NHTSA Complaint #10507332 — 2012 FORD MUSTANG

THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT AN AUDIBLE SQUEAKING/CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE REAR END WHEN TRAVERSING BUMPS OR POT RIDDEN ROADS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 1/4/13 AND THEY DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF THE NOISE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND IDENTIFIED THAT THE NOISE WAS IN FACT THERE, SO I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DID FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS AND DETERMINED THE THE PROBLEM LIED WITH THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND THE CONNECTING ROD. THEY REPLACED ALL THREE AND WHEN I GOT THE VEHICLE BACK, I NOTICED THAT BOTH NOISE PERSISTED SO I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC. HE DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED FROM WORN OUT SWAY BAR BUSHINGS AND HE ALSO FOUND MY REAR AXLE TO BE LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISAGREED WITH MY MECHANIC AND FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE WITH MY SHOCKS AND THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAK WAS "NORMAL". MY MECHANIC ONCE AGAIN REEXAMINED EVERYTHING AND PERSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH MY SWAY BAR. THE DEALER FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE SWAY BAR AND BUSHINGS AND THEY ALSO REPLACED BOTH REAR SHOCKS. AFTER THIS, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AND HAS NOT RETURNED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAK. *TR