2002 FORD MUSTANG Owners Manual

What the Board needs
To have your case reviewed you must complete the
application in the DSB brochure and mail it to the
address provided on the application form. Some
states will require you to use certified mail, with
return receipt requested.
Your application is reviewed and, if it is determined
to be eligible, you will receive an acknowledgment
indicating:
²The file number assigned to your application.
²The toll-free phone number of the DSB's
independent administrator.
Your dealership and a Ford Motor Company
representative will then be asked to submit
statements.
To properly review your case, the Board needs the
following information:
²Legible copies of all documents and maintenance
or repair orders relevant to the case.
²The year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) listed on your vehicle ownership
license.
²The date of repair(s) and mileage at the time of
occurrence(s).
²The current mileage.
²The name of the dealer(s) who sold or serviced
the vehicle.
²A brief description of your unresolved concern.
²A brief summary of the action taken by the
dealer(s) and Ford Motor Company.
²The names (if known) of all the people you
contacted at the dealership(s).
²A description of the action you expect to resolve
your concern.
You will receive a letter of explanation if your
application does not qualify for Board review.
Customer Assistance
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Oral presentations
If you would like to make an oral presentation,
indicate YES to question 6 on the application. While
it is your right to make an oral presentation before
the Board, this is not a requirement and the Board
will decide the case whether or not an oral
presentation is made. An oral presentation may be
requested by the Board as well.
Making a decision
Board members review all available information
related to each complaint, including oral
presentations, and arrive at a fair and impartial
decision. Board review may be terminated at any
time by either party.
Every effort is made to decide the case within 40
days of the date that all requested information is
received by the Board. Since the Board generally
meets once a month, it may take longer for the
Board to consider some cases.
After a case is reviewed, the Board mails you a
decision letter and a form on which to accept or
reject the Board's decision. The decisions of the
Board are binding on Ford (and, in some cases, on
the dealer) but not on consumers who are free to
pursue other remedies available to them under state
or federal law.
To Request a DSB Brochure/Application
For a brochure/application, speak to your dealer or
write/call to the Board at the following
address/phone number:
Dispute Settlement Board
P.O. Box 5120
Southfield, MI 48086±5120
1±800±428±3718
Customer Assistance
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You may also contact the North American Customer
Relationship Center at 1-800-392-3673 (Ford), TDD
for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952 or by
writing to the Center at the following address:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121
UTILIZING THE MEDIATION/ARBITRATION
PROGRAM (CANADA ONLY)
In those cases where you continue to feel that the
efforts by Ford and the dealer to resolve a
factory-related vehicle service concern have been
unsatisfactory, Ford of Canada participates in an
impartial third party mediation/arbitration program
administered by the Canadian Motor Vehicle
Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP).
The CAMVAP program is a straight-forward and
relatively speedy alternative to resolve a
disagreement when all other efforts to produce a
settlement have failed. This procedure is without
cost to you and is designed to eliminate the need for
lengthy and expensive legal proceedings.
In the CAMVAP program, impartial third-party
arbitrators conduct hearings at mutually convenient
times and places in an informal environment. These
impartial arbitrators review the positions of the
parties, make decisions and, when appropriate,
render awards to resolve disputes. CAMVAP
decisions are fast, fair, and final; the arbitrator's
award is binding both to you and Ford of Canada.
CAMVAP services are available in all territories and
provinces. For more information, without charge or
obligation, call your CAMVAP Provincial
Administrator directly at 1-800-207-0685.
Customer Assistance
187

