1997 FORD MUSTANG Complaints

THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THE PART CRACKED IN THE WRONG PLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT TO BE SPRAYED ON ENGINE. A $245 EXPENSE JUST FOR THE PLASTIC PART THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PUT INTO PRODUCTION, NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY CONCERNS SHOULD THE CRACK HAD HAPPENED RAPIDLY AND STEAMED UP THE WINDSHIELD. HOWEVER, AFTER TRYING MULITPLE TIMES TO GET THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING TO QUIT LEAKING (USING RTV ON THE POORLY DESIGNED O-RING SEAL), MY SON NOTICED THE CRACK IN THE INTAKE NEXT TO ONE OF THE BOLT HOLES USED TO SECURE THE THERMOSTAT ELBOW. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW SUCH A MATURE CAR COMPANY CAN PUT SUCH A DESIGN IN PRODUCTION; AND TO MAKE IT WORSE REFUSE TO VOLUNTEER TO CORRECT THEIR ERROR.*AK

I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 FORD MUSTANG GT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE COOLANT LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE WHOLE COCKPIT FILLED UP WITH SMOKE. UPON NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AND THE COOLANT LIGHT TURNING ON I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO PULL OVER. AFTER TOWING THE CAR HOME I NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A CRACK AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS SPRAYED EVERYWHERE. AN INTAKE MANIFOLD IS A PART THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF A CAR WITH PROPER MANUFACTURING. I DID SOME FURTHER RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT FOOD CHANGED THE MANIFOLD STYLE IN 1999 AND CHANGED TO A ALUMINUM FRONT RUNNER OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTEAD OF THE PLASTIC RESIN THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE CAN EAT THROUGH. I ALSO FOUND A TSB ABOUT IT #0222. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING IS NOT A VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I HAVE A VERY INCONVENIENT AND COSTLY PROBLEM THAT I FEEL FORD SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. *LA

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD RESULTED IN COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. COOLANT WASHING OVER HOT ENGINE CAUSE HUGE CLOULD OF STEAM WHICH OBSCURED VISION FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS WHILE AT 65MPH. ACCIDENT AVERTED, BUT ONLY LUCKY CONSIDERING EXTREMELY HEAVY RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC. PLASTIC MANIFOLD IS MUSHY AND FRIABLE.*AK

MANUAL TANSMISSION. NO 5TH OR REVERSE. CLUTCH/TRANMISSION MESSED UP WHILE ON INTERSTATE.

CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. HE HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH THE RETRO FIT MANIFOLD WHICH WAS ALUMINUM AND PLASTIC. CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL ON THE INTERNET DEALING WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, BUT FORD WOULD NOT REPAIR IT. CONSUMER SPENT OVER $600.00 FOR REPAIRS. DID NOT THINK THIS WAS FAIR SINCE FORD KNEW THE PROBLEM.*AK

CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. PART ON THIS HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR IS MADE OF PLASTIC. THERE ARE NUMEROUS WEB SITES THAT STATE FORD IS AWARE AND HAS MADE REPAIRS FOR THIS IN THE PAST. THERE IS NO RECALL NOT 'PROGRAM' THAT FORD HAS FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. ALL WILL FAIL AT SOME TIME. A MECHANIC RECOMMENDED TO CONTACT FORD RATHER THAN PAY HIM TO REPAIR AS FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS PAID FOR REPAIRS IN THE PAST. *PH

HEAD GASKETS BLOWN CAUSING THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE TO SWELL AND RUB THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR CLUTCH. THE HOLE IN THE HOSE CAUSED ALL THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT AND CAUSING A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE. THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN ON THREE OF THE SIX CYLINDERS. THE ENGINE IS A 3.8L V6 IN A 1997 MUSTANG.*AK

MY 1997 MUSTANG HAS RUSTED THROUGH THE TRUNK FLOOR. THE FRAME BELOW IS ALSO RUSTING. THE FRAME SUPPORTS THE REAR BUMPER,WHICH PROTECTS THE GAS TANK.*AK

THE COLOR OF THIS MUSTANG IS WHITE. AROUND MAY OR JUNE 2000, THE PAINT BEGAN TO PEEL OFF THE ROOF OF THE CAR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE EXPOSED METAL BEGAN TO RUST. I CONSULTED THE DEALER ABOUT IT, BUT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO PAINT THE CAR, SINCE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. PRIOR TO THIS, I HAD IT LOOKED AT BY ANOTHER PARTY WHO SAID THAT FORD SHOULD PAINT IT AT NO CHARGE TO ME BECAUSE THE PAINT AND PRIMER WERE BOTH DEFECTIVE, THUS CAUSING THE PAINT TO COME OFF. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HELP. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAYS THE METAL HAS TO BE "PERFORATED" BEFORE FORD WOULD COVER THE PAINT. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE PAINTED THE VEHICLE WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED. EVEN IF THEY JUST PAINTED THE ROOF AND NOT THE WHOLE VEHICLE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN SATISFIED WITH THAT. (LT). *NLM