1996 FORD MUSTANG Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

OUR FAMILY HAS THREE 1996 MUSTANGS, ONE WITH A MANUAL AND TWO WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. WE HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF THEM BLOW THE HEAD GASKET ON THEM, ONE AT A YEAR, ONE AT THREE YEARS, AND ONE AT FOUR YEARS. NOW, I HAVE FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT FORD OFFERED A FREE REPLACEMENT ON THE GASKETS, FOR AN EXTENDED 7 YEARS, AND WOULD LIKE TO WARN OTHERS THAT THEY ARE VERY LIKELY TO GO OUT, AND TO LET THEM KNOW TO "REMIND" THE FORD DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I PAID TO REPLACE THREE OF THEM, AND FEEL THAT THE FORD DEALER SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEREFORE NOT CHARGED ME. *AK

I HAVE A 1996 FORD MUSTANG LX. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT NIGHT AND I HAD IT ON CRUISE CONTROL AND IT BLEW UP.I TOOK CARE OF MY CAR AND CHECKED THE ENGINE AND THE ANTIFREEZE BEFORE I LEAVE MY HOUSE.I GAVE MY CAR A 15 MINUTE WARM UP PERIOD BEFORE I LEAVE MY HOUSE.THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND BLEW UP DUE TO FAULTY ENGINE GASKET. I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE STARTER,THE WATER PUMP(2X), RADIATOR, AND PISTONS BECAUSE OF THAT. I AM VERY MAD AT FORD AND I TOLD THEM SO IN DEARBORN MI. I WILL NOT BUY A FORD IN THE FUTURE AND I TELL EVERYONE THAT ASKS ME ABOUT MY BAD EXPERIENCE W/ THIS CAR AND I TELL THEM TO NOT BUY FORD CARS OR TRUCKS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS.

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO AN INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK VEHICLE ORIGINALLY LOST POWER AT 55 MPH, VEHICLE DIDN'T RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND FOUND THAT ONE VALVE WAS LEAKING AND HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. VEHICLE HAS 100,000 MILES ON IT. *LA

MY WIFE BOUGHT A USED 1996 FORD MUSTANG V-6 TWO YEARS AGO STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. RECENTLY, THE CAR BEGAN LEAKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL. THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN CRESTVIEW, FLORIDA (HUB CITY FORD) TOLD US THAT THE LEAK WAS FROM THE TIMING CHAIN COVER AND THE MANIFOLD COVER. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED UNDER A RECALL AT 30,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, WASN'T REALLY FIXED AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THIS $600 SERVICE DONE EVERY 30,000 MILES AND THAT FORD HAD NO PLANS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE FURTHER. OBVIOUSLY, THE RECALL WAS COMPLETELY BOGUS, AS THE "FIX" WAS MERELY TEMPORARY. ANY AUTO MANUFACTURER THAT INTENTIONALLY IS AWARE THAT IT'S RECALL EFFORTS FAILED IS COMPLETELY MISGUIDED. IT IS LUDICROUS THAT A MAJOR $600 SERVICE EVERY 30,000 MILES OR LESS BE ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG HEAD GASTKETS HAVE GONE OUT. MY CAR HAS 87000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HEARD THAT MANY 95 MUSTANGS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I BOUGHT MY CAR A YEAR AGO AND I BELEIVE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COMPLETLY FIXED IN THE NEWER MODELS. I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS A 96 IT WAS NOT COVERED BY FORD, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE NEW MODELS HAVE BEEN FIXED AND THAT THE HEAD GASTKET FAILURE WAS DUE TO MY "EXCESIVE WEAR" ON MY CAR.*AK

MY CAR'S COOLING SYSTEM WAS DRAINING FLUIDS, AND WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED OUT, THEY TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKETS AS WELL AS THE FRONT TIMING COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT COST ME $2500 FOR THE REPAIRS NECESSARY. THERE ARE ABOUT 12 OR 13 COMPLAINTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE FOR THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR (1996 FORD MUSTANG), BUT SINCE THIS ENGINE WAS INSTALLED ON OTHER MODELS AND YEARS, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

THE ENGINE CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

BLOWN HEAD GASKET DESTROYED ENGINE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS INSTALLED AT THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

ENGINE OVERHEATED, LOST POWER, NO HEAT FROM HEATER, OIL AND COOLANT MIX IN RADIATOR. TOWED TO FORD SERVICE CENTER. DIAGNOSED AS HEAD GASKET FAILURE. ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE ENGINE $4200 INCLUDING LABOR. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE IN MICHIGAN BUT THEY ARE SO FAR UNWILLING TO HELP.

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS. I CAN'T GET ANOTHER MECHANIC IN TOWN TO TOUCH IT. SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE FORD DEALER TO GET IT REPAIRED, AT A COST OF $1,400 OR EVEN A NEW ENGINE.

ENGINE HEAD BROKE, CAUSING A LEAK. *AK

CONTACTED DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO FAILURE ABOUT OVERHEATING PROBLEM AND FORD HEAD GASKET HISTORY, BUT THEY DID NOTHING THEN AND WILL NOT COVER IN WARRANTY.

VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING COOLANT AT 58000 MILES, BLOWN HEAD GASKET, THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL FORD MODELS AND COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE.*AK

VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING COOLANT AT 58000 MILES, BLOWN HEAD GASKET, THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL FORD MODELS AND COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE.*AK

RECALL NOTICE WAS NOT SENT TO OUR ADDRESS AND B CLASS RECALL IS EXPIRED. HOWEVER THIS JUST BECAME A PROBLEM WITH OUR CAR. RELATED PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS. HEATER GIVING COLD AIR, TIMING CHAIN COVER RUSTING, 1 OR MORE GALLONS OF WATER DAILY IS LEAKED OUT THRU GASKET AFTER DRIVING. CONSTANT OVERHEATING AND FEARED OVERHEATING DAMAGES TO MOTOR MAY OCCUR OR ENGINE FIRE AS A RESULT OF SUCH SEVERE MOTOR OVERHEATING.

MY FORD MUSTANG BROKE DOWN ON MY WAY TO FREDERICK, MD. IN DECEMBER OF 2000. I HAD ALREADY TAKEN IT IN TO CRYSTAL FORD FOR A RECALL ON JUNE 8, 2000. THE RECALL PROGRAM NO. WAS 99B29. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS A LEAKAGE OF ENGINE COOLANT AT THE HEAD GASKET. ON MY DRIVE TO FREDERICK IN DECEMBER, THE MUSTANG BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND PROCEED TO BREAK DOWN PROMPTLY THEREAFTER. THE RESULT OF THE OVERHEATING WAS A CRACKED ENGINE DUE TO A THROWN ROD. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM FREDERICK TO LAUREL TO MY MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE CRACKED ENGINE WAS DUE TO A ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE. I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO CRYSTAL FORD SO THERE MECHANICS COULD LOOK AT IT. THE SERVICE PERSON, [XXX], CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW THE ENGINE THREW A ROD WHICH WAS DUE TO AN ENGINE COOLANT...

BLOWN HEAD GASKET, FRONT SEAL, AND CRACKED TIMING COVER. FORD DID NOT COVER HEAD GASKET REPAIRS THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. *AK

THE FIRST HEAD GASKETS BLEW AT 40,000 MILES AND WERE REPLACED AT MY COST, AND NOW, AGAIN, AT 80,000 MILES HEAD GASKETS ARE GOING BAD. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT'S PURCHASE, ALTHOUGH THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST FRUSTRATING AND COSTLY. THERE IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY FORD. THEY HAVE, THUS FAR, TURNED A DEAF EAR TO THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK

DEALER FIXED "HIDDEN RECALL" GASKET AFTER HEAD GASKET REPAIR - FRONT COVER GASKET - NO CHARGE FOR "HIDDEN RECALL" GASKET REPLACEMENT. I WONDER IF THE HEAD GASKET WAS REALLY THE PROBLEM OR IF THEY MADE A MISTAKE, FIXED THE WRONG THING AND THEN FIXED THE RIGHT THING FOR FREE. )AK

ENGINE OVERHEATS WITH AC ON HEADGASKET BLOW AND HEAD WARPED AND HEADS NEED SHAVING HEADGASKETS REPLACED AND HEAD BOLTS REPLACED OUT OF POCKET COST 1500.00 OR BETTER. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED & THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT DUE TO ENGINE HEAD GASKET DEFECT. CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS USED. DEALER WOULDN'T COVER THE COST OF REPAIR. *AK *ML

AFTER FILLING UP THE COOLANT CONTAINER, SOMEHOW IT BECAME EMPTY WITHOUT ANY LEAKS VISIBLE. A TECHNICIAN MENTIONED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH OTHER CARS LIKE MINE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS, THEY TOLD ME AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MESS THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED AND NOW THEY WILL NOT AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $1300 TO REPAIR. I BELIEVE TH. *AK

I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS MY LOCAL FORD DEALER (CHARLIE HILLARD FORD-FORT WORTH). THEY BOTH TELL ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET ON A 1995 FORD WINSTAR HAS BEEN RECALLED. THIS VEHICLE HAS VIRTUALLY THE SAME 3.8L V6 ENGINE AS MY 1996 FORD MUSTANG. MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY TELLS ME THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO ENGINES IS THAT ONE VEHICLE IS FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE, AND THE OTHER REAR-WHEEL DRIVE. THE HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE MANUFACTURED THE SAME ON THESE TWO VEHICLES. HOWEVER, FORD TELLS ME THEY CANNOT HELP ME PAY FOR THIS REPAIR - WHICH WAS A FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. ADDITIONALLY, MY MECHANIC SAYS HE AND OTHER MECHANICS HE KNOWS HAVE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM FREQUENTLY ON FORD MUSTANGS AND FORD THUNDERBIRDS WITH THIS SAME 3.8L V6 ENGINE. *AK

THE MENTIONED GASKETS FAILED ON MY CAR ON 10-25-99 AND ON MY HUSBAND'S FORMER 1996 MUSTANG ON 2-2-99. I ALSO FOUND A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT IN YOUR FILES ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM (ODI ID# 544839 DATED 2-15-99). I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHEN I REALIZED I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT MY HUSBAND'S CAR HAD, AND WAS TOLD FORD WOULD NOT OFFER ME ASSISTANCE WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I AM 12,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY AND DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THEIR RETURN CALL. EVEN THE DEALER I TOOK IT TO (HOLLY FORD-HOLLY,MICHIGAN) SAID THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO MY CAR W/THAT MILEAGE. I DON'T BELIEVE FORD IS GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS YOURSELF. I HAD TO PAY $489.00 TO REPAIR THESE DEFECTS,...

THE RUBBER SEALS KEEPS POPPING OFF DUE TO IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OF WINDOWS AND DOORS.

TIMING COVER GASKET FAILED, CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO LEAK, ALSO CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER FLUID LEAKING INO ENGINE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY NOTICEABLE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BY THE TIME LEAK WAS DISCOVERED, ENGINE BEARNGS WERE SEVERLY WORN.

CAR OVERHEATED ONCE AND HEAD GASKET BLOWN; ODOMETER RUNS SLOW

TIMING CHAIN GASKET LEAKS.

ENGINE IDLER PULLEY NOISE.