1999 Ford Mustang Cobra

ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A PETITION REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE SPARK PLUG EJECTION IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1997 THROUGH 2004 FORD VEHICLES WITH TRITON V-8 AND V-10 ENGINES.ODI RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 474 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHERE THE COMPLAINANT, OR THE DEALER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, REPORTED THAT A SPARK PLUG DETACHED FROM THE CYLINDER AND/OR EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE.AS OF DECEMBER 8, 2005, ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS WHERE THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, A CRASH, AN INJURY, OR A FATALITY IN ANY OF THE 10,319,810 SUBJECT VEHICLES.IN ADDITION, ODI IS AWARE OF ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT RESTART.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ODI CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OBTAINED FROM 72 TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING:(1) 99% OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE ON MY 1997 TO 2002 SUBJECT VEHICLES.(2) MOST THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP WHILE DRIVING OR UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY A LOUD, REPETITIVE CLICKING OR POPPING SOUND.(3) MANY OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE POPPING SOUND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER; HOWEVER, IN 99% OF THE INCIDENTS REPORTED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL.IN THE VERY FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE DID STALL, MOST VEHICLES COULD BE RESTARTED.(4) ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINANTS CITED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS OR A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.(5) IN ALL BUT A VERY FEW INCIDENTS, VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE.IN ONE INCIDENT, THE COMPLAINT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS DAMAGED AND REPLACED AFTER ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT THE DAMAGE DID NOT RESULT IN ANY TYPE OF FUEL LEAK OR FIRE.IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, THE ONLY INCIDENT WHERE A FIRE WAS ALLEGED, THE COMPLAINANT REPORTED THAT NO FLUID LEAK WAS OBSERVED, BUT THAT A FIRE RESULTED AFTER THE SPARK PLUG HAD EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE AND HE HAD RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DRIVEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION.NONE OF THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE HOOD.(6) ONLY TWO COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOME DROPS OF FUEL COMING FROM THE CYLINDER WHERE THE SPARK PLUG HAD FAILED OR ON THE SPARK PLUG ITSELF; HOWEVER, EACH OF THESE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FLAMES AS A RESULT OF HIS INCIDENT.AS THE PETITIONER NOTED, AND ODI?S ANALYSIS SHOWED, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A SPARK PLUG TO DETACH FROM THE ENGINE CYLINDER THREADS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.HOWEVER, ODI?S ANALYSIS OF 474 COMPLAINTS DESCRIBING SUCH INCIDENTS FOUND ONLY A VERY FEW ALLEGED ANY SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES.NONE OF THESE SHOWED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SERIOUS SAFETY CONSEQUENCE.GIVEN THE LARGE POPULATION AND RELATIVELY LONG EXPOSURE TIME OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THE COMPLAINT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY FROM THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS VERY LOW.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY?S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

WHILE DRIVING THE METAL PIECE HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER TORE AWAY FROM THE WALL IT WAS MOUNTED TO. THE PIECE THEN TORE INTO THE INNER WHEEL WELL CUTTING IT LIKE RIBBON. THE DAMAGE WAS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY HITTING A BUMP IN ROUGH ROAD BUT THERE WAS NO SINGLE HIT OF A LARGE POT HOLE. JUST NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10282193

Incident

Aug 4, 2009

Mileage

74,000 mi

HIGH IDLE SPEED AFTER USING THE CRUISE CONTROL ON 5.11.2008. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON-GOING WITHOUT THE USE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS SOON DETACHED AND THE CONDITION DISAPPEARED. THE IDLE IS NOW FINE,BUT CANNOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE THE CONDITION WILL RETURN. THE PROBLEM IS QUITE SIMILAR TO THE FORD RECALL NUMBER 99V-062.001, BUT AFTER CONTACTING FORD SERVICE LINE ON 5.25.2008, I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE (1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA 4.6 4VDOHC) WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228786

Incident

May 11, 2008

Mileage

116,800 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED ONTO THE FRONT TIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOCK NUT THAT HELD THE FRONT WHEEL SPINDLE ASSEMBLY DETACHED BECAUSE IT WAS IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED AND FELL OFF . THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,165 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,170. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF

NHTSA ID

10204538

Incident

Sep 1, 2007

Mileage

4,165 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WILL NOT PULL OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH DETERMINED THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA ID

10152589

Incident

Jun 30, 2005

Mileage

42,000 mi

A SPARK PLUG BLEW IN MY 99 MUSTANG COBRA. IT ONLY HAS 41,800 MILES. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST CHANGED 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. THE THREADS ARE STRIPPED AND THE IGNITION COIL WAS DESTROYED. I BOUGHT A NEW IGNITION COIL AT AN AUTO PARTS STORE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10131851

Incident

Aug 6, 2005

Mileage

41,800 mi

ACCELERATOR STICKING WOT ON CARPET ON 1999 MUSTANG COBRA COUPE. DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE. CAR WAS TRADED. I THOUGHT IT WAS SPECIFIC TO MY CAR. I BROKE 3 ACCELERATOR PEDALS DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I THOUGHT THE PEDAL WAS JUST CHEAP. NOW REALIZE THE CARPET BEING TORN WAS DUE TO PEDAL AND NOT ME BASED ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION I HAVE SEEN ON THE NET.

NHTSA ID

10129857

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

12,000 mi

THE SEAT BELT FRONT RETRACTOR ON OUR 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IT HAD HAPPEND ABOUT 1 YEAR AND 3 MONTHS AGO AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP HAD FIXED IT AT NO COST THAT TIME. NOW IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING AGAIN. I HAVE CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP BOTH WHICH ARE TELLING US THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL BE AT OUR COST. THIS IS A PROBLEM DUE TO BEING PART OF THE SAFETY RESTRAINT OF THE VEHICLE, AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE. IT WAS NOT FIXED PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME AND FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10121054

Incident

Apr 12, 2005

Mileage

49,000 mi

PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA SVT WITH 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE OWNING THE CAR, I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAULTY CHASIS WIRING SYSTEM, CAR SHUTDOWN WHEN HOT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, FAULTY IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NO BACK-UP LIGHTS DUE TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE SWITCH FAILURE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SWITCH FAILURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES I HAD NOTICED THE CAR HAD RAN LOW ON COOLANT AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BETWEEN OIL CHANGE INTERVALS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AT 58,000 MILES ALONG WITH BLUE SMOKE EMANATING FROM THE DUAL EXHAUST. MY MECHANIC REPLACED BOTH THE IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CITING THE BLUE SMOKE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A RICH IDLE CONDITION. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RETURNED. AN EXHAUST LEAK WAS DETECTED AND CORRECTED AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND HEADER CONNECTION POINT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT AWAY, HOWEVER, THE RICH IDLE CONDITION REMAINED. AT A LITTLE OVER 64,000 WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF CITY TRAFFIC. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM UNDER-THE-HOOD NOT UNLIKE THE SOUND OF A THROWN ROD. I HAD THE MUSTANG TOWED TO MY MECHANIC WHOM DETERMINED FROM THE 3.5 QUARTS OF OIL SLUDGE RECOVERED FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE MILK LIKE FLUID IN THE VALVE COVER PAN, THE VEHICLE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE EVENT. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I INTEND TO APPROACH FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR SOME LEVEL OF RELIEF SINCE I AM NOW CONVINCED THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS A SYSTEMIC ENGINE PROBLEM DURING THE 1980'S AND 1990'S. *AK

NHTSA ID

10068169

Incident

Apr 27, 2004

Mileage

64,300 mi

FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE

SOME VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION OR WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) BELT THAT HAS BECOME BROKEN OR FRAYED AND / OR DETACH FROM THE ENGINE. *TT

SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) BELT THAT HAS BECOME BROKEN OR FRAYED AND / OR DETACH FROM THE ENGINE. *TT

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE SWAY BAR. **MR

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE SWAY BAR. **MR

SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE SWAY BAR. *TT