER PARKING ON AN INCLINE, DEALER HAS CLEANED SENSOR BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.
FRONT DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT ADJUSTMENT SWITCH FAILED.
ABS SOLENOID FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FRONT BRAKES GRAB TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVER COME ACROSS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE REAR END OF THE BOCTON IS OUT.
WINDSHIELD FAILED.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Ford Mustang → · Every Mustang year → · How the figures are calculated →