Blazing Saddles: Mustang Recalled for Fire Risk
Leaking clutch fluid could cause conflagration in some examples of the 2024 Mustang, leading Ford to issue a recall on the popular pony car.
At issue is a clutch pressure line which may, in a specific set of circumstances, come in contact with hot exhaust components. This could cause the line to melt, releasing a stream of brake fluid which is used in the clutch system. Investigators believe a missing or improperly installed barrel nut which is supposed to attach the line to a firewall stud is responsible for the problem. Just over 8,100 vehicles are covered under the recall.
In addition to the leak potentially causing a fire with its spilled fluid, drivers could also find difficulty shifting gears if this problem occurs. Naturally, that can lead to stalling or other unexpected drivetrain behavior, increasing the possibility of a crash. Ford apparently became aware of the issue in April and, after inspecting a pair of vehicles exhibiting the problem, figured out the vexatious barrel nut. Those nutty barrels. We can joke because no injuries or wrecks have been reported in relation to this fluid leak.
Since the take rate on manual Mustangs is quite different than in days gone by, affected vehicles were not assembled in a batch meaning there is no sequential list of VINs for problematic cars. The service department at yer Blue Oval dealer should be able to help, as can whoever is on the other end of 1-866-436-7332 staffed by Ford. Notices should be mailed out to owners of affects vehicles starting June 17.
[Image: Ford]
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Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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Ford, not surprisingly, is up to 27 recalls for the year (by Early June) affecting well over 3 million vehicles.
This is exactly why Ford needs to stop wasting money on EVs nobody wants and investing that money into increasing the quality of the vehicles that people actually want to buy.
"Since the take rate on manual Mustangs is quite different than in days gone by, affected vehicles were not assembled in a batch"
• I don't think that's why.
Looking at the numbers some more, Ford paid almost 5 BILLION dollars last year in warranty claims. And at the end of 1Q 2024, Ford has spent over 1.3 billion dollars in warranty claims. Anyone here work for a company that can torch 6.3 billion dollars on warranty claims over 15 months and still stay in business?
Manuals only, eh?