2001 Ford Mustang engine and engine cooling problems

“4.6 LITER V8. SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE BUT LUCKILY DID NOT. SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST CHANGED OVER 30,000 MILES PREVIOUSLY. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 FORD MUSTANG GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE SPARK PLUGS SHOT OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”

“I JUST HAD TO PAY APPROX $700 TO REPLACE MY INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH CRACKED AND CAUSED A COOLANT LEAK. UPON FIXING THIS ISSUE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A FORD RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO. SEEING AS THIS PART HAS NEVER BEEN REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE, I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS RECALL AND WHAT CAN BE DONE. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A HOSE WAS DETACHED FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BYPASS HOSE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN THEN STATED THAT THE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND THE HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED BUT NOT THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 12/06/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN WAS INJURED WHILE REPAIRING THE CRACKE MANIFOLD INTAKE. UPDATED 06/13/2012 *JS”

“I HAVE A 2001 FOCUS ZX3 - 5SP THAT TENDS TO STALL WHEN THE AC IS ON. BUT IT MAY NOT STALL DURING THE "INITIAL" USE PERIOD. WITHOUT WARNING, IT WILL STALL AFTER THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. MY SERVICE SHOP CHECKED THE COMPUTER CODES FOR A PROBLEM AND NOTHING CAME UP. YESTERDAY, IT WAS DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 30MINS WITH THE AC ON (OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AROUND 80+ DEGREES). THE VEHICLE RAN FINE WITH THE RPMS NORMAL WHEN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 90 MINS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT WOULD STALL. TO GET STARTED I NEEDED TO KEEP FOOT ON GAS PEDAL (TO MAINTAIN A HIGH ENOUGH RPM TO PREVENT THE STALL). IF I DID NOT KEEP THE RPMS UP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL. WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING, I NEEDED TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO MAINTAIN THE RPMS. (THIS CAN BE CHALLENGING WITH A 5-SPD.) THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PARKED FOR OVER FOUR HOURS. IT THEN STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM AND RAN NORMALLY. DURING THIS PERIOD I DID NOT HAVE THE AC ON. I SEE THAT THIS MAY BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FOCUS. HOWEVER, NEITHER FORD MOTOR'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE NOR THE LOCAL FORD DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A FORD DEALERSHIP (ECHELON FORD)…”

“2001 V6 FORD MUSTANG SUDDENLY STARTED TO MISS-FIRE. I HAVE BEEN SMELLING EXHAUST ODORS FOR SOME TIME, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AS SOON AS IT STARTED TO MISS-FIRE. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A SENSOR WITH MOISTURE IN IT AND BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS WERE CRACKED. IT'S NO WONDER I WAS SMELLING EXHAUST FUMES. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE OVERCOME WITH CARBON MONOXIDE WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE. THE DEALERS REP SAID: " WE HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THEM AND THE NEW ONES ARE BETTER". *TR”