FaultScore

1997 Ford Mustang fuel system problems

15 of the 231 complaints about the 1997 Ford Mustang are about the fuel system — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 89,000 miles.

B

15

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Carburetor System 8 53.3%
Delivery 1 6.7%
Tank Assembly 1 6.7%
Storage 1 6.7%
Hoses, Lines/Piping, AND Fittings 1 6.7%
Hoses, Lines/Piping, AND Fittings 1 6.7%
Fuel Rail 1 6.7%
Filling/Charging 1 6.7%

Fuel & Propulsion across every Ford Mustang year

1994 10 2.2%
1995 20 4.3%
1996 18 3.9%
1997 15 3.2%
1998 30 6.5%
2000 22 4.7%
2001 21 4.5%
2005 101 21.8%
2006 45 9.7%
2007 31 6.7%
2011 26 5.6%
2012 22 4.7%
2013 11 2.4%
2014 11 2.4%
2015 32 6.9%
2016 20 4.3%
2021 15 3.2%
2022 14 3.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 60,000 miles Kings Park, NY

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLING/CHARGING

1. GAS LEAKED BADLY FROM THE TOP OF GAS TANK WHEN THE TANK IS FULL AT THE GAS STATION. . TANK CAN EXPLODE IF THERE IS ANY SPARK AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE WHOLE CAR. VERY DANGEROUS SUITATION FOR THE DRIVER AND ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR. MAY CAUSE FIRE AND MAJOR CATASTROPH FOR ALL THE SURROUNDINGS. 3. THE JOUNT BETWEEN THE FILL LINE AND THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THE JOUNT WAS RE-WELDED AT THE DEALER SHOP AND THE LEAK STOPPED.

NHTSA complaint #10068042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 118,000 miles Ridgecrest, AR

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

THE RUBBER SEAL BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND THE FUEL TANK SPLIT CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE GROUND. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL SPILL.

NHTSA complaint #10063641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Castro Valley, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE

THIS CAR HAS A SALVAGE TITLE, WHICH I LATER FOUND WAS DUE TO A TRUNK FIRE. I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LATER FOLLOWED UP ON RESEARCH ABOUT SALVAGE TITLES FINDING OUT THAT THE GAS TANK IS IN A BAD LOCATION AND THAT MUSTANG'S WHEN HIT ON IMPACT HAVE A TENDENCY TO LEAK GASOLINE CAUSING FIRES. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY LOCKS. POWER LOCK DON'T WORK, AND WHEN I OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, I MUST KEEP THE KEY IN THE THE TURNED UNLOCK POSITION WHILE PULLING THE HANDLE UP IN ORER TO OPEN THE DOOR. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR IN THE RAIN. GOING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, MOST THE TIME, FROM A COMPLETE STOP, I HAVE HYDROPLANED AND HAVE DONE A 360. THE CAR IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. THE RIDE IS BUMPY MAKING ALL MY CD'S SCRATCH. THE CAR ALSO LETS OFF GAS WHEN THE AC IS ON, CAUSING ME TO BECOME SLEEPY. ALL IN ALL I FIND MUSTANGS TO BE VERY UNSAFE VEHICLES AND WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER.

NHTSA complaint #769592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Windsor Mill, MD

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

FORD EXPERIMENTED WITH A COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED DUE TO THIS NEW MATERIAL. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS A SECRET RECALL ON IT: 01M02. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE HAD ACCIDENTS FOLLOWING THIS FAILURE BECAUSE THE SMOKE GETS SO THICK THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THERE WAS SO MUCH SMOKE THAT I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY FORD, AND FORD SHOULD PAY THE TOWING BILLS OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE NEEDLESSLY SUFFERED THIS FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #767281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Spring Hill, FL

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. DEALER STATED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #8014366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Petersburg, MI

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE . CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8001533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colonial Height, VA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THEN STOPPING FOUND OUT THAT STEAM AND ENGINE COOLANT WAS COMING OUT. TOWED VEHICLE TO A NEAR SHOP, THEY NOTICED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD SPLIT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #894568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shreveport, LA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID. CONSUMER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #891798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Burke, VA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ERUPTED AND LOST ALL COOLANT WITHIN 30 SECONDS WHILE TRAVELLING THE SPEED LIMIT, UPHILL. A LARGE CLOUD OF COOLANT/MIST ENVELOPED THE CAR FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BLOCKED VISION OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND OURS.

NHTSA complaint #743375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

SUSPENSION-SWAY BAR - THE BOLT FOR THE SWAY BAR HAS SHEARED OFF. I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS OCCURRED EXCEPT THAT I WAS STOPPED, TURNED TO MAKE A U-TURN AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. AFTER THAT I BEGAN TO HEAR THIS NOISE HITTING MY CAR I THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE OR JACK IN THE TRUNK. I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE THE SWAY BAR. GAS LEAKING - WHEN MY CAR IS IDELING I START TO GET GAS FUMES FILLING MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. I TOOK IT TO FORD LAST SUMMER, THEY CHARGED ME $300 TO FIX BUT THAT HAS NOT WORKED. MY CAR FILLS UP WITH GAS FUMES AND NOW THAT I AM USING THE AIR CONDITIONER AGAIN, ITS BACK AT MY ATTENTION BECAUSE THE FUMES ARE VERY STRONG AND I GET SICK, HEADACHES, DIZZY AND LIGHTHEADED.

NHTSA complaint #722495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ventura, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND CONSUMER HAD TO ADD COOLANT INTO VEHICLE DUE TO A LEAK WITHIN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NHTSA complaint #844440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

MT. Vernon, OH 1 injured

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #709320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sanford, NC

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

CABLE LINKAGE CAME LOOSE FORM THE CARBORATOR AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AND ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #700663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gulf Breez, FL

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

CONNECTING PART TO GAS TANK CAME LOOSE RESULTING IN LEAKING GAS.

NHTSA complaint #538109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Piedmont, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

MAIN FUEL LINE WAS BROKEN ON DELIVERY.

NHTSA complaint #525222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Ford Mustang problems

← Full 1997 Ford Mustang report