Ford Mustang: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Ford Mustang problems by model year, from 3,973 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2011 (74%, 249 drivetrain complaints), 2012 (67%, 210 drivetrain complaints) and 2013 (61%, 74 drivetrain complaints). 8 of the 13 Ford Mustang years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 3 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2017 (22%), 2021 (29%) and 2015 (30%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2010 (31%) to 2011 (74%), up 43 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2011 drew the most drivetrain complaints (249 of 1,290 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
2023 has fewer than 25 complaints on record so far, too few to score. Newer cars have had less time to collect complaints.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Ford Mustang year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Mustang | no elevated signal | 31% | 26 | 261 | 9/13 | 6 |
| 2011 Mustang | very high | 74% | 249 | 466 | 1/13 | 5 |
| 2012 Mustang | very high | 67% | 210 | 469 | 2/13 | 7 |
| 2013 Mustang | very high | 61% | 74 | 271 | 3/13 | 6 |
| 2014 Mustang | high | 42% | 48 | 359 | 6/13 | 4 |
| 2015 Mustang | no elevated signal | 30% | 110 | 437 | 11/13 | 11 |
| 2016 Mustang | elevated | 33% | 117 | 378 | 8/13 | 5 |
| 2017 Mustang | no elevated signal | 22% | 53 | 265 | 13/13 | 6 |
| 2018 Mustang | high | 56% | 105 | 193 | 4/13 | 4 |
| 2019 Mustang | high | 55% | 80 | 149 | 5/13 | 6 |
| 2020 Mustang | high | 42% | 47 | 120 | 7/13 | 8 |
| 2021 Mustang | no elevated signal | 29% | 115 | 402 | 12/13 | 6 |
| 2022 Mustang | no elevated signal | 30% | 56 | 188 | 10/13 | 9 |
| 2023 Mustang | too few to score | – | 5 | 15 | – | 6 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Ford Mustang years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Ford Mustang engine and transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns on the Ford Mustang involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 44 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2012 | 12V190000 | power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 2012–2013 |
| Dec 2014 | 14V774000 | fuel system, gasoline | 2015 |
| Jun 2015 | 15V339000 | fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly | 2015 |
| Apr 2016 | 16V248000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2012 |
| Oct 2016 | 16V779000 | engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings | 2015–2017 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V213000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2018 |
| May 2018 | 18E035000 | engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger | 2018 |
| May 2020 | 20V263000 | power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl) | 2019–2020 |
| May 2022 | 22V382000 | power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 2019–2020 |
| Feb 2023 | 23V070000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2022 |
| Jul 2025 | 25V455000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2021–2022 |
33 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2014 | 14V649000 | seat belts | 2015 |
| May 2015 | 15V319000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010–2014 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V707000 | seat belts | 2016 |
| Dec 2015 | 15V832000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2015 |
| May 2016 | 16V384000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2011 |
| Sep 2016 | 16V643000 | latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch | 2015 |
| Jan 2017 | 17V024000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2012 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V168000 | latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch | 2017 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V529000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2017 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V814000 | electrical system: software | 2018 |
| Jan 2018 | 18V046000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2013 |
| Jan 2019 | 19V001000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2014 |
| Feb 2019 | 19V076000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2019 |
| May 2020 | 20V306000 | forward collision avoidance: sensing system: camera | 2020 |
| Jun 2020 | 20V331000 | latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch | 2015 |
| Sep 2020 | 20V573000 | service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages | 2020 |
| Sep 2020 | 20V575000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2020 |
| Feb 2021 | 21E013000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2014 |
| Feb 2021 | 21V081000 | air bags: frontal | 2010–2014 |
| Dec 2021 | 21V980000 | air bags: side/window: curtain | 2021 |
| Jan 2022 | 22V011000 | service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages | 2015 |
| Feb 2022 | 22V082000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2015–2017 |
| Feb 2022 | 22V083000 | air bags: knee bolster | 2021–2022 |
| May 2022 | 22V334000 | forward collision avoidance: sensing system: camera | 2022 |
| Oct 2023 | 23V727000 | electrical system: body control module/bcm | 2020–2022 |
| Jun 2024 | 24V493000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2022 |
| Feb 2025 | 25V096000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2022 |
| Jun 2025 | 25V442000 | back over prevention: software | 2019–2022 |
| Sep 2025 | 25V572000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2015–2019 |
| Sep 2025 | 25V614000 | seat belts: pretensioner | 2015–2017 |
| Oct 2025 | 25V689000 | electrical system: body control module/bcm | 2021–2022 |
| Oct 2025 | 25V695000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2020 |
| Jun 2026 | 26V372000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2019 |
What the free pages leave out on the Ford Mustang
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Ford Mustang
What are the worst years for the Ford Mustang?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Ford Mustang years are the 2011 (74% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2012 (67% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2013 (61% of relevant complaints, very high). 8 of 13 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Ford Mustang?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Ford Mustang years are the 2017 (22%), the 2021 (29%) and the 2015 (30%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Ford Mustang have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 13 scored years, 1,290 of 2,970 relevant NHTSA complaints (43%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Is the Ford Mustang reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 8 of 13 Ford Mustang years we score have an elevated complaint share and 5 do not. Pooled across those years, 43% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Ford Mustang?
Yes. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Ford Mustang years we track, out of 44 in total: 22V382000 (May 2022, 2019–2020), 23V070000 (Feb 2023, 2022), 25V455000 (Jul 2025, 2021–2022), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.