Ford Mustangs With Manual Transmissions May Catch Fire

The Ford Mustang will soon be subject to an official recall after it was determined by Ford that a clutch line could become loose on manual models and ignite as it comes into contact with hot exhaust components. First reported by CarScoops, this news comes after a Mustang Dark Horse owner had his vehicle burn down on the side of the highway after his clutch pedal was depressed and wouldn’t return to the up position.

While Ford nor the NHTSA have released an official recall yet, Road & Track found a Safety Recall Report that outlines the issue and determines that 8,161 Mustangs could be affected. Of those in the recall, it’s believed only 1% of them actually have the problem, so the issue isn’t a widespread one. Still, it doesn’t make the problem any less pressing for owners of Mustangs.

What’s The Problem?

According to the recall report, the problem affects all body types, so even those with a regular Mustang or a Convertible Mustang could be affected as long as they have a manual transmission. There’s no rhyme or reason for the affected vehicles, as they were not produced in VIN order. It appears the problem is almost random, which raises more questions about Ford’s quality control process.

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What can happen is a clutch pressure line without proper retention can come into contact with hot exhaust components causing it to melt, leak brake fluid, and cause a fire. The leaking clutch pressure line will not cause brake issues, meaning there aren’t many warning signs to tell the driver there’s a problem. Ford believes it was caused by a missing or improperly installed barrel nut during assembly.

Owners Must Schedule A Dealer Visit ASAP

There have been two reports of fires under the hood that were brought to Ford’s attention, with both affecting 2024 models, according to Ford. Regardless, all 8th-generation Mustangs are included in the recall, and owners and dealers will be notified over the next few weeks by mail. Since there are no signs of an issue, owners of these cars must contact their dealer ASAP to schedule an inspection. The fix will come free of charge.

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It almost seems cliché at this point to continue to highlight Ford’s production woes, but the company just can’t seem to catch a break. While we know it’s been hard at work over the past couple of years reigning in its production to ensure problems like this won’t continue to arise, it’s a process that takes time and means more problems continue to be found and recalls issued. Fortunately, the company has big plans to fix these problems moving forward, and we wouldn’t be surprised if, in a few years from now, the conversation around Ford quality changes.

Sources:
Carscoops
and
Road & Track