Reported: 2001-04-11 (April 11, 2001) · Model years: 1999, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY IN THE REAR KNUCKLE, WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHES, IS DISPLACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM ITS INSTALLED POSITION, IT CAN CAUSE HIGHER STRESS LEVELS IN THE KNUCKLE CASTING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CASTING COULD FRACTURE, ALLOWING THE CORNER OF THE VEHICLE TO DROP, AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM COULD CONTACT THE INSIDE OF THE REAR WHEEL.
Consequence: IN SOME CASES, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE REDUCED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 19, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
25 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
80.0%Usable mileage20 / 25 records
88.0%Valid incident date22 / 25 records
100.0%Valid filing date25 / 25 records
88.0%Ordered incident and filing dates22 / 25 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1997
1998
1999
2000
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
116.7%ODI 10112717
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO FUNCTION, WILL NOT CATCH/STOP FORWARD MOTION WHEN JERKED/PULL ON. I ASK MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT WHEN IT STOPPED RETRACTING. CAR WAS IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE SEAT BELF WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, OFFERING NO DRIVER RESTRAINT. BASICLY THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK
HELLO, TSB 99S26 STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SAFTEY BELT RETRACTOR ON THE 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA. I HAVE HAD THE DRIVERS SIDE REPAIRED AT MY COST THEN FOUND THIS RECALL NOTE. HOWEVER THE DEALER AND FORD BOTH CLAIN THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL FOR MY PARTICULAR VIN#. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE AS NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS NOT WORKING. IS THERE A WAY TO FIND OUT IF MY CAR IS COVERED BY THIS SAFETY ISSUE? FORD AND THE DEALER STATE THAT THEY DO NOT SHOW ANYTHING AND THAT THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN HELP OUT.THANK YOU…
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 CA…
96 COBRA, I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION EITHER WORKED ON OR REPLACED 6 TIMES. IT WENT IN THE SHOP FOR IT'S SECOND NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT TOOK TWO TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE I GOT IT BACK. FROM TALKING WITH OTHER OWNERS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE COBRA'S WITH THE T-45 TRANSMISSION. *JB
A SPARK PLUG BLEW IN MY 99 MUSTANG COBRA. IT ONLY HAS 41,800 MILES. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST CHANGED 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. THE THREADS ARE STRIPPED AND THE IGNITION COIL WAS DESTROYED. I BOUGHT A NEW IGNITION COIL AT AN AUTO PARTS STORE. *NM
CAR WILL NOT START, STARTER SOLENOID CLICKS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START CAUSES SMOKE TO RISE FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE SMOKE IS COMMING FROM THE RUBBER BOOT WHERE THE METAL PARKING BREAK CABLE GOES FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE ACTUALLY GLOWS RED FROM HEAT (APARENT GROUND PATH FOR SOME KIND OF SHORT). THE STARTER CIRCUIT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL START (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS SECOND OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS IN JUNE OF 2000 @ 14,500 MILES…
TWO TIMES THE AIR INTAKE SUCKED IN WATER AND BLEW THE ENGINE. ONE TIME FORD COVERED THE COST OF THE ENGINE AND THE SECOND TIME THE $7000 CHARGE WAS PAID BY MY FATHER (PREVIOUS OWNER). *JB
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Too few reports for a range
42,000 mi
3 (sparse)
ODI 10021168 · 40,000 mi
HELLO, TSB 99S26 STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SAFTEY BELT RETRACTOR ON THE 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA. I HAVE HAD THE DRIVERS SIDE REPAIRED AT MY COST THEN FOUND THIS RECALL NOTE. HOWEVER THE DEALER AND FORD BOTH CLAIN THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL FOR MY PARTICULAR VIN#. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE AS NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS NOT WORKING. IS THERE A WAY TO FIND OUT IF MY CAR IS COVERED BY THIS SAFETY ISSUE? FORD AND THE DEALER STATE THAT THEY DO NOT SHOW ANYTHING AND THAT THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN HELP OUT.THANK YOU…
THE SEAT BELT FRONT RETRACTOR ON OUR 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IT HAD HAPPEND ABOUT 1 YEAR AND 3 MONTHS AGO AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP HAD FIXED IT AT NO COST THAT TIME. NOW IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING AGAIN. I HAVE CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP BOTH WHICH ARE TELLING US THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL BE AT OUR COST. THIS IS A PROBLEM DUE TO BEING PART OF THE SAFETY RESTRAINT OF THE VEHICLE, AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE. IT WAS NOT FIXED PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME AND FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE THE ISSUE.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WILL NOT PULL OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH DETERMINED THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED, NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED ONTO THE FRONT TIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOCK NUT THAT HELD THE FRONT WHEEL SPINDLE ASSEMBLY DETACHED BECAUSE IT WAS IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED AND FELL OFF . THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,165 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,170. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF
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 CA…
PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA SVT WITH 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE OWNING THE CAR, I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAULTY CHASIS WIRING SYSTEM, CAR SHUTDOWN WHEN HOT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, FAULTY IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NO BACK-UP LIGHTS DUE TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE SWITCH FAILURE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SWITCH FAILURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES I HAD NOTICED THE CAR HAD RAN LOW ON COOLANT AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BETWEEN OIL CHANGE INTERVALS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINA…
96 COBRA, I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION EITHER WORKED ON OR REPLACED 6 TIMES. IT WENT IN THE SHOP FOR IT'S SECOND NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT TOOK TWO TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE I GOT IT BACK. FROM TALKING WITH OTHER OWNERS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE COBRA'S WITH THE T-45 TRANSMISSION. *JB
A SPARK PLUG BLEW IN MY 99 MUSTANG COBRA. IT ONLY HAS 41,800 MILES. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST CHANGED 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. THE THREADS ARE STRIPPED AND THE IGNITION COIL WAS DESTROYED. I BOUGHT A NEW IGNITION COIL AT AN AUTO PARTS STORE. *NM
CAR WILL NOT START, STARTER SOLENOID CLICKS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START CAUSES SMOKE TO RISE FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE SMOKE IS COMMING FROM THE RUBBER BOOT WHERE THE METAL PARKING BREAK CABLE GOES FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE ACTUALLY GLOWS RED FROM HEAT (APARENT GROUND PATH FOR SOME KIND OF SHORT). THE STARTER CIRCUIT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL START (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS SECOND OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS IN JUNE OF 2000 @ 14,500 MILES…
TWO TIMES THE AIR INTAKE SUCKED IN WATER AND BLEW THE ENGINE. ONE TIME FORD COVERED THE COST OF THE ENGINE AND THE SECOND TIME THE $7000 CHARGE WAS PAID BY MY FATHER (PREVIOUS OWNER). *JB
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1999: 4 complaints · 2000: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1999
0
0
4
2000
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1999
12
2
0
2000
0
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Power Train:Manual Transmission
Electrical System
Electrical System:Wiring
Engine And Engine Cooling
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
0
—
0
1ODI 10057842 · 28,000 mi
FRONT END SHOOK DUE TO DEFECTIV EBALL JOINTS, AND BLUE SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. *AK
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
4 patterns with matching reports.
Hard or delayed shifting
1 mentions · 4.0% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 10112717
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO FUNCTION, WILL NOT CATCH/STOP FORWARD MOTION WHEN JERKED/PULL ON. I ASK MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT WHEN IT STOPPED RETRACTING. CAR WAS IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE SEAT BELF WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, OFFERING NO DRIVER RESTRAINT. BASICLY THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK
PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA SVT WITH 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE OWNING THE CAR, I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAULTY CHASIS WIRING SYSTEM, CAR SHUTDOWN WHEN HOT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, FAULTY IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NO BACK-UP LIGHTS DUE TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE SWITCH FAILURE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SWITCH FAILURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES I HAD NOTICED THE CAR HAD RAN LOW ON COOLANT AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BETWEEN OIL CHANGE INTERVALS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINA…
Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b
Warning lights and dashboard alerts
1 mentions · 4.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 64,300 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10068169 · 64,300 mi
PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD MUSTANG COBRA SVT WITH 29,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE OWNING THE CAR, I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS FAULTY CHASIS WIRING SYSTEM, CAR SHUTDOWN WHEN HOT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, FAULTY IAC VALVE AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NO BACK-UP LIGHTS DUE TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION REVERSE SWITCH FAILURE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SWITCH FAILURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES I HAD NOTICED THE CAR HAD RAN LOW ON COOLANT AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BETWEEN OIL CHANGE INTERVALS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINA…