2018 Ford Mustang Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 4 NHTSA recalls and 196 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

52/100

High Reported Activity — 2018 Ford Mustang

The 2018 Ford Mustang shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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NHTSA Recalls

4 recalls on record

196

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

1 fire report

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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Ford Mustang (4)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Ford dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Gasoline: Turbo/Supercharger

A fuel leak can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Roush will notify the known owners and replace the defective fuel rail subassemblies, free of charge. The recall began on May 31, 2018. Owners may contact Roush customer service at…

NHTSA #18E035000

🔧 Electrical System: Software

Without a visual or audible warning to the driver that the vehicle is in PARK, the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or a…

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 5, 2018. Owners may contact Ford…

NHTSA #17V814000

🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission

Despite the transmission shift lever being placed in 'Park' and the instrument panel display indicating 'Park,' the vehicle may roll away after it has been exited if the parking brake has not been applied, increasing the risk of injury or…

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the transmission to make sure it has the roll pin, installing one if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began…

NHTSA #18V213000

🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s 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…

NHTSA #25V572000

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Most Common Problems — 2018 Ford Mustang

Based on 196 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine

Power Train

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Structure

Engine And Engine Cooling

Back Over Prevention

Latches/locks/linkages

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Ford Mustang — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2012 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2020, 2021, 2022 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Ford Mustang

Is the 2018 Ford Mustang reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Ford Mustang has 4 recall campaigns and 196 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Mustang have?

The 2018 Ford Mustang has 4 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Ford Mustang?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Ford Mustang are: Engine, Power Train, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2018 Ford Mustang safe to buy?

The 2018 Ford Mustang has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 4 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Ford Mustang should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Ford Mustang are: 2020, 2021, 2022. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2012.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.