Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports6 fire reports13 injury reports

What owners actually said

246 reports

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE 96 MUSTANG GT, AT 21000 MILES INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED IN THE REAR , FORD REPLACED FOR FREE, NOW AT 79000K THE INTAKE HAS CRACKED AGAIN IN THE FRONT , THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SILENT RECALL, BEFORE I GO BACK TO FORD, AGAIN DOES FORD HAVE TO FIX IT OR DO I? *JB

NHTSA ODI #10106452

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. ANTIFREEZE STARTED TO POUR OUT OF THE MUFFLER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10103293

69,000 miles · Jul 6, 2004

Seat Belts

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH DRIVE R AND PASSENGER RETRACTORS DETERIORATED. THE BELTS WERE INOPERABLE WHEN IN USE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT THERE WAS A GREAT RISK INVOLVED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT BELTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10081364

69,000 miles · Jul 6, 2004

Seat Belts

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER RETRCTORS DETERIORATED. THE BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THERE WAS A GREAT RISK INVOLVED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT BELTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10081362

25,000 miles · Jul 1, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. SMOKE STARTED TO ACCUMULATE INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM THE A/C VENTS. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10080277

30,000 miles · Jun 13, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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OUR FAMILY HAS THREE 1996 MUSTANGS, ONE WITH A MANUAL AND TWO WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. WE HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF THEM BLOW THE HEAD GASKET ON THEM, ONE AT A YEAR, ONE AT THREE YEARS, AND ONE AT FOUR YEARS. NOW, I HAVE FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT FORD OFFERED A FREE REPLACEMENT ON THE GASKETS, FOR AN EXTENDED 7 YEARS, AND WOULD LIKE TO WARN OTHERS THAT THEY ARE VERY LIKELY TO GO OUT, AND TO LET THEM KNOW TO "REMIND" THE FORD DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I PAID TO REPLACE THREE OF THEM, AND FEEL THAT THE FORD DEALER SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEREFORE NOT CHARGED ME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075324

71,000 miles · May 25, 2004

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineParking Brake

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I HAVE A 1996 FORD MUSTANG LX. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT NIGHT AND I HAD IT ON CRUISE CONTROL AND IT BLEW UP.I TOOK CARE OF MY CAR AND CHECKED THE ENGINE AND THE ANTIFREEZE BEFORE I LEAVE MY HOUSE.I GAVE MY CAR A 15 MINUTE WARM UP PERIOD BEFORE I LEAVE MY HOUSE.THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND BLEW UP DUE TO FAULTY ENGINE GASKET. I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE STARTER,THE WATER PUMP(2X), RADIATOR, AND PISTONS BECAUSE OF THAT. I AM VERY MAD AT FORD AND I TOLD THEM SO IN DEARBORN MI. I WILL NOT BUY A FORD IN THE FUTURE AND I TELL EVERYONE THAT ASKS ME ABOUT MY BAD EXPERIENCE W/ THIS CAR AND I TELL THEM TO NOT BUY FORD CARS OR TRUCKS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS.

NHTSA ODI #10073118

103,000 miles · Apr 20, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT JUST DIDN'T STAND UP TO THE HEAT THAT WAS CREATED WHEN IN USE. CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THIS RESOLVED. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10061694

60,000 miles · Mar 11, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

I PURCHASED A 96 MUSTANG GT 4.6, IN 1998 AND IN 2001 THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED SO I DID SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS PROBLEM AND IT TURNS OUT 90% OF ALL 96 AND 97 MUSTANGS WITH THE JUNK PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. I CALL MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND IT COSTS 904.00 THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. WHY WAS THERE NEVER A RECALL AND WHY D…

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NHTSA ODI #10061957

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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2 YEARS AFTER COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, MY MUSTANG HAS BLOWN ANOTHER HEAD GASKET! I HAD TO HAVE MY 96 FORD MUSTANG ENGINE (V6) REPLACED BECAUSE OF A BAD HEAD GASKET, AND AFTER REPLACING THE ENGINE, WHICH COST ME $3000.00 AT THE TIME, TWO YEARS LATER AM NOW LOOKING AT REPLACING ANOTHER HEAD GASKET, IN A NEWER ENGINE, AND LOOKING AT ANOTHER $2000 IN REPAIRS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO COVER OTHER MODELS OF FORD VEHICLES BESIDE 94-95. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10061831

Official recalls

01V318000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Oct 3, 2001

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE REPLACED AFTER APRIL 5, 2000. THE REPLACEMENT DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE INFLATOR MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT WELDS THAT COULD PREVENT PROPER INFLATION OF THE AIR BAG.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN LESS THAN THE INTENDED LEVEL OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

00V349000 · Parking Brake:conventional

Oct 30, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. IF A VEHICLE IS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY APPLIED AND NOT IN FIRST GEAR, AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER GUIDE, AND THE SELF ADJUSTMENT PAWL SUBSEQUENTLY SKIPS ONE OR TWO TEETH, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE ON SOME GRADES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL AND INSTALL A PLATE OR OVER-BRACKET TO THE CONTROL TO LOCK THE SELF ADJUST MECHANISM IN POSITION FOLLOWING ADJUSTMENT.

97V180000 · Structure:body:hood

Oct 20, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS. TEARING OF THE BOND BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER HOOD PANELS DURING MINOR FRONT END COLLISIONS CAN RESULT IN A GAP AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. AIR FORCED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER PANELS CAN PRODUCE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO FORCE THE OUTER PANEL UPWARD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE OUTER HOOD PANEL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HOOD AREA FOR ANY DAMAGE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, THE HOOD WILL BE REPLACED. IF THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE WILL BE APPLIED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER HOOD PANELS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE99002 · Front Brake Hose

Opened Jan 11, 1999 · Closed Jun 30, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available

EA97018 · Outer Hood Panel Detachment

Opened Sep 30, 1997 · Closed Oct 22, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE97011 · Outer Hood Panel Detachment

Opened Mar 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 30, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION HAS RECEIVED 6 REPORTS INDICATING THE OUTER HOOD PANEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLES AS THEY WERE BEING DRIVEN.FORD HAS PROVIDE 39 ADDITIONAL REPORTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH ODI REPORTS.FORD INDICATES THAT THE LIKELY CAUSE IS PRIOR COLLISION DAMAGE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO FURTHER STUDY THIS ISSUE.