Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

466 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
277

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 5 mention a crash.

transmission slipping 169sudden stalling 73
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The…
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The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission, on occasion, did not shift into second and third gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed clutch pad. The contact was informed that the clutch pad needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and did not assist. The contact was informed to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11678844 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
8

Most reports here involve electrical shorts.

electrical shorts 4sudden stalling 1
A recent report: I have a beautiful 2011 Ford Mustang that has been rendered useless because the brake lights and turn signals continually blow a fuse. The car cannot be repaired because Ford quit making the needed…
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I have a beautiful 2011 Ford Mustang that has been rendered useless because the brake lights and turn signals continually blow a fuse. The car cannot be repaired because Ford quit making the needed part after the car was 8 years old. This not only creates an unnecessary expense of purchasing a new car it is also a safety hazard. After extensively searching for the part on the internet I found many cases of people needing that part with no luck finding it. As info the part number is AR3Z13C788F. How many people will be driving around without brake lights and turn signals because Ford decided brake lights aren't necessary after a car is 8 years old.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11521977 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
12

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of braking 5unintended acceleration 3software faults 3
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The message "Service Auto Advancetrac" was…
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The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The message "Service Auto Advancetrac" was displayed. The contact stated that she continued to depress the brake pedal until the vehicle responded. The contact stated that there was a significant stopping distance delay. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more frequently while driving, and the vehicle was sliding while stopping, nearly causing a crash. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11557400 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
29

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 5 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

loss of steering 23premature wear 2
A recent report: This is a common issue with these S197 Mustangs. The steering position sensor failed. While driving, this can cause the "Service Advancetrac" warning to come on, meanwhile the wheels spin at…
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This is a common issue with these S197 Mustangs. The steering position sensor failed. While driving, this can cause the "Service Advancetrac" warning to come on, meanwhile the wheels spin at different speeds as the car attempts to correct a low traction scenario that isn't happening, causing the driver to crash. This caused me to temporarily lose control of my vehicle. Luckily I didn't hit anything. The sensor itself can be replaced for $20-$40, but Ford has sealed it inside the EPAS system, making it non-servicable and escalating the repair cost to over $1300.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11738280 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
118

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 8 mention a crash, 13 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 7airbags deploying unexpectedly 7
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the front driver’s side seat air bag deployed upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that…
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The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the front driver’s side seat air bag deployed upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11562568 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
7

Most reports here involve corrosion.

corrosion 4
A recent report: I DECIDED TO DROP THE CONVERTIBLE TOP OF MY 2011 FORD MUSTANG WHEN THE WEATHER DECIDED TO CHANGE I WAS PRESSING THE BUTTON TO LET THE TOP UP. NOTHING IS HAPPENING ALL FUEL'S ARE IN EXCELLENT…
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I DECIDED TO DROP THE CONVERTIBLE TOP OF MY 2011 FORD MUSTANG WHEN THE WEATHER DECIDED TO CHANGE I WAS PRESSING THE BUTTON TO LET THE TOP UP. NOTHING IS HAPPENING ALL FUEL'S ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BATTERY IS GOOD THE PUMP UNDER THE BACK SEAT IS AT IT'S RITE LEVEL. I HAD TO PARK FOR HOURS UNDER SHEAD UNTIL THE RAIN STOPS AN WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO A FRIEND HOUSE WHO WAS GLADLY TO LET ME PARK THE CAR IN HIS GARAGE. I WAS PARK AT A GAS STATION.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11103560 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
15

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

premature wear 1unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while attempting to service the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a…
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Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while attempting to service the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 174,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 298,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11669174 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 466 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2010 and 2026, roughly 30 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.