Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
THE FUEL FILLER NECK GROMMET IS LEAKING. ACCORDING TO FORD, IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT...IT CAUSES A GASOLINE LEAK IF I TRY TO FILL IT OVER ABOUT 3/8 TANK, AND THROWS GAS OUT, WHEN I MAKE A LEFT TURN. *TR THIS IS A FIRE/EXPLOSION WAITING TO HAPPEN. FORD SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THESE WITH GROMMETS THAT DO NOT BREAK DOWN.
CAR IS HARD TO START OR LONG START CYCLE, FUEL PUMP CHECK VALVE LEAKING REQUIRING FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. *TR
FUEL PUMP BROKE DOWN. *NM
1998 FORD MUSTANG GT HAS FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. *MR THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS. *SC *JB
I HIT A TREE AFTER DRIVING OFF THE ROAD AND THE CAR BECAME INGULFED IN FLAMES AND SOON BURNED THE CAR TO NUTHING BUT STRAIGHT METAL LOSS OF EVERYTHING EVEN RIMS WERE MELTED AND WINDOWS TOO ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS HARD METAL SURFACES I WAS ALMOST BURNED ALIVE PLUS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TO LATE AND MY HEAD ACTUALLY IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL BREAKING MY NOSE AND SPLITTING MY FOREHEAD OPEN AND ALMOST LOST MY LEFT EYE DUE TO THE IMPACT THE SEATBELT WORKED TOO GOOD IT SPERATED MY LEFT SHOULDER AND BROKE MY COLLAR BONE STRETCHING ALL MY TENDONS IN MY LEFT SHOULDER BREAKING MY CLAVICAL AND SHOULDER BLADE.*AK
PROBLEMS WITH GAS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. *MR EVERYTIME THE GAS TANK WAS FILLED 1/2 TO FULL, GAS LEAKED AT THE CONNECTOR WHERE THE INTAKE PIPE MEETS THE TANK. THE RUBBER SEAL AT THE CONNECTOR WAS VERY LOOSE AND WET WHEN GAS LEAKED. THERE WAS A SMELL OF GAS. *SC *JB
VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO START. TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP 5 TIMES. *AK
THE FIRST TIME THE CAR JUST QUITE ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. THE SECOND TIME IT LOST POWER AND WAS STARTING VERY HARD (10 TO 15 SEC. TO START). BOTH TIMES IT WAS LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE AND NEEDED A FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. THE FUEL PUMP ITS SELF WAS FINE, BUT A SMALL CLEAR FLEXIBLE HOSE THAT ATTACHES FROM THE FUEL PUMP/BASKET ASSEMBLY IN THE GAS TANK TO THE LID THAT BOLTS ON THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK RUBS AGAINST VARIOUS PARTS INSIDE THE GAS TANK AND WEARS A HOLE IN IT. SINCE THIS ESTIMATED $2 ITEM CANNOT BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY I WAS FORCED TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY. THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED TO ME THAT 90% OF THE "FUEL PUMP FAILURES" HAVE HAD NOTHING TO REALLY DUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP. IT WAS EITHER THE HOSE INSIDE THE GAS TANK RUBBING THROUGH OR THE WIRES INSIDE RUBBING THROUGH. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS? I WOULD ASK FOR A PUSH FOR THE HOSES BUT IF THE WIRING IN THE GAS TANK IS WEARING THROUGH ALSO IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IF THEY HAVE NOT YET! *NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND BURST CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. PROBLEM OCCURED DUE TO COMPONENT BEING MADE OF PLASTIC. MR
VEHICLE IS HARD TO START. SOMETIMES HAS ALOT OF HESITATION OR MISSING ON TAKEOFF OR REVERSE. ALSO, NORMALLY HAVE TO KILL ENGINE 1-2 TIMES BEFORE PROPER ENGINE IDLE OCCURES. DT
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT DUE TO A CRACK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONTACTED DEALER.*AKI
INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF PLASTIC, THIS LEAD TO IT CRACKING AND ANTI-FREEZE COMING OUT. COULD NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING.*AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE ON THE EXACT SAME PART THAT HAD RECALLS THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS. RECALL NUMBER 97M91. I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID MY VIN ISN'T COVERED. OBVIOUSLY, WHATEVER THEY DID TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM DIDN'T WORK. THERE ARE ALSO SELECT VIN'S THAT ARE COVERED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM IN MY YEAR CAR. WHY WOULD THEY ONLY REPLACE CERTAIN MANIFOLDS? THEY COULD HAVE HAD LEFT OVER INTAKES FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS FAULTY BATCH THAT THEY INSTALLED ON VARIOUS CARS FROM MY YEAR, AND THINK THEY WILL GET AWAY WITH NOT REPLACING IT BECAUSE MY VIN ISN'T SHOWING UP AS MADE IN FACTORY "X" WHICH HAD FAULTY PARTS MADE FROM A BAD CASTING. CURIOUSLY, THE INTAKES FROM THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS HAVE A 7 YEAR NO-QUESTIONS-ASKED REPLACMENT PROGRAM GOING ON FOR THE SAME CAR, SAME MODEL, SAME ENGINE. WHAT DID FORD DO TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM FOR MY YEAR CAR? MY GUESS IS NOTHING. ALSO, THE WAY WE FOUND THE CRACK INITIALLY WAS BY A SUGGESTION FROM A FORD PARTS/SERVICE TECH WHO SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME TO "CHECK THE INTAKE FOR A CRACK UNDER THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING". ISN'T THAT A LITTLE TOO COINCIDENTAL????*AK
CONSUMER FILLED TANK UP, AND APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER FUEL STARTED LEAKING OUT. FUEL OVERFLOWED, PASSING BY RUBBER GROMMET AND SPILLING OUT. CONSUMER IS HAVING VEHICLE INSPECTED. *PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE FORM.**AK
