NHTSA Complaint #746867 — 1998 FORD MUSTANG

ON STARTUP, MOST OFTEN BUT NOT LIMITED TO AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, ENGINE PRODUCES A 'CLICKING' OR 'RACHETING' NOISE. WHEN IGNITION IS TURNED TO OFF, STARTER GRINDS AND MAKES HORRIBLE NOISE AS IF 'STARTING A CAR THAT IS ALREADY RUNNING'... IN ORDER TO TURN ENGINE OFF FIRST I MUST CRANK KEY TO START POSITION, WHERE STARTER THEN GRINDS AND WHIRS BECAUSE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THEN BACK TO OFF POSITION BEFORE ENGINE WILL KILL. I HAVE NEVER DRIVEN CAR WHEN CAR STARTS UP WITH 'CLICKING/RACHETING' NOISE... I ALWAYS TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT. PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER 1 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP AND IS SEEMINGLY RANDOM?... # OF OCCURANCES IS APPROX.10-15 TIMES OVER 3 YEARS... 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OR REPRODUCE PROBLEM... STRANGE. *AK