Problems · by component

2008 Ford Mustang power train problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Mustang cite power train, 9% of all 347 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
9% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“As I’m driving the wrench light comes on and keeps coming on after a couple minutes of driving the car and when I talk to everyone or even mustang forms they keep saying the car is going into limp mode and almost causing crashes, every time we scan for codes the car won’t tell us anything you turn the car off and the light goes away for awhile but eventually turns back on.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2021Power trainODI 11426102
“2008 MUSTANG WITH TREMEC 3650 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WAS ON HIGHWAY DOWNSHIFTING FROM 5TH INTO 4TH TO PASS ANOTHER CAR WHICH ABRUPTLY ENTERED MY LANE WHEN CAR WENT INTO 2ND, LOCKED REAR END AND SPUN CAR, CAUSING ME TO CRASH ON SIDE OF ROAD. CAR WAS TOTALED, LUCKILY I WAS UNHARMED DUE TO SIDE AIRBAGS. THIS 4TH TO 2ND GEAR LOCKOUT HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES ALTHOUGH AT SURFACE STREET SPEEDS SO WAS ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL. CA HIGHWAY PARTOL REPORT #9645.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2020Power trainCrash reportedODI 11349330
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, I CHANGED GEARS (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) AND THE CLUTCH FAILED TO ENGAGE PROPERLY AND ENGINE RPM SPIKED DRAMATICALLY. WHEN THE CLUTCH FINALLY ENGAGED I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE. THE CAR WILL NOT MAINTAIN SPEED, AND ENGINE RPMS SPIKE CONTINUALLY REGARDLESS OF GEAR/SPEED. THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE SITUATION NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE WITH THE FACTORY-INSTALLED CLUTCH ON THE 2007-2009 SHELBY GT500S, BUT HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL AND PASSES ON THE REPAIR COST TO CONSUMERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2019Power trainODI 11277485
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR INDICATOR WAS FRACTURED, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO KNOW THE GEAR SHIFTER POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2019Power trainODI 11229626
“THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY BROKE AT ONE OF THE WELDS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET. THE PEDAL LOST TOTAL FUNCTION AND FELL TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T SHIFT GEARS. WHILE STILL IN MOTION, I ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE PEDAL UP USING THE TOP OF MY FOOT. THE PEDAL THEN REVERTED ALL THE WAY UP UNDER THE DASH AND COULD NOT BE REACHED AT ALL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST LOT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2017Power trainODI 10983364
“THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY WENT OUT AND AT THE SAME TIME THE BRAKING SYSTEM WENT OUT. THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED INTO THE DASH. I WAS IN THE MOTION OF MAKING A RIGHT TURN ON A CITY STREET.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2016Power train, Service brakesODI 10909545

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2008 Mustang problem areas