1998 Ford Mustang Engine

THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE AND OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS. CAR DIED ON FREEWAY. THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKS. THE COOLANT WILL LEAK ONTO THE TOP OF THE BLOCK AND THEN DOWN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. THIS INTAKE DESIGN IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY FORD. BELOW IS AN "OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER" FROM FORD: 97M91 APRIL, 1999 FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS PROVIDING A NO-CHARGE SERVICE PROGRAM NUMBER 97M91, TO OWNERS OF CERTAIN 1996 THROUGH 1998 CROWN VICTORIA TAXI, TOWN CAR LIMO PREP & DELIVERY PACKAGE, 1996 AND 1997 THUNDERBIRD, COUGAR AND MUSTANG VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.6L SOHC ENGINES. THIS SERVICE PROGRAM PROVIDES ADDITIONAL COVERAGE FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. REASON FOR THIS PROGRAM FATIGUE CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN SOME OF THE COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLDS USED ON THE 4.6L SOHC ENGINES INSTALLED IN THE AFFECTED CARS. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE WHICH, IF NOT DETECTED OR IGNORED, WILL CAUSE ENGINE OVERHEATING. COMPLETE LOSS OF COOLANT MAY RESULT IN ENGINE DAMAGE OR ENGINE FAILURE. WHAT WE WILL DO IF THE ENGINE OF YOUR CAR SHOULD DEVELOP A COOLANT LEAK AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CROSS OVER COOLANT PASSAGE, LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR, YOUR DEALER WILL VERIFY THE CONDITION. IF THE COOLANT LEAKAGE IS FROM THE LOCATION DESCRIBED ABOVE, YOUR DEALER WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THIS NO CHARGE COVERAGE IS AVAILABLE FOR 7 YEARS FROM THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY START DATE (NO MILEAGE LIMITATION) AND IS AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO SUBSEQUENT OWNERS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT MY MUSTANG DID NOT LEAK AT THE GIVEN 7 YEARS AND NOW FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. EVERYONE WHO OWNS THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS STATED IN ABOVE LETTER FROM FORD. *KB

INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE HOUSING UNDER THE THERMOSTAT. THIS WAS REPORTED AS TSB 97M91. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1999 FORD MUSTANG WITH A 1998 USED ENGINE INSTALLED INTO IT. I ONLY HAD 1 REAL PROBLEM WITH IT AND IT WAS MY EXHAUST. I HAD THAT FIXED AND RAN GREAT FOR THE NEXT DAY. LESS THEN 36 HRS AFTER THE EXHAUST WAS FIXED AND AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 15 HRS OR SO, WHICH WAS FROM AROUND 9:45 PM FRIDAY THE 21ST TO AROUND 12:30 TO 1:00 PM ON THE 22ND OF AUGUST. A NEIGHBOR CAME POUNDING ON OUR DOOR TELLING US OUR CAR WAS ON FIRE!!!! HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO START IT FROM A DISTANCE. WELL WE DON'T HAVE A REMOTE STARTER FOR THIS CAR, IT ONLY UNLOCKS THE CAR AND TRUNK, DOES NOT START IT. WE BELIEVE IT WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE AND NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AS I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INS. AND NOW I HAVE LOST MY CAR AND HAVE NOTHING...... I HAVE PICTURES OF MY CAR JUST MELTING AWAY, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF IT. I LOVED THIS CAR, I WASN'T EVEN FINISHED PAYING FOR IT. I STILL OWE $1395 ON IT AND I ONLY HAD IT FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS. FIRE MARSHALL IS STILL INVESTIGATING IT. I BELIEVE HE SAID IT POSSIBLY STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THERE WAS A BOX ABOVE THE TIRE AREA WITH WIRES IN IT. WHAT WERE THESE WIRES, WHAT WERE THEY FOR AS I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING MATCHING THAT DESCRIPTION ON A 1998 ENGINE IMAGE...??? THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY REAL PROBLEM WE HAD, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALWAYS ON FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE, SELLER DID FIX BUT LIGHT CAME BACK ON IN ABOUT 1 WEEK AND WAS ON UNTIL FIRE. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE ON 1998 FORD MUSTANG GT / 4.6L / 2V PER CLASS ACTION SUIT US DISTRICT COURT / NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD MUSTANG GT. APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER PARKING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND TO A NEIGHBORING HOME; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF UPDATED 03/04/08 *TR

SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT OF MY MUSTANG ENGINE THE DEALER SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I PAID FOR THE REPAIRS TWICE AND THEN AGAIN FOR A 3RD TIME. IT SHOT OUT ON THE ROAD AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTI- FREEZE. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER IF THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON OR NOT. AFTER REMOVING THE THERMOSTAT SHE NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,427. *AK

