2015 Ford Mustang
Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.
Common problems reported on the 2015 Ford Mustang
| Component group | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 69 | 17.2% |
| Electrical System | 60 | 14.9% |
| Service Brakes | 47 | 11.7% |
| Engine | 46 | 11.4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 42 | 10.4% |
| Structure | 41 | 10.2% |
| Power Train | 37 | 9.2% |
| Back Over Prevention | 30 | 7.5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 26 | 6.5% |
| Air Bags | 23 | 5.7% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 20 | 5.0% |
| Steering | 16 | 4.0% |
402 complaints filed between December 29, 2014 and December 20, 2024.
At what mileage the Ford Mustang failed
| Component group | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 17,000 | 37 |
| Service Brakes | 13,000 | 27 |
| Engine | 23,500 | 36 |
| Exterior Lighting | 37,000 | 26 |
| Structure | 36,385 | 26 |
| Power Train | 11,000 | 28 |
| Back Over Prevention | 42,000 | 17 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 36,000 | 15 |
| Air Bags | 35,100 | 17 |
Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 34,000 miles, with the middle half falling between 9,963 and 56,000. Based on the 254 complaints (63%) that record a mileage.
A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.
How this mix compares with other model years
| Component group | Here | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 11.4% | 16.6% |
| Electrical System | 14.9% | 13.4% |
| Power Train | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 17.2% | 10.2% |
| Service Brakes | 11.7% | 6.4% |
| Steering | 4.0% | 6.2% |
| Air Bags | 5.7% | 5.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6.5% | 4.5% |
This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.
Parts named by name
| Part | Complaints | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|
| Structure: Body | 34 | 40,000 |
| Exterior Lighting: Brake Lights: Switch | 29 | 41,500 |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | 8 | — |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages: Doors: Latch | 8 | — |
Most filers pick a category and stop there; only 27% of this model year’s complaints name a specific part. This table is that minority, so treat it as detail on top of the distribution above rather than as the whole picture. A dash means too few of those complaints record a mileage to publish a median.
How serious the complaints were
- 6.2% Crash reported 25 of 402
- 1.2% Fire reported 5 of 402
- 3.0% Injury reported 12 of 402
- 0.0% Death reported 0 of 402
Reported across all complaints on file: 19 injuries and 0 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.
Recall campaigns
11 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.
25V614000 Seat Belts: Pretensioner September 12, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.
Consequence: A corroded cable can break, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining an occupant, and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both front seat belt anchor pretensioner assemblies, as necessary. In addition, dealers will remove sections of the carpet and underlayment that contact the cables. Dealers will also inspect the A-pillar sealing patches, and as necessary, install A-pillar body plugs, and/or inspect and replace the front outboard seat bolts. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed October 20, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S92. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov September 17, 2025.
Campaign covered 332,778 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
25V572000 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera September 3, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Consequence: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driverâs view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
Campaign covered 1,456,417 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
22V082000 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera February 16, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera wiring may be loose or damaged, which can result in a blank or distorted image.
Consequence: A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the decklid wiring harness and/or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2022 and June 26, 2023. Remedy parts are expected to become available in the 4th Quarter of 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S06.
Campaign covered 330,784 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
22V011000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals and Linkages January 13, 2022
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 Mustang vehicles originally sold or ever registered, in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Hawaii. Exposure to certain environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, high humidity, and salt air can cause the brake pedal bumper to corrode and separate from the brake pedal.
Consequence: A separated brake pedal bumper can cause the brake lights to illuminate continuously, causing confusion to other drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. On automatic transmission vehicles, a missing brake pedal bumper can allow the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake pedal bumpers and clutch pedal bumpers, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on March 4, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 13, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S02.
Campaign covered 199,085 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
20V331000 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Doors: Latch June 8, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, 2015 Mustang, 2013-2015 Escape and C-Max, 2012-2015 Focus, 2014-2016 Transit Connect, 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ, and 2015 MKC vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly. A component within the door latches may break making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the latch date codes to confirm if the repair was done correctly, and replace the side door latches if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to inspect their own vehicle's door latches and enter the date codes into a website to determine if the latches are correct. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S30.
Campaign covered 2,147,323 vehicles across model years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V779000 Engine and Engine Cooling: Cooling System: Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings October 26, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles manufactured February 24, 2015, to August 30, 2016. A hose may separate from the engine oil cooler tube assembly causing an oil leak.
Consequence: A sudden loss of engine oil may cause engine failure, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, an oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil cooler tube assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S40.
Campaign covered 6,582 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V643000 Latches/Locks/Linkages: Doors: Latch September 6, 2016
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus, 2013-2015 Ford Escape and Ford C-MAX, 2015 Lincoln MKC and Ford Mustang, and 2014-2016 Ford Transit Connect vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, preventing the doors from latching and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the door latches with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S30.
Campaign covered 2,046,297 vehicles across model years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V832000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Disc: Caliper December 10, 2015
Roush Performance Products, Inc. (Roush) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang GT Roush Stage 3 vehicles manufactured April 1, 2015, to October 31, 2015, and equipped with Roush Extreme Duty Half Shafts. The affected vehicles have a brake caliper guide pin that may not have been sufficiently tightened during installation of the half shafts. As a result, the caliper guide pin may loosen while driving, reducing the vehicle's rear braking ability.
Consequence: A partial loss of the rear braking system can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Roush will notify owners, and Roush-authorized Ford dealers will tighten the caliper guide pin to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began in February 2016. Owners may contact Roush customer service at 1-800-597-6874.
