Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 246 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Ford Mustang. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 246 · page 1 of 10
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 1996 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while attempting to resell the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 109,000 and at the time of listing the vehicle for sale, it was discovered that the mileage was 145,000.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER CUSTOMIZED, AND TUNNIING. RIMS CUSTOMS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE RADIATOR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND STEAM STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE INDICATED HOT. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE WATER CROSSOVER FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,242.
PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS STUCK AND WILL NOT RETRACT. *TR
I PURCHASED A 1996 FORD MUSTANG FROM AUTO CREDIT #3 IN AIRWAY HEIGHTS, WASHINGTON. ON 1/2/2011, I RECEIVE THE VEHICLE AND AFTER THREE HOURS OF DRIVING, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE LOCKS UP. THIS PUTS ME INTO AN UNCONTROLLED 180 DEGREE SPIN. ON 1/3/2011, I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LES SCHWAB TIRE CENTER. I TOLD THE MECHANIC TO CHECK THE BRAKES. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF WAITING, I AM CALLED INTO THE WORK AREA, AND I SEE THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IS CLEARLY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, AS IT HAD THE APPEARANCE OF HAVING BEEN SHREDDED. THE SAME MECHANIC THEN TELLS ME THAT BOTH REAR BRAKES MUST BE REPLACED, AS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS FROZEN IN THE ON POSITION. WHILE THE WORK WAS BEING DONE, I MANAGED TO TAKE A FEW PICTURES OF THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, NOT OF THE TIRE IN QUESTION. IN ADDITION, WHEN I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT STAY LIT, AND WOULD TURN OFF AND ON AT RANDOM. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE BUSINESS ON 1/5/2011 AROUND 3:00 PM, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK AS I SIGNED A CONTRACT. WHAT I SIGNED WAS A LOAN AGREEMENT. EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED IN THESE CONDITIONS, THEY STILL DID NOTHING. FINALLY, I TOLD THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT THE NEXT DAY, REFERRING TO 1/6/2011. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON JUNE 4, 2010, WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, THE ANTIFREEZE SPILLED AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 136,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME RESISTANT AND LOSS POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MADE REPAIRS TO THE FRONT STRUTS, LOWER BALL JOINTS, STABLE BAR LINK AND THE CONTROL ARM. THE CONTACT STATED A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,886 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,702.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF EVEN AFTER SERVICE. *TR
THE PAINT IS BUBBLING UP AND PEELING OFF THE TRUNK LID OF MY CAR. *TR
I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR PARKING BRAKES FOR 1996 FORD MUSTANGS WITH MANUAL. I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC I BOUGHT ONLINE IN JANUARY 2007 THAT HAS PARKING BREAK ISSUES IT WONT KEEP THE CAR FORM MOVING. I HAD IT TOWED ONE TIME AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IT WAS FAULTY. IS THE RECALL STILL AVAILABLE FOR AN AUTOMATIC? *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME STUCK AT 40 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWO TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS AND THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. *AK
CLUTCH PEDAL CHATTERS WHEN ENGINE AT ABOUT 1500 RPMS. SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY ON COLD DAYS. *NM
THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF MY CAR. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE COIL SPRINGS FAILED THREE SEPARATE TIMES ON THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME THE REAR SPRINGS BROKE. THE SECOND TIME THE FRONT SPRINGS BROKE. THIS LAST TIME WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR SPRINGS BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE SPRINGS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER.
CONSUMER 1996 FORD MUSTANG INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. *TS THE CONSUMER FELT THAT FORD SHOULD COVER THE ENTIRE COST OF REPAIR PLUS THE MONIES SPENT ON BORROWING VEHICLES TO GET TO WORK. *SC
96 MUSTANG OVERHEATING DUE TO CRACKED INTAKE. DEALER WILL NOT FIX UNLESS I PAY. THERE WAS ONCE A RECALL THAT I WAS NEVER AWARE OF. I NEED MY CAR FIXED.
1996 FORD MUSTANG REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKET AND RADIATOR.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHILE DRIVING ON A TRECHEROUS MOUNTAIN ROAD THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND THE RADIATOR SPLIT. *NM
THE PAINT HAS BUBBLED AND NOW IS CHIPPING OFF THE CAR. I NOTICED THE BUBBLING SOME YEARS AGO WHEN THE BUBBLES TURNED TO TINY RUST SPOTS. JUST RECENTLY A LARGE SECTION OF PAINT OF THE TRUCK OF THE CAR CHIPPED OFF. I TALKED TO A FEW WELL KNOWN PAINT SHOPS AND THEY SAID THAT EVEN IN A CAR THIS OLD THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH HOW THE PAINT WAS APPLIED IN THE FACTORY. I ALSO LEARNED THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH WHITE FORD MUSTANGS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
BRAKE LIGHTS NEVER INSPECTED. WENT TO TAKE CAR BACK RIGHT AWAY, LIGHTS WERE FIXED BUT FAILURE TO DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION RESULTED IN NOT LISCENCE PLATE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
I HAVE 96 MUSTANG GT, AT 21000 MILES INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED IN THE REAR , FORD REPLACED FOR FREE, NOW AT 79000K THE INTAKE HAS CRACKED AGAIN IN THE FRONT , THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SILENT RECALL, BEFORE I GO BACK TO FORD, AGAIN DOES FORD HAVE TO FIX IT OR DO I? *JB
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. ANTIFREEZE STARTED TO POUR OUT OF THE MUFFLER. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH DRIVE R AND PASSENGER RETRACTORS DETERIORATED. THE BELTS WERE INOPERABLE WHEN IN USE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT THERE WAS A GREAT RISK INVOLVED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT BELTS.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER RETRCTORS DETERIORATED. THE BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THERE WAS A GREAT RISK INVOLVED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT BELTS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ANTIFREEZE LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. SMOKE STARTED TO ACCUMULATE INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM THE A/C VENTS. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM
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 .