RoadVitals

2000 Ford Mustang Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Apr 20, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 311 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 20, 2014
Fire reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITNESSES SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR WAS TRYING TO START ITSELF. TOTAL LOSS. DAMAGE WAS WORST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CENTERED IN THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE WHEEL. SECURITY CAMERA OF INCIDENT SHOWS SMOKE THEN FIRE STARTING AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10583844
Incident
Apr 20, 2014
Mileage
71,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 21, 2009

1. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE IGNITION. 2. THE CAR HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COMPONENTS REPLACED. 3. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10262644
Incident
Oct 29, 2008
Mileage
17,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 29, 2005

I HAVE A 2000 FORD 3.8 LITER MUSTANG. IT HAS A VIBRATION AND COVERT FORD SAYS ITS NEEDS NEW MOTOR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, TOOK GREAT CARE OF MOTOR, IT JUST TURNED 70,000 MILES. COVERT SAYS IT HAS EXCESSIVE END PLAY ON THE CRANKSHAFT DUE TO WEAR. I THINK I HAVE AN AMERICAN-MADE PROBLEM. 70,000 MILES???? THANKS FOR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE ME. THEY WANT $4,600.00. I THINK FORD OWES ME MOST OF THAT AT THE VERY LEAST BECAUSE I SURE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT. YOU KNOW ITS FUNNY ALSO BECAUSE UP TO THIS POINT THAT CAR HAD NEVER BROKEN DOWN AND HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE SHOP . THIS IS OTHER THAN 15 OIL CHANGES TWO BATTERIES AND TWO SETS OF TIRES... I JUST THINK ITS NOT NORMAL. PLEASE HELP WITH SUGGESTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10146352
Incident
Dec 15, 2005
Mileage
69,990 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 1, 2004

WHILE CLEANING MY SPARK PLUGS, I NOTICED THE NUMBER #3 SPARK PLUG HAD OIL ON THE SPARK PLUG THREAD. WHEN I PUT MY FINGER INTO THE NUMBER #3 CYLINDER HOLE OIL SHOWED ON MY FINGER. THE NUMBER #3 PLUG WAS ALSO FOULED COMPARED TO THE OTHER NEW PLUGS. THIS COULD LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE OR A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA. I HEARD THAT FORD HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN ON MY CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY MANY OWNERS THAT FORD HAD A VALVE COVER BUFFLE TO PCV VALVE PROBLEM ON 1999 AND 2000 MUSTANG 3.8, BUT THEY WILL NOT DO ANY THING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD MY MANY OWNERS THAT THEY MOD. AND REMOVED THE PCV VALVE AND REPLACED IT WITH FILTERS TO STOP OIL GETTING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED PROPERLY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2001 VALVE COVERS AND UP CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10083080
Incident
Jul 30, 2004
Mileage
64,700 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED ON MAY 03, 2003 FROM RAMEY FORD IN TAZEWELL, VA AND UNDER THE TERMS THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE CLUTCH FOR VIBRATION. UPON CHECKING THE CLUTCH, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE CLUTCH ROD NEEDED REPLACED AND THIS WAS COMPLETED. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK THE FIRST TIME, I HAVE GONE THROUGH AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH MAKING A VIBRATION/RATTLE TYPE NOISE THAT COMES AND GOES EVEN AFTER THE PRESSURE PLATE, THROW-OUT BEARING, AND FLY-WHEEL WERE REPLACED. ALSO, FOR 3 1/2 TO 4 MONTHS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY AND START BLINKING AND THEN GO OFF, THIS HAS FINALLY STOPPED AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS AT FIXING THE PROBLEM, AFTER THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND A COIL PACK WAS CHANGED. FOR A CAR THAT LOOKS BRAND NEW INSIDE AND OUT, THESE CONSTANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN VERY TROUBLESOME AND AGGRAVATING ESPECIALLY AFTER 6 REPAIR ATTEMPTS (GOING ON 7).

NHTSA ID
10071022
Incident
May 15, 2003
Mileage
25,851 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 22, 2003
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS CAUSED FIRE. 2000 FORD MUSTANG ONLY HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT. *LA

NHTSA ID
10043358
Incident
Oct 20, 2003
Mileage
61,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 22, 2003

I HAVE A 2000 FORD MUSTANG V6, AND I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER (MAGIC FORD, IN VALENCIA CA ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOUR TIMES) CANT FIX AND CANT FIND OUT WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHENEVER I DROVE THE CAR AND IT GETS HOT AND WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND TRY RESTARTING THE CAR, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE COOL OFF, THEN THE CAR WOULD START, IT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GROCERY STORE, AND TRY STARTING THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, SAME THING WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GASOLINE STATION, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT GETS COOL OFF BEFORE THE WOULD START AGAIN. HERE ARE THE HISTORY OF THE ONGOING PROBLEM, THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER THE WARRANTY, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DONT KNOW THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GIVE OUT ANY CODE, SO THEY CANT FIX THE CAR, BUT THEY KNOW THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SECOND TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE KEY, AND THE IGNITION, SO THEY HAVE TO REPROGRAM THE KEY TO SEND SIGNAL TO THE IGNITION, (I HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY, WHEN THEY COULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST TIME.) THIRD TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS LOOSE AND THE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE (I DONT THINK SO) A WEEK LATER, FOURTH TIME I TOOK THE CAR BACK, STILL DOESNT KNOW WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR, ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR 3 DAYS NOW. I DONT KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO DO WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE ADVICE.

NHTSA ID
10028910
Incident
Jul 14, 2003
Mileage
29,459 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 31, 2002
Fire reported

MY 2000 FORD MUSTANG LOST ALL ITS POWER AFTER I JUST PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT. I THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SITE. ABOUT 1-2 MINUTES LATER I SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE SAME PLACE. AS I EXITED THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND A HORRID NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED 10-15 FOOT HIGH FLAMES WERE SHOOTING IN THE AIR FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR [THIS ALL STARTED TO HAPPEN INCREDIBLY FAST] AND THERE ALSO WAS LOTS OF BLACK SMOKE. ONE OF THE FIREMEN/LADIES TOLD ME THAT IT LOOKED LIKR THE FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE WIRING. ALL OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR BURNED OUT INCLUDING THE HOOD AND SOMEOF THE DASH INSIDE MELTED AND THE FRONT WINDSHILD STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE HEAT OF THE FIRE.

NHTSA ID
10000661
Incident
Dec 26, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jul 3, 2002
Fire reported

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THERE WAS A FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE DOOR PANEL MELTING WIRES AND OTHER PARTS. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT THERE WAS SOME SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING.*JB

NHTSA ID
8013254
Incident
Jun 2, 2002
Electrical
Filed Nov 12, 2001
Fire reported

CAR CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 30 MIN.-CAR IS "TOTALED"*AK

NHTSA ID
754426
Incident
Nov 11, 2001
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jul 5, 2001

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 10/7/99 AND HAVE BEEN TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE SINCE 10/12/99 THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FIXED ANY OF THE PROBLEMS W/THE CAR, IN FACT MY CAR KEEPS GETTING WORSE. THE ROOF ITS SELF LEAKS AND WHILE REMOVING THE HEADLINER THE DEALERSHIP CAUSED DENTS AND CREASES IN MY ROOF. THEY STILL HAVEN'T REPAIRED THE DENTS OR THE LEAK. ALSO, THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN GOING OUT SINCE DAY 1 CAUSING A FIRE SMELL WHICH THE DEALERSHIP SAID WAS THE SPARKS HITTING THE CATALITIC CONVERTER AND CAUSING PROBLEMS W/THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SPARK KNOCKS CONSTANTLY, DIES WHILE DRIVING, SMELLS LIKE ITS ON FIRE AND HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO "TRY TO FIX IT " AS THEY HAVE TRIED FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS BUT ANY REPAIRS THEY MAKE WILL NOT BE WARRANTIED. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL TV STATION, WRITTEN A LETTER TO FORD, TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILLED OUT A FORD SURVEY. AFTER ALL OF THAT, NO ONE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ME.

NHTSA ID
747882
Incident
Oct 12, 1999
Electrical
Filed Mar 2, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS SERVICES. TECH STATED DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE ELECTRICAL BRAIN/COMPUTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. *YH

NHTSA ID
881941
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Feb 21, 2001

THIS IS WRONG OF FORD NOT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
741257
Incident
Jan 25, 2001
Electrical
Filed Jan 1, 2001
Fire reported

THIS IS THE SECOND SALEEN THAT WE KNOW OF THAT THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM OCCURRED, CAR # 0208 AND MINE # 0594, BOTH DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. I'VE CONTACTED SALEEN, DOWNS FORD AND AN ATTORNEY FOR HELP. SALEEN TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF THIS EVER HAPPENING BEFORE ME, I HAVE DOCUMENTS, NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF OTHER PARTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
738585
Incident
Dec 24, 2000
BrakesElectricalSteering+1 more
Filed Nov 7, 2000

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES GEAR SKIPPED AND AND BRAKES BECAME LOOSE. NO BRAKING POWER. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED DEFECTS IN THE ALARM.*AK

NHTSA ID
874597
Incident
Jun 29, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jun 29, 2000

SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
864484
Electrical
Filed Jan 27, 2000
Fire reported

ALTERNATATOR MELTED BATTERY WIRES, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
855661
Incident
Dec 12, 1999

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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .