IllustrationENGINE OVERHEATED, LOST POWER, NO HEAT FROM HEATER, OIL AND COOLANT MIX IN RADIATOR. TOWED TO FORD SERVICE CENTER. DIAGNOSED AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE. ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE ENGINE $4200 INCLUDING LABOR. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE IN MICHIGAN BUT THEY ARE SO FAR UNWILLING TO HELP.
1996 Ford Mustang
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Mustang years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Mustang are substantially higher than the model-year median of 81.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mustang years →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
Limited mileage data: 26 of 246 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports6 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
246 reportsINTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED DUE TO PLASTIC MATERIAL USED ON ORIGINAL PART - REPLACEMENT PART IS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND PLASTIC - THIS INDICATES MANUFACTURER KNEW ABOUT ORIGINAL DESIGN BEING FAULTY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, CONSUMER STATES THAT IT SMELLED LIKE WIRE BURNING. CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, AND FIRE CAME FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE INJURIES. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
THE VEHICLE HAS A V6 ENGINE WHICH THE COOLANT LEAKS, THEY CONTINUOUSLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE PARTS IN THE ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED ALSO. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE EVERY TWO YEARS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND TAP THE CAR IN FRONT, AS A RESULT THE DUAL AIR BAG FALSELY DEPLOYED AND BROKE THE WINDOW. NLM
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTO CENTER FOR A SQUEAK BEHIND TIRE, THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BUSTING AT A SEAM AND HAD SPRAYED COOLANT EVERYWHERE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS MADE OUT OF SOME KIND OF PLASTIC, THERE WAS A RECALL AND THE PRIOR OWNER HAD RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETE, HOWEVER RECALL COMPONENT FAILED AGAIN, FORD …
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CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTO CENTER FOR A SQUEAK BEHIND TIRE, THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BUSTING AT A SEAM AND HAD SPRAYED COOLANT EVERYWHERE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS MADE OUT OF SOME KIND OF PLASTIC, THERE WAS A RECALL AND THE PRIOR OWNER HAD RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETE, HOWEVER RECALL COMPONENT FAILED AGAIN, FORD WILL NOT REIMBURSE CONSUMER FOR THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD. *SLC
CONSUMER STATED THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY FAIL DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH HAS FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY REMEDY THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO MECHANIC ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND STILL CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *JG *AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LOST ALL COOLANT ON THE HIGHWAY. MECHANIC REPORTED PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON, BUT NO RECALL ISSUED.*AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE. WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS. I CAN'T GET ANOTHER MECHANIC IN TOWN TO TOUCH IT. SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER TO GET IT REPAIRED, AT A COST OF $1,400 OR EVEN A NEW ENGINE.
SEAT BELT HAS BECOME FRAYED WHILE PASSING THROUGH RETRACTOR GUIDE. SEAT BELT TANGLES AND WILL NOT RETRACT DUE TO POOR GUIDE DESIGN. NUMEROUS DEALERS CONTACTED AND ADVISED ABOUT POSSIBLE SEAT BELT FAILURE AND LACK OF CRASH WORTHINESS. ALL HAVE SAID BELT IS OUT OF WARRANTY (PROBLEM FIRST NOTICED AT AROUND 60K MILES) AND THAT FO…
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SEAT BELT HAS BECOME FRAYED WHILE PASSING THROUGH RETRACTOR GUIDE. SEAT BELT TANGLES AND WILL NOT RETRACT DUE TO POOR GUIDE DESIGN. NUMEROUS DEALERS CONTACTED AND ADVISED ABOUT POSSIBLE SEAT BELT FAILURE AND LACK OF CRASH WORTHINESS. ALL HAVE SAID BELT IS OUT OF WARRANTY (PROBLEM FIRST NOTICED AT AROUND 60K MILES) AND THAT FORD WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT. WEAR ON BELT CAUSED BY RETRACTOR GUIDE, NOT USE OR ABUSE.
Official recalls
301V318000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Oct 3, 2001
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE REPLACED AFTER APRIL 5, 2000. THE REPLACEMENT DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE INFLATOR MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT WELDS THAT COULD PREVENT PROPER INFLATION OF THE AIR BAG.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN LESS THAN THE INTENDED LEVEL OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
00V349000 · Parking Brake:conventional
Oct 30, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. IF A VEHICLE IS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY APPLIED AND NOT IN FIRST GEAR, AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER GUIDE, AND THE SELF ADJUSTMENT PAWL SUBSEQUENTLY SKIPS ONE OR TWO TEETH, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE ON SOME GRADES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL AND INSTALL A PLATE OR OVER-BRACKET TO THE CONTROL TO LOCK THE SELF ADJUST MECHANISM IN POSITION FOLLOWING ADJUSTMENT.
97V180000 · Structure:body:hood
Oct 20, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS. TEARING OF THE BOND BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER HOOD PANELS DURING MINOR FRONT END COLLISIONS CAN RESULT IN A GAP AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. AIR FORCED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER PANELS CAN PRODUCE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO FORCE THE OUTER PANEL UPWARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE OUTER HOOD PANEL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HOOD AREA FOR ANY DAMAGE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HOOD. IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, THE HOOD WILL BE REPLACED. IF THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF BOND SEPARATION, ADDITIONAL ADHESIVE WILL BE APPLIED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER HOOD PANELS.
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
3PE99002 · Front Brake Hose
Opened Jan 11, 1999 · Closed Jun 30, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
EA97018 · Outer Hood Panel Detachment
Opened Sep 30, 1997 · Closed Oct 22, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE97011 · Outer Hood Panel Detachment
Opened Mar 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 30, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION HAS RECEIVED 6 REPORTS INDICATING THE OUTER HOOD PANEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLES AS THEY WERE BEING DRIVEN.FORD HAS PROVIDE 39 ADDITIONAL REPORTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH ODI REPORTS.FORD INDICATES THAT THE LIKELY CAUSE IS PRIOR COLLISION DAMAGE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO FURTHER STUDY THIS ISSUE.