1996 Ford Mustang GT 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 GT, 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
- Engine2575.8%
- Seat belts39.1%
- Heating & air conditioning13.0%
- Steering13.0%
- Suspension13.0%
- Powertrain (other)13.0%
- Electrical13.0%
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
CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED VAR TO OVERHEAT. *TR
ON MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG GT WITH THE 4.6L ENGINE 3 SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF AND THAT IT WOULD BE $1,341.98 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND SAW THAT FORD BLAMES THE DAMAGE ON IMPROPER TORQUING OF THE SPARK PLUGS. AS THE CAR ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES IT HAS NEVER HAD THE PLUGS CHANGED IN ANY WAY. THREE BLEW OUT AND 2 MORE WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE ENGINE AS THE ALUMINUM HEAD AND ALUMINUM SPARK PLUGS HAD SEIZED. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO FIX IT. *TR
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT
SEATBELTS DON'T RETRACT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE, MIXING WITH OIL, AND RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE. DEALER REPLACED MANIFOLD, THERMOSTAT, HOSES, ETC.*AK CONSUMER WASN'T SURE OF ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED. MECHANIC STATED THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT MAY SHUT OFF CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. CONSUMER FELT THE MECHANIC SHOULD'VE REPLACED THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WHEN THEY DID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *PH *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON 4/12/06 I WAS GOING WESTBOUND TOWARD TACOMA, I MADE A LEFT TURN INTO A HIGHWAY DIVIDE TO CROSS TRAFFIC TO GO TO THE DOCTORS OFFICE. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF DAY. SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND GO ANOTHER DIRECTION. I WAITED FOR TRAFFIC SO I COULD PROCEED. I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN INTO TRAFFIC AND IT FELT LIKE MY CAR 1996 MUSTANG, FISHTAILED (SUNNY DAY DRY PAVEMENT) SO I TRIED TO CORRECT IT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND THE CAR TOOK OFF, SO I PROCEEDED TO STEP ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD BUT IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. THE CAR WENT APPROXIMATELY TWO CITY BLOCKS, IT WENT FROM MY LANE TO THE OTHER RIGHT HAND LANE, WE WERE HEADED FOR THE LIGHT POLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN (WITH THE STEERING STILL LOCKED) MADE A SHARP LEFT AND THROUGH ME ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC, OVER THE CEMENT DIVIDE (AIRBORNE) AND INTO ANOTHER CAR AND HE HIT ANOTHER CAR. ON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS TOTALED THE OTHER TWO CARS THAT WERE INVOLVED WERE REPAIRED. *NM
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
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HEARD METAL CLANKING SOUND, STOPPED AND NOTICED REAR SWAYBAR WAS BROKEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *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
I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2008 AND TWO MONTHS LATER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD(OEM) DEVELOPED A CRACK AND HAS A RESULT ANTIFREEZE WAS BEING BURNT WHICH CAUSED A MISFIRE ON THE 3RD CYLINDER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THEN STARTED TO FLASH (INDICATED MISFIRE) DROVE IT HOME TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND INSTALLED A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH HAD UPDATED FEATURES TO PREVENT THE INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN THE FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BLOWN UP ENGINE IT WAS COMMON IN 1996-2001 FORD 4.6L 2V V8 MOTORS. *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
WAS SITTING AT A HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTION WHEN CAR SHUT OFF AND WAS VERY HARD TO START BACK UP AND GET OUT OF THE WAY MY CAR HAS DONE THIS 5 OR 6 TIMES I HAD IT LOOKED AT BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP IT AND DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE BUT WHEN I LET THEM HAVE IT FOR A WEEK IT NEVER DID IT SO NOW I ALWAYS TAKE THE CHANCE IT CAN DO IT AT ANYTIME ANY WHERE I PUT NEW STARTER BEFORE THIS STARTED HAPPENING BUT CAR IS STILL VERY HARD TO START .....*NM
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 .