CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2026 Ford Mustang

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 5 safety complaints about the 2026 Ford Mustang with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 1 complaint, 20% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2026 to July 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

5 complaints on file

5

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 · 20%
ENGINE 1 · 20%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 20%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 20%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 · 20%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 20%
WHEELS 1 · 20%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 5.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2026 Ford MUSTANG, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 2 DR N/A RWD C N/A RWD
Overall Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated
Frontal, driver Not rated
Frontal, passenger Not rated
Side crash Not rated
Side barrier Not rated
Side pole Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 7.9% 7.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

26V548000 · August 25, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
The risk
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed September 4, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 10,001 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

26V547000 · August 25, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Mustang vehicles. The engine compartment wiring harness ground connections may fracture and result in a loss of drive power, or a loss of function in the windshield washing system, headlights, air conditioning, or engine cooling fan. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment," and 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
The risk
A loss of driver power increases the risk of a crash. In addition, a loss of headlight function or windshield washing system function can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the engine compartment wiring harness ground terminals, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 31, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in March 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C40. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 148,663 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

26V418000 · June 30, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Mustang and 2025-2026 Mustang GTD vehicles. During certain cold temperature conditions, the windshield wipers may function only at their high-speed setting and the washing system may fail to function properly.
The risk
Windshield wipers or a washing system that fails to function as intended can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper motor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C32. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 2, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 67,842 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

26V205000 · March 31, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power.
The risk
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S23. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 278 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE

25V828000 · December 1, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair, and 2025 Maverick vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
The risk
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components increases the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in engine seizure and loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly, free of charge. All affected vehicles are still within dealership inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 24, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 6 vehicles across all model years covered

Compare

Other years of the Ford Mustang

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 14 6
2024 73 12
2023 15 6
2022 49 9
2021 55 6
2020 118 8
2019 146 6
2018 187 3
2017 264 6
2016 373 5 2
2015 436 11
2014 359 3
2013 271 5
2012 469 6 1
2011 466 4
2010 260 5 2

Other 2026 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 357 vehicles, 1222 recall campaigns and 11 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst