1996 Ford Mustang Convertible Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Mustang Convertible, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags222.2%
- Electrical111.1%
- Engine111.1%
- Interior & seats111.1%
- Powertrain (other)111.1%
- Seat belts111.1%
- Suspension111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON IT REALLY SCARY IT'S BEEN GOING SINCE 05/1/2010 AND TODAY 02/08/2018
FORD MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE '96 - WHILE HEADING HOME ME AND MY FAMILY WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 50 MPH. IT WAS A CLEAR SUNNY DAY, 85 DEGREES OUTSIDE WITH NO CHANCE OF RAIN. WE HAD THE WINDOWS AND TOP UP AC GOING. MY FIANCE, THE DRIVER, STARTED SMELLING WATER COMING FROM THE VENTS AND ASKED IF I COULD, BUT I COULDN'T SMELL THE SCENT OF WATER. A FEW SECONDS LATER IT STARTED TO GET SMOKEY INSIDE THE CAR SO HE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO PULL OVER AND THE SMOKE GOT THICKER. AS SOON AS WE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE PASSENGER AIR BAG JUST DEPLOYED! WE WERE THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME, WE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING OR ANYONE... NOT EVEN A POTHOLE! I GO HIT HARD LEAVING BURNS AND BRUISES UNDERNEATH MY CHIN, ON MY ABDOMEN AND ARMS... I WAS 3 WEEKS AWAY FROM GIVING BIRTH! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AND MADE A TURN, CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AS IF A TIRE BLEW OUT SPUN AND DID 360 TURN JUMPED A CURB, SMASHED INTO A POLE. ATTEMPTED TO STOP CAR AND TURN OFF IGNITION BUT CAR WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL 3RD ATTEMPT! ATTEMPTED TO START CAR BACK UP YET CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND REVVING EVEN THOUGH CAR WAS IN PARK AND NO ONE WAS PRESSING THE GAS IT KEPT REVVING AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK. HAD CAR TOWED AND MECHANIC SAID COMPUTER CHIP IN CAR MALFUNCTIONED ENGAGED IN CRUISE CONTROL WHICH IS WHY MY ATTEMPTS OF GAINING CONTROL OF CAR FAILED. CAR IS TOTALED DUE TO WHEN IT JUMPED CURB IT TORE UP THE SUSPENSION AMONG OTHER THINGS AND CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE UNTIL AT LEAST $ 1500 IS PAID FOR DAMAGES JUST TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF CAR NOT INCLUDING THE DAMAGE TO SIDE OF CAR THAT SMASHED INTO THE POLE.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
INLET MANIFOLD COOLANT TRANSFER PASSAGE ON MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG WITH 4.6L 2V FAILED. AS THIS OCCURRED AT SPEED AND RESULTED IN OBSCURED FORWARD VISION, IT CREATED SOME HAZARD - AS WELL AS THE SUBSEQUENT INCONVENIENCE OF AN IMMOBILE VEHICLE. THIS FAULT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO CLASS ACTION IN THE USA, BUT A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF AFFECTED VEHICLES, INCLUDING MINE, HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED ON BASIS OF AGE. THE FLAMING FORD WEBSITE HAS REQUESTED THESE INCIDENTS BE REPORTED VIA YOURSELVES. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DRIVER SEAT TRACK IN MY 1996 MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE BROKE AT THE WELDS ON THE LEFT SIDE RESULTING IN THE SEAT LEANING AS I GO AROUND TURNS WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. THE SEAT TRACK PARTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE SEAT IS A POWER SEAT. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UPTO FAILURE. AS I WAS GOING AROUND A TURN AT 20 MPH THE BOTH SNAPPED. I WEIGH 215 LBS.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
VIBRATION ON MY 1996 MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE BETWEEN 60-80 MPH TOOK TO DEALER SAID I NEEDED NEW TIRES BEFORE THEY COULD CHECK COULD NOT AFFORD THE TIRES AT THAT TIME GOT NEW TIRES AND BROUGHT TO DEALER AGAIN AND SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT WAS TOLD EARLIER THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL TRIED TO ARGUE BUT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME FOR A RECALL AND I GOT ANGRY AND LEFT!!!! CAN YOU HELP? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PASSENGER AND REAR SEAT BELTS BECAME JAMMED AND WILL NOT STRETCH TO BUCKLE INTO IT'S LATCH. I HAD THE CAR A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THESE SEAT BELTS WERE ONLY USED OCCASIONALLY BEFORE THEY BECAME INOPERABLE. *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
1996 FORD MUSTANG GT CONVT. ---REAR SWAY BAR BROKEN AT ATACH POINT ON RIGHT SIDE JUST AHEAD OF REAR AXLE. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN COLLISION, SNOW WHERE SALT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED CORROSION, DOESN'T HAVE ANY NOTICABLE CORROSION, AND SWAY BAR HAS NEVER COLLIDED WITH ANY ROAD HAZZARDS...IT JUST SNAPPED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
VIBRATION ON MY 1996 MUSTANG GT CONVERTIBLE BETWEEN 60-80 MPH TOOK TO DEALER SAID I NEEDED NEW TIRES BEFORE THEY COULD CHECK COULD NOT AFFORD THE TIRES AT THAT TIME GOT NEW TIRES AND BROUGHT TO DEALER AGAIN AND SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT WAS TOLD EARLIER THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL TRIED TO ARGUE BUT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME FOR A RECALL AND I GOT ANGRY AND LEFT!!!! CAN YOU HELP? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .