1990 Ford Mustang Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE TURN SIGNALS AND AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BY SLIGHTLY TURNING BACK THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE. PICUTRES ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.
I HAVE A FORD MUSTANG 1990. THE ELECTRONICAL SYSTEM HAS GONE DOWN THE TOLIET. BOTH THE ELECTRONICAL FRONT WINDOWS AND THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS BARELY WORK. BOTH THE FRONT WINDOWS WORK BUT AS THEY ARE ROLLING UP THEY SQUEAK LIKE NO OTHER. THE LOCKING MECHANISMS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE A MIND OF THERE OWN AND RARELY LOCK OR JUST LOCK ONE SIDE. I HAVE TRIED TO FIX THIS ALL IN VAIN. SUCKS TO HAVE ELECTRONICAL LOCKS AND WINDOWS IN A 1990 FORD MUSTANG. THANKS- RUMIT. *AK
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATEED THE WIPERS, LIGHTS, HEATER, RADIO ETC., DOES NOT WORK UNTIL THE KEYS ARE MOVED AROUND. CONSUMER THINKS IT MAY BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, ENGINE SHUT OFF 30 MINUTES AFTER PARKING VEHICLE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, WENT OUTSIDE, AND SAW VEHICLE HAD ROLLED FORWARD, HIT GARAGE AND WAS BURNING. VEHICLE AND HOUSE BURNT, AND BOTH WERE TOTALLED. INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR STATED ALTERNATOR STARTED FIRE. NO INJURIES. *AK *SLC
WAS PARKING VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. LEFT VEHICLE TO CHECK UNDER HOOD AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE HAD EXTINGUISHED BYITSELF. ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, UNDER THE HOOD, WAS DAMAGED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. AFTER CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD MECHANIC INDICATED THAT PROBLEM WAS ALTERNATOR. *AK
THE ENGINE WOULD STALL WHEN SLOWING FOR A STOP OR TO TURN A CORNER. THIS WOULD OCCUR REGULARLY THROUGH THE LIFE OF THE CAR. REPLACING THE TFI MODULE WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES NOW. *AK
I PARKED CAR AND WENT IN HOUSE. 20 MINUTES LATER CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE MARSHALL SAID IGNITION SWITCH WAS TO BLAME AFTER INVESTIGATION.*AK
A FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION AREA. FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE VEHICLE. *AK
FAILED WITH NO WARNING IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC + LOSS OF PWR STRNG + BRKS.
RECALL 96V071000; CONSUMER PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT HALFWAY, AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. CONSUMER UNHOOKED THE BATTERY CABLE AND IT CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS USED & RECALL NOTICE WAS ISSUED 2 YEARS AGO ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER . SERVICED AT FOSTER FORD IN KANSAS. *AK
WHILE PARKED VEHICLE EXPLODED AND A FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
EVEN IF THE KEY IS TAKEN OUT THE STARTER KEEPS CRANKING THE CAR. IT KEEPS CANKING TILL THE STARTER DIES. REPLACED STARTER 5 TIMES AND THE SOLENOID COILS TWICE AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $500/= ON THE PROBLEM BUT IT STILL PERSISTS.
HAD ORIGINAL IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED ON 03/05/97 AS PER RECALL. REPLACEMENT IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. CAUSED TWO WIRES TO SHORT OUT WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. IGNITION SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED WIRE HARNESS WERE REPLACED BY FORD DEALER. INITIALLY, FORD INSISTED I PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK
ELECTRICLA FAILURE CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO CATCH FIRE WHICH RESULTED IN FUMES. *YC
ALTERNATOR FAILED 4 TIMES.
RECALL WAS DONE ON VEHICLE 3MONTHS AGO ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER SAID THAT FIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF THE IGNITION . OWNER THINKS THAT THE RECALL WAS NEVER DONE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ALTERNATOR/CONNECTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WILL BE SEEN BY DEALER. *AK
CAR WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, RECEIVED RECALL LETTER ON THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION # 96V071000 . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED VEHICLE. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND A FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS PARKED HAD JUST BEEN DRIVEN A FEW HOURS PRIOR AND A NEIGHBOR NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE ENTIRE DASH WAS MELTED AND THE EXTERIOR.*JB
CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1990 Ford Mustang has 31 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.