2024 Ford Mustang: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, airbags, and body and structure. The 10 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2024- Owner complaints
- 63
- Recalls
- 10
- 1 urgent
- Crashes reported
- 5
- 4 injuries
One recall on this model year told owners to stop driving until the repair was done.
Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/10 checked
2024 Ford Mustang: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Mustang is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2024 Ford Mustang. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | RWD | 26 mpg |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | RWD | 19 mpg |
- The 2024 Ford Mustang was sold in two versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Mustang that averages well under the EPA 19 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Center screen or display blackout
800–1,000 miles
EcoBoost misfire and engine failure
4,700–6,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2024 Ford Mustang, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Electrical26No crashes
Blank screens are the main complaint. The center display or digital dashboard goes black at startup or while driving, taking the backup camera, climate controls, radio, and gauges with it. Reports begin as early as 800 miles. Several say a software update or a replacement dash did not fix it, and some blame the 24V802000 recall update for starting the problem. Other reports describe air conditioning that stops blowing cold, a failed condensing core on an EcoBoost, water dripping from convertible footwell ducts, and rear turn signals and blind spot monitoring cutting out together.
Airbags54 crashes
Front and side bags stay off in real crashes. Four of the five complaints involve a crash, and four people are reported injured. Reports describe no front or side bags in a head-on hit above 25 mph, and only the knee bag deploying in an animal strike. In some of these crashes, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking also fail to engage, and one says the seatbelt did not lock. Curtain bags also deploy with no collision, injuring the driver and a passenger. One complaint is actually about a damaged car sold as new.
Body and structure41 crash
Water gets into the cabin. Owners describe flooded front and rear floors after heavy rain and a convertible rear window that shakes and lets water in because it was installed poorly. Fit and finish is another theme: doors, bumpers, and fenders that do not line up, a trunk lid with gaps wide enough to hurt sealing, and a hood that vibrates at high speed. One owner finds rust on the wheel well liner and underbody by about 350 miles, with gravel trapped in square holes in the liner.
Engine4No crashes
Two failure patterns stand out. On the 2.3 EcoBoost, a misfire and check engine light come with a sudden loss of power and shaking, and the engine needs replacement before 6,000 miles. One teardown found a broken spark plug piece in cylinder 4, and the long block and turbo were replaced under warranty. GT owners report a dead throttle: the gas pedal stops responding and the car coasts nearly to a stop in traffic. Dealers often find nothing wrong, which leaves a real risk of being rear-ended.
Transmission4No crashes
The car loses drive power at highway speed. Reports describe a "Drive Mode Disabled" and "Service Engine Soon" message around 65 mph, with no acceleration or gear changes until the car is shut off and restarted. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault. Other complaints describe the transmission slamming back into gear and then slipping. On manual cars, the silver trim piece with the shift pattern comes loose or falls off the shift knob, and one owner needed two knob replacements in 9 months.
Brakes4No crashes
Braking problems vary widely. Automatic emergency braking slams the car to a stop when the driver is already slowing, nearly causing a rear-end crash. Other reports describe a loose, squeaky pedal that sometimes sinks to the floor and stays there, and brakes that fail to stop the car while backing up. One car left the factory with a 6-piston Brembo caliper on one front wheel and a 4-piston caliper on the other, so it pulls right when braking. Dealers often cannot find a cause.
Exterior lights2No crashes
Tail lights develop stress cracks with no sign of impact, and other owners report moisture getting inside the housing. Dealers have blamed the owner and refused to cover the damage. The other complaint is a recall delay: the repair part for campaign 25V546000 is not available, and the owner reports no actual failure yet. The worry in both reports is losing brake or turn signals to the car behind.
Wipers and visibility2No crashes
Glass fails without impact. A GT's rear window shatters at about 55 mph and pulls away from the body seam, with no debris or earlier cracks. Rearview mirrors also snap off the windshield and crack it, in one case at 5k miles. Dealers have refused warranty coverage, calling it excessive force, and owners quote $1000 for a new windshield. Several report that other owners have the same mirror problem.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Mustang owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
I own a new manual 2024 Ford Mustang GT now with 800 miles. When turning on the unit on 2 occasions, one on November 20 and another on December 3, documented with photographs and videos, the unit presents a black screen with no image. Either in reverse or drive without the possibility of viewing any image. The agency was notified and commented that these failures had never occurred.
Filed with NHTSA, December 2025
My new 2024 Mustang GT’s AC doesn't blow cold air. It has less than 3,000 miles. It is beginning to be a known problem for 2024 mustang owners. This can be dangerous if a driver is trying to use the touch screen to work the air conditioner and settings.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2025
In a hit-and-run accident, we were hit head on and the airbags did not deploy yet the car is a total loss. No side or front airbags deployed. Myself and my passenger needed medical care, my passenger specifically had hit the windshield and the airbags again still did not deploy. At impact, was traveling over 25 miles per hour when I was struck.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2025
Hit a adult male black bear broadside on a street with no lighting. The forward collision warning never engaged, seatbelt did not lock, only the knee airbag deployed, and emergency braking never engaged.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
Cars passener side front and the back floor was flooded with water after heavy rain. Window was not left open as the seats are completly Dry . There seems to be a sound of a puddle coming from the right side of the car as well whenever it rains. I poured water on top of the car to find a visual leak but didnt see water leaking inside .
Filed with NHTSA, December 2023
Body panels are misaligned. Doors do not line up to the body, bumpers don’t line up to quarter fender, trunk lid has large gaps preventing proper sealing, hood has gaps and vibrates at high speeds.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2024
Blown 2.3 Ecoboost. At approx 4700 miles while driving got an engine light and severe misfire. Report from Ford technician says that part of a spark plug broke off in #4 cylinder and caused severe damage. Motor (long block) and turbo replaced under warranty and after 700 miles is running fine.
Filed with NHTSA, November 2025
How the 2024 compares with other Mustang years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2024 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 Mustang years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Electrical2635
- Airbags51
- Body and structure44
- Engine413
- Transