1996 FORD MUSTANG Complaints

AFTER FILLING UP THE COOLANT CONTAINER, SOMEHOW IT BECAME EMPTY WITHOUT ANY LEAKS VISIBLE. A TECHNICIAN MENTIONED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS JAM. THEY JAM WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO PULL THEM OUT TO HOOK THEN TOGETHER. THIS DOES NOT ENABLE YOU TO BE ABLE TO HOOK UP YOUR SEAT BELTS. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS SOMETIMES IN 1997. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEY TOOK THE COVER OFF OFF THE RETRACTOR AND STRAIGHTENED OUT THE BELT SO IT WOULD WORK. THIS HAS BEEN DONE SEVERAL TIMES BY THE DEALER AND BY THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE BELT IS EASILY TWISTED AND JAMS IN THE RETRACTOR. THE RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER 0N SEPTEMBER 21, 1998. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED, AND THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AGAIN ON JUNE 2, 1999 AND THE RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED AGAIN. WE HAVE BEEN IN NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT STILL IS UNRESOLVED AS TO THE RETRACTOR JAMMING. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT WHICH THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR CANNOT LEGALLY OR SAFELY BE DRIVEN WITH A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OVERHEATED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND CAR STARTED SMOKING. DROVE CAR HOME. THEN TOOK IT TO DEALER. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK

THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH OTHER CARS LIKE MINE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS, THEY TOLD ME AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MESS THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED AND NOW THEY WILL NOT AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $1300 TO REPAIR. I BELIEVE TH. *AK

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (I/C) HOOD INSUFFICIENT TO PREVENT LOWER I/C LIGHTS FROM REFLECTING IN WINDSHIELD WITH TALL DRIVERS. CREATES VERY DISTRACTING REFLECTIONS IN DRIVERS FIELD OF VIEW. *AK

I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS MY LOCAL FORD DEALER (CHARLIE HILLARD FORD-FORT WORTH). THEY BOTH TELL ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET ON A 1995 FORD WINSTAR HAS BEEN RECALLED. THIS VEHICLE HAS VIRTUALLY THE SAME 3.8L V6 ENGINE AS MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG. MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY TELLS ME THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO ENGINES IS THAT ONE VEHICLE IS FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE, AND THE OTHER REAR-WHEEL DRIVE. THE HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE MANUFACTURED THE SAME ON THESE TWO VEHICLES. HOWEVER, FORD TELLS ME THEY CANNOT HELP ME PAY FOR THIS REPAIR - WHICH WAS A FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. ADDITIONALLY, MY MECHANIC SAYS HE AND OTHER MECHANICS HE KNOWS HAVE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM FREQUENTLY ON FORD MUSTANGS AND FORD THUNDERBIRDS WITH THIS SAME 3.8L V6 ENGINE. *AK

STARTED CAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPE. *AK DEALER TOLD CONSUMER HE NEEDED A LIFTER AND A ROCKER, HOWEVER PARTS FELL OFF WHEN THEY DID A TEST DRIVE, DEALER FOUND A NEW MOTOR WAS NEEDED. *SLC

THE VEHICLE HAS ABS, AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT HIGH SPEED, THE VEHICLE SWERVES.*AK ON ONE OCCASION, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP FROM HITTING A DOG, VEHICLE SKIDDED TO RIGHT, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *SLC

AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH PRIOR TO IMPACT. *AK

CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE LOST BRAKE HAD ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE CAR WAS TOTALLED. TT