2020 Ford Mustang Complaints

POWER TRAIN — Filed 09/15/2026

Ford has several technical service bulletins on their 10 speed transmission. I have 28,000 miles on my vehicle and need a new transmission. My service manager says that the earlier 10 speeds have issues with some components that are not strong enough, and that current transmissions have been strengthened. He recommended a new transmission rather than a rebuild, because not all of the weaker parts would be replaced with a rebuild. Ford should at least have to pay part of the cost of a new transmission, since their product appears to be defective. Don't have an invoice yet. Transmission on order, but about $9,500.

ENGINE — Filed 09/05/2026

Vehicle has 396 miles on the odometer. While preparing to back up, with the engine idling , the engine shut off without warning and I had no control of the steering and would not restart when I attempted to do so. This could have put anyone behind me at sever risk or maybe caused an accident should I have been on the highway. The car was towed to my Ford Dealer (Varsity Ford, Ann Arbor, MI) and after inspection they informed the engine had a failure and needed to be replaced and gave me a price of $19,900. No other warning lights or messages prior to complete engine failure.

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 08/20/2026

2020 Ford Mustang with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle has a documented history of coolant loss with no visible external leak, consistent with the known coolant-intrusion defect in Ford's 2.3L EcoBoost engines where coolant leaks internally into the cylinders. The vehicle previously threw a cylinder misfire code (P0301) and now shows a crankshaft/camshaft timing correlation fault (P0017). A scan tool confirmed the exhaust camshaft is approximately 18–19 degrees out of correlation. A new variable valve timing oil control solenoid was installed and did NOT resolve the fault, confirming the problem is mechanical — a worn/stretched timing chain. This wear is consistent with the oil dilution and contamination caused by internal coolant intrusion. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center via scan data. The vehicle is available for inspection. Warning symptoms included the check engine light, a loud rattle on cold startup, and occasional hard/no-start conditions. This is a safety concern because internal coolant loss can cause overheating, cylinder head cracking, and potential engine failure or fire while driving. Repair cost quoted at approximately $2,000. Mileage approximately 54,400.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 08/08/2026

I suspect an electrical problem/short is causing my passenger side window to open and close about half an inch uncontrollably. This has been a minor inconvenience but last time it happened, it triggered the passenger door to open when driving. I had to pull over to manually secure the door. Very troubling safety issue.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 07/01/2025

The 10-speed automatic transmission on my 2020 Mustang failed internally at approximately 18,073 miles. The vehicle began shifting harshly at low speeds with an intermittent clunk. While driving, the transmission would slip slightly and then either surge forward or hesitate with a dull thud before engaging. The behavior was unpredictable and worsened over time. No warning lamp ever appeared and no diagnostic trouble codes were stored, so the driver gets no advance notice of this condition. This is a safety hazard when pulling into traffic, turning across an intersection, or merging. When power arrives late, abruptly, or not at all, the driver cannot judge a gap in traffic reliably. An authorized Ford dealer verified the concern on a test drive, confirmed the vehicle failed the CDF clutch cylinder leak test, and documented an internal tapping noise in Drive and Reverse. Fluid level was in spec. The dealer performed Ford TSB 25-2475, which addresses harsh and delayed shifting on this transmission: the unit was removed, torn down on the bench, the CDF cylinder replaced, and the unit reassembled and reinstalled. It did not correct the concern. The dealer's written notes state the concern was still present, the TSB did not cure it, and the transmission has an internal failure requiring replacement. Independent transmission specialists I consulted all recommended full replacement rather than rebuild, citing known problems with this transmission in this model year. Ford has revised multiple technical service bulletins on harsh and delayed shifting for this transmission over several years. My vehicle failed at roughly 18,000 miles, far under the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty limit, but Ford declined assistance because the five-year time limit had passed.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 07/07/2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was unoccupied. The contact inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that the fire was about three inches from the back of the engine, close to the fire wall. The contact used a nearby fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire. The contact stated that upon further inspection of the vehicle, the contact noticed brake fluid on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, however the diagnostic test had not been completed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,331.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 02/27/2026

I had parked my car in a spot at an office building. As I was about to put the vehicle in park it lurched forward going over a standard curb across a sidewalk and then into the brick wall of the building. The air bag did not deploy. The car lurched about ten feet total before hitting the wall.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SEATS — Filed 07/25/2025

On [XXX], I was involved in a front-left collision while driving my 2020 Ford Mustang GT (VIN: [XXX] ) with my [XXX] daughter in the front passenger seat. She weighs approximately [XXX] and was properly seated with her seatbelt fastened. The only airbag that deployed was the driver’s knee airbag. The front passenger airbag did not deploy at all. After the accident, the FordPass system reported multiple “Restraints Indicator Lamp Warning” alerts, all timestamped the day of the crash, stating: “Your Air Bag Warning is on due to an issue with the front passenger air bag system. The front passenger airbag may not work properly.” This alert was not visible on the dashboard prior to the crash and was only discovered after checking the app. This failure of the airbag system placed my daughter at serious risk. A properly seated child passenger of sufficient weight should have been protected. The vehicle had approximately 19,177 miles at the time of the accident and had no prior airbag-related service or known damage. The crash occurred at normal road speed during a left turn when another vehicle impacted my front driver-side area. My vehicle is currently with the insurance company and available for full diagnostic inspection by NHTSA or the manufacturer. The passenger-side OCS and SRS systems should be investigated for sensor failure, deployment failure, or manufacturer defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/02/2025

My wife was pulling into her head-in parking space at work and the brakes did not slow the car down. She pressed the brakes hard. The car went over a curb and hit a fire hydrant. The fire hydrant broke off and the car rolled over it. The car went into the street and she steered it to keep it out of traffic and stopped by using the parking brake. There were no warning lights. The airbag(s) did not deploy. There were no personal injuries. The car was inspected by a repair shop and deemed a total loss. A brake line was damaged during the crash. The repair shop personnel did not think the brakes failed prior to the accident because the master cylinder had fluid in it. No other brake inspections have been done.

AIR BAGS — Filed 04/13/2024

Nun

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 02/01/2024

A 2020 Ford Mustang eco boost premium 2.3L L4 DOHC 16 valve 6-speed manual with push button start convertible top burst into flames on [XXX] at about [XXX]. The entire car and the black box were consumed by flames that spread to my carport, shed and mobile home. From what I read; it might have been designed for a road racing car. I am [XXX] , and requested a small car from Enterprise and this is the only car they had for me. Zero to 60 mph: 4.9–5.7 sec Zero to 100 mph: 13.5–15.5 sec Standing ¼-mile: 13.4–14.3 sec Top speed: 145–155 mph. Why would they have put [XXX] in this car? I drove it as cautiously as I drive my 2011 Taurus. I did nothing to cause this fire. I have reached out to FMC and Enterprise and have finally come to terms that I have to ask for charity to get the home livable. We run a gas generator for one air conditioner, small frig and well pump for water. The roof leaks, the firefighters puled every outlet in the rooms near where the fire entered my home. The electric meter was pulled off my pole as is standard procedure in my county. Now I am begging for a new roof and a new 200 amp box and all new wiring so the county will allow the electric to be connected again. FMC did not design this car well. It caused a disaster for me and my family. I cannot afford a new home, I just want to get this one livable. Entreprises had RIMKUS do a complete investigation which revealed nothing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 02/01/2024

I rented a 2020 Ford Mustang on 01/16/2024. I drove it home and didn't use it until 01/28/2024 for short trip to the grocery store. I waited in the car and kept it running while my daughter shopped. The car shut itself off twice, but there were no red warning lights. So I restarted with the push button, and after the trip drove the car home and parked in my drive. Two days later, on 02/01/2024, the car ignited itself and burned so hot it set the carport, shed and mobile home on fire, in that order. The fire department were called out and saved part of the mobile home. The car was seen going on fire before the structures. The rental car company used a fire investigation company who towed the car (for evidence). However, they have not given me their report.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/31/2023

I drove my car for 22 miles, parked, and after less than one hour we heard a loud noise from the house and upon checking, we noticed the car was on fire. The fire and smoke was coming from underneath the hood (left side). The car had recent software update and the collision detection and traction control were turned-off and unable to turn it back on. Not sure if the software update had anything to do with it, but thought it would be good to mention that. The fire department came out and said it may have been electrical.

