1986 Ford Mustang Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 1986 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and he was able to continue driving in second gear. The vehicle then lost motive power and failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that due to an electrical failure, the spark plugs, distributor cap, ignition wires, and the ignition control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle was jerking and then lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the timing belt, the gears, and the distributor needed to be replaced. The timing belt and gears were repaired. The contact stated that there was no replacement distributor available so the distributor was sent out to be rebuilt and was then reinstalled in the vehicle; however, when the vehicle was test driven and turned off, the vehicle failed to restart. The failure could not be duplicated. The manufacture was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 62,000.

NHTSA ID

11486404

Incident

Jul 6, 2022

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR EMISSION TESTING, THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS DUE TO DEFECTIVE CO2 SENSORS. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE NECESSARY PARTS FOR THE REPAIRS YET THE DEALER ADVISED THE CATALYST SYSTEM WAS BRAND NEW AND WOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR EMISSION TESTING ONE YEAR LATER AND AGAIN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER ALTERED THE CATALYST SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN RECALL FOR THE FAILURE HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR UNSPECIFIED REASONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10324637

Incident

Nov 17, 2008

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED. HE TRIED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR THREE YEARS. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WOULD TAKE TWO HOURS TO REPAIR IT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEALERSHIPS ARE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND THE CONTACT SHOULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO JAPAN FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10315799

Incident

Jul 12, 2005

Mileage

48,000 mi

PURCHASED TIRES 04/2006 FOR COLLECTIBLE CAR THAT SEES LOW MILEAGE. CAR STARTED WITH A SLIGHT VIBRATION ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE INCIDENT AND CONTINUED TO GET WORST WITH TIME. ROTATED ALL FOUR TIRES TO INSPECT AND FOUND ONE SUSPECT TIRE WITH A FOUR INCH WIDE BULGE THAT STARTED AT THE CENTER OF THE TIRE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE TREAD. NO DEFORMITIES WERE FOUND WITH THE SIDEWALLS AND NO DAMAGE FOUND TO THE TREAD OR CARCASS. SUSPECT BELT FAILURE. TIRE REMOVED FROM SERVICE FOR REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229465

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

72,105 mi

THE IGNITION SWITCH( THE ONE'S RECALLED FOR 88-93 MUSTANGS 96V071000 ) IS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY, THE ENGINE WILL TURN OFF WITHOUT NOTICE. MINE HAS BEEN HAPPENING OR MANY YEARS NOW. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE, A COUPLE OF TIMES A DAY. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP TO INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE IN THE CURRENT RECALL(96V071000) AFTER ALL IT IS THE SAME PART. THANKS A LOT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10200906

Incident

Aug 27, 2007

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 FORD MUSTANG. THE VEHICLE HAS TBC SIGMA SHADOW TIRES, SIZE P225/75R15. ON AUGUST 7, 2007, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE MUD FLAP AND BACK CORNER PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT A CRASH. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, FUEL SYSTEM, AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 280,000.

NHTSA ID

10198709

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

280,000 mi

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. RIGHT REAR TIRE STARTED MAKING A WHINING NOISE AND WENT FLAT. TIRE SHREDDED BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER. LOOKED AT TIRE AND DIDN'T SEE ANY NAILS, ETC IN TIRE TO CAUSE DEFLATION. TOOK TIRE BACK TO PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A PRO-RATED REPLACEMENT. I DID KEEP TIRE IN CASE NHTSA WANTS IT. TIRES ARE BRIDGESTONE EAGER, SIZE 22560HR15.

NHTSA ID

10086462

Incident

Aug 9, 2004

Mileage

303,915 mi

2 ISSUES (DATE AND INFO IS FOR THE FIRST DESCRIBED)HEATER CORE STARTED TO LEAK AND STEAM POURED OUR OF HEATER VENTS. VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE SUCH A SMALL PART, 8 HOURS OF WORK BY A PROFESSIONAL AND 300 DOLLARS. HAD ABOUT 150,000 MILES AT THE TIME. ISSUE 2: CAR WAS TOTALED IN A WRECK IN EARLY FEB 2003 WITH 162,000 MILES. CAR FISH TALLED ON ICE AT 35 MPH. HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A POLE 3 FEET HIGH WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE 380 SPIN EXTREMLY QUICK DUE TO THE CURRENT FISH TAILING. MINOR INJURIES SUCH AS A SCRATCH. SPIN WAS SO FAST THAT THE GLASSES I WAS WEARING FLEW OFF INTO THE BACK SEAT. THIS IS MORE OF A COMPLIMENT THAN A COMPLAIN DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT HANDLES VERY WELL IN SUCH A COLLISON. MODEL WAS AN LX CONVERTIBLE. CONVERTIBLE ROOF TORE 3 WAYS DURING CRASH. PICTURES AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030684

