Powertrain, electrical system, and service brakes issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Generally regarded as the most iconic sports car ever, the Ford Mustang has been produced without a break since 1964. It started strong, with more than half a million cars sold in the first 1965 model year. Sales increased to over 600,000 in 1966 and dropped to just below half a million in 1967.
Sales have continued to drop since then, dipping under 100,000 for the first time in 1991. They haven’t topped 100,000 since 2016, and totaled only 75,842 in 2018, the year Ford announced it had sold a total of 10 million Mustangs over the years. Sales of the 2021 model are a mere 52,384 units.
Complaints to the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveal some interesting statistics. For instance, there are 452 complaints about the 2011 model, which racked up relatively low sales of 70,438. There are also 5 recalls for this model, all of which relate to airbag issues, including the danger of them exploding.
There are 117 complaints about the 2017 model, though oddly, not a single one about the 2018 model. As it stands right now, there are 39 complaints about the 2019 model, 24 about 2020, and 5 that relate to the 2021 model. We are going to look at these more closely, focusing on complaints about the regular Mustang and not the new Mach-E.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2019 2020
Complaints about the 2021 Ford Mustang address issues relating to the brakes and clutch, seatbelts, structure, and visibility. Two of the 5 complaints, one about visibility and the other about the structure of the vehicle, relate specifically to the Mustang Mach-E. We’re going to look at the 3 remaining complaints.
Surprisingly, with the Mustang’s airbag issues over the years, and 2 recalls due to the risk of malfunctioning airbags, there are no complaints about its airbags.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Power Train | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Steering |
This complaint states that when the car registers “driver assist” on the clutch, “It auto revs the throttle and is extremely inconsistent.” The Mustang owner reports that the problem is with the clutch and brake pedal. “Releasing (the) brake pedal causes (the) engine to rev anywhere from 900-1500 rpm. Problem is driving in (a) slow traffic scenario when you have to two-foot clutch and brake. Engine will want to take off. I have had almost two near rear-end collisions. The rev is uncontrollably inconsistent.
“One example: I was following a car running 2 miles per hour in an alley. Not following that close. At normal idle, the Mustang is about 5 miles per hour so I was catching them. I pushed (the) clutch and brake to slow down. Then I released the pedals (and) the car unexpectedly surged forward. The problem wouldn’t be so bad if it were consistent or would be disabled if the car is already moving.”
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When the complainant’s Mustang had about 1,000 miles on the clock, he noticed that when going any faster than 50 mph, the rear-view mirror would vibrate. The dealer replaced the mirror 3 times. The mechanic also installed a new driveshaft, but the failure persisted.
According to the complaint, the owner “notified the manufacturer and was informed that the vibration was a characteristic of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired.”
A very new owner of a 2021 Ford Mustang has a complaint that the seat belts creep up the neck while in use. The car had only 10 miles on the clock when it happened.
The complaint states that “the driver’s and passenger’s side seat belts would remain positioned on the occupant’s neck area instead of the shoulder region.”
“After securing the seat belts, the strap would move from the occupant’s shoulder area and rest on the occupant’s neck.”
The owner contacted the local dealer who was not able to determine the cause of the failure
The problems you have with your 2021 Ford Mustang may be completely different from those described in complaints on records with the NHTSA. But if they recur or affect the safety or use of your car, you might have a lemon on your hands.
If you suspect you have bought a lemon, the best course of action is to contact a reputable legal firm like Lemberg Law that handles lemon law cases. If you call our Helpline, we will evaluate your case at no charge.
We have helped many car owners get settlement deals for faulty, malfunctioning vehicles. These include replacement vehicles and cash settlements. If we go to court, Ford’s going to have to pay the legal bills in terms of the law.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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