FaultScore

1998 Ford Mustang transmission problems

22 of the 297 complaints about the 1998 Ford Mustang are about the transmission — 7% of everything reported for this model year.

B

22

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 8 36.4%
Manual Transmission 3 13.6%
Driveshaft 3 13.6%
Clutch Assembly 3 13.6%
Axle Assembly 2 9.1%
Power Train 1 4.5%
Torque Converter 1 4.5%
Floor Shift 1 4.5%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Ford Mustang year

1994 56 5.0%
1995 62 5.6%
1996 28 2.5%
1997 32 2.9%
1998 22 2.0%
1999 27 2.4%
2000 49 4.4%
2001 18 1.6%
2003 15 1.4%
2004 11 1.0%
2005 26 2.3%
2006 32 2.9%
2007 37 3.3%
2008 30 2.7%
2010 14 1.3%
2011 203 18.3%
2012 180 16.2%
2013 49 4.4%
2014 30 2.7%
2015 43 3.9%
2016 29 2.6%
2017 22 2.0%
2018 45 4.1%
2019 27 2.4%
2020 24 2.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Defuniak Springs, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN PARKING ON A HILL OR FLAT LAND VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF REVERSE AND ROLLED FORWARD. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED SHIFTER FORK WAS WORN OUT.

NHTSA complaint #10055397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florence, KY

POWER TRAIN

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10038574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Grover Beach, CA

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

WE TOOK CAR IN TO LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK A NOISE WE HAD HEARD IN THE REAR END. THEY TORE INTO THE REAR END TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE WHOLE REAR END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY GAVE US AN ESTIMATE OF $1600. WE QUESTIONED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. WE WERE TOLD IT DOESN'T USUALLY HAPPEN AT THIS MILEAGE. THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NO PRELOAD ON THE AXEL. WE COMPLAINED TO FORD HEADQUARTERS TO NO AVAIL. THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WAS NOT A GOOD ANSWER. THIS IS A PREMIUM CAR THAT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND ALWAYS DRIVEN BY ADULTS, AND ONLY SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. WE WERE GIVEN NO EXPLAINATION AS TO WHY THERE WAS NO PRELOAD, OTHER THAN THE CAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED ON MONDAY RATHER THAN TUESDAY. DT

NHTSA complaint #769159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Antonio, TX

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

WHILE PARKED ON DECLINE VEHICLE ROLLED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH PARKING BRAKES STILL ON, HAD PARKING BRAKES DONE ON RECALL IN 2001. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE STATING PARKING BRAKES WERE FINE.

NHTSA complaint #8008906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Alhambra, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, TRANSMISSION SHUT DOWN. *AK

NHTSA complaint #8003750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edmond, OK

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE SHIFTS ON ITS OWN, BURNING THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #887855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Faxon, OK

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

WE TOOK CAR IN TO LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR ROUTINE MILEAGE CHECKUP. THEY HEARD NOISE IN REAR -END. WE HAD THEM TEAR INTO THE REAR END TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS. THEY GAVE US AN ESTIMATE OF $2,000. THIS CAR IS ONLY 2 YRS. OLD. WE QUESTIONED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. WE WERE TOLD IT DOESN'T USUALLY HAPPEN AT THIS MILEAGE, BEARING WENT OUT AND CAUSED ENTIRE REAR END TO NEED REPLACED. WE DO NOT HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY SO WE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CORP. CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL, THEREFORE WE WOULD HAVE TO INCUR ALL COST. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A CONCERN OF THEIR'S. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING IN OUR GARAGE SINCE THAT TIME. WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE PAYMENTS. WE FEEL IT IS FAULTY WORKMANSHIP. THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN BY MYSELF WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN TO AND FROM WORK/SCHOOL EVERY DAY.(IT HAS NOT BEEN "RAN HARD" ETC.) THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #735344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED ON, IT WOULD MAKE STRANGE HARMONIC RESONANCE NOISE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE & SHAKE. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING. NOISE WOULD BUILD UP. PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. VEHICLE COULD BE IDLING & NOISE WOULD ALSO APPEAR. MECHANIC CANNOT SOLVE PROBLEM. ALSO HAS A BAD DRIVE TRAIN & REAR END.