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE — Filed 10/28/2022

This 2020 Mustang GT VIN# [XXX] with 9,600 miles was a total loss that happened on 10/28/2022 paid out by Insurance company USAA 1-800-531-8111. Please take note that this vehicle was a TOTAL LOSS with severe FRAME DAMAGE. My Name is [XXX] and owned the vehicle when it was a TOTAL LOSS due to a meager collision on 10/28/2022. If you have any questions please contact me at [XXX] or [XXX] . I have all of the documents of the TOTAL LOSS and PAY OUT from USAA Ins. 1-800-531-8111. Thank you! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

STRUCTURE,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 12/28/2022

The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to us after we found out that at 20,000 miles a whole new engine was put in without our knowledge when we purchased the vehicle . We took it to the dealer and they put a new fuel assembly unit in it. It fixed the problem a little but never fully. Now, 2 days ago my husband with my youngest daughter ran out of gas again on US-19 and I had to leave work to go get them and gas. Next on the 57 things wrong with this car… 5 days after purchase it had 22 engine warning. Took it back and they replaced the 4th coil and the 4th injector and spark plug. About 3 days later my husband came flying into his work, ran by me grabbing a fire extinguisher and ran to the car and started shooting it at the car, the car had caught on fire and the 4th injector was spewing gas. They had pinched an oring while installing the injector and never put the clips back on the injector rail to keep them in place. My husband could have been killed easily. The dealership never took ownership for it and blamed it on the dealership that sold us this the car. Every time we turn around it’s something else. The month of December we only had the car 6 days. It was in the shop 3 different. Times and everytime we got it back it wasn’t fixed. We bought this car in September and it had had 52 engine lights, over 10,000 in parts and labor to fix. Four rentals cars a new battery list goes on. We have tried numerous times to ask the dealership to make this right and their answer is for us to sell them the car back less our 20,000 deposit and buy a whole new car from them. That’s the solution we were given

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 08/08/2022

Caught in stop and go traffic at night for 45 minutes. Car started moving forward even though my foot was only on the brake pedal. My first thought was I'd accidentally pressed both the brake and gas pedals, but I could see my foot on the brake pedal since the under-dash area is lit in the Premium model. It happened for about one minute the first time, then happened again a couple minutes later. I hit the bumper of a tour bus during the second instance at about two mph. The tour bus driver apparently didn't notice the hit and changed lanes a few minutes later. I didn't see any damage to the tour bus, but my license plate bracket and license plate were bent, and the middle part of my bumper didn't snap back together correctly. The Ford dealer was unable to duplicate the problem, and the brakes and vacuum pressure module didn't show any leaks. The service advisor said it was impossible for the transmission to engage without pressing the gas pedal, but I suspect the 10-speed transmission since the engine rpm didn't appear to change. There were no warning lights before or after the incident and the service advisor said no codes had been set. In retrospect I should have tried putting the transmission in neutral, used the emergency brake,or turned off the ignition (but a tractor trailer was about ten feet behind me).

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/17/2022

I was in an accident hitting my entire front end, which has a lot of damage. With the impact the car had obtained, I feel as though the airbags should have deployed.

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/26/2021

I was contacted by the NHTSA, after I had an accident in my 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with the automatic transmission and ability to manually shift. I spoke with an Investigator by the name of [XXX]. The investigator wished me good luck, as it was relayed to me that I was the only one who had the problem which resulted in me having an accident. I have since then found multiple sites with multiple complaints of the same issue, and I was told that there’s a Fourth Class Action Suit right now that I should be a part of. Please have someone who is familiar with what’s going on with Ford call me at: [XXX]. Thank you for your help! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — Filed 09/11/2021

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking and shaking uncontrollably. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred increasingly while driving on the interstate. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s residence. Then the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to a second dealer; Don Rich Ford Co Inc (221 E Montgomery St, Villa Rica, GA 30180) who diagnosed the grille shutter and the sensor fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to a third dealer; Pugmire Ford (1 Ford Way, Carrollton, GA 30116) who diagnosed that the valve body and other unknown components of the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that he has sustained back injuries due to the failure but had not sought medical assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,600.

