Problems · by component
1996 Ford Mustang service brakes, hydraulic problems
34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Mustang cite service brakes, hydraulic, 11% of all 304 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
34
11% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PRIOR WARNING THE BRAKES JUST FAILED TO RESPOND. NEXT TIME I TURNED MOTOR ON THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. IF AN ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED THE WARNING WOULD HAVE COME TOO LATE. LOST ALL THE BRAKE FLUID.*AK”
“SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 1999, I HAVE REPORTED TO FORD MOTOR AND BUDGET CAR SALES THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM, BRAKES JAM, VEHICLE GOES BACKWARD AND JERKS FORWARD WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC. FORD MOTOR CO. REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND BUDGET AUTO SALES SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL "SOMETHING HAPPENS" THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP AND I IMPLORE SOMEONE TO ASSIST ME IN GETTING THESE DEFECTS CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.*AK”
“SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE (1996 FORD SABLE) I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS..THE CAR SHUTS OFF AT SPEEDS OF 10MPH, WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, OR ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBEM TO NHTSA, THE DEALER, FORD MOTOR CO. AND THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THE DEALER SAYS HE CAN NOT FIX IT UNTIL IT DUPLICATES WHILE HE HAS IT...AGAIN HE SAYS "WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS" , I ASKED IF HE WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED HE SAID UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S WHAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I FIND THIS TO BE A LUDICRUOUS ANSWER, FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CORRECT THESE DEFECTS.*AK”
“BRAKE VIBRATION WHEN USED AND NOISE WHEN NOT IN USE. BRAKE PEDAL IS SOMETIMES STIFF AND SOMETIMES VERY SOFT. DEALER HAS HAD IN TO FIX NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAS NEVER FIXED PROBLEM. *AK”
“WHILE DRIVING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP AND LOSS OF CONTROL (ACCIDENT), AS A RESULT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BROKE. *ET”
“THE PLASTIC INTAKE? CRACKED FORD RECALL REPAIRED IT. 1ST DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED WAYNE MORRIS FORD IN PERRY, GA WOULD NOT HELP AT ALL. 2ND DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED WARNER ROBINS FORD FOUND THE RECALL AND REPAIRED IT A NO CHARGE. ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING/SHAKING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS WHICH HAS HELPED A LITTLE. BUT CAN NOT GET ANY ANSWERS OR A RESOLUTION FROM ANY MECHANIC TO DATE.”
Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.