NHTSA Complaint #738914 — 2000 FORD MUSTANG

ON 6/22/2000, I PURCHASED A NEW FORD MUSTANG GT FROM GALPIN MOTORS (LA, CA). APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS LATER, I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT ANOTHER FORD DEALERSHIP. WHILE AT THIS DEALERSHIP, THEY SHOWED ME THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. IT WAS CORRODING AT A PROGRESSIVE RATE. THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN DECEMBER 1999. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO GALPIN MOTORS AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ROLL BACK OR BUY BACK THE CAR. THEIR POSITION IS THAT THE CORROSION CAN BE CLEANED UP BY THE USE OF STEEL WOOL. I AM CONCERNED THAT PARTS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR MAY CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD AS TIME CONTINUES. THE DEALERSHIP VIEWED THE CAR AND STATED THAT IT WAS SIMPLY SURFACE RUST. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS STATE 7 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE. OBVIOUSLY, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS CAR IF THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN DISCLOSED TO ME. AS A RESULT OF AN ARBITRATION PROCESS, THE DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM AND UNDERCOAT THE BOTTOM OF THIS VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT ONLY EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE RUST CAN BE CLEANED UP. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. *AK