What 466 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Mustang Coupe

I WAS RECENTLY IN A WRECK AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MY CAR IS STUCK AT THE BODY SHOP BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT GET AN AIRBAG FOR IT. MY INSURANCE ON MY RENTAL CAR WILL BE UP IN 2 WEEKS, THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED ALREADY IT JUST HAD MINOR FRONT END DAMAGE AND THE WINDSHIELD CRACK DUE TO THE AIRBAG AND THE AIRBAG INJURED MY RIGHT ARM. IT NEVER SHOULD DEPLOYED IN THE FIRST PLACE THE IMPACT WAS NOT EVEN THAT SEVERE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY NEVER GET BACK WITH ME THIS IS BEGINNING TO GET VERY FRUSTRATING. MY CAR IS EASILY REPAIRABLE BUT ITS JUST SETTING THERE BECAUSE OF NO AIRBAG. SOME HELP IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10901921

THERE WERE MANY INCIDENTS WITH MY MUSTANG 5.0 BUT THIS WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT. THE PROBLEM IS AS I FOUND OUT TWO YEARS LATER IS THAT THE WIDTH OF THE OEM TIRES AND WHEELS ARE TOO NARROW FOR THE WEIGHT AND POWER OF THIS VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON EL CAMINO REAL AND I HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY BECAUSE A CAR CAME ON THE ROAD UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME HIT THE BRAKES AND SO I DID BUT MY CAR JUST KEPT SLIDING FORWARD, IT LOST GRIP WITH THE ASPHALT COMPLETELY. I EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SITUATIONS MANY TIMES WHEN TAKING TURNS WHERE MY REAR WOULD SPIN AROUND THE FRONT WHICH RENDERS THE CAR OUT OF CONTROL SWINGING LEFT AND RIGHT IN BOTH LANES ON THE ROAD. IF ITS WET OUT I WOULDN'T EVEN PUSH THE ACCELERATOR MUCH BECAUSE IT JUST CAUSES THE REAR WHEELS TO SPIN. I JUST CHANGED MY BACK TIRES TO A WIDER SIZE AND THE PROBLEMS ARE GREATLY DIMINISHED OR GONE. I AM SURPRISED THAT ALL THE ENGINEERS AND TEST DRIVERS FROM FORD WOULD LET SUCH A GREAT CAR DRIVE LIKE SANTA'S SLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10592941

AFTER SEVERAL MILES UPHILL, THE VEHICLE HAD BEGUN TO TRAVEL DOWNHILL. AFTER LESS THAN ONE MILE, THE STEERING WAS UNRESPONSIVE; DRIVER'S INPUT ASSUMED HYDRAULIC RESPONSE. THERE WAS NONE. THE VEHICLE HIT THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN; VERY NARROW SHOULDER DIDN'T ALLOW FOR ERROR. THE CAR OVERTURNED. THE 'BLACK BOX' LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLLECTS A VOLUME OF DATA EXCEPT ONE IMPORTANT FACT: STEERING WHEEL ANGLE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS POSITIONED TO MISS THE MOUNTAIN BUT NOT TO ENTER THE ON-COMING LANE. THE STEERING DIDN'T REACT. WHY WAS THIS ESSENTIAL DATA NOT RECORDED WHEN MANY OTHER TRIVIAL COMPUTATIONS ARE PRESENT? I BELIEVE FORD UNDERSTANDS THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND OMITS THE STEERING WHEEL ANGLE BECAUSE OF LIABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED FROM HERTZ. THEY FAILED TO ADVISE THE CUSTOMER OF THE SLOW RESPONSE OF ELECTRONIC STEERING. SECOND: PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS POSITIONED HIGH AND THE HEADREST PROTRUDES, MAKING AN OCCUPANT OF AVERAGE SIZE 'SLOUCH' TO AVOID THE UNCOMFORTABLE STRAP. REGARDLESS, THE SEAT BELT TRAVELS ALONG THE PASSENGER'S NECK AND TIGHTENS WHEN THE VEHICLE OVERTURNS. THE 'ACCIDENT' CAUSED AN 85% CAROTID ARTERY DISSECTION. MY WIFE SPENT 10 DAYS IN A TRAUMA CENTER BECAUSE OF THIS HORRIBLY POSITIONED SEAT BELT AND UNRESPONSIVE STEERING. A FRIEND WHO HAS A DOCTORATE IN NURSING ADVISED US DURING THE HOSPITALIZATION. SHE RECENTLY RENTED A MUSTANG AND WAS WORRIED WHEN THE STRAP BISECTED HER THROAT. GO SIT IN ONE! IT'S ALL THE EVIDENCE YOU NEED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL DO NOTHING UNTIL THEY ARE PRESENTED WITH LEGAL PAPERS. I HAVE FORMALLY NOTIFIED THEM TO NO AVAIL. THEY DON'T CARE. THEY JUST KEEP BUILDING THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10447039