1989 Ford Mustang Problems

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.

SEAT BELTS PULL OUT AND LATCH HOWEVER THE CROSS BODY PORTION DOES NOT RECEDE BACK INTO FRAME, ONLY CONTINUES TO LOOSEN AND NOT RETRACT THIS HAPPENS AT ANY TIME YOU ATE USING THE SEAT BELTS, HAPPENS WITH FRONT AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS, EITHER STOPPED. DRIVING, BREAKING OR EXCELLING. ITS ALL THE TIME . MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM IS OLD AND WORE OUT. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS 131,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE MOTOR. NO IDEA WHY THE SPEEDOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. OVERDRIVE STOPPED WORKING. NO WARNING, NO OCCASIONAL SLIPS. JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE SWITCHING INTO OVERDRIVE IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER 50 MILES PER HOUR AS CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. MY GUESS IS CHANGE TRANSMISSION. LOOKING FOR ONE NOW TO EITHER REBUILD IT OR GET A NEW ONE. SWITCHES, DRIVER SIDE SWITCH WOULD NOT CATCH THE WINDOW TO ROLL UP OR DOWN,, THEN THE SWITCH PLATE WOULD STICK AND STARTED SMOKING. I REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE NOW WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. INTERIOR LIGHTING FOR SPEEDOMETER GAGES ARE NO LIGHTS. UNABLE TO SEE GAGES. ***I DO REALIZE THE CAR IS 31 YEARS OLD NOW. AND MAY JUST BE OLD AGE GETTING TO MY FOXBODY. *** THANK YOU

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING CONSUMER HIT BRAKES AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY IN LOCKED POSITION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AKTHE DRIVERS SIDE BELT WAS REPLACED, BUT WOULD NOT WORK AFTER INSTALLATION. *JG

WHILE DRIVING, AND WHEN CONSUMER HIT BRAKES, DRIVER'S SEAT FULLY RECLINED, DISTRACTING CONSUMER VIEW WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES HOOD LATCH WILL NOT WORK IF HOOD IS NOT CLOSED ALL THE WAY.*JB

SEAT BELTS PULL OUT AND LATCH HOWEVER THE CROSS BODY PORTION DOES NOT RECEDE BACK INTO FRAME, ONLY CONTINUES TO LOOSEN AND NOT RETRACT THIS HAPPENS AT ANY TIME YOU ATE USING THE SEAT BELTS, HAPPENS WITH FRONT AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS, EITHER STOPPED. DRIVING, BREAKING OR EXCELLING. ITS ALL THE TIME . MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM IS OLD AND WORE OUT. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS 131,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE MOTOR. NO IDEA WHY THE SPEEDOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. OVERDRIVE STOPPED WORKING. NO WARNING, NO OCCASIONAL SLIPS. JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE SWITCHING INTO OVERDRIVE IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER 50 MILES PER HOUR AS CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. MY GUESS IS CHANGE TRANSMISSION. LOOKING FOR ONE NOW TO EITHER REBUILD IT OR GET A NEW ONE. SWITCHES, DRIVER SIDE SWITCH WOULD NOT CATCH THE WINDOW TO ROLL UP OR DOWN,, THEN THE SWITCH PLATE WOULD STICK AND STARTED SMOKING. I REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE NOW WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. INTERIOR LIGHTING FOR SPEEDOMETER GAGES ARE NO LIGHTS. UNABLE TO SEE GAGES. ***I DO REALIZE THE CAR IS 31 YEARS OLD NOW. AND MAY JUST BE OLD AGE GETTING TO MY FOXBODY. *** THANK YOU

I JUST FILED A COMPLAINT 10-15-06, AND AFTER GOING OVER MY ACCIDENT THAT INVOLVED MY 1989 MUSTANG ON 11-05,, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE WRECK COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAUTLY EQUIMENT THAT IS IN MY CAR,, LIKE I SAID IN MY FIRST FORM I TRIED TO HAVE THIS FIXED WITHIN A WEEK OR SO OF PURCHACING THE CAR,,AND IT DID THE SAME THING BEFORE I GOT HOME FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP. MIGHT I ADD IT WENT TO A FORD DEALER TO BE FIXED..I REALLY FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS A BIG ISSUSE AND I THINK FORD SHOULD BE RESPONABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM NOT AT MY EXPESNE I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE ABOUT THIS MATTER... I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS DOING THIS (ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN, FASTER AND FASTER UNTIL YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN THEN IT IS NORMAL AGAIN) UNTIL I SAW YOUR WEB SITE AND READED THE COMPLAITS ON THE 1989 MUSTANG,,, PLEASE HELP,,, THANK YOU SHERRY COOK. *NM

EACH WINTER I REPLACE 1 OR BOTH OF THE EXT. HANDLES. THE INT. HANDLES BECOME HARD TO OPERATE AND EVENTUALLY REQUIRE SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD PERSONNEL THAT THEY HAVE TO "POUND THE HINGES BACK IN" TO FIX THE LATER PROBLEM.

COOLING FAN/ROOF CRACKED AT UPPER LEFT CORNER OF HATCH AREA/SEAT BELT RETRACTORS MALFUNCTIONED/ DRIVER'S SEAT FEELS WOBBLY.

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.

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 35MPH WHEN IT STARTED OVERHEATING. HOSE HAD BROKEN. THEN IT STALLED OUT WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND INFORMED BY MECHANIC NO RESOLUTION FOR PROBLEM WHICH WAS GETTING WORSE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF NO WHERE THE CAR WILL ACCERATOR ON ITS OWN,,THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY,,SOME TIMES NOT FOR A WEEK,, AND TEN TIMES IN ONE DAY,, I FEEL IT IS VERY DANGEROUS,,IT DONT JUST JUMP UP AND STOP,,IT WILL KEEP DOING IT AND GO FASTER UNTIL I TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART THE CAR,,I HAD A FORD DEALER REPLACE THE THOTTLE BODY,,HOWEVER BEFORE I MADE IT HOME IT DID THE SAME THING,,THIS COSTED ME 500.00 AND THE CAR IS STILL DOING IT UP TO PRESENT DAY..I HAVE ALSO HAD TO BUY MORE STARTERS THAN NORMAL BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS RESTARTING MY CAR WHILE DRIVING,, I PUSH IN CLUTCH AND TURN KEY OFF WHILE A SECOND AND RESTART THE CAR AND LET OUT THE CLUTCH,,LIKE I SAID THIS PUTS ALOT OF PEOPLE IN HARMS WAY AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT RECALL,, I TRYED TO HAVE IT FIXED ON MY OWN HOWEVER I DO FEEL THAT FORD IS REPOSIABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM..

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.

SEAT BELTS PULL OUT AND LATCH HOWEVER THE CROSS BODY PORTION DOES NOT RECEDE BACK INTO FRAME, ONLY CONTINUES TO LOOSEN AND NOT RETRACT THIS HAPPENS AT ANY TIME YOU ATE USING THE SEAT BELTS, HAPPENS WITH FRONT AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS, EITHER STOPPED. DRIVING, BREAKING OR EXCELLING. ITS ALL THE TIME . MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM IS OLD AND WORE OUT. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS 131,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE MOTOR. NO IDEA WHY THE SPEEDOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. OVERDRIVE STOPPED WORKING. NO WARNING, NO OCCASIONAL SLIPS. JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE SWITCHING INTO OVERDRIVE IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER 50 MILES PER HOUR AS CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. MY GUESS IS CHANGE TRANSMISSION. LOOKING FOR ONE NOW TO EITHER REBUILD IT OR GET A NEW ONE. SWITCHES, DRIVER SIDE SWITCH WOULD NOT CATCH THE WINDOW TO ROLL UP OR DOWN,, THEN THE SWITCH PLATE WOULD STICK AND STARTED SMOKING. I REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE NOW WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. INTERIOR LIGHTING FOR SPEEDOMETER GAGES ARE NO LIGHTS. UNABLE TO SEE GAGES. ***I DO REALIZE THE CAR IS 31 YEARS OLD NOW. AND MAY JUST BE OLD AGE GETTING TO MY FOXBODY. *** THANK YOU

