[ConnieM0221]

Hi everyone! I just bought a 1995 Mustang V6 and am experiencing a few problems. It has always been my dream to own a mustang and couldn't afford a new one so got this one. First of all, the steering wheel shimmies when I push the brakes. Mechanic said rotors, does that sound right? It also has a thump, thump sound near right rear tire and when I hit a bump too hard it hits down hard. Mechanic said sounds like bad tire ( which are new) or struts....Could that be it? And now today I noticed the car seemed to be a little hotter than usual....it wasn't in the red zone but close. I checked the water and it is full and when I turned the a/c down it lowered the temperature. What would cause something like that? Other than that the engine is good and quiet and everything else checked out ok. Oh yeah and it is an automatic and has 97,000 miles on it. Can anyone help me save my dream car. My husband wants to get rid of it asap but I think with a little tlc it will be ok after all it was a tradein at a dealership.

[tbird]

Sounds like the front rotors are warped, they can be resurfaced if they have enough material left on them. Hard to say on the tumping noise but it very well could be a shock, they are not very expensive so it would not hurt to put a new pair on , especially at 97,000. The car has an electric fan. See if it turns on when it gets hot. Do this without turning the a/c on. It may be a problem in the fan circuit.

[ConnieM0221]

Thank you for your help. I love my car so I hope it's nothing that will ruin it. I will check on the fan and let you know. Thanks again.

[egnorant]

Front shimmy...warped rotors! I replace my rotors every other brake job.
They just seem to warp a lot.
As for the thump in the rear..first rotate the tires and see if the thump moves to the front. If it still has the factory shocks on it I highly recommend new shocks front and rear.
Also IMPORTANT!!!! This particular engine was subject to a recall on the headgaskets. See if your car has had the headgaskets replaced. Warrenty was extended on this to 10 years and 100,000 mile and you are close on each.
Also, has the tranny fluid ever been changed. $70 may seem like a lot until you compare it to 2200 for a new tranny. The additives wear out or something and cause vibration and shuddering.
Only other problems I had were 1. vacuum hoses..in the back of the engine compartment on the passenger side they just deteriorated. First was a high rpm immediately after startup..then I lost the heater controls. Stayed on defrost all the time. I found 2 bad hoses, one normal hose and 1 little tube one with the big ends.
2.recalls on hood separation and cooling fan circuit breaker..possible overheat cause?
3. wear issues: Drivers side seat bolster (big assed girlfriend wore a hole getting in and out of car)
console lid..elbow smushed it!
power window motors..When they stop working 99.99% of the time it is just $5 worth of parts to fix. Ford doesn't have them, they want you to buy a new motor for $179.00.
Maintainence is the key. I replaced th water pump and all the hoses at 85,000 and 160,000 miles just because. Fan belt too.
regular oil changes, tranny fluid every 50,000, shocks and struts at 100,000 (WAY overdue) and 170,000. Rear brake pads every 3 front brake jobs. I also had to do 2 new windshields (Insurance paid for it).
Now if I could just figure out how to get melted Gummi bears out of the rear seatbelt mechanism I would be O.K.!
210,000 miles and going strong!
Bruce (TX)

['95.0 stang]

Yep, definitely your brake rotors, probably your struts, and I'd check the fan to make sure but if it wasn't actually OVERheating then it might just be the fact that it's June and you live in Texas.

[tripleblack]

I fear your brake rotors are most likely warped, or simply worn out from age. Be advised that these rotors are prone to problems like this if they are attacked with impact wrenches - they should be torqued down with a torque wrench. Using impact wrenches can damage them real quick - and lots of tire shops still install them with these tools. Its ok to remove the nuts with impact wrenches - just not OK to put them back on that way.

If you have new tires and the problem wasn't there before, its likely they warped your rotors. If you share the same experience I had last year with my wife's Mercedes, they'll deny they did any such thing - even when you point out that the guy working on the car right next to the two of you is impact-wrenching nuts onto the car he's working on right now!

The thump sound from the right rear could be a bad tire - does it get faster with speed? If its a steady or sporadic sound without regard to speed, it may be a loose exhaust pipe or fender panel liner, broken shock, etc. The fact that you're complaining of the ride makes me suspect the later...

Thumping sounds from the rear of your car aren't made by the struts (these are in the front) but may be from bad shock(s). If your shocks are original equipment, they are probably in need of replacement. Replacement shocks for the rear are inexpensive and easily installed. Front struts are a bit more, and require more mechanical skill to properly install - as well as a front end alignment after the installation. Any good shop can perform this work for a reasonable price.

Your running temperature should not be lowered while running the AC - if this is indeed happening, I suspect you may have a defective gauge or a loose and/or worn out serpentine belt. Perhaps the AC clutch engaging is tightening up the belt a bit and allowing the water pump to pump a bit better. The belt should be replaced every 60,000 miles or so, but it is pretty tough, and it would not surprise me that your 100,000 mile car still has its original belt. Worst case scenario would be that the water pump needs replacement, but I would have it checked out first.

I confess I don't own a V6, so please note that my knowledge regarding your problems is more general than specific.

I'm pulling for you and your mustang. Anyone buying a car with 100k miles on it should anticipate a few simple repairs (at least!). None of the problems you list are necessarily dramatic. Keep on paying close attention to how it runs, rides and sounds. You don't have to be an expert mechanic to sense something is wrong - and get it fixed - before it becomes a much larger problem.

Let us know how it all turns out. Keep the Mustang!

tripleblack

Originally Posted by ConnieM0221

Hi everyone! I just bought a 1995 Mustang V6 and am experiencing a few problems. It has always been my dream to own a mustang and couldn't afford a new one so got this one. First of all, the steering wheel shimmies when I push the brakes. Mechanic said rotors, does that sound right? It also has a thump, thump sound near right rear tire and when I hit a bump too hard it hits down hard. Mechanic said sounds like bad tire ( which are new) or struts....Could that be it? And now today I noticed the car seemed to be a little hotter than usual....it wasn't in the red zone but close. I checked the water and it is full and when I turned the a/c down it lowered the temperature. What would cause something like that? Other than that the engine is good and quiet and everything else checked out ok. Oh yeah and it is an automatic and has 97,000 miles on it. Can anyone help me save my dream car. My husband wants to get rid of it asap but I think with a little tlc it will be ok after all it was a tradein at a dealership.