2012 Ford Mustang: owner complaints and recalls

Complaints about the 2012 Ford Mustang include 1 report of a fatality, alongside 20 crashes and 2 fires across 469 filings.

469
Complaints
7
Recalls
20
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
9
Injuries
43.5
Severity index

Severity index 43.5 - Medium. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 43.5p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2012 Ford Mustang sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Ford Mustang ranks 94 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 27% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.

What actually fails

Power TrainPower Train: 177 complaints (37.7%)177 38%Air BagsAir Bags: 158 complaints (33.7%)158 34%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 35 complaints (7.5%)35 7%EngineEngine: 30 complaints (6.4%)30 6%StructureStructure: 23 complaints (4.9%)23 5%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 21 complaints (4.5%)21 4%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 18 complaints (3.8%)18 4%SuspensionSuspension: 16 complaints (3.4%)16 3%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
POWER TRAIN17737.7%
AIR BAGS15833.7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL357.5%
ENGINE306.4%
STRUCTURE234.9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM214.5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM183.8%
SUSPENSION163.4%

Complaints filed per year

049982011: 662012: 312013: 372014: 322015: 562016: 982017: 572018: 362019: 222020: 72021: 72022: 72023: 42024: 42025: 42026: 1 (partial year)1112131415169817181920212223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
201166
201231
201337
201432
201556
201698
201757
201836
201922
20207
20217
20227
20234
20244
20254
2026 (year to date)1
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V00100007/01/2019AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saip
17V02400010/01/2017AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam,
15V31900028/05/2015AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal
16V24800027/04/2016POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless
12V19000003/05/2012POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK,
21V08100016/02/2021AIR BAGS:FRONTALFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air
21E01300016/02/2021AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Musta
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.