CONSUMER HAD BEEN SMELLING FUEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO FOUND A LEAK IN FUEL LINES, AND ALL 6 INJECTORS WERE LEAKING. *AK
HAD A SHORT IN THE GAS TANK DUE TO A WIRE CHAFFED DUE TO THE FACTORY INSTALLATION.*AK
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE, CUT OFF OR NOT START BACK UP. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE NO GAS WAS GETTING TO FUEL INJECTORS. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 YEARS, AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR $607.19.*AK *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40-50MPH LOW FLUID LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. WHEN HE PULLED OVER THERE WAS ANTI-FREEZE POURING OUT ONTO FLOOR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER DID NOT WANT TO FIX PROBLEM. *AK
RAW FUEL SMELL RANDOMLY ENTERS CAB OF CAR. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT IS 85 OR OR HOTTER. IT BURNS MY EYES AND GETS ME VERY SICK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS FORME AND MY FAMILY AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD FOR THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. OR MY CAR CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
MY HUSBAND I PURCHASED A 1998 ROUCH MUSTANG GT. THE CONVERSION KIT INCLUDES SIDE PIPES, COMPUTER CHIP, DIFFERENT SUSPENSION, AND SOME THINGS IM NOT SURE OF. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RAW FUEL SMELL COMING INTO CAB OF CAR. IT GET'S VERY BAD. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT IS 85 DEGREES OR ABOVE. AND ONLY HAPPENS RANDEMLY. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL, FUEL SMELL CAME INTO CAB. DAUGHTER AND I GAGED. PULLED OVER AND SHUT CAR OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALER, THEY SAID THEY WERE WAITING FOR NEW FUEL LINE FROM THE ROUSH COMPANY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ROUCH CARS NEEDED DIFFERENT FUEL LINE THEN THAT OF THE MANUFACTURER. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THEN MY HUSBAND AND I WERE GOING TO DAYTONA. IT HAPPENED AGAIN. PULLED INTO DEALERSHIP SHUT CAR OFF WITH WINDOWS DOWN. TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES GONE BY BEFORE GEORGE NAGEL THE SERVICE MANAGER SAT IN IT. HE KEPT CAR DO TO HE SMELL OF FUEL. AND THAT IS AFTER THE CAR SITTING THERE AIRING OUT. HE SMELLED IT COMING FROM THE VENTS. THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT . HAPPENED AGAIN. NOW GOERGE IS SAYING THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW IF IT WAS GAS OR EMMISIONS THAT HE SMELLED. MY CAR KNOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY, I AM RENTING A CAR. I AM DOING LEMON LAW. I WAS TOLD BY AN ATTORNEY IF I CAN NOT PROVE MY CASE THEY WILL LEAN TOWARDS THE MANUFACURE. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I AM AFRAID OF THIS CAR. I HAVE OWNED MUSTANGS FOR MANY YEARS NOW. THATS ALL I HAVE OWNED. I LOVE MY CAR. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. BUT MY SAFETY IS AT RISK. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS NOTICED FUEL ON GROUND, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF GAS. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER'S SHOP, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. LEAKS WERE NOTICED ON DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE WITH OTHER WITNESS. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER THIS CAN BE A POTTENIAL FIRE HAZARD IF COME IN CONTACT TO A IGNITION SOURCE. *AK
ROTORS WARPED CAUSING VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AT 50-60 MPH. MJS
1. CONVERTIBLE ROOF WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHEN CAR WAS RECEIVED, .25# GAPS BETWEEN SEALS OF FRONT SECTION OF FOLDING ROOF. 2. HARSH NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN BRAKING AND TURNING, DIAGNOSED TO BE "WATER DRIPPING ON EXHAUST PIPE" BY DEALER(?!!) A/C ALSO NOT STRONG-POSSIBLY REPLACED (NEVER FULLY TOLD) BRAKE SHOES/PADS ALSO WORKED ON. 3. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, GOING UPHILL, CAR BEGAN SLOWING DOWN, PULLED ONTO SHOULDER AS CAR STOPPED. DIAGNOSED AS FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK
ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FAILED TWICE.
VEHICLE ONLY HAD 4500 MILES ON ON THE ODOMETER WHEN I DETECTED A FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL WAS DRIPPING OUT OF THE GAS TANK WHERE THE FILLER PIPE CONNECTED TO THE TANK. I WAS ON VACATION AND HAD JUST DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2000 MILES FROM OHIO TO FLORIDA AN EXPLOSION COULD HAVE OCCURED IF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ENCOUNTERED ANY SPARKS OR A CIGARETTE WAS DISCARDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP IN HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA WHERE IT REMAINED OVERNIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS THE THIRD VEHICLE THEY ENCOUNTERED LEAKING FUEL THAT WEEK. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER HOWEVER NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT CAN CAUSE FATALITIES OR SERIOUS INJURY. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE RENTAL CAR THAT I OBTAINED AND TAKE THIS VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS SAFE. I WORK AT AN AUTO MANUFACTURER AND I DO NOT FEEL LIKE FORD WANTS TO STAND BEHIND THE SAFETY OF THEIR PRODUCT.
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 .