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1996 Ford Mustang Gt

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Mustang Gt do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 51.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

25 reports with mileage · 7 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

32 reports
92,950 miles · Sep 10, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

HELLO PLEASE FORGIVE MY POOR ENGLISH BUT MY PROBLEM IS THAT I HAD JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR FROM A CAR DEALER WITHIN 35 DAYS THE PLASTIC INTAKE STARTED SPRAY OUT OF THE ENGINE AREA EVERY TIME THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSH THEN CAUSING OTHER PROBLEM TO THE ENGINE. THE 1996 MUSTANG GT 4.6 HAS A CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE THAT SHOULD NEVER BEE…

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HELLO PLEASE FORGIVE MY POOR ENGLISH BUT MY PROBLEM IS THAT I HAD JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR FROM A CAR DEALER WITHIN 35 DAYS THE PLASTIC INTAKE STARTED SPRAY OUT OF THE ENGINE AREA EVERY TIME THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSH THEN CAUSING OTHER PROBLEM TO THE ENGINE. THE 1996 MUSTANG GT 4.6 HAS A CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE THAT SHOULD NEVER BEEN ON THIS CAR PLEASE HELP IT COST A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10136073

122,441 miles · Aug 2, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM I BOUGHT A LOT OF NEW PARTS FOR THIS CAR TO TRY AND KEEP IT COOLED DOWN EVERYTHING THERE IS TO BUY I WAS FINELY TOLD BY THE SHOP THAT WORKS ON THE CAR I SHOULD CHECK WITH FORD BECAUSE IF THEY DID ANYMORE WORK ON MY CAR IT COULD BECOME UP IN THE THOUSANDS AND THAT FORD SHOULD BE PAYING THE BI…

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ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM I BOUGHT A LOT OF NEW PARTS FOR THIS CAR TO TRY AND KEEP IT COOLED DOWN EVERYTHING THERE IS TO BUY I WAS FINELY TOLD BY THE SHOP THAT WORKS ON THE CAR I SHOULD CHECK WITH FORD BECAUSE IF THEY DID ANYMORE WORK ON MY CAR IT COULD BECOME UP IN THE THOUSANDS AND THAT FORD SHOULD BE PAYING THE BILL OR RECALL THE WHOLE CAR THERE IS A LOT OF MILES ON MY CAR BUT I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT AND AS MANY PARTS I BUY AND AS MANY TIMES THAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ALMOST EVERYTHING ON THE CAR IS NEW I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO MAKE THIS CAR RUN GOOD THE REASON THE OWNER BEFORE ME SOLD THE CAR HE WAS ALWAYS FIXING SOMETHING ON IT WITH EVERYTHING HE DONE TO THE CAR I THOUGHT IF I JUST DID A LITTLE MORE IT WOULD RUN GOOD BUT THERE'S NO WAY I REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD 2 TIMES BECAUSE OF CRACKING I WAS TOLD BY FORD THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS BUT THEY DON'T RECALL THEM ANYMORE SO SECOND HAND BUYERS ARE OUT OF LUCK WE JUST KEEP REPLACING THAT PART WHILE FORD GETS RICHER ON A PART THEY KNOW WILL NOT WORK ON THAT CAR I REPLACED THE CLUTCH A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AND AGAIN SOMETHING 'S WRONG I HAD IT CHECKED AND THEY FOUND THAT ALL THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE TRANSMISSION IN WHERE ALL ALMOST OUT I HAVE HAD THEM PUT BACK IN PLACE 2 TIMES AND THE SAME WITH STARTER ONLY WITH THE STARTER THERE WAS ONLY ONE BOLT LEFT HOLDING IT THE SHOP SAID THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT HAD BEEN STARTING SO I FIXED THAT BUT WORRIED ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME FORD HAS BEEN NO HELP ON ANY THING I CALLED ABOUT BUT THEY SAY THEY KNOW OF THE TROUBLE PEOPLE ARE HAVING BUT SORRY NO ONE HAS PUT ANY RECALLS ON THESE PROBLEMS AND THAT THEY WILL SEND ME A LETTER IF ANY RECALLS COME OUT ANYTHING THAT COST FORD TO MUCH NEVER GETS RECALLS ONLY THING LIKE HOOD LATCH SEAT BELT THOSE 2 THINGS I HAVE NEVER HAD TROUBLE WITH BUT THEY ALSO DON'T PAY MUCH TO HAVE THEM FIXED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10131024

