1999 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 1999 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
- Engine327.3%
- Exterior lighting218.2%
- Powertrain (other)218.2%
- Brakes19.1%
- Transmission19.1%
- Seat belts19.1%
- Fuel system19.1%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK DESTROYING ENGINE. CYLINDER HEAD SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. HEATER CORE FAILURE. CONVERTIBLE TOP DETERIORATING. FUEL PUMP FAILURE ALL LESS THAN 1200000
SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THAT LED UP TO THIS THAT I KNOW OF. APPARENTLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS A LOT TO FORD VEHICLES (I HAVE A 99 MUSTANG V8). FORD RECOMMENDED A NEW HEAD ($2000). AN ALTERNATIVE WAS TO RETAPE THE HEAD ($800). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL HEADLAMP LENSES ON MY 1999 MUSTANG V-6 HAVE BECOME SO ETCHED THAT THEY FAIL TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE FOR NIGHT OPERATION. I HAVE 84,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BUT HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE HEADLAMP LENSES THAT DEGRADED IN THIS WAY. *AK
THE HEADLAMP LENSES ON MY 1999 MUSTANG V-6 HAVE BECOME SO ETCHED THAT THEY FAIL TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE FOR NIGHT OPERATION. I HAVE 84,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE HAVE HEADLAMP LENSES THAT DEGRADED IN THIS WAY.*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
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK DESTROYING ENGINE. CYLINDER HEAD SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. HEATER CORE FAILURE. CONVERTIBLE TOP DETERIORATING. FUEL PUMP FAILURE ALL LESS THAN 1200000
SWE PURCHASED OUR 1999 FORD MUSTANG GT NEW AND A 25K MILES YHE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. FORD REPLACED THE ENTIRE THIRD MEMBER UNIT AND ALL CARRIER BEARINGS. AT 35K MILES THE ISSUE REOCCUED AND THIS TIME WE TOOK THE CAR TO A DIIFERENTIAL SPECIALIST WHO SAID THE CARRIER BEARINGS ON ONE SIDE WERE COMPLETELY GONE AND REPLACED THEM. THEN AT 45K MILES THE SEME ISSUE DEVELOPED AND WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DIFFERENTIAL EXPERT. HE COULD NOT UBDERSTAND THE FAILUER AND UPON FURTHER ANALYSIS DETERMINED THE THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING WAS BENT AND HIS VIEW WAS THAT IST WAS MANUFACTURED THAT WAY OR IT BENT I=ON THE DELIVERY RIDE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DIFF HOUSING WAS PROFESSIONALLY STRAIGTENED AND NOW THE CAR HAS 95K MILES ON IT AND NO FURTHER PROBLEM. WE WROTE FORD ABOUT THIS AND NEVER RECEIEVED A REPLY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM THE OWNER OF A 1999 FORD MUSTANG, WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, PURCHASED IN 2004. LAST WEEK, I PARKED MY CAR ON A LOCAL STREET, AT A METER AND WENT INTO CHURCH. WHILE IN CHURCH, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON MY CAR FAILED, AND MY CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS, A BLOCK AND A HALF THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT BY A CITY BUS, BEFORE LANDING AGAINST A TREE. THE POLICE TOWED MY CAR AWAY. SINCE THEN I HAVE PAID TO GET MY CAR FROM THE TOW YARD, TAKEN IT IN FOR AUTO BODY REPAIR AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE BACK END REPLACED FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS FAILURE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE IS 1999 FORD MUSTANG, 3.8 LITER ENGINE WITH 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH,THROWOUT BEARING AND PRESSURE PLATE AT APPROX. 2000 MILES FOR ORIGINAL OWNER. DEALER DID SAME WORK FOR MYSELF (2ND OWNER) AT APPROX. 20,000 MILES. CAR NOW HAS 54000 MILES AND CLUTCH WORK IS AGAIN NEEDED. I HAVE OWNED MANY FORDS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND NEVER HAD A CLUTCH LAST LESS THAN 100,000 MILES, SO MY DRIVING STYLE CAN'T BE THE PROBLEM. *JB
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 REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT EXTRACT. THIS INCLUDES ALL OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGERS ARE UNABLE TO USE THE SEAT BELTS. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK DESTROYING ENGINE. CYLINDER HEAD SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. HEATER CORE FAILURE. CONVERTIBLE TOP DETERIORATING. FUEL PUMP FAILURE ALL LESS THAN 1200000
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 .