NHTSA complaint #873963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, GA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE POPS OUT OF OVERDRIVE AND O/D LIGHT FLASHES ON. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP HAS REPLACED THE CYLNOID THAT CONTROLS THIS 4 TIMES. WORKS FOR AWHILE THEN STARTS AGAIN. CANNOT FIND ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION REBUILD IS NOW THE ONLY REMEDY.

NHTSA complaint #729740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Livonia, MI Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

REMOTE DOOR DOES NOT WORK ALL OF THE TIME. DEALER REPLACED LATCH BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CUSTOMER PLACED A SMALL ROUND MAGNET ON THE QUARTER PANEL ON EACH SIDE WHERE THE LID CONTACTS THE QUARTER PANEL TEMPORARILY CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE THE DEALER TO PROPERLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CAR IDLES ROUGH WHEN ACCESSORORIES ARE TURNED ON. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARSHLY UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT IMMEDIATELT ENGAGE IN GEAR WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN CAR SITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME BUT DOES NOT ALWAYS OCCUR. CUSTOMER HAS NOTICED AT TIMES AN UNUSAL LARGE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT DOES NOT SEE A LEAK OR SMELL. RIGHT FRONT DOOR SPEAKER CUTS IN AND OUT.

NHTSA complaint #725396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Panama City, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I LOST COUNT AFTER 22 TIMES FOR THAT CAR BEING IN THE SHOP. NOW... I CAN BARELY GET IT OUT OF PARK.. THEY ORDERED THE PART FOR IT, BUT FAILED TO CALL ME WHEN IT CAME IN, THEREFORE IT WAS SENT BACK. THEN AFTER I COMPLAINED AGAIN TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WAS NOW ON BACK-ORDER, BUT THEY FOUND ONE IN OKLAHOMA THAT WAS GOING TO BE SENT TO THEM FOR ME IN A WEEK. AFTER 3 WEEKS I WENT UP THERE AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO PART COMING IN FROM OKLAHOMA, THAT ONE'S ON BACK-ORDER TOO ! I AM GETTING THE RUN AROUND FOR A CAR THAT DOESN'T EVEN GET ME AROUND !!!!!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS ! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME ! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW AND I'M ALWAYS LATE FOR SCHOOL AND APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE I CAN'T GET MY CAR OUT OF PARK !!!! MY THUMB IS SO SORE AND SWOLLEN AND CALLOUSED FROM TRYING TO GET IT OUT OF PARK !

NHTSA complaint #722476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

BRAKING, AND SHIFTING (AUTOMATIC). NEED INFORMATION ON MAKING FORD PAY FOR THE LEMON!

NHTSA complaint #716001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hesperia, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON THREE SEPERATE OCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION TROUBLE

NHTSA complaint #714437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hesperia, CA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON THREE SEPERATE OCASSIONS FOR TRANSMISSION TROUBLE

NHTSA complaint #714437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yorba Linda, CA

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

CLUTCH AND HOOD LATCH.

NHTSA complaint #609587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Placentia, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

TRANSMISSION--TORQUE CONVERTER.

NHTSA complaint #609713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atlantic Beach, FL

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION DROPPED OUT OF 4TH GEAR. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA complaint #703157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, VA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA complaint #700788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Suitland, MD

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SUMMARY NOT PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA complaint #700369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Jose, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE POPS OUT OF GEAR, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #827703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Hanov, NJ

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

MANUAL TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF 4TH GEAR AND REVERSE. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE NO REPAIRS AND CLAIMS FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #536130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Daly City, CA

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR/STICKS IN GEAR.

NHTSA complaint #528730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Ford Mustang problems

← Full 1998 Ford Mustang report