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2005
Electrical System

WAS SITTING AT A HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTION WHEN CAR SHUT OFF AND WAS VERY HARD TO START BACK UP AND GET OUT OF THE WAY MY CAR HAS DONE THIS 5 OR 6 TIMES I HAD IT LOOKED AT BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP IT AND DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE BUT WHEN I LET THEM HAVE IT FOR A WEEK IT NEVER DID IT SO NO…

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WAS SITTING AT A HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTION WHEN CAR SHUT OFF AND WAS VERY HARD TO START BACK UP AND GET OUT OF THE WAY MY CAR HAS DONE THIS 5 OR 6 TIMES I HAD IT LOOKED AT BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP IT AND DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE BUT WHEN I LET THEM HAVE IT FOR A WEEK IT NEVER DID IT SO NOW I ALWAYS TAKE THE CHANCE IT CAN DO IT AT ANYTIME ANY WHERE I PUT NEW STARTER BEFORE THIS STARTED HAPPENING BUT CAR IS STILL VERY HARD TO START .....*NM

NHTSA ODI #10130984

99,000 miles · Jul 16, 2005
Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT

NHTSA ODI #10128993

77,700 miles · May 2, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

1996 FORD MUSTANG GT CONVERT. LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I SERVICE IT REGULARLY SINCE 2001. CONFIRMED A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART BUT IT HAD EXPIRED. MY WIFE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY STATED IT WAS A COURTESY RECALL AND THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAU…

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1996 FORD MUSTANG GT CONVERT. LEAKING COOLANT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I SERVICE IT REGULARLY SINCE 2001. CONFIRMED A CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART BUT IT HAD EXPIRED. MY WIFE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY STATED IT WAS A COURTESY RECALL AND THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. HOW CAN A THE MANUFACTURER RECALL A DEFECTIVE PART AND THEN CLOSE THE DATE ON THE RECALL WHEN THERE APPEARS TO BE A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS WEBSITE? COST FOR REPLACEMENT INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS $1253.77. REQUESING REIMBURSEMENT.

NHTSA ODI #10119376

107,000 miles · Feb 3, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED FOR THE 2ND TIME. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET COVERED UNDER THE RECALL THE FIRST TIME, BUT THIS TIME I'M ON MY OWN. THIS IS ON A '96 MUSTANG GT WITH 100K MILES. BOTH CRACKS WERE AROUND THE TEMPERATURE SENDING UNIT AT THE FRONT/PASSENGER SIDE OF THE MOTOR.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10108489

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED; I HAD TO PAY 589.17 FOR A NEW ONE AND 225.00 LABOR CHARGES; I WOULD LIKE A REFUND. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10106482

109,328 miles · Nov 27, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD STARTED LEAKING COOLANT, RESULTING IN THE WINDSHIELD TO INSTANTLY BECOME FOGGED AND UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY FORD TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF MY VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10100589

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE DRIVER OPENED THE HOOD AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10097074

85,000 miles · Aug 4, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. 2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1996 FORD MUSTANG GT SOHC V8 ENGINE (85,000MILES). ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED OUT RENDERING CAR UNDRIVEABLE, AND ME STRANDED. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED: FRAMING…

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(1) EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. 2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1996 FORD MUSTANG GT SOHC V8 ENGINE (85,000MILES). ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED OUT RENDERING CAR UNDRIVEABLE, AND ME STRANDED. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED: FRAMINGHAM FORD DEALER REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PART AT A CHARGE OF $1150. THE WORK WAS DONE IN A SLOPPY FASHION WHERE UPON RECEIVING THE CAR, THERE WERE WASHERS AND NUTS MISSING FROM SOME PARTS OF THE REASSEMBLED ENGINE (WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN ADRESSED). THE CRACKED MANIFOLD WAS NOT FIXED UNDER WARRANTY OR THE 97M91 RECALL AS IT HAD RUN OUT LAST YEAR. THERE WAS NO RECALL NOTICE SENT PRIOR TO IT RUNNING OUT. BEING A KNOWN PROBLEM, FORD NEEDS TO REPLACE THE PART AT THEIR EXPENSE, NOT AT A PROFIT FOR THEMSELVES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10086160

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.