OWNED CAR FOR OVER 5 YRS. ALMOST PAID OFF. DISCOVERED COOLANT LEAK. PUT IN NEW WATER PUMP, NEW PULLEYS, NEW THERMOSTAT, NEW THERMOSTAT HOUSING, NEW HOSES. ONLY TO DISCOVER THE JUNK PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED. NOW I FOUND OUT BY SEARCHING THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MY YEAR OF CAR. FORD IS AWARE OF SAID PROBLEM DUE TO CRAPPY ENGINEERING AND REFUSES TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH CONSUMERS. THEY MADE IT RIGHT WITH THE FLEET CARS THAT ARE 1998'S AND CARS OTHER THAN MY YEAR. *TR

1) PLASTIC MANIFOLD STARTED LEAKING. NO WARNING. 2) DUMPED ALL COOLANT ON MOTOR AND LEFT ME STRANDED. 3) WILL HAVE TO REPLACE AT A COST OF OVER $900. *NM

FORD MOTOR COMPANY SETTLED THE LAWSUIT WITH THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT WAS TO CRACKING BUT DID NOT INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES AND I HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THEM. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS. THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTIES OR SEVEN YEARS BUT ONLY AFTER A CERTAIN DATE AND MANY FORD OWNERS WERE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD. THEY SHOULD REPLACE ALL OF THEM NO MATTER WHAT!! *NM

LAST YEAR I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT. I HEARD NOTHING ELSE AFTERWARD, AND HAVE ONLY JUST REALIZED THAT I MISSED THE MARCH 16, 2006 DEADLINE. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF CAN DO IN THIS INSTANCE? *NM

1998 FORD MUSTANG GT INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. MISSED THE SILENT RECALL BY 6 MONTHS. *NM

FORD RECALL PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS.I HAVE PURCHASED A 1998 MUSTANG FROM A NON FORD DEALER THERE IS A DEFINITE LEAKING INTAKE ON THIS MOTOR,I HAVE CONTACTED A FORD DEALER IN MY AREA THEY SAID THE RECALL TIME HAS EXPIRED.THE PLACE OF PURCHASE AND MY SELF NEW OF NO RECALL UNTILL I STARTED LOOKING ON THE INTERNET,AND STARTED TO KEEP ADDING ANTIFREEZE TO THE SYSTEM,YOU CAN SEE THE LEAKING INTAKE,

CRACKED COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT CROSSOVER RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK. MANIFOLD BEING REPLACED WITH NEW ALUMINUM MANIFOLD. I SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME AWARE OF SETTLEMENT IN CHAMBERLAN V. FORD. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF SETTLEMENT AND MY VEHICLE WAS PAST THE 7 YEAR LIMIT AT THE TIME OF THE SETTLEMENT. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD EXTEND COVERAGE. *JB

MY 98 GT MUSTANG PLASTIC RADIATOR INTAKE HAS RUPTURED AT 89,000 MILES. IT SEEMS ALL OF FORD'S EQUIPPED WITH FORD'S 4.6L V-8 CONTAIN AN INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT IS PRONE TO FAILURE. DUE TO ORIGINAL DESIGN, THIS PART HAS A TENDENCY TO CRACK RESULTING IN SOMETIMES OVER HEATING, ENGINE FAILURE AND WORSE CASE DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR'S ENGINE. FORD RECOGNIZES THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT RECALL MOST CARS OTHER THAN FLEET VEHICLES AND THOSE LISTED IN THE TSB #97M91. 1. 1998 MUSTANG WAS OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. 2. WHEN CAR WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP THE MECHANIC NOTICED A CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD AND ADVISED ME TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT IF THIS PART WAS NOT CORRECTED ENGINE FAILURE COULD OCCUR DUE TO COOLANT LOSS RESULTING IN SEVERE DAMAGE. 3. CAR WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND I GAVE THEM THE TSB #97M91 AND TOLD THEM TO REPLACE THE PART. 1998 MUSTANG WAS NOT LISTED AND THE CAR AND CAN'T BE FIXED AT DEALER'S COST ONLY CONSUMER'S. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK TALKING TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. FORD OWNERS BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK

I HAVE A 98 FORD MUSTANG GT. THE CAR IS COVERED IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT, BUT I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT 3 MONTHS AFTER IT EXPIRIED. (FORD VS. CHAMBERLIN). IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM IN ALL CARS BETWEEN 96-99. I'M SURE YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON IT. *NM

AFTER SERVICE OF MY 4.6 MUSTANG GT, MY CAR BEGAN MISSING AND I HAD THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE IT REPORTED A MISFIRE ON PLUG 7 & 8, SO I HAD THE PLUGS REPLACED. DURING THE REPLACEMENT, I SAW COOLANT UNDER BOTH THE 7 & 8 PLUG. THE MISFIRE CONTINUES, AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED AND THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THE CONSUMER EVEN THOUGH FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS A KIT TO SELL TO THE CONSUMER FOR 900+ DOLLARS. FLEET CARS TAXI, CROWN VIC'S USED BY SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS WERE CLEARED FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT NO THE CONSUMER CIVILIAN. WHAT SENSE DOES THAT MAKE? IF THE ENGINEERING IS BAD, AND IT IS, THE REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE FOR ALL OWNERS OF THE 4.6 LITER ENGINE. HOW IS THE SEGREGATION OF FLEET CARS FROM PERSONAL USE VEHICLES LEGAL IN THIS COUNTRY? EVERYONE WHO OWNS THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT MADE AVAILABLE REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, AND WHAT OTHER DAMAGE CAN I EXPECT TO FIND? WILL THIS HAVE A DAISY CHAIN OF FAILURES DUE TO THE BAD DESIGN? I UNDERSTAND THE COST TO REPLACE WILL BE $1,200.00 + WITH THE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATE PARTS AND LABOR. *JB

MY ENGINE STARTED CLANKING NOISES BEFORE IT EVEN HAD 100,000 KILOMETERS ON IT, NOW THE ENGINE IS TOAST AT ABOUT 105,000 KILOMETERS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD THAT I HAVE SPUN THE MAIN BEARING AND WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE,. THIS VEHICLE IS BABIED, REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH PURE SYNTHETIC OIL, AND PREMIUM GAS. *NM

DT: 1998 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONSUMER STATES THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED. THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING HOT. THE ENGINE COOLANT WOULD RUN OUT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, IF THE SETTLEMENT GOES THROUGH IT WILL BE APPEALED. THEREFORE, FORD WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECTS.. IT'S MADE FROM PLASTIC AND IT CAN NOT WITHSTAND ALL THE PRESSORE AND HEAT THAT IT WILL CRACK VERY EALRY AND CAUSE COOLING FLUID TO LEAK , AND WITH ALL THAT STEM COMING FROM THE HOOD IT WILL BE SO HARD TO SEE THE ROAD AND WILL CAUSE A FIRE FROM THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM SHORTING OUT FROM THE FLUID.

INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED UNDER NORMAL OPERATION WITH NO REAL REASON AS TO IT'S FAILURE OTHER THAN STRUCTURAL FLAWS IN IT'S ORIGINAL DESIGN.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. AS A RESULT, THE COOLANT LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON. WAS TOLD FAULTY HEAD GASKET. LOSING COOLANT WITH NO VISABLE LEAKS. ESTIMATED $1200.00 REPAIR AT LEAST. WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FORD 3.8 C.I. ENGINE WHY HAVE THERE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THE MUSTANG UNLIKE THE TAURIS? (SAME ENGINE)

APPROXIMATELY THE SECOND WEEK OF MAY WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY A LOUD HISSING NOISE OCCURRED AND AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF PRESSURE OCCURRED . WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE LOUD NOISE WAS EVIDENT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND THE DISCOVERY WAS A SPARK PLUG HAD DETENADED IN THE ENGINE . SPARK PLUG WIRES WERE COOKED AND BURNT , THE THREADS IN THE ENGINE HAD BEEN STRIPPED DUE TO THE BLOW OUT OF THE PLUG. THE PLUG WAS NOT STRIPPED. THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE FIXED WAS TO HAVE IT RECOILED , NOT CHEAP IT COST ME ABOUT $1800,00 IN REPAIRS AND IN MY CASE IT HAD TO BE DONE BY SOMEONE WHO WORKS ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I HAVE HEARD THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING IN A NUMBER OF FORD VEHICLES. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AND FORD NEEDS TO PAY FOR MY UNNECESSARY REPAIRS. *NM

RE: 1998 FORD MUSTANG 4.6 LITRE. DEFECTIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SPLIT NEAR THERMOSTAT HOUSING. FOUND OUT THROUGH INTERNET RESEARCH THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, WITH RECALLS TO ALMOST EVERY VEHICLE MADE WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE EXCEPT FOR MY YEAR, THUS WE HAD TO FIND OUT THE HARD WAY. WE NOW FACE REPLACING THIS PART, AT OUR OWN EXPENSE, BECAUSE FORD REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. WE WERE TREATED RUDELY AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO EVEN REFUSED TO TELL US WHETHER A UPGRADED REPLACEMENT PART WAS AVAILABLE. THUS THE INTERNET RESEARCH. THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET!!