AIR BAGS — Filed 12/03/2021

The contact owned a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH, in the center lane a tractor-trailer side swipe and hit the contact front passenger side door which caused the contact vehicle to spin around and hit a median wall, and spin out again with the vehicle coming to a stop in the middle of the intersection. The front tires were ripped from the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained bruises on the lower and upper back, bruises to both knees. The contact also sustained vision impairment to where he started seeing black dots and a bruised left arm. The contact was also suffering from panic attacks. The passenger sustained a bump on the forehead, neck, and lower back bruises, as well the right knee was severely swollen. There was no medical treatment at the scene, but the contact went to the hospital the next day. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center where the insurance company deemed the vehicle was a total loss. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,WHEELS — Filed 10/31/2020

This vehicle has been in an accident with damage exceeded $5000.00 (I have a Ford Dealerships estimate to prove damage on the vehicle has not been eepaired nor reported) Again, substantial, front drivers side, hood, wheel, breakline, door and underbody damage occurred to this vehicle. It was never reported to Carfax nor any online reporting agency. This vehicle is being resold with a 'clean' carfax because damage has never been reported.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 07/26/2021

On July 26, 2021, I had a head on collision ( driver side to driver side ) where I felt like the vehicle didn’t want to stop. Even when I applied the brake, the vehicle kept going forward. In that collision, even though I was wearing my seatbelt, my head went straight up and I hit the top of my car. My head felt crunched into my neck and shoulders, and the belt restrained me enough to pull my right shoulder back and down from having my head crunching further into the top of my car. Although I wasn’t given a ticket for the accident, the Police found me to be at fault. Later, I went to an Urgent Care where they diagnosed me with having a concussion. I haven’t seen any other necessary doctors, because I don’t have the money out of pocket. I don’t know that my remaining PIP will cover anymore. I am still having issues with my head, neck, back, and hip now. I recently saw a Dentist and I may have TMJ. I never have experienced such pain of my entire left side of my face. My migraines have increased in frequency and intensity, and other health issues are agitated and inflamed.

SERVICE BRAKES,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 02/12/2021

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. THE CARE SPEND UP WITH THE TIRES SPINNING AND JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A TREE. WHEN . I TRIED TO REVERSE TO REVERSE THE TIRES CONTINUED TO SPEND AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD JUMPED THE CURB .AND HIT A TREE A CO WORKER WITNESS MY CAR S WHEELS SPINNING FORWARD WHEN I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES. THE ENITRE RIGHT FRONT SIFE OF THE CAR IS DESTROYED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS NOT OPENING.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 10/29/2020

ON 8/29/2020 A FORD AGENCY LOCATED IN MIAMI, FL SOLD ME MY 2020 FORD MUSTANG VEHICLE WITH A FACTORY DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THEY DID NOT MAKE THE PARTICIPATION IN TIME TO CORRECT THE MECHANICAL DEFECT OF MY VEHICLE ACCORDING TO TO NHTSA. THE TRUTH IS THAT I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FL ON 10/29/2020 8:27 PM GOING UP THE EXIT RAMP 826 PALMETO EXPRESSWAY IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FL WITH THE TOTAL LOSS OF MY VEHICLE SHOOTING THE BAGS OF AIR. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE POLICE PROCEEDED TO STOP THE TRAFFIC IN A PREVENTIVE WAY AND SUDDENLY BECAUSE A MOTORIZED CARAVAN WAS PASSING ALL THE VEHICLES WE HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKE WITH THE MISFORTUNE THAT MY VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM WITH WHO SOLD IT TO ME, THE BRAKE LINE BROKE CAUSING THIS DAMAGE TO MY CAR, THE COLLISION FROM THE REAR WITH A TRUCK. I ATTACH PHOTOS OF THE BREAKAGE OF THE BRAKE LINES, PHOTOS OF MY VEHICLE'S CONDITION, A LETTER ISSUED BY THE ACCIDENT CLINIC WHERE I KEEP DOING REHABILITATION THERAPY AND A POLICE REPORT.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 05/07/2020

WASHING MY CAR AROUND THE EXHAUST PIPES I CUT MY FINGER TO THE BONE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE CUT MYSELF ON THESE PIPES. AFRAID MY SON OR ANOTHER PERSON WILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.