1994 Ford Mustang

ON NOVEMBER 4 MY 1994 FORD MUSTANG STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD IT TOWED TO A TRUSTED FAMILY MECHANIC, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. AS OF TODAY 11/14/2002 MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP BEING WORKED ON, AND SO FAR THE BILL IS AT $1050 AND GROWING. MY MECHANIC WAS VERY SURPRISED AND SHOCKED WHEN HE DISCOVERED IT WAS HEAD GASKETS, BECAUSE I HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON MY CAR. ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769756. *AK *JB

THE FORD 3.8L MOTOR HAS A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET WHICH FORD IS AWARE OFF, AND HAS EXTENDED A WARRANTY FOR THIS PART TO 7 YEARS OR 100000 MILES BUT IF THE CAR IS OUTSIDE THOSE GUIDLINES OR IF THE CAE IS CHECKED BY A DEALER AND IS OK WHEN CHECKED THE CO. WILL NOT FIX THE DEFECTIVE PART. WHEN THIS OCCURRED ON MY CAR IT STALLED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT .*AK

MY MUSTANG HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED IN MAY 2000. 3 MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN OCTOBER 2000. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS RECALLED BUT WASN'T INFORMED OF THAT UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT BECAUSE IT WASN'T A SAFETY RECALL THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO INFORM THE OWNERS OF THE CARS.*AK

I CARRIED MY CAR TO A MECHANIC FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IN MY CAR WAS KNOWN FOR HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. AT THIS TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME AND CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I THEN CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A RECALL BUT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO FORD AND I FEEL THAT ANY KNOWN PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. I ALSO FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. I DON'T THINK I CAN EVER BUY ANOTHER FORD DUE TO THE WAY I HAVE BEEN TREATED BY FORD. I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM CONFIRMED AND I DO HAVE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. I FEEL THAT EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS OVER 7 YEARS OLD BUT STILL UNDER THE 100K MILES THAT FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK GOODNESS I STILL HAD MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE, NOT A FORD, THAT IS A 1989 MODEL OR I WOULD HAVE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY REPLACED THE ENGINE OR BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR.*AK

FOR OVER SEVERAL MONTHS CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, THERE WOULD BE A COOLANT LEAK WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE, AN ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE AROUND THE VEHICLE, ERRATIC LOSS OF HEAT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND FLUCTUATING ENGINE TEMPERATURE, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AT THE DEALER AND BEING TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT THE HEAD GASKET, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN LEAKING AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*JB