17 of the
427 complaints about the 2000 Ford Mustang are about the
electrical system — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
61,000 miles.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITNESSES SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR WAS TRYING TO START ITSELF. TOTAL LOSS. DAMAGE WAS WORST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CENTERED IN THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE WHEEL. SECURITY CAMERA OF INCIDENT SHOWS SMOKE THEN FIRE STARTING AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10583844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 17,000 milesPismo Beach, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE IGNITION. 2. THE CAR HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COMPONENTS REPLACED. 3. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,000.
NHTSA complaint #10262644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 69,990 milesTaylor, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I HAVE A 2000 FORD 3.8 LITER MUSTANG. IT HAS A VIBRATION AND COVERT FORD SAYS ITS NEEDS NEW MOTOR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, TOOK GREAT CARE OF MOTOR, IT JUST TURNED 70,000 MILES. COVERT SAYS IT HAS EXCESSIVE END PLAY ON THE CRANKSHAFT DUE TO WEAR. I THINK I HAVE AN AMERICAN-MADE PROBLEM. 70,000 MILES???? THANKS FOR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE ME. THEY WANT $4,600.00. I THINK FORD OWES ME MOST OF THAT AT THE VERY LEAST BECAUSE I SURE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT. YOU KNOW ITS FUNNY ALSO BECAUSE UP TO THIS POINT THAT CAR HAD NEVER BROKEN DOWN AND HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE SHOP . THIS IS OTHER THAN 15 OIL CHANGES TWO BATTERIES AND TWO SETS OF TIRES... I JUST THINK ITS NOT NORMAL. PLEASE HELP WITH SUGGESTION.
NHTSA complaint #10146352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 64,700 milesMorton, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE CLEANING MY SPARK PLUGS, I NOTICED THE NUMBER #3 SPARK PLUG HAD OIL ON THE SPARK PLUG THREAD. WHEN I PUT MY FINGER INTO THE NUMBER #3 CYLINDER HOLE OIL SHOWED ON MY FINGER. THE NUMBER #3 PLUG WAS ALSO FOULED COMPARED TO THE OTHER NEW PLUGS. THIS COULD LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE OR A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA. I HEARD THAT FORD HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN ON MY CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY MANY OWNERS THAT FORD HAD A VALVE COVER BUFFLE TO PCV VALVE PROBLEM ON 1999 AND 2000 MUSTANG 3.8, BUT THEY WILL NOT DO ANY THING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD MY MANY OWNERS THAT THEY MOD. AND REMOVED THE PCV VALVE AND REPLACED IT WITH FILTERS TO STOP OIL GETTING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED PROPERLY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2001 VALVE COVERS AND UP CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10083080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 25,851 milesBluefield, VA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED ON MAY 03, 2003 FROM RAMEY FORD IN TAZEWELL, VA AND UNDER THE TERMS THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE CLUTCH FOR VIBRATION. UPON CHECKING THE CLUTCH, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE CLUTCH ROD NEEDED REPLACED AND THIS WAS COMPLETED. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK THE FIRST TIME, I HAVE GONE THROUGH AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH MAKING A VIBRATION/RATTLE TYPE NOISE THAT COMES AND GOES EVEN AFTER THE PRESSURE PLATE, THROW-OUT BEARING, AND FLY-WHEEL WERE REPLACED. ALSO, FOR 3 1/2 TO 4 MONTHS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY AND START BLINKING AND THEN GO OFF, THIS HAS FINALLY STOPPED AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS AT FIXING THE PROBLEM, AFTER THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND A COIL PACK WAS CHANGED. FOR A CAR THAT LOOKS BRAND NEW INSIDE AND OUT, THESE CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN VERY TROUBLESOME AND AGGRAVATING ESPECIALLY AFTER 6 REPAIR ATTEMPTS (GOING ON 7).
