1997 Ford Mustang Fuel System

THE ELECTRICAL POWER WIRES ON THE OEM-INSTALLED FUEL PUMP, LOCATED INSIDE THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK, WERE INSTALLED SO THAT THEY CROSSED OVER EACH OTHER ON THEIR WAY FROM THE CONNECTOR OUTSIDE THE TANK TO THE FUEL PUMP INSIDE. ON THREE SIMILAR VEHICLES THAT WE OWN THESE CROSSING SOLID CORE FUEL PUMP WIRES CAME CLOSE ENOUGH TO EACH OTHER SO AS TO TOUCH. ON THIS VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE WIRES NOT ONLY CROSSED BUT THEY TOUCHED AND THE WIRES WERE RIGID ENOUGH THAT OVER THE YEARS THEY RUBBED AND WORE AWAY THE INSULATION ON BOTH THE RED AND THE BLACK ELECTRICAL WIRES. THIS APPARENTLY ALLOWED THE 12 VOLTS DC POWER TO CROSS FROM ONE WIRE TO THE OTHER, RANDOMLY BYPASSING THE FUEL PUMP AND SERIOUSLY AFFECTING HOW THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WOULD RUN. WHILE THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT OF THIS PROBLEM WAS A NUISANCE, MORE DISTURBING IS THE POTENTIAL THIS INSTALLATION TECHNIQUE HAS FOR BECOMING A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION SINCE A SPARK IS THUS POSSIBLE AND SINCE THE WIRES ARE INSIDE A FUEL-VAPOR AREA, INSTEAD OF A LIQUID-FILLED AREA, ANYTIME THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN ABOUT HALF A TANK OF GASOLINE. *TR

THE RUBBER SEAL BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER PIPE AND THE FUEL TANK SPLIT CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE GROUND. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL SPILL.*AK

FORD EXPERIMENTED WITH A COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED DUE TO THIS NEW MATERIAL. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS A SECRET RECALL ON IT: 01M02. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE HAD ACCIDENTS FOLLOWING THIS FAILURE BECAUSE THE SMOKE GETS SO THICK THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THERE WAS SO MUCH SMOKE THAT I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY FORD, AND FORD SHOULD PAY THE TOWING BILLS OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE NEEDLESSLY SUFFERED THIS FAILURE.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. DEALER STATED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE . CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THEN STOPPING FOUND OUT THAT STEAM AND ENGINE COOLANT WAS COMING OUT. TOWED VEHICLE TO A NEAR SHOP, THEY NOTICED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD SPLIT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID. CONSUMER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ERUPTED AND LOST ALL COOLANT WITHIN 30 SECONDS WHILE TRAVELLING THE SPEED LIMIT, UPHILL. A LARGE CLOUD OF COOLANT/MIST ENVELOPED THE CAR FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BLOCKED VISION OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND OURS. *AK

NO SUMMARY

CABLE LINKAGE CAME LOOSE FORM THE CARBORATOR AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AND ACCIDENT.

MAIN FUEL LINE WAS BROKEN ON DELIVERY.