Research · complaint index
Ford Mustang years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 31 model years of the Ford Mustang by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2005, 2015 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 8 | — | 5 | 2 | Too new to judge |
| 2025 | 20 | 10 | 0.6 | 6 | 1 | Typical |
| 2024 | 85 | 28 | 1.6 | 12 | 5 | Typical |
| 2023 | 15 | 4 | 0.2 | 6 | 5 | Fewest complaints |
| 2022 | 50 | 10 | 0.6 | 9 | 4 | Typical |
| 2021 | 55 | 9 | 0.5 | 6 | 4 | Typical |
| 2020 | 122 | 17 | 1.0 | 8 | 13 | Typical |
| 2019 | 152 | 19 | 1.1 | 6 | 3 | Typical |
| 2018 | 196 | 22 | 1.2 | 4 | 8 | Typical |
| 2017 | 268 | 27 | 1.5 | 6 | 14 | Typical |
| 2016 | 380 | 35 | 2.0 | 5 | 13 | Typical |
| 2015 | 439 | 37 | 2.1 | 11 | 26 | Most complaints |
| 2014 | 359 | 28 | 1.6 | 4 | 30 | Typical |
| 2013 | 271 | 19 | 1.1 | 6 | 16 | Typical |
| 2012 | 469 | 31 | 1.8 | 7 | 20 | Typical |
| 2011 | 466 | 29 | 1.7 | 5 | 20 | Typical |
| 2010 | 261 | 15 | 0.9 | 6 | 13 | Typical |
| 2009 | 181 | 10 | 0.6 | 6 | 17 | Typical |
| 2008 | 347 | 18 | 1.0 | 8 | 21 | Typical |
| 2007 | 615 | 31 | 1.8 | 9 | 46 | Typical |
| 2006 | 575 | 27 | 1.6 | 9 | 29 | Typical |
| 2005 | 868 | 39 | 2.3 | 9 | 40 | Most complaints |
| 2004 | 130 | 6 | 0.3 | 6 | 24 | Fewest complaints |
| 2003 | 271 | 11 | 0.6 | 6 | 23 | Typical |
| 2002 | 209 | 8 | 0.5 | 6 | 26 | Fewest complaints |
| 2001 | 280 | 11 | 0.6 | 8 | 53 | Typical |
| 2000 | 446 | 17 | 0.9 | 9 | 66 | Typical |
| 1999 | 297 | 11 | 0.6 | 10 | 56 | Typical |
| 1998 | 320 | 11 | 0.6 | 14 | 51 | Typical |
| 1997 | 230 | 8 | 0.4 | 11 | 19 | Fewest complaints |
| 1996 | 304 | 10 | 0.6 | 12 | 20 | Typical |
- 20268 complaints · 5 recallsToo new to judge
- 202520 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 202485 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
- 202315 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 202250 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 202155 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2020122 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 2019152 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2018196 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2017268 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2016380 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2015439 complaints · 11 recallsMost complaints
- 2014359 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2013271 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2012469 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
- 2011466 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2010261 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2009181 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2008347 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 2007615 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 2006575 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 2005868 complaints · 9 recallsMost complaints
- 2004130 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 2003271 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2002209 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 2001280 complaints · 8 recallsTypical
- 2000446 complaints · 9 recallsTypical
- 1999297 complaints · 10 recallsTypical
- 1998320 complaints · 14 recallsTypical
- 1997230 complaints · 11 recallsFewest complaints
- 1996304 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2023, 2004, 1997, 2002.
About this comparison
What Ford Mustang years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2005, 2015 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 31 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.