2000 Ford Mustang Electrical System Problems

MY 2000 MUSTANG GT OVERHEATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME, ON A TEN MILE JOURNEY A COUPLE DAYS AGO. UNTIL THIS INCIDENT, MY MUSTANG HAD NEVER OVERHEATED. I BOUGHT THE CAR LAST SEPT. I USED HOSE WATER AT GAS STATION TO COOL IT FIRST ON HOOD THEN ONCE MY ENGINE LOOKED COOLER, I FILLED THE RADIATOR (THINKING WE'D FLUSH THE COOLING SYSTEM WHEN I GOT IT HOME) WATER EMPTIED AS FAST AS I POURED IT IN, FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD BEHIND WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING. MY CAR IS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION. NOW I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. BECAUSE I USED ALL MY MONEY TO BUY THIS CAR. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THIS. MY SITUATION APPEARS IDENTICAL TO SEVERAL ON YOUR SITE, SUCH AS THIS ONE I JUST COPIED FROM ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS POSTED:OCT 08, 2013 - LEXINGTON, SC - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. STEAM ROLLED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DISCOVERED CRACK IN MANIFOLD WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THERMOSTAT HOUSING. COOLANT DRIPPING ON THE ENGINE; I DO NOT KNOW IF INTERNAL COMPONENTS ARE DAMAGED.

MELTED ALL MY WIRES ALMOST CAUSED FIRE

THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO THE STOP AND SO DID I BUT AS I HIT MY BRAKE SOMETHING BLEW UP IN MY FACE AND MADE ME PUT MY ARMS UP AND I LOST VISIBILITY. THE WEIRD PART IS THEY WENT OFF AT A ROLLING STOP UNDER 3 MPH .ALSO LAST WEEK MY CAR BRAKE SWITCH ALMOST STARTED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITNESSES SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE CAR WAS TRYING TO START ITSELF. TOTAL LOSS. DAMAGE WAS WORST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CENTERED IN THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE WHEEL. SECURITY CAMERA OF INCIDENT SHOWS SMOKE THEN FIRE STARTING AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

ALTERNATOR CAUSED FIRE, SHORTED OUT, ON 2000 FORD MUSTANG GT. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 FORD MUSTANG GT WHICH CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THE ALTERNATOR, FORD HAS HAVE SEVERAL SUITS FILED AGAINST THEM FOR THIS REASON. I CALLED FORD LOCALLY AND THEY ONLY SHOW A RECALL FOR THE MANIFOLD WHICH I HAVE REPLACED PREVIOUSLY. BEFORE I REPLACED IT FORD SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE MANIFOLD, I AM HEARING THE SAME STORY AGAIN AS I DID BEFORE AND I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALT. *TR

1. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE IGNITION. 2. THE CAR HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COMPONENTS REPLACED. 3. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,000. *TR

DRIVING ALONG WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. FOLLOWED BY LOUD POPPING AND RATTLING SOUND WHEN ON. FOUND OUT AFTER TAKING IT TO THE SHOP IT WAS A SPARK PLUG THAT HAS BEEN SHOT OUT OF THE HEAD. I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY FOR THIS BUT WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE CARS. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A FORD MUSTANG 2000 OR ANY OTHER FORD PRODUCT. I WILL SAVE ALL THE PARTS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *NM

MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED TWICE FOR THIS AND THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, BUT NO RESULTS HAVE ARRIVED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO HIGH POTENTIAL OF A FATAL ACCIDENT RESULTING BY THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING CREATING NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT HAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AND/OR REPLACED 2 SEPARATE PARTS THAT WERE THE SUPPOSED CULPRITS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN 2002, 2005, AND 2006. THIS PROBLEM, AS YOU CAN SEE BY DATES, IS RANDOM AND HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY WARNING, SUCH AS "IDIOT" LIGHTS COMING ON PRIOR OR ENGINE HESITATION, AND APPARENTLY IS JUST AS COMPLICATED TO DIAGNOSE. *NM

WHILE CLEANING MY SPARK PLUGS, I NOTICED THE NUMBER #3 SPARK PLUG HAD OIL ON THE SPARK PLUG THREAD. WHEN I PUT MY FINGER INTO THE NUMBER #3 CYLINDER HOLE OIL SHOWED ON MY FINGER. THE NUMBER #3 PLUG WAS ALSO FOULED COMPARED TO THE OTHER NEW PLUGS. THIS COULD LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE OR A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AREA. I HEARD THAT FORD HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN ON MY CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY MANY OWNERS THAT FORD HAD A VALVE COVER BUFFLE TO PCV VALVE PROBLEM ON 1999 AND 2000 MUSTANG 3.8, BUT THEY WILL NOT DO ANY THING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD MY MANY OWNERS THAT THEY MOD. AND REMOVED THE PCV VALVE AND REPLACED IT WITH FILTERS TO STOP OIL GETTING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED PROPERLY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2001 VALVE COVERS AND UP CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM.*AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS CAUSED FIRE. 2000 FORD MUSTANG ONLY HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT. *LA

I HAVE A 2000 FORD MUSTANG V6, AND I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER (MAGIC FORD, IN VALENCIA CA ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOUR TIMES) CANT FIX AND CANT FIND OUT WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHENEVER I DROVE THE CAR AND IT GETS HOT AND WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND TRY RESTARTING THE CAR, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE COOL OFF, THEN THE CAR WOULD START, IT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GROCERY STORE, AND TRY STARTING THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, SAME THING WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GASOLINE STATION, I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT GETS COOL OFF BEFORE THE WOULD START AGAIN. HERE ARE THE HISTORY OF THE ONGOING PROBLEM, THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER THE WARRANTY, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DONT KNOW THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GIVE OUT ANY CODE, SO THEY CANT FIX THE CAR, BUT THEY KNOW THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SECOND TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE KEY, AND THE IGNITION, SO THEY HAVE TO REPROGRAM THE KEY TO SEND SIGNAL TO THE IGNITION, (I HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY, WHEN THEY COULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST TIME.) THIRD TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS LOOSE AND THE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE (I DONT THINK SO) A WEEK LATER, FOURTH TIME I TOOK THE CAR BACK, STILL DOESNT KNOW WHATS WRONG WITH THE CAR, ITS BEEN IN THE DEALER FOR 3 DAYS NOW. I DONT KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO DO WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE ADVICE.

MY 2000 FORD MUSTANG LOST ALL ITS POWER AFTER I JUST PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT. I THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SITE. ABOUT 1-2 MINUTES LATER I SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE SAME PLACE. AS I EXITED THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND A HORRID NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED 10-15 FOOT HIGH FLAMES WERE SHOOTING IN THE AIR FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR [THIS ALL STARTED TO HAPPEN INCREDIBLY FAST] AND THERE ALSO WAS LOTS OF BLACK SMOKE. ONE OF THE FIREMEN/LADIES TOLD ME THAT IT LOOKED LIKR THE FIRE HAD STARTED IN THE WIRING. ALL OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR BURNED OUT INCLUDING THE HOOD AND SOMEOF THE DASH INSIDE MELTED AND THE FRONT WINDSHILD STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE HEAT OF THE FIRE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND CLOSING THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THERE WAS A FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE DOOR PANEL MELTING WIRES AND OTHER PARTS. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT THERE WAS SOME SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING.*JB

CAR CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 30 MIN.-CAR IS "TOTALED"*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND SALEEN THAT WE KNOW OF THAT THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM OCCURRED, CAR # 0208 AND MINE # 0594, BOTH DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. I'VE CONTACTED SALEEN, DOWNS FORD AND AN ATTORNEY FOR HELP. SALEEN TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF THIS EVER HAPPENING BEFORE ME, I HAVE DOCUMENTS, NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF OTHER PARTY. *AK

ALTERNATATOR MELTED BATTERY WIRES, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 10/7/99 AND HAVE BEEN TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE SINCE 10/12/99 THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FIXED ANY OF THE PROBLEMS W/THE CAR, IN FACT MY CAR KEEPS GETTING WORSE. THE ROOF ITS SELF LEAKS AND WHILE REMOVING THE HEADLINER THE DEALERSHIP CAUSED DENTS AND CREASES IN MY ROOF. THEY STILL HAVEN'T REPAIRED THE DENTS OR THE LEAK. ALSO, THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN GOING OUT SINCE DAY 1 CAUSING A FIRE SMELL WHICH THE DEALERSHIP SAID WAS THE SPARKS HITTING THE CATALITIC CONVERTER AND CAUSING PROBLEMS W/THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SPARK KNOCKS CONSTANTLY, DIES WHILE DRIVING, SMELLS LIKE ITS ON FIRE AND HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO "TRY TO FIX IT " AS THEY HAVE TRIED FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS BUT ANY REPAIRS THEY MAKE WILL NOT BE WARRANTIED. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL TV STATION, WRITTEN A LETTER TO FORD, TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILLED OUT A FORD SURVEY. AFTER ALL OF THAT, NO ONE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ME.

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS SERVICES. TECH STATED DISTRIBUTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE ELECTRICAL BRAIN/COMPUTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. *YH

SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK