1998 FORD MUSTANG Complaints

CAR WILL NOT START, STARTER SOLENOID CLICKS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START CAUSES SMOKE TO RISE FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE SMOKE IS COMMING FROM THE RUBBER BOOT WHERE THE METAL PARKING BREAK CABLE GOES FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE ACTUALLY GLOWS RED FROM HEAT (APARENT GROUND PATH FOR SOME KIND OF SHORT). THE STARTER CIRCUIT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL START (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS SECOND OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS IN JUNE OF 2000 @ 14,500 MILES. DEALER REPAIR NOTES" WIRING VERIFY COMPL PERFORM NO CRANK DIAG CHECK ALL FUSES OPEN IN CIR 33 TRACE CIR FOUND LOOSE PIN AT CONN 112 REPAIR CHECK OPERATION ROAD TEST REQUEST ACTUAL TIME FOR ELECT REPAIR TECH 551" I NOW HAVE 33,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, NOVEMBER 2004 -- FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD - DAMAGE TO PARKING BREAK CABLE???*AK

FORD AUTOMOBILES EQUIPPED WITH FORD'S 4.6L V-8 CONTAIN AN INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT IS PRONE TO FAILURE. DUE TO ORIGINAL DESIGN, THIS PART HAS A TENDENCY TO CRACK RESULTING IN SOMETIMES OVER HEATING, ENGINE FAILURE AND WORSE CASE DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR'S ENGINE. FORD RECOGNIZES THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT RECALL MOST CARS OTHER THAN FLEET VEHICLES AND THOSE LISTED IN THE TSB #97M91. 1. 1998 MUSTANG WAS OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. 2. WHEN CAR WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP THE MECHANIC NOTICED A CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD AND ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT IF THIS PART WAS NOT CORRECTED ENGINE FAILURE COULD OCCUR DUE TO COOLANT LOSS RESULTING IN SEVERE DAMAGE. 3. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND I GAVE THEM THE TSB #97M91 AND TOLD THEM TO REPLACE THE PART. 1998 MUSTANG WAS NOT LISTED AND THE CAR AND CAN'T BE FIXED AT DEALER'S COST ONLY CONSUMER'S. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK TALKING TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. FORD OWNERS BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK

(1) FORD MADE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OUT OF PLASTIC. (2) MANIFOLD CRACKED, AND CAUSED LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. (3) REPLACED MANIFOLD.OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. NOTES: NEW ONE IS MADE OF ALUMINUM IN CRACK AREA! FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL BUT ONLY FOR FLEET VEHICLES. INTERNET IS FULL OF LIKE STORIES. *AK

HELLO, MY FORD MUSTANG OVERHEATED AND DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. I READ THAT A RECALL ON THIS PART THAT WAS CALLED BY FORD BECAUSE THE SAME EXACT ENGINE ON THE CROWN VICTORIA GIVES THE SAME PROBLEMS AND A RECALL IS IN EFFECT ON IT. WHY WOULD THEY NOT HAVE A RECALL ON ALL ENGINES IF IT IS ECACTLY THE SAME? I WOULD HONESTLY APPRECIATE AN ANSWER IF IT CAN BE PROVIDED. BEST REGARDS. MUNAZZAR TAPAL.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 FORD MUSTANG GT. THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD VALVE HAS CRACKED AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF INTERENT RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS PLASTIC PART THAT FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT.*AK

<PAGE 3> I'VE ALSO SEEKED LEGAL ADVICE, AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT I WAS FRAUDED, AND THAT I DO HAVE A CASE, HOWEVER THEY COULDN'T FURTHER ASSIST ME DUE TO THE FACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID OFF MY LOAN ON THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN MY POSSESSION. NOW THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN FURTHER DO AS A CONSUMER??? PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, IVA D. OKLOBDZIJA . MOST OFOUR COMMENTS ARE MISSING. *AK

<PAGE 2 > MY LIFE, AS WELL AS ANOTHER HUMAN BEINGS LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN AT STAKE DUE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO MAKE SOME MONEY. THANK GOD THE PARTY INVOLVED AND MYSELF CAME OUT OF THIS ORDEAL WITH JUST MINOR BRUISING. I AM A TWENTY-ONE YEAR OLD WELL-EDUCATED WOMAN WITH A RESPONSIBLE JOB PROFILE, AND A CLEAN RECORD. I HAVE NEVER VIOLATED THE LAW, THEREFORE ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IS HARD TO TAKE. FROM THE START, I REQUESTED MY INSURANCE TO TAKE THE CLAIM MORE SERIOUSLY, AND FOR AN INTENSE INVESTIGATION TO TAKE PLACE ON THE VEHICLE, SINCE THIS WAS A BIZARRE ACCIDENT WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE, AND EVEN WITH THE CHP FORMING AN OPINION ON ASSUMPTIONS, I WAS NOT AT FAULT FOR THIS ACCIDENT, AND WAS NOT CHARGED WITH CARELESS DRIVING, OR ANY OTHER TRAFFIC INFRACTION. SINCE WHAT I REQUESTED DID NOT OCCUR, I AM DISSATISFIED WITH THE WAY THIS WAS CONDUCTED. BASICALLY FOR THE MONTH AND A HALF THAT MY INSURANCE HAD THE VEHICLE STORED, THEY NEVER CONDUCTED ANY TYPE OF INVESTIGATION NOR WAS MY VEHICLE INSPECTED. I EVEN WENT TO THE DEGREE OF HAVING MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE AT MY OWN EXPENSE, SO I MAY HIRE A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE DUE TO BAD TIMING. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING ON MY PROPERTY FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR SO, AND BEFORE I COULD GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE TO DO THE INSPECTION AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE APART, I HAD TO GET READY FOR SURGERY, SO THE INSPECTION WAS PUT ON HOLD DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTED ME TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE THEN TO CALL MY INSURANCE AND HAVE THEM TAKE THE "TOTAL LOSS" VEHICLE. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF THE REPAIRS AND RESTORATIONS WERE DONE BY MY INSURANCE, AND THAT IS WHY I BELIEVE THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. *AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY BIZARRE ACCIDENT. ON AUGUST 10, 2004 AT 8:30 AM, I WAS GOING TO WORK USING THE HIGHWAY I REGULARLY USE EVERYDAY, HIGHWAY ONE IN PACIFICA, CALIFORNIA, LOCATED FOUR BLOCKS FROM MY HOME. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. AS I WAS GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY ENTRANCE, GOING NO MORE THAN TWENTY MILES PER HOUR, AND AS I MADE MY WAY DOWN THE RAMP A FEW INCHES, MY CAR STARTED SWAYING BACK AND FORTH. PULLING ME RIGHT, AND THEN TO THE LEFT. I WAS NOT DISTRACTED, PREOCCUPIED, NOR ON A CELL PHONE. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ROAD STRAIGHT AHEAD. I TRIED TO STEAR THE CAR, BUT IT KEPT SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CAUSING ME TO FALL OFF THE RAMP AND LAND ONTO THE TRAFFIC GOING THE SAME DIRECTION I WAS HEADED (NORTH). ONE CAR ENDED UP HITTING ME. THE POLICE WAS ALREADY ON THE HIGHWAY SO THEY IMMEDIATELY CAME TO THE SCENE. SINCE THIS WAS SUCH A FRIGHTENING ACCIDENT, AND NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR IT, SINCE I WAS NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND GOING AT SUCH A LOW SPEED, I HAVE REQUESTED THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND THE CAR TO BE INSPECTED. THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG MECHANICALLY. I BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE. I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN THE RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY, TIE ROD, OR POWER STEERING VALVES. THROUGHOUT THE COURSE WORK, I FOUND OUT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS IN PERVIOUS ACCIDENTS. THIS INFORMATION WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME AT THE DATE OF THE PURCHASE, AND I REQUESTED IT FROM THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES. ALL MY REQUESTS FOR THE VEHICLES HISTORY AND OWNER HISTORY WERE PLACED TO THE SIDE. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I ADORED THE VEHICLE, I WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED IT KNOWING THIS INFORMATION. THE VEHICLE WAS "CERTIFIED" AND I OPTED FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. I ANGERS ME TO FIND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND REBUILT SEVERAL TIMES, AND PLACED BACK ONTO THE ROAD. HERE I WAS THINKING I WAS PURCHASING A VEHICLE THAT WAS "CERTIFIED" AND IN MINT CONDITION. THIS MATTER IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.CONTINUATION. *AK

MY 1998 FORD MUSTANG GT WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE SUFFERED A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH WAS REPLACED COSTING APPROXIMATELY $600,00, HAS CRACKED ONCE AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED NUMEROUS FORD DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, TO WHICH THEY REPLIED IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED ON OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH A WORKING PART ON MINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE. *AK