common problems??

f1jqcart · 07-01-2004

hi, i have been looking at possibly buying a 1999/2000 mustang GT (V8). i was wondering what some of the common problems with these cars are or might be since i will obviously be buying used i want to make sure i can get the best possible one, and know what specifically to look for when lookiing at a car. i want the car to be a manual tranny, and no mods on it, so if you ppl know what some of the problems, i should keep an eye out for, are then i would appreciate you sharing the knowledge with me. thanks

GTRaptor · 07-02-2004

99/2k GTs have basically no problems, but always check the basics:

1. No oil or coolant leaks
2. Drives straight, no suspension rattles, no steering play
3. Check all the fender mount points look for possible repairs
4. Put the car on a ramp and check for cracks or bends in the unibody structure
5. Check that all the accesories work
6. Tranny: shifts smoothly in all gears including reverse
7. Ask for dealer service/maintenance records

f1jqcart · 07-03-2004

thanks for the advice i really appreciate it. i am planning on test driving a 99GT today, I hope everything goes good. thanks.

kit · 07-03-2004

Throttle position sensor and Idle Air Control.
That's about it.

f1jqcart · 07-04-2004

how can you tell if those parts are bad, and about how much might it cost to fix??

kit · 07-04-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1jqcart

how can you tell if those parts are bad, and about how much might it cost to fix??

your' car will idle either too high or too low. I don't know how much they cost to fix, but they are real easy to trade out.

snakepit · 07-11-2004

One thing that is good to take with you when test driving used vehicles is a code scanner (especially one that monitors emissions, spark pulgs, etc..) I had bought an Actron scaner for $150.00 to track down a simple problem with my 01 Cobra and I found that it works great with my 96 Ford Exploder. One thing about used cars and dealers, is they will often reset the codes so that the check engine light does not come on while people are test driving them. The scanner port is located on the drivers side under the center console. Start off by reading the codes, any pending code will appear. Then check the other things like MIL and engine diagnostics which requre you to drive to monitor the CATS, O2 sensors, spark plug misfires, etc. Even if the dealer just reset the codes, you will still pick up anything not working properly. Either that or tell them you want to take the car to your personal mechanic to have it checked out. Most dealers will allow you to do this. Checking the codes before you start the car may not reveal anything until you drive it for a short while. Scanners for OBDII can be used from years 95 on up and possibly some 94's. If you plan on modifying the car after you buy it, you may want a programmer instead which offers a higher degree of monitors. There are some units that will monitor fuel mixture ratios but you need to add a bung to the exhaust for that. Good luck in finding that Mustang :thumbsup

propellerhead · 07-12-2004

There can be codes that the reader can pick up even before the Check Engine light comes on?

snakepit · 07-13-2004

Error codes that have not yet tripped the "check engine light" are termed "pending codes" and most code readers that display descriptions of the code will label them as such. There are even some that will recall erased codes (scantool from AutoTap - I found this while doing research, and they send me e-mails on how to use there product and one of the tips was to use it when test driving used vehicles). The actron scanner does not have the ability to recall erased codes. Some programmers may even be able to do that as well. Pending codes are stored and to not trip the "check engine light" immediately. Sometimes it may take up to 10 cold starts before the "check" light turns on.

Most of the common problems may be associated with the Throttle body Position Sensor (TPS) and or the IAC. Most of the issues with the IAC can be remedied with cleaning as well as cleaning the throttle plate(s).
Many times if the throttle plate stop is altered, the IAC codes pop up since there is air comming in from the throttle plate when it is supposed to be fully closed. If the throttle plate was modified such as having holes dirlled into it, the IAC codes will also become a problem since the idle speed gets out of range.

TPS is an electro/mechanical device called a potentiometer (similar to a volume knob on an old stereo). It is possible that there could be dead spots on the contact material. If the motor becomes hesitant at a certain point in the throttle movement it may be due to the TPS having a dead spot.

Another part that may trip codes associated with the TPS is the MAF (mass air flow sensor). If it is dirty or if the screen in front of it was removed, the motor may be runnning lean.

There are other issues that will not trip the "Check Engine light" if the computer can compensate for the failed sensor or defective part (usually involved with the EGR system). When some of these tripp the "check engine light" (excessive EGR flow, slow response bank 1 or 2, O2 sensor faults, etc) it may be more than just the sensor that is bad. O2 sensors only last for 50k miles if not less. O2 sensor failures and or excessive EGR faults may be caused by clogged Cats or worse. (I doubt that these will be a problem but it is probable).