NHTSA Complaint #11098136 — 2000 FORD MUSTANG GT

MY 2000 MUSTANG GT OVERHEATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME, ON A TEN MILE JOURNEY A COUPLE DAYS AGO. UNTIL THIS INCIDENT, MY MUSTANG HAD NEVER OVERHEATED. I BOUGHT THE CAR LAST SEPT. I USED HOSE WATER AT GAS STATION TO COOL IT FIRST ON HOOD THEN ONCE MY ENGINE LOOKED COOLER, I FILLED THE RADIATOR (THINKING WE'D FLUSH THE COOLING SYSTEM WHEN I GOT IT HOME) WATER EMPTIED AS FAST AS I POURED IT IN, FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD BEHIND WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. MY CAR IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. NOW I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. BECAUSE I USED ALL MY MONEY TO BUY THIS CAR. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THIS. MY SITUATION APPEARS IDENTICAL TO SEVERAL ON YOUR SITE, SUCH AS THIS ONE I JUST COPIED FROM ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS POSTED:OCT 08, 2013 - LEXINGTON, SC - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. STEAM ROLLED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DISCOVERED CRACK IN MANIFOLD WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THERMOSTAT HOUSING. COOLANT DRIPPING ON THE ENGINE; I DO NOT KNOW IF INTERNAL COMPONENTS ARE DAMAGED.