NHTSA Complaint #10861084 — 2012 FORD MUSTANG

INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO 'LIMP HOME MODE'. THE 'WRENCH' TROUBLE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE THEN HAS TO BE STOPPED COMPLETELY, PUT INTO PARK AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE THEN STARTS AFTER A FEW EXTRA CRANKS OF THE STARTER AND RUNS NORMALLY. THE 'WRENCH LIGHT IS NO LONGER LIT AND NO ENGINE CODE IS STORED. MY MECHANIC CANNOT TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE NO ENGINE ERROR CODE IS STORED. RESEARCH ON-LINE POINTS TO DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY AS THE CULPRIT WITH REPLACEMENT AS THE SOLUTION. FORD SHOULD ADD THE MUSTANG TO ITS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM FOR DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODIES. I UNDERSTAND SOME 1.6 MILLION VEHICLES ARE ALREADY ON THIS LIST. THE PROBLEM BEGAN FOR ME ABOUT A YEAR AGO AROUND THE 18K MILE MARK AND THE VEHICLE NOW HAS ABOUT 22K MILES ON IT, IS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT WE, AS OWNERS, COULD AT LEAST ADDRESS PROPERLY IF THERE WAS AN ENGINE ERROR CODE REPORTED. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE BASED ON WHAT OTHERS HAVE REPORTED, SINCE THERE IS NO KNOWN FIX FROM FORD. I DID REPORT THIS TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TODAY 04/23/2016. THEY CONFIRMED THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEM WITH MUSTANG THROTTLE BODIES. I RECOMMEND THAT FORD PUT SOME ENGINEERS ON THIS AND REMEDY THE PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME, WE MUSTANG OWNERS WITH CARS OUT OF WARRANTY ARE HAVING TO FEND FOR OURSELVES.