Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 162 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 162, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE MADE A STRANGE SOUND THEN ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. UPDATED 6/27/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A CONSTANT HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE RADIO AND ENGINE AREA WHEN TURNED ON. THERE WAS AN INCREASE SREECHING NOISE FROM THE RADIO BEFORE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF OR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK
BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND CRACKED ALUMINUM HEADS. FOUND THAT REPLACING THERMOSTAT 15 DEGREES COOLER IE(195 FACTORY CHANGE TO 108 DEGREE) WORKS MUCH BETTER. ALSO NEVER USE 50/50 OR WATER WITH ALUMINUM HEADS. *TR
DT: CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED ALL THE SENSORS WERE IN PLACE. THE DEALER WAS OFFERING NO FREE REMEDY. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED. UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB
THE MOUNT UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS BROKEN AND IS UNABLE TO BE FIXED WITH A BOLT. THIS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROADWAY. WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE MAKES A LEFT TURN, THE SEAT LEANS TO THE RIGHT. THIS CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THE REAR END OF THE CAR ALSO MAKES A SCRUBBING SOUND WHEN THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR. THE SOUND IS MADE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND WHEN ACCELERATING SLOWLY FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I ALSO HAD TO PAY FOR A CRACKED HEAD GASKET IN LATE 2001. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS UNTIL THE DAY MY CAR WAS PUT IN THE SHOP. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY MILEAGE WAS TOO HIGH FOR THE HEAD GASKET TO BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.
ENGINE FAILURE.*AK
HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AND CAR STALLED ON AN ACCIDENT PRONE HIGHWAY. V-114. *AK
CAR BEGAN HESITATING...DID NOT WANT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC, WHO SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. SEEN HUNDREDS OF STORIES NOW ABOUT FAULTY HEAD GASKETS ON 1994-1995 MODELS WITH 3.8 LITER V-6, YET FORD WAS UNHELPFUL IN PROVIDING ANY INFORMATION...CLAIMED NO SUCH WARRANTEES EXISTED. *AK
MY 1994 FORD MUSTANG, PURCHASED NEW AND WITH ONLY 39,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE, BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THE CAR HAS THE SAME 3.8L V6 AS THE WINDSTAR AND TAURUS VEHICLES THAT I UNDERSTAND HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. WHY NO RECALL ON THE MUSTANG? THIS HAS COST ME $2000.00 SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE 'EXTENDED' WARRANTY FORD OFFERED TO ADDRESS THIS VERY PROBLEM. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED AT 39,000 MILES, WELL WITHIN THE 100,000 MILES FORD OFFERED BUT OUTSIDE THE ARBITRARY 7 YEAR LIMIT.
THE MAJOR PROBLEM WAS THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE (AFTER 100,000 MILES) WITH THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT ANY TIME REGARDING THIS RECALL. FORD DENIES THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A RECALL AND THAT IT WAS MY FAULT THAT THE ENGINE WENT SINCE I DO NOT DO ALL MY REPAIRS AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND IF I HAD, I WOULD'VE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY MAIL OR BY PHONE OF THIS PROBLEM, FORD TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE CAR WENT OVER 100,000 MILES AND WAS THREE MONTHE PAST THE DEADLINE DATE THAT I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO EXTENSIONS OR EXCEPTIONS. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT I DID NOT EXPERIENCE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE DURING THEIR SO CALLED WARRANTY EXTENSION PERIOD AND THAT MY 1994 FORD MUSTANG ONLY FAILED SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXTENSION EXPIRED. A DEFECTIVE PART IS A DEFECTIVE PART FROM THE DAY OF MANUFACTURE TO THE DAY THE CAR IS JUNKED UNLESS THE PART IS REPAIRED OR REPLACED. SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY WAS PUT OUT BY ME BECAUSE OF FORD'S LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. I DESERVED TO HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED BY THE FORD MOTOR CORPORATION BUT IN TURN I RECEIVED NOTHING. I COULD GO ON BUT THIS IS VERY UPSETTING TO ME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS WITH THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET, FORD HAD TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO BECAUSE IT IS OVER THE 7 YEAR LIMIT.
I HAD A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE AND HEAD GASKETS WHICH REQUIRED FULL REPLACEMENT AT 75,000 MILES. THE COST TO ME WAS $2500. THIS WAS DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DEFECT BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF WHICH THEY ARE WELL AWARE. FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THEM AT COMPANY EXPENSE. I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED IT IF I HAD KNOWN THE ENGINE LIFE WAS ONLY 75000 MILES TO THE DESIGN. *LA
HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 1994 FORD MUSTANG 3.8L WITH 50,360 MILES. ALTHOUGH FORD STATED THAT THEY MAILED A LETTER REGARDING OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS FAILURE, I NEVER RECEIVED IT NOR WAS I NOTIFIED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR RECALL WORK. FORD NOW STATES THAT THE PROGRAM EXPIRED ON MY VEHICLE AND I HAVE NO RECOURSE OTHER THAN TO HAVE IT FIXED ON MY OWN. *LA
ENGINE PROBLEM - TIMING COVER GASKET DEVELOPED A LEAK AND WAS REPLACED AT 49753 MILES. HEAD GASKET FAILED LATER AT 58422 MILES ON 12/15/02 WHILE DRIVING. (I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED ON 12/30/02, BUT THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE DATE ON THE REPAIR BILL, NOT THE DATE THE FAILURE OCCURRED). *NLM
HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *NLM
ENGINE OVER HEATED, NEVER INDICATED OVER HEATING WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER AND WORPED HEADS. HAD COOLANT PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST TIME OF PURCHASE OF CAR. A FRIEND OF MINE GAVE ME A LETTER FROM FORD ADDRESSED TO HIM ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE 1994 3.8L HAD A HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS THAT ALSO LIST 4 TYPES OF SYSTOMS WHICH MY 5.0 MUSTANG HAD FROM THE FIRST TIME PURCHASED. WHEN CALLING THE FORD MOTOR CO. THEY SAID THIS NOTICE WAS NOT FOR THE 5.0L. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS IT IS TO COINCIDENTAL THAT THE 5.0L LITERS ARE HAVING THE SAME SYSTOMS.
DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND THICK WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. FORD ISSUED SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY 00M10 ON 1994 AND 1995 FORD MUSTANG/THUNDERBIRD AND THUNDERBIRD SUPER COUPE EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINE THAT HAD DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. THESE VEHICLES WOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE UNDER THIS WARRANTY. *AK *NLM
THE HEAD GASKET FAILED, WHILE DRIVING.*JB
GASKET BLEW ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SMOKE. PH
HEAD GASKET FAILURE
RECENTLY MY CAR STARTED OVERHEATING WITHOUT WARNING. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. IT WAS GOOD FOR TWO WEEKS THEN ON A FIVE MINUTE DRIVE DOWN THE STREET IT OVERHEATED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN AND IT WOULD COST ME $1,600.00 I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED IN MAY OF 2001. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN NOV. 2001 ONLY HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT. FROM WHERE I SIT THIS IS AN EXTENDED PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND FORD SHOULD TAKE ACTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM UP TO 100,000 MILES. IT SEEMS THAT 50,000 - 80,000 MILES IS WHEN THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH THIS CAR.
1994 3.8 LITER HEAD GASKETS LEAKING .FORD TELLS ME RECALL IS ONLY GOOD FOR 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS ONLY 74,000 MILES ON IT.THE CAR WAS FIRST DELIVERED IN NOV. 1993. A LETTER WAS SENT TO THE ORGINAL OWNER( I'AM NOT ORGINAL OWNER) ON 4-27-2000. 6 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS AFTER DELIVERY. FORD NOW SAYS 7 YEARS HAS GONE BY AND IT DOES NOT MATTER THAT THERE IS ONLY 74,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE REPAIRS. I BELEIVE THEY SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE 100,000 MILE RECALL, KNOWING THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE.
ON NOVEMBER 4 MY 1994 FORD MUSTANG STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD IT TOWED TO A TRUSTED FAMILY MECHANIC, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. AS OF TODAY 11/14/2002 MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP BEING WORKED ON, AND SO FAR THE BILL IS AT $1050 AND GROWING. MY MECHANIC WAS VERY SURPRISED AND SHOCKED WHEN HE DISCOVERED IT WAS HEAD GASKETS, BECAUSE I HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON MY CAR. ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769756. *AK *JB
THIS IS THE 3RD HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SHUTDOWN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*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
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