2012 Ford Mustang: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed May 26, 2018 · Suspension · 3,300 miles · MA

Left&right lower control arms has unseasonable amount of rust which is blistering from the inside-out, also is deep and progressing with time,which will become a safety factor,the car has only 3,300 original miles

Filed May 11, 2015 · Suspension · 12,743 miles · OR

While driving over rough or uneven pavement, a very audible rattle can be heard coming from the front end of the vehicle, most noticeably with the steering centered. The car also has some unstable characteristics, tending to pull much more strongly towards any lines or crowns than normal. Vehicle was taken to local dealer, where they were able to isolate the noise to the front left corner of the car with "chassis ears", but could not determine the source of the noise. All front end components were replaced, however the problem persisted. Ford engineers were contacted, and reported back that the noise was normal and the car was returned unrepaired. Lower control arms on both sides were replaced under tsb 13-9-3. Service description reads: "front suspension tech xxxx verified customer concern and found the there (sic) is a noise found in left front when on a gravel road. Used chassis ear and found left front hydro bushing to make noise. Replaced left front lower control arm per tsb 13-9-3 op code 130903a. Also found left outer tie rod bolt stretched. Replaced left front tie rod and performed 2 wheel alignment. Noise is still present. Checked with hotline, noise is characteristic. Drove another like car and found noise is characteristic." the problem has continued to become worse, and ford customer service has become involved. Returned to local dealer, said there's nothing they can do, and that the noise and instability is normal. No other dealer within 100 miles will look at the vehicle, and the problem has since gone unrepaired.

Filed Dec 5, 2014 · Steering · 24,000 miles · CA · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 ford mustang. The contact stated that the vehicle was making a loud metal-on-metal grinding noise. The contact also indicated that the failure was progressing. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the passenger's side ball joint, bushings, suspension, shocks and both control arms would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred three days later. The failure caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle, crashing into a curb. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The dealer was contacted and advised that a field engineer would further inspect the vehicle to determine the cause of failure. The dealer also advised that when the control arms were replaced, they were not replaced with the original equipment manufacturer part because they were found to be defective. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

Filed Jun 2, 2013 · Brakes, Suspension · 19,850 miles · TX

122512 when going over speed humps vehicle makes squeaking noise. Dealer changed oil, rotated tires, and completed a multi point inspection. Suggested rotating tires and changing air pressure should help the problem. The squeaking continued but did not occur all the time. When calling the dealership after it persisted they suggested it may be the cold weather. 042613 called the dealership because after having tire pressure and tires checked the noise continued & was occurring over every speed hump, when I attempted to break pedal would not go down on 3 occasions, & when making sharp left turns the car made a knocking sound. I was also due for an oil change 20,000 mile service. The dealership serviced my vehicle 042713 and replaced the left/right inner tie rods but when they returned my vehicle the wheel was not aligned. The service department said it was because their machine was broken and when I complained they asked me to bring it back the following tuesday (050213) to complete my service. They also made note there were unable to duplicate my brake pedal problems. In my service report they did not note the oil change, tire rotation, or service. When I mentioned this the advisor said it was completed. 052913 I returned my car to the dealer service department. I had my brake pedal stick 2 more times since my last visit, the noise going over speed humps returned, the knocked noise during hard left turns now also occurred during a right turn, & left side turn noise returned. Also oil setting reads only 86%. As of today (060213), I still do not have my vehicle or a clear answer as to what is wrong or will be repaired. After calling the service department on friday (053113) & saturday (060113), the service advisor only said they are ordering parts, the sales department would give me a call, & they may replace the swing arm.

Filed Apr 6, 2013 · Suspension · 8,600 miles · RI

When traveling over large bumps in the road surface, the vehicle would emit an audible squeaking/groaning noise from the front end. It took multiple visits to the dealer in order for them to even acknowledge that the problem was even there. I was finally informed that there was a tsb for this issue and they replaced both lower control arms. On w/e march 23, 2013 this problem began to reemerge but the dealer has once again denied the existence of such noise. I have been told that I must wait for the problem to worsen before they do anything further.

Filed Apr 6, 2013 · Suspension · 15,000 miles · RI

The vehicle began to emit an audible squeaking/clunking noise from the rear end when traversing bumps or pot ridden roads. I took the vehicle to the dealer on 1/4/13 and they denied the existence of the noise and I was told that there was nothing wrong. Picked up the vehicle and identified that the noise was in fact there, so I returned the vehicle to the dealer where they did further diagnostics and determined the the problem lied with the rear lower control arms and the connecting rod. They replaced all three and when I got the vehicle back, I noticed that both noise persisted so I brought the vehicle to my mechanic. He determined that the problem originated from worn out sway bar bushings and he also found my rear axle to be leaking differential fluid. Went back to the dealer and they disagreed with my mechanic and found the problem to be with my shocks and the differential fluid leak was "normal". My mechanic once again reexamined everything and persisted that the problem was with my sway bar. The dealer finally agreed to replace the sway bar and bushings and they also replaced both rear shocks. After this, the problem went away and has not returned. No further information on the rear differential fluid leak.

Filed Dec 10, 2011 · Transmission · 4,500 miles · VA

Problem: abnormal vibration/noise in stick shift/driver seat during deceleration: 2012 mustang v6 base model (no add on's) manual 6 speed. Purchased new. Had control arms replace within 2 weeks of ownership due to creaking front end (392 miles on the car).approximately 3 months after control arms were replaced I noticed vibrations in shifter and driver seat as well as rumbling noises when on highway during deceleration. Sounded and felt like when you ride over a rough patch of pavement or a metal grated bridge. Problem continued off and on and I could not duplicate. I have recently been able to reproduce the problem. What I discovered was when I ran the car up to 2750-3000 rpms then let off the accelerator I could feel an abnormal vibration and hear the car rumbling. The vibration/noise would stop as the car decelerated to about 2500-2000 RPM's. Severity of vibration/rumbling noise has ranged from mild vibration/noise to stick slapping back and forth violently and very loud rumbling. Car does this in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear. I don't get to 3000 in 5th or 6th gear so I don't know if problem exists in these gears. Road conditions do not appear to lessen or increase rate of incident.

Filed Aug 14, 2011 · Suspension, Transmission · 4,900 miles · MI

While slowly driving around some pot-holes on a uneven pavement in a det. Mi. Area , I felt and heard some loud squealing from under the front of the car. Seconds later I noticed the manual gear shifts were very stiff and had use more effort to make manual shifts. Days later, I took the car to my local ford dealer for my 5000 mi oil change and inspection.after ordering parts, I took the car back and both lower control arms and bushing were changed. I am not sure if the mechanic also worked on the gearbox or not. For about a week the gear shifts were very smooth, but they vary now , from smooth to stiff.