NHTSA complaint #10071022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 61,000 milesBellbrook, OHFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS CAUSED FIRE. 2000 FORD MUSTANG ONLY HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #10043358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 29,459 milesValencia, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE A 2000 FORD MUSTANG V6, AND I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER (MAGIC FORD, IN VALENCIA CA ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOUR TIMES) CANT FIX AND CANT FIND OUT WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHENEVER I DROVE THE CAR AND IT GETS HOT AND WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND TRY RESTARTING THE CAR, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE COOL OFF, THEN THE CAR WOULD START, IT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GROCERY STORE, AND TRY STARTING THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, SAME THING WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GASOLINE STATION, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT GETS COOL OFF BEFORE THE WOULD START AGAIN. HERE ARE THE HISTORY OF THE ONGOING PROBLEM, THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER THE WARRANTY, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DONT KNOW THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GIVE OUT ANY CODE, SO THEY CANT FIX THE CAR, BUT THEY KNOW THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SECOND TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE KEY, AND THE IGNITION, SO THEY HAVE TO REPROGRAM THE KEY TO SEND SIGNAL TO THE IGNITION, (I HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY, WHEN THEY COULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST TIME.) THIRD TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS LOOSE AND THE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE (I DONT THINK SO) A WEEK LATER, FOURTH TIME I TOOK THE CAR BACK, STILL DOESNT KNOW WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR, ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR 3 DAYS NOW. I DONT KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO DO WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE ADVICE.
NHTSA complaint #10028910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakeside, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2000 FORD MUSTANG LOST ALL ITS POWER AFTER I JUST PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT. I THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SITE. ABOUT 1-2 MINUTES LATER I SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE SAME PLACE. AS I EXITED THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND A HORRID NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED 10-15 FOOT HIGH FLAMES WERE SHOOTING IN THE AIR FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR [THIS ALL STARTED TO HAPPEN INCREDIBLY FAST] AND THERE ALSO WAS LOTS OF BLACK SMOKE. ONE OF THE FIREMEN/LADIES TOLD ME THAT IT LOOKED LIKR THE FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE WIRING. ALL OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR BURNED OUT INCLUDING THE HOOD AND SOMEOF THE DASH INSIDE MELTED AND THE FRONT WINDSHILD STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE HEAT OF THE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10000661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Citrushts, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THERE WAS A FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE DOOR PANEL MELTING WIRES AND OTHER PARTS. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT THERE WAS SOME SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING.
NHTSA complaint #8013254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Marietta, GAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CAR CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 30 MIN.-CAR IS "TOTALED"
NHTSA complaint #754426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Louis, MO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 10/7/99 AND HAVE BEEN TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE SINCE 10/12/99 THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FIXED ANY OF THE PROBLEMS W/THE CAR, IN FACT MY CAR KEEPS GETTING WORSE. THE ROOF ITS SELF LEAKS AND WHILE REMOVING THE HEADLINER THE DEALERSHIP CAUSED DENTS AND CREASES IN MY ROOF. THEY STILL HAVEN'T REPAIRED THE DENTS OR THE LEAK. ALSO, THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN GOING OUT SINCE DAY 1 CAUSING A FIRE SMELL WHICH THE DEALERSHIP SAID WAS THE SPARKS HITTING THE CATALITIC CONVERTER AND CAUSING PROBLEMS W/THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SPARK KNOCKS CONSTANTLY, DIES WHILE DRIVING, SMELLS LIKE ITS ON FIRE AND HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO "TRY TO FIX IT " AS THEY HAVE TRIED FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS BUT ANY REPAIRS THEY MAKE WILL NOT BE WARRANTIED. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL TV STATION, WRITTEN A LETTER TO FORD, TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILLED OUT A FORD SURVEY. AFTER ALL OF THAT, NO ONE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ME.
NHTSA complaint #747882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manassas, VA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
THIS IS WRONG OF FORD NOT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #741257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Largo, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS SERVICES. TECH STATED DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE ELECTRICAL BRAIN/COMPUTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY.
NHTSA complaint #881941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brick, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THIS IS THE SECOND SALEEN THAT WE KNOW OF THAT THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM OCCURRED, CAR # 0208 AND MINE # 0594, BOTH DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. I'VE CONTACTED SALEEN, DOWNS FORD AND AN ATTORNEY FOR HELP. SALEEN TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF THIS EVER HAPPENING BEFORE ME, I HAVE DOCUMENTS, NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF OTHER PARTY.
NHTSA complaint #738585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Roxbury, MA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES GEAR SKIPPED AND AND BRAKES BECAME LOOSE. NO BRAKING POWER. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED DEFECTS IN THE ALARM.
NHTSA complaint #874597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Conception, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #864484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Thousand Oaks, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATATOR MELTED BATTERY WIRES, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #855661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.