1994 Ford Mustang

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD POPPING NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIE ROD WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE RACK AND PINION WAS WORN. IN ADDITION, THE BEARINGS WERE SEEPING LIQUID. AS OF DECEMBER 12, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED IN 2003. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 232,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 1994 FORD MUSTANG GT, WITH 5.0 V8 ENGINE, ON INTERSTATE 64 IN RICHMOND VA. I WAS IN 5TH GEAR DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED OPERATING. I DOWNSHIFTED THE CAR INTO 4TH GEAR HOPING TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AFTER I RELEASED THE CLUTCH. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN I SAW ORANGE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I STOPPED THE CAR AND RETRIEVED MY FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE TRUNK. I WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT 95% OF THE FLAMES AND THE HENRICO COUNTY FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE REMAINING FIRE. VA STATE POLICE SHOWED UP SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE RUBBER FUEL LINE THAT CONNECTS FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE CAUSING GASOLINE TO SPILL ONTO THE ENGINE. THE GASOLINE CAUGHT FIRE AND IT CAUSED OVER $7,000 IN DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REBUILT AND THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINES WILL BE REPLACED WITH CUSTOM MADE RUBBER FUEL LINES AS FORD NO LONGER MAKES THESE FUEL LINES. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED ALL THE SENSORS WERE IN PLACE. THE DEALER WAS OFFERING NO FREE REMEDY. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED. UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

DT: ON FEBURARY 20 2005 THE OWNER WAS MOVING THE SEAT FORWARD AND THERE WAS A SMELL OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT. THE OWNER LOOKED UNDER HOOD AND SAW THAT A FUSE BLEW OUT. SINCE THE FIRST TIME THE FUSE BLEW OUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, WHO ADVISED THE OWNERTHAT THERE WAS A $90 FEE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND THEN WILL CHARGE FOR REPAIRS. RECALL 95V062000 WAS ISSUED . BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE OWNER CALLED FORD ,AND THEY ADVISED ONLY THE GT EDITION IWASINCLUDED, THEY WON'T TELL WHY. THE OWNER IS CONCERNED THIS WILL CAUSE A FIRE. *AK

THE MOUNT UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS BROKEN AND IS UNABLE TO BE FIXED WITH A BOLT. THIS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROADWAY. WHEN THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE MAKES A LEFT TURN, THE SEAT LEANS TO THE RIGHT. THIS CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THE REAR END OF THE CAR ALSO MAKES A SCRUBBING SOUND WHEN THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR. THE SOUND IS MADE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND WHEN ACCELERATING SLOWLY FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I ALSO HAD TO PAY FOR A CRACKED HEAD GASKET IN LATE 2001. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS UNTIL THE DAY MY CAR WAS PUT IN THE SHOP. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY MILEAGE WAS TOO HIGH FOR THE HEAD GASKET TO BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.

FUEL-TANK FILLER-PIPE GASKET HAS APPARENTLY FAILED. PROBLEM HAS GRADUALLY WORSENED OVER TIME. CAN NOT PUMP MORE THAN A FEW GALLONS INTO TANK OR FUEL LEAKS OUT RAPIDLY; FUMES EVEN ENTER CAR. INVESTIGATED PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED FAILED GASKET, WHICH SEEMS AN ODD DESIGN CHOICE IN PLACE OF SIMPLE WELDED PIPE STEM, GIVEN INEVITABLE VIBRATION OF COMPONENTS. *JB