Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 44 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.
The 25 most recent of 44, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO GET A DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD MUSTANG. WHENEVER THE KEY IS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION TO START THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE CONTACT MUST REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND RETRY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. HE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 6/16/08 *CN THE STARTER AND RELAY WERE REPLACED.
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL #96 V 071 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB
WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED ON STEERING WHEEL IT CAUSES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND VEHICLE TO SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES UNDER HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS THE VEHICLES IGNITION WILL SPARK AND CLICK. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED SWITCH 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
UNDER HOT CONDITIONS IGNITION SPARKS AND CLICKS. DEALER HAS REPLACED SWITCH THREE TIMES, AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 96V071000. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND TOOK VEHICLE ON APPOINTED DATE. AFTER PICKING UP VEHICLE, NOTICED IGNITION ACTED SAME AS BEFORE GOING TO DEALER. OWNER TOOK IGNITION APART AND CONTACTED MANUFACTURER FOR PART NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT. PART WAS NEVER REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP.*AK *TT
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I HAVE RECENTLY CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. MY FRIEND HAS A 1988 MUSTANG, WHO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES. I AM AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AND KNOW THAT THIS PROBLEM IS THE RESULT OF A BAD DESIGN (I.E. THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE GETS TOO HOT, WHICH CAUSES THE TRANSISTORS TO FUNCTION IMPROPERLY). THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE MANY LIVES TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THANK YOU, JOSH SHAW
WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS, THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE SURGES AND CUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. PROBLEM MOST OFTEN OCCURS WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON.
FUEL PUMP SAFETY SWITCH WOULD ENGAGE ON ITS OWN & CAR WOULDN'T START UNLESS YOU HIT THE SWITCH. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES AND SO HAS BATTERY.
HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 96V071000 AND CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS OF IGNITION SWITCH. 4 YEARS LATER, IGNITION SWITCH HAD A SHORT. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR, WAS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER AGREED WITH DEALER.*AK
RECALL 96V071000/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION SWITCH. VEHICLE HAD A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH, AND CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL WAS THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, MSNUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
A FIRE STARTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS AND ALTERNATOR WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK *ML
THE FUSE BOX CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY DROPPED A PENNY INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS THE FUSE SHOULD HAVE BLOWN TO PREVENT THE FIRE FROM OCCURING. NLM
CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ON 1/31/96. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE FIRE COMPLETELY CONSUMED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTERIOR DASHBOARD AREA. THE PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, HOWEVER THE CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT REPORT INDICATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY IGNITION RELAY. THE CAR WAS REMOVED BY A TOWING SERVICE AND DELIVERED TO A JUNK YARD. A TOTAL OF $100 WAS PROVIDED FOR THE CAR FOR USED PARTS. THERE WAS NO INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THIS INCIDENT. ON SEPT. 1996, WE RECEIVED A SAFETY RECAL NOTICE FROM THE FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT 1988-93 MODEL MUSTANGS COULD EXPERIENCE A SHORT CIRCUT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH LEADING TO OVERHEATING AND POSSIBLY FIRE. WE HAVE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT FORD MOTOR CO. BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO SUPPORTING RESPONCE. ALSO, THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT INDICATED THAT OUR APPLICATION DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE A COPY OF THE FIRE REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE ADVISE.
VEHICLE RECEIVED RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE IGNITION SYSTEM (96V-071) ON APRIL 21, 1999 ON APRIL 26, 1999 VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS
A PENNY WAS DROPPED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE WIRING WAS BURNED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER PARKING FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD. DURING EXTINGUISH NOTICED SPARKING AT ALTERNATOR WIRE HOOKUPS.
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL FOR IGNITION SWITCH, STATES THAT DEALER WILL REPLACE SWITCH WITH NEW ONE. DEALER DID NOT, THEREFORE 10 MONTHS LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THIS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD.OWNER PULLED OVER AND FIRE STARTED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BURN UP COMPLETELY. *AK
ALTERNATOR FIRE.
ELECTRICAL FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING, CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
5 MONTHS AFTER RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V071000 WAS DONE, WIRING HARNESS WITHIN STEERING COLUMN WHICH CONTROLS HIGH BEAMS/ FLASHERS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS BURNED, RENDERING WIRING HARNESSINOPERATIVE AS RESULT OF SHORT CIRCUIT. *AK
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 .