Sign inCreate free garage
Research · Subcompact Cars

2013 Ford MustangRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 271 owner complaints for the 2013 Ford Mustang. Most complaints involve air bags (145) and power train (48). The EPA rates it 18–23 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
18–23mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Feb 2021
Owner complaints
271
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,800est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Ford 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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 7, 2019NHTSA 19V001000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 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 (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2009 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 11, 2018NHTSA 18V046000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveRemedy pending

Ford 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 air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Air bagsReported May 28, 2015NHTSA 15V319000
See all 6 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

271 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jun 2012 – May 2026
  1. Air bags145
  2. Power train48
  3. Engine22
  4. Vehicle speed control19
  5. Electrical system18
  6. Steering10
  7. Fuel/propulsion system10
  8. Structure8
  9. Suspension6

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

By model year

Complaints for each Mustang model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996304
1997230
1998320
1999297
2000446
2001280
2002209
2003271
2004130
2005868
2006575
2007615
2008347
2009181
2010261
2011466
2012469
2013271
2014359
2015439
2016380
2017268
2018196
2019152
2020122
202155
202250
202315
202485
202520
20268
Crashes reported
16
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
9
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

145 reports9 crashes1 fire
“The contact owned a 2013 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another driver failed to yield while entering the roadway, abruptly cutting in front of the contact's vehicle. As a result, the contact was unable to stop in time and collided with the rear driver's side passenger door of the other vehicle. The driver's side air bag did deploy but failed to inflate, which the contact related to the injuries he sustained as a result of the accident. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact did not immediately seek medical attention but later transported himself to an area hospital and was treated for a concussion, neck pain, and back pain. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2025Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11683199

Power train

48 reports2 crashes
“I have a 2013 ford mustang with 6R80 transmission as my wife was driving down the high way the suddenly shift down to 1 or second at 65 miles per hour and the car skidded out of control almost killing her and the people in the other lain I checked on recalls for this problem and I am getting conflicting answer. It says that some mustang have been recalled for the TCM and most all 6R80 transmission in the f150 and a couple other Ford vehicals that support the same transmission. My question is why would my 2013 ford mustang not be in the recall when clearly when I resurch it there is many issues out there with this car and TCM. Is this a wait until someone gets killed by the grace of God no one was hurt in my wife's situation and the car has to be parked until something is done to it so it doesn't happen again but like any dealer ship they want a very large amount of money to repair or replace the TCM. AKA lead frame is what I am told. I would like an answer on why this has been over looked please. Thank you God bless.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2026Power trainODI 11735968

Engine

22 reports1 fire
“The coolant reservoir on my vehicle has been replaced now 4 times with the first time being under 5000 on vehicle. The vehicle now has 96000. The same issue happens each time with a crack in the reservoir.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2024EngineODI 11581789
All 2013 Mustang problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Subcompact Cars
Engines
3.7L 6-cyl · 5.0L 8-cyl · 5.8L 8-cyl supercharged
Transmissions
Automatic 6-spd · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Mustang
Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
193023$2,800386
Mustang Convertible
Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
192923$2,800392
Mustang
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
192922$2,900403
Mustang
Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182520$3,200438
Mustang
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162519$3,400473
Mustang
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.8 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
152418$4,400490
  • Mustang
    Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L
    19 city · 30 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Mustang Convertible
    Auto 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L
    19 city · 29 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Mustang
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.7 L
    19 city · 29 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Mustang
    Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.0 L
    18 city · 25 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Mustang
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.0 L
    16 city · 25 hwy · $3,400/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Mustang
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.8 L, Sup Charg
    15 city · 24 hwy · $4,400/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
4 of 5
Side pole
4 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
8.7%
Overall
— / 5
Ford Mustang C RWD
Frontal crash
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
8.7%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 7021Vehicle 7020
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2013 Mustang questions

How many recalls does the 2013 Ford Mustang have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2013 Ford Mustang problems?

Owners filed 271 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (145), power train (48), engine (22). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2013 Ford Mustang get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Ford Mustang at 18–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

How safe is the 2013 Ford Mustang?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2013 Ford Mustang 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026