GETTING ASSISTANCE OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND
CANADA
Before exporting your vehicle to a foreign country,
contact the appropriate foreign embassy or
consulate. These officials can inform you of local
vehicle registration regulations and where to find
unleaded fuel.
If you cannot find unleaded fuel or can only get fuel
with an anti-knock index lower than is
recommended for your vehicle, contact a district or
owner relations/customer relationship office.
The use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without
proper conversion may damage the effectiveness of
your emission control system and may cause engine
knocking or serious engine damage. Ford Motor
Company/Ford of Canada is not responsible for any
damage caused by use of improper fuel.
In the United States, using leaded fuel may also
result in difficulty importing your vehicle back into
the U.S.
If your vehicle must be serviced while you are
traveling or living in Central or South America, the
Caribbean, or the Middle East, contact the nearest
Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot help you,
write or call:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
WORLDWIDE DIRECT MARKET OPERATIONS
1555 Fairlane Drive
Fairlane Business Park #3
Allen Park, Michigan 48101
U.S.A.
Telephone: (313) 594-4857
FAX: (313) 390-0804
If you are in another foreign country, contact the
nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership employees
cannot help you, they can direct you to the nearest
Ford affiliate office.
Customer Assistance
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If you buy your vehicle in North America and then
relocate outside of the U.S. or Canada, register your
vehicle identification number (VIN) and new address
with Ford Motor Company Worldwide Direct Market
Operations.
ORDERING ADDITIONAL OWNER'S
LITERATURE
To order the publications in this portfolio, contact
Helm, Incorporated at:
HELM, INCORPORATED
P.O. Box 07150
Detroit, Michigan 48207
Or call:
For a free publication catalog, order toll free:
1-800-782-4356
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST
(Items in this catalog may be purchased by credit
card holders only.)
Obtaining a French owner's guide
French Owner's Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.
Customer Assistance
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IN CALIFORNIA (U.S. ONLY)
California Civil Code Section 1793.2(d) requires that,
if a manufacturer or its representative is unable to
repair a motor vehicle to conform to the vehicle's
applicable express warranty after a reasonable
number of attempts, the manufacturer shall be
required to either replace the vehicle with one
substantially identical or repurchase the vehicle and
reimburse the buyer in an amount equal to the
actual price paid or payable by the consumer (less a
reasonable allowance for consumer use). The
consumer has the right to choose whether to receive
a refund or replacement vehicle.
California Civil Code Section 1793.22(b) presumes
that the manufacturer has had a reasonable number
of attempts to conform the vehicle to its applicable
express warranties if, within the first 18 months of
ownership of a new vehicle or the first 29 000 km
(18 000 miles), whichever occurs first:
1. Two or more repair attempts are made on the
same nonconformity likely to cause death or serious
bodily injury OR
2. Four or more repair attempts are made on the
same nonconformity (a defect or condition that
substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the
vehicle) OR
3. The vehicle is out of service for repair of
nonconformities for a total of more than 30 calendar
days (not necessarily all at one time)
In the case of 1 or 2 above, the consumer must also
notify the manufacturer of the need for the repair of
the nonconformity at the following address:
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
Mail Drop 3NE-B
Dearborn, MI 48126
Customer Assistance
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REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (U.S. ONLY)
If you believe that your
vehicle has a defect
which could cause a
crash, or could cause
injury or death, you
should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying
Ford Motor Company.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual problems between
you, your dealer or Ford Motor Company.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1±800±424±9393
(202±366±0123 in the Washington D.C. area) or
write to:
NHTSA
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the Hotline.
Customer Assistance
191

WASHING THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR VEHICLE
Never wash a vehicle
that is ªhot to the
touchº or during
exposure to strong,
direct sunlight. It is
recommended that you
wash your vehicle
regularly with cool or
lukewarm water and a
neutral Ph shampoo, such as Detail Wash (ZC-3±A),
which is available from your authorized Ford,
Lincoln or Mercury dealer. Always use a clean
sponge or carwash mitt with plenty of water for best
results. Dry the vehicle with a chamois or soft terry
cloth towel in order to eliminate water spotting.
Never use strong household detergents or soap,
such as dish washing or laundry liquid. These
products can discolor and spot painted
surfaces.
It is especially important to wash the vehicle
regularly during winter months, as dirt and road salt
are difficult to remove and do cause damage to the
vehicle.
Items such as gasoline, diesel fuel, bird droppings
and insect deposits should be washed and sponged
off as soon as possible. Deposits not removed
promptly can cause damage to the vehicle's
paintwork and trim over time.
Remove any exterior accessories, such as
antennas, before entering a car wash.
PROTECTING THE PAINT FINISH OF YOUR
VEHICLE
Applying a polymer paint sealant to your vehicle on
a regular basis will assist in reducing minor
scratches and paint damage.
Cleaning
192