NHTSA Complaint #10148081 — 1996 FORD MUSTANG GT

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG CRACKED WITH 48750 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILUE OCCURED WITHIN A FEW MILES OF MY HOME AND I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE CAR BACK. THIS MANIFOLD IS KNOWN BY FORD TO BE DEFECTIVE AND WAS RECALLED IN FLEET CARS AND WAS ALSO THE SUBJECT OF LITIGATION (WHICH FORD LOST). WHILE THE MANIFOLD ON MY CAR IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE MANIFOLDS ON THE RECALLED VEHICLES OR THE ONES COVERED BY THE LAWSUIT, FORD WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE. WHILE THE LAWSUIT HAS BEEN SETTLED, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE LAWSUIT IS COSTING FORD MONEY, I BEG TO DIFFER. THEIR STATISTICIANS KNOW THE HALF LIFE OF THIS PART. THEY ALSO KNOW THAT ALL CARS WITH THIS ENGINE WILL BE AFFECTED SOONER OR LATER. IF THEY MAKE MONEY ON UNNECESSARY REPAIRS THAT ARE NOT COVERED (MY PARTS COST WAS TRIPLE THAT OF WHAT I COULD HAVE BOUGHT THE PART FOR ONLINE), THEN THEY CAN AFFORD TO COVER THEIR RECALLED PARTS AND EITHER BREAK EVEN OR WORSE YET, MAKE A PROFIT OFF OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS SETS A POOR PRECIDENCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE MANIFOLD LEAKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE LEAK WAS SMALL, REQUIRING THAT I ADD ABOUT 2 QUARTS OF ANTIFREEZE A YEAR. VAPOR FROM THE ANTIFREEZE COULD BE SMELLED INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE FROM TIME TO TIME AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS GREAT FOR THE HEALTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL RIDING IN THE CABIN. *NM