Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD MUSTANG. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE THE TURN SIGNALS AND HORN DO NOT WORK. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUED THE PARTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
SINCE CAR NEW HAD PROBLEM WHEN USING FOG LIGHTS, ALL LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT FOR 5 MINUTES OR MORE WHILST DRIVING. DEALER AT THAT TIME SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS. I DID NOT REALIZE AT THAT TIME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE FOG LIGHTS. I HAD USED FOGS FREQUENTLY ON LONG DISTANCE DRIVING AND HAD INITALLY GONE OFF ROAD ON FLA TURNPIKE. AFTER WARRANTY OVER, SPOKE TO OTHER GT OWNERS WHO INFORMED ME OF THE SAME PROBLEM. STOPPED USING FOGS AFTER REALIZING WIRING HARNESS AT SWITCH WAS OVERHEATING. (GLOWING RED). *AK
HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS IN DASH MELTED AND CAUSED A SHORT CIRCUIT EXTINGUISHING THE LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AFTER 5 TO 15 MINUTES AFTER THE FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON, ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 SECONDS. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO OWN LATE MODEL MUSTANGS, 1986 TO 1997, AND MOST OF THEM REPORT THIS SAME PROBLEM. AS SECRETARY AND NEWSLETTER EDITOR FOR THE FIRST PENNSYLVANIA MUSTANG CLUB, I COME IN CONTACT WITH MANY 'MUSTANG' ENTHUSIASTS. THIS PROBLEM IS SO PREVELENT THAT IT HAS BEEN COVERED IN NATIONAL "MUSTANG" MAGAZINES SEVERAL TIMES (SPECIFICALLY, I HAVE READ THIS IN MUSTANG MONTHLY AND SUPER FORD). THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE ASSEMBLY NOT BEING LARGE ENOUGH AND ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO OVERHEAT. THEN THE CIRCUIT TRIPS AND DOES NOT COME BACK ON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE DRIVING/FOG LIGHTS ARE USUALLY TUNED ON WHEN MORE LIGHT IS NEEDED DUE TO BAD WEATHER. THIS IS A HORRIBLE TIME FOR ALL THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT.
THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 96V071000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. DEALER PERFORMED RECALL REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. ALSO, WHEN HEATER IS ON THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
HEADLIGHT SWITCH BURNS OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE LIGHTS JUST SHUT DOWN, LEAVING ONLY THE PARKING LIGHTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
HEADLIGHTS BLINK ON/OFF WHEN FOG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. *AK
HEAD LIGHTS FLASH WHEN FOG LIGHTS ARE ON, COMPLETELY CUT OFF COOLED DOWN.
HEADLIGHTS SWITCH OFF WHILE DRIVING.
PLASTIC PIGTAIL IN WIRING STARTED TO CATCH FIRE AND MELT, CAUSING HEADLIGHT FAILURE.
WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS ARE ON AT THE SAME TIME THE LIGHTS WILL FLICKER. *AK
HEADLIGHTS GO ON & OFF FOR NO REASON, MAINLY ON HIGH BEAM.*AK ANY TIME CONSUMER HAS THE HEAD LIGHTS ON THEY START GOING OFF AND ON , BUT MAINLY WHEN HIGH BEAMS ARE ON.*JB
HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AFTER ABOUT (20) OF DRIVING THEN COME ON AFTER A MINUTE. THE DASH ABOVE HEADLIGHT SWITCH GETS VERY HOT AND DASH HAS STARTED TO MELT. *AKTHIS HAPPENS UNTIL DRIVING LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF.*JB
THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE BEING USED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
HEADLIGHT SWITCH CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT. (2ND VEHICLE FROM 480750) *AW
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .