Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 28 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 28, in the owner's own words
HARD TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR OF NEUTRAL FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON THE V6 MANUAL TRANSMISSION ON THE 2000 FORD MUSTANG, ALSO PAINT IS BUBBLING AND CRACKING ON ROOF IN MULTIPLE SPOTS, HAVE SEEN SAME PROBLEM WITH PAINT POSTED FOR ALL MODELS FORD FROM 2000-20005. *TR
I BOUGHT A 2000 FORD MUSTANG AND THREE DAYS LATER I NOTICED THE SHIFT INDICATOR POSITION MARKER ON THE FLOOR WAS NOT SHOWING WHAT GEAR THE CAR WAS IN. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DURING DAY AND MOST LIKELY DURING NIGHT DRIVING AND COULD ALSO CAUSE TRANMISSION PROBLEMS NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE GEAR SHIFT POSITION. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW BEZEL ASY-TRANSMISSION AND IT WORKS FINE NOW, BUT A CAR THAT'S ONLY FOUR YEARS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT THE SHIFT INDICATOR MARKER HAS BROKEN.*AK
AS I WAS DRIVING AND REACHED 30 MPH IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFTING TO THE NEXT GEAR. IT MADE A SCREECHING NOISE AND WOULD NOT PASS 30 MPH MEAN WHILE THE RPM WAS TO 8. THEN IT JUMPED AND PASSED 30 MPH. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME IT REACHED 30 MPH. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS SLOW TO SHIFT. THIS 2000 MUSTANG ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES!!- AND I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED--ON TOP OF THAT THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE $1,600 COST. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT FORD MUSTANG 'S TRANSMISSION. FOR A 3 YEAR OLD MUSTANG WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A DEFECTED TRANSMISSION !!!!EVEN THOUGHT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED -- FORD SHOULD HELP COVER THE COST. *LA
VEHICLE HAS 24000 MILES ON IT. AT APPROX. 12000 MILES THE CLUTCH LOST TRAVEL DISTANCE, AND COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED USING THE MANUAL ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. CLUTCH FROZE ONE MORNING AFTER A VERY COLD SUB-ZERO NIGHT. UPON STARTING VEHICLE WITH CLUTCH PARTIALLY ENGAGED, CLUTCH BURNED. THEN FELL OUT OF 4TH GEAR WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. DEALER CLAIMS IT IS A WEAR ITEM AND BAD DRIVING RESULTED IN PRESSURE PLATES BEING UNUSUALLY WORN, A PROBLEM WITH THE LINKAGE WAS ALSO NOTED BUT NOT ASSESSED AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE WORN PLATES. CUSTOMER CONTENDS THE LINKAGE FAILED AND CAUSED CONTINUOUS RUBBING OF PRESSURE PLATES INSIDE TRANSMISSION ULTIMATELY LEADING TO FAILURE, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MANUFACTURER. PREMATURE WEAR OF THE PLATES IS MOST LIKELY LINKED TO THE FAILURE IN THE LINKAGE AND THE FAILURE OF THE SELF ADJUSTING CLUTCH TO IN EFFECT, SELF ADJUST WHEN THE PEDAL IS PULLED UP AND PUSHED DOWN AS RECOMMENDED IN THE MANUAL. SUSPECT THIS MAY ALSO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PARTS ORIGINAL TO VEHICLE. TS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED DURING WARM WEATHER AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
AFTER PURCHASE CONV. TOP LEAKED, A/C GRILLS FELL OUT, REAR WINDOW STUCK REAR DEFROSTER DON'T WORK AFTER INSPECTION: RUSTED (POSS. FLOOD DAMAGE) REAR TIRE WELLS REPAIRED (REAR ENDED) NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME TOLD ONLY ONE OWNER REAR REFLECTOR MISSING DUE TO FALLING OFF DURING DETAILING AFTER TRANSPORTING CAR GAS TANK HAS LEAKED $1700 WARRANTY ADDED TO MY CONTRACT W/OUT AGREEMENT COVERS NOTHING $500 FREE ALARM NEVER PUT IN & ADDED TO CONTRACT TINA CALLED TO SAY WARRANTY UP 8/20/02TO PLACE ALARM AND STOPPED PYMT ON CHECK FOR DOWNPAYMENT, KEEPING MO. PYMNT. SPOKE TO ''ALL MANAGERS" COME BACK W/LAWYER WAS WHAT THEY TOLD ME. DT
NHTSA ITEM # 620988 - I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM IN MY ORIGINAL NEW TRANSMISSION AND ALSO IN A FORD REBUILT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED BY RELIABLE MOTORS ON 12/03/02.*AK
THE CAR HAS DIED WHILE ENGAGING THE CLUTCH OVER FIVE TIMES. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM OR THAT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE IT. WHEN THE CAR DIES YOU LOSE ALL POWER STEERING BRAKES ETC, WHICH IN THE RIGHT SITUATION COULD BE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. NOW THE CAR IS OFF WARRANTY SO THIS IS ON;Y ROUTE I KNEW TO GO. SOMETHING IS WRONG, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF SAME PROBLEM SO IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.*AK
MY CAR IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE IT HAS MORE THAN 36,000 MILES ON IT. THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY IT. I THINK THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO LAST LONGER THAN 2 YEARS. HAS ANYONE ELSE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM?*JB
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A OIL CHANGE DEALER STATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A LEAK. ALSO THE VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL GO AS FAST AS 15 MPH WITHOUT PUTTING HER FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. NLM *TT
AT CERTAIN RPMS AND WITHOUT WARNING CLUTCH AND PEDAL RATTLE CONTINUOUSLY. MECHANIC HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE.*AK
HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER TRAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING...WILL NOT REPLACE THE VEHICLE AND SAYS THAT IT DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FAILED THREE SEPERATE TIMES....ALL I WANT IS ANOTHER CAR WITHOUT THE PROBLEMS. *AK
VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BACK UNDER THE LEMON LAW GUIDELINES. NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED. *AK
CAR WAS STUCK IN REVERSE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. WAS ABLE TO WORK IT OUT FIRST TIME BUT HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER SECOND TIME. DEALER STATES THEY CAN NOT GET A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR VEHICLE SINCE IT HAS BEEN MODIFIED AND NO 2000 TRANSMISSIONS ARE AVAILABLE. FORD FIELD REP VISISTED DEALERSHIP AND HAS TOLD THEM TO PUT A "PATCH" ON THE SHIFT ASSEMBLY AND "SEE IF THAT WILL WORK". WHEN I QUESTIONED FORD FIELD REP WHO THE NEXT PERSON IN CHAIN OF COMMAND TO SPEAK WITH ABOUT PROBLEM, HE INDICATED THERE WAS NO ONE ABOVE HIM; THAT HE RESOLVES ALL PROBLEMS. DEALERSHIP HAS BENT OVER BACKWARD TO TRY TO HELP ME; PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH FORD CORP. FORD'S CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE DEPT. HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY E-MAIL.*AK
CONSUMER STATES SHE HAS HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE IN FOR SEVERAL REPAIRS, SHE EXPERIENCED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN OIL GETTING ON THE ENGINE DUE TO DEALER LEAVING THE OIL CAP OFF, ALSO WATER PUMP HAD TO REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE ROCKER ARM GASKET. *JB
TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A TICKING NOISE AT INITIAL TAKE OFF.*AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR, FROM PARK TO DRIVE/REVERSE, AND WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, IT WILL ACCELERATE SUDDENLY FOR A MOMENT, THEN STOP. THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND WILL HAPPEN FROM 25 TO 50 PERCENT OF THE TIME. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY DEFECT. A SECOND DEALERSHIP REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER, AND VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IT WAS A POSSIBLE SOFTWARE DEFECT - NO UPGRADE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
THIS IS WRONG OF FORD NOT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
FROM PURCHASE, HAD PROBLEM WITH NOISES EMINNATING, WE THOUGHT, FROM THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, USUALLY AFTER DOWNSHIFTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH AND THEN ACCELERATING, WILL JUMP OUT OF 4TH GEAR. BUT, BIGGEST CONCERN HAS BEEN A TERRIFIC VIBRATION FROM BENEATH THE CAR AND IN THE CONSOLE WHICH, ON ONE OCCASION, DISPLACED THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO VARIOUS FORD DEALERS IN CARSON CITY AND RENO, NEVADA AND STATELINE, CA. ALTHOUGH NOISE OBVIOUS, DEALERS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD, AT WHICH TIME A DEALER REPLACED PARTS, UNKNOWN, IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. WE CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AND MORE RECENTLY, THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN CARSON CITY FOUND A "TECHNICAL" WHICH COVERED A CLUTCH PROBLEM. THE MUSTANG IS IN THE DEALERSHIP NOW (SINCE MONDAY) AT WHICH TIME CLUTCH PARTS ARE TO BE REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ALSO TO BE CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS. PERHAPS OUR CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED, BUT WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES. OUR CONCERN HAS BEEN FOR A "LOCKED UP" TRANSMISSION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED AT THIS POINT. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AND SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE GETS STUCK IN REVERSE. CONUSMER HAS TO TURN VEHICLE OFF TO SHIFT GEARS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE STALLS WHEN FULL BRAKING APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND BRAKING. 2 SEPERATE INSTANCES. DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND NOTHING NOTEABLE, MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENT TO THROTTLE SETTINGS. 1 WEEK LATER, SECOND INSTANCE OCCURRED, MOTOR DYING 3 TIMES. DRIVER FORCED TO PLACE MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, DEPRESS CLUTCH, AND RESTART MOTOR, WHICH RESTARTED EACH TIME, BUT FORCED DRIVER TO ATTEMPT TO START CAR, CONTROL CAR, AND STOP CAR SIMULTANIOUSLY.*AK
CAR SINCE NEW HAS HAD A MULTITUDE OF FAILURES TO INCLUDE THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE, TOTAL EVACUATION OF THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER OF FLUID, BRAKE GO TO THE FLOOR, CLUTCH ASSEMBLY VIBRATES TO THE POINT IT IS AUDABLE IN THE CAR AND CAN BE FELT IN THE CONTROLS, REAR END CLAUNKS, THE BODY IS MISS ALLIGNED, ENGINE MISSES AT IDLE, THESE ARE ALL PROBLEMS SINCE NEW, FORD HAS JUST LOOKED AT THE CAR FOR THE FIFTH TIME AND HAS FAILED TO RESPOND TO MAJOR SAFETY ITEMS.
CPNSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND APPLIED BRAKES BECAUSE HE WAS COMING TO A STAND STILL. VEHICLE WAS IN THIRD GEAR, AND THE RPMS STARTED GOING DOWN. CONSUMER SHIFTED GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
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
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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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