This apparently is a common problem and an engineering failure. I did not know this until it occurred, but the cowl drains plug up resulting in water intrusion that runs down the wiring loom and into the Smart Junction Box (Body controller) that controls everything electrical in the car. I discovered this hard way after a particularly rainy day when I got out of the car and found a single brake lamp lit. Research online indicated the SJB and upon unplugging it I found water in the unit shorting it out. After drying the box was completely dead and the car is effectively not driveable as it has no lights, turn signals, gauges, etc..
I learned that currently Ford has 107 of those SJB on back order and the supplier gives a restock date of potential 12-23. Having been around this stuff a long time and after hearing from the usual preferred aftermarket supplier that they've had them on order for nearly a year i'm guessing that delivery date won't be met. That means that potentially there are 100 Mustangs disabled either entirely or partially at this moment and some likely have been for months. Mine has only been down 2 weeks, but apparently that's just the start of it unless I can find a used one.
All of the above makes me serious question EVER buying another ford again. Though irritated that what is clearly an engineering flaw has caused the issue I can forgive that as the car is not new and I am not the original owner. I can excuse the 500 bucks that it would cost to repair even, but i'm having a VERY difficult time comprehending how months delays in parts supply for a critical component is even remotely acceptable in cars that are at most 10 years old. I'd love to hear from anyone else in the same boat as i'd really like to make a public spectacle out of this as a group if possible. Ford should be ashamed of themselves.
Build the F***ing parts so we can fix our cars and redesign them to stop this before one of them quits on the highway and someone is killed. Quite possibly the WORST parts experience I have ever had. I did not buy this car to hold down the garage floor.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This apparently is a common problem and an engineering failure. I did not know this until it occurred, but the cowl drains plug up resulting in water intrusion that runs down the wiring loom and into the Smart Junction Box (Body controller) that controls everything electrical in the car. I discovered this hard way after a particularly rainy day when I got out of the car and found a single brake lamp lit. Research online indicated the SJB and upon unplugging it I found water in the unit shorting it out. After drying the box was completely dead and the car is effectively not driveable as it has no lights, turn signals, gauges, etc..
I learned that currently Ford has 107 of those SJB on back order and the supplier gives a restock date of potential 12-23. Having been around this stuff a long time and after hearing from the usual preferred aftermarket supplier that they've had them on order for nearly a year i'm guessing that delivery date won't be met. That means that potentially there are 100 Mustangs disabled either entirely or partially at this moment and some likely have been for months. Mine has only been down 2 weeks, but apparently that's just the start of it unless I can find a used one.
All of the above makes me serious question EVER buying another ford again. Though irritated that what is clearly an engineering flaw has caused the issue I can forgive that as the car is not new and I am not the original owner. I can excuse the 500 bucks that it would cost to repair even, but i'm having a VERY difficult time comprehending how months delays in parts supply for a critical component is even remotely acceptable in cars that are at most 10 years old. I'd love to hear from anyone else in the same boat as i'd really like to make a public spectacle out of this as a group if possible. Ford should be ashamed of themselves.
Build the F***ing parts so we can fix our cars and redesign them to stop this before one of them quits on the highway and someone is killed. Quite possibly the WORST parts experience I have ever had. I did not buy this car to hold down the garage floor.
- Marc B., SAMMAMISH, WA, US