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE MUSTANG AND FOLLOWING ME AT NIGHT. SHE HAD THE FOG LAMPS TURNED ON ALONG WITH THE HEADLAMPS AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. SHE RAN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE SHE COULD STOP, BUT DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE. THE LIGHTS KEPT FLICKERING ON AND OFF STAYING OFF FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. WE FINISHED THE TRIP WE WERE ON WITH JUST THE HEADLAMPS AND THEY DID NOT FLICKER. WE DID NOT BRING THE CAR BACK TO TOWN UNTIL AUGUST AND I TOOK IT TO IMMEL MOTORS FORD DEALER IN FREDERICKSBURG, TX. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER WE GOT IT OUT IT CONTINUED TO FLICKER IF WE USED THE FOG LAMPS SO WE QUIT USING THEM. I RECENTLY FOUND THAT THERE IS A TSB 891711 AUG 89 THAT IDENTIFIES THAT PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE 1989 MUSTANGS. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT IT HAS CAUSED MANY ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLY EVEN DEATHS. I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING TO REPAIR IT, BUT IMMEL MOTORS DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF VEHICLES OUT THERE BEING AFFECTED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE FACTORY INSTALLED SUN ROOF SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BRACKET RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ACCIDENTAL FIRE RESULTING FROM A CROSS OVER HOSE FAILURE AT THE FRONT LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD.

I have had the outside sidewall separate from the rest of the tire on two occasions, with these tires. The first time was in May of 2021, the second on June 1, 2023. I currently have the tire that separated on June 1st. Both times I was on the highway driving around 70 when the car began to shake violently, as if I was on an exaggerated rumble strip. I was able to pull into the emergency lane and change to a spare. The first time I assumed maybe the tire was low on air and didn't report it, however now after having a second tire do the exact same thing believe they are defective. Tire size is 225/55/16, for full disclosure I did purchase the tires and wheels off craigslist, however they were in very good condition. I Believe Granada is a Les Schwab brand. Picture of both tires are attached.

SIDEWALL DISINTINGRATED, INNER AND OUTER, WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. NOTHING WAS IN THE ROAD THAT WAS HIT OR ANYTHING. THERE WERE NO BUMPS OR DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT, IT JUST CAME APART.*AK (DOT NUMBER: EJ9DDMH127 TIRESIZE: 22560R15)

THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS UNLESS CAR WAS OFF. ALSO CLUTCH CABLE BROKE, AND THE GEARS GRIND GOING IN REVERSE. THERE HAS BEEN 3 REPLACEMENTS OF THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, 2 OF THE CABLE, 3 OF THE GEARS AND NOW I'M GOING ON THE 4TH TIME. *AK

RECALL ONLY INCLUDES 1991-93 DUE TO BROKEN TRANSMISSION THROTTLE PASSING GEAR GROMMET PLASTIC PART, ACCELERATOR STUCK IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN DRIVER LOSING CONTROL, RUNNING OFF ROAD. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK

DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. TT

SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, AND CAN TANGLE. FRONT SEAT DRIVERS SIDE ANCHOR BROKE, METAL SUPPORTING SEAT RAIL WAS SPLIT. REPAIRED VIA BRAZING. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE CLICKED FROM DELIVERY, DEALER SAID WAS NORMAL, AT MILEAGE THE NEEDLE EXITED THE ASSEMBLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF WILDLY ERATIC MOVEMENT. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE EXCEEDS 55-60 MPH, THE VEHICLE REAR END SWAYS RIGHT TO LEFT CONTINUOUSLY. MECHANIC TOLD HIM HE DOES NOT HAVE A SWAY BAR. ALSO, HAD TO REPLACE SHOCK ABSORBERS 3 TIMES.