NHTSA Complaint #10100751 — 1998 FORD MUSTANG COBRA

CAR WILL NOT START, STARTER SOLENOID CLICKS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START CAUSES SMOKE TO RISE FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE SMOKE IS COMMING FROM THE RUBBER BOOT WHERE THE METAL PARKING BREAK CABLE GOES FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE ACTUALLY GLOWS RED FROM HEAT (APARENT GROUND PATH FOR SOME KIND OF SHORT). THE STARTER CIRCUIT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL START (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS SECOND OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS IN JUNE OF 2000 @ 14,500 MILES. DEALER REPAIR NOTES" WIRING VERIFY COMPL PERFORM NO CRANK DIAG CHECK ALL FUSES OPEN IN CIR 33 TRACE CIR FOUND LOOSE PIN AT CONN 112 REPAIR CHECK OPERATION ROAD TEST REQUEST ACTUAL TIME FOR ELECT REPAIR TECH 551" I NOW HAVE 33,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, NOVEMBER 2004 -- FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD - DAMAGE TO PARKING BREAK CABLE???*AK