Incident

Dec 22, 2001

Mileage

150,000 mi

ENGINE JUST DIES, ALL POWER GONE, WON'T COMPRESSION START, BUT WILL RESTART WITH CLUTCH IN.

NHTSA ID

767386

Incident

Sep 18, 2002

IGNITION MODULE MOUNTED ON DITRIBUTOR, $148.00 REPLACMENT COST. *AK

NHTSA ID

750478

Incident

Aug 4, 2001

ENGINE STALLS WHEN IN IDLE MODE WHEN STOPPING VEHICLE OR UPON STARTING. ENGINE WILL NORMALLY SHAKE AND THEN CUT OFF; IT WILL RESTART BUT MAY REPEAT THE SHUT OFF AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

744838

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, CONSUMER HEARD A POP AND TRIED TO REACH THE FOOT BRAKE, HOWEVER COULD NOT REACH IT, CONSUMER TRIED TO JUMP OUT OF VEHICLE, BUT IT ROLLED INTO A MAILBOX CAUSING PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO TRAP CONSUMER UNTIL SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO BACK VEHICLE UP. *SLC

NHTSA ID

877648

Incident

Dec 4, 2000

REPORTING A FADE/DISCOLORATION OF THE HEADLIGHT LENS, WHICH CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALER / MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER STATES OTHER MID 1980 VEHICLES AND OTHER LATER VEHICLES HAVE CLOUDY HEADLIGHTS AS WELL WHEN PLASTIC IS USED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

877626

Incident

Aug 15, 2000

IGNITION MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SLC

NHTSA ID

557211

I READ IN MY LOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT YOU ARE STILL TRYING TO FORCE FORD TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. ON YOUR WEBSITE I FOUND NUMEROUS SERVICE BULLETINS INCLUDING NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS: 85891, 88320, 88321, 95709, 95716, 97188, SB006577, SB007982, SB024868. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 15 YEARS. COULD YOU GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE WHEN SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN TO HAVE FORD OWN UP TO THEIR POOR ENGINEERING. AS EMISSIONS ARE ALSO EFFECTED IN ADDITION TO DRIVER SAFETY WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, I AM VERY CONCERNED. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1000 DOLLARS AND COUNTLESS HOURS TRYING TO CURE SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT REALIZE AT THE TIME WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THANKS FOR PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET. IT IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC.

NHTSA ID

731626

Incident

Nov 1, 1998

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

715930

Incident

Feb 22, 1998

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN NECK AND BACK PAIN. MJS

NHTSA ID

545448

Incident

Feb 11, 1999

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE QUIT, AND LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

833753

Incident

Jan 18, 1999

WHILE DRIVING 25-30MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A FRONTAL AND REAR IMPACT IN WHICH THE HATCHBACK FLEW OPEN, AND THE REAR SITTING OCCUPANT FLEW OUT OF THE HATCHBACK. THE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MANY INJURIES. NO PRIOR PROBLEM WITH THE HATCHBACK ASSEMBLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

822550

Incident

Nov 1, 1996

SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILS TO LOCK IN PLACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

814997

STARTED DRIVING VEHICLE UP A HILL AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO COAST THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS. CONSUMER THEN NOTICED SMOKE. RAISED THE HOOD AND THEN NOTICED THAT FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE GEAR SHAFT. CONSUMER PUT THE FLAMES OUT AND HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

814638

Incident

Jul 22, 1997

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER PARKING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER THE VEHIICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, HITTING THE CONSUMER, CAUSING HER TO BREAK HER LEG.*AK

NHTSA ID

802237

Incident

Jun 28, 1996

SEAT BELTS FAILED DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA ID

508470

THE CAR WAS PARKED AND IT WENT UP IN FLAMES DUE TO THE IGNITON SWITCH.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

985949

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IT STARTED SMOKING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

984907

Incident

May 28, 1996