Campaign covered 461 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V339000 Fuel System, Gasoline: Storage: Tank Assembly June 2, 2015
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured February 14, 2014, to February 10, 2015, and equipped with 2.3L engines. Prolonged exposure to elevated underbody temperatures can cause degradation of the fuel tank and/or fuel vapor lines, which may eventually result in a fuel leak. In addition, this condition could cause seals in the parking brake cable to degrade, potentially affecting parking brake function.
Consequence: If the vehicle experiences a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source it can, increase the risk of a vehicle fire. Reduced parking brake function could potentially result in unexpected vehicle movement, which may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank shield, add thermal patches to the fuel tank and parking brake cable, and add thermal wraps to the fuel vapor lines. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 9, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S19.
Campaign covered 19,095 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
14V774000 Fuel System, Gasoline December 5, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured September 25, 2014, to October 9, 2014. The fuel pressure sensor may not have been seated properly to the fuel jumper line, which may cause a fuel leak.
Consequence: A partially seated fuel pressure sensor could cause a fuel odor or a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel jumper line, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S27.
Campaign covered 712 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
14V649000 Seat Belts October 17, 2014
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured August 18, 2014, to October 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the passenger safety belt tension sensor may misclassify the size of the front passenger seat occupant. This could cause a child size occupant to be classified as an adult and an adult passenger to be classified as a child passenger. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: If the tension sensor misclassifies the front passenger, improper passenger air bag deployment may occur, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger safety belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14C08.
Campaign covered 55 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
NCAP crash-test ratings
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Ford Mustang C RWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | 5 |
| 2015 Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Ratings are out of 5 stars.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first.
Electrical system
Related complaint groups: Electrical System (60), Exterior Lighting (42)
With the car parked
- With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
- Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
- Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
- Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
- Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.
On the road
- Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
- A second hot start after the drive.
Red flags
- A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
- Signs of water ingress
- Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
- Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause
Brakes
Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (47)
With the car parked
- Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
- Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
- Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
- Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
- Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.
On the road
- First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
- Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
- Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
- The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
- A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
- The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.
After the drive
- Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.
Red flags
- The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
- An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
- Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads
Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.
Engine and cooling system
Related complaint groups: Engine (46)
Come to a cold car. A warmed-up engine hides a hard start, smoke and knocking. If the car is already warm, that is a yellow flag: ask for 30–40 minutes to let it cool. A refusal to let it cool is a red flag.
With the car parked
- Oil: level, color, consistency. Level above maximum plus a smell of fuel on the dipstick means the oil is being diluted with fuel.
- A whitish film on the oil filler cap alone is usually condensation from short trips in cold weather, not cause for alarm. What matters is the dipstick: a coffee-with-milk emulsion on the dipstick requires serious further inspection. A further indication is coolant hoses that are hard and under excess pressure.
- Coolant: level, color, no oil film. Open the reservoir only on a fully cooled engine.
- Leaks: under the engine, along the sump seam, around the valve cover, along the hoses and the radiator.
On the road and after
- Cold start: how long the starter cranks, smoke in the first seconds, knocking that goes away as it warms up.
- Temperature over the whole drive. Idle with the air conditioning on: the fan should cut in and the needle should not climb.
- After the drive, switch off, wait a couple of minutes and look for fresh drips under the car.
Red flags
- A freshly washed engine bay on a high-mileage car
- Thick white smoke after warm-up
- Temperature climbing in traffic
Automatic transmission
Related complaint groups: Power Train (37)
Checking the fluid level during an inspection is usually not possible — many cars need a lift, some have no dipstick at all, and Honda’s procedure differs from the rest. So this assessment is built on behavior, not on fluid.
With the car parked
- Move the selector P → R → D and back with the brake held. Each engagement should be a soft nudge, without a thump and without delay. Repeat two or three times in each direction.
On the road
- Shifts without noticeable delay or thump, both under acceleration and when slowing down.
- Pay particular attention to the 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 transitions — they carry the most load.
- Hard acceleration at full throttle: the revs should not flare without the car gaining speed.
- On a CVT the revs should rise smoothly, without steps, droning or jerking.
Questions for the seller
- Has the fluid been changed, and is there proof. Regular changes are a substantial plus for the car; their absence at high mileage is reason for caution.
Red flags
- A stored transmission fault code (a scan tool is worth having)
- Slipping under load in any form
- Recently cleared codes with no explanation
- The seller offering to "just change the fluid" when it is black and burnt — that is cosmetic cover over wear that has already happened
Cost if it needs work: Expensive. The most expensive of the likely assemblies; a repair is often comparable to the value of the car.
Axles and CV joints
Related complaint groups: Power Train (37)
With the car parked
- Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.
On the road
- Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
- Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.
Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.
Airbags and the VIN recall check
Related complaint groups: Air Bags (23), Seat Belts (6)
The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.
Required procedure
- Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
- Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
- A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
- An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.
Inspection
- The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
- Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
- Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.
Suspension, control arms, steering
Related complaint groups: Steering (16), Suspension (8)
With the car parked
- Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
- Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
- Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.
On the road
- Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
- Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.
Red flags
- Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
- A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
- One control arm noticeably newer than the rest
Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.
The Ford Mustang year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Median mileage | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 462 | 21,672 | 4 |
| 2012 | 464 | 23,000 | 6 |
| 2015 (this page) | 402 | 34,000 | 11 |
| 2016 | 324 | 33,750 | 5 |
Read the mileage column down this table with care. A newer year has simply been driven less, so its median sits lower for that reason alone — the figure is censored from above by how long the cars have been on the road, not only by how they were built. The same applies to the complaint counts: an older year has had more years in which to collect them.
Where the mileage figure does compare cleanly is between different models of the same year, which have had the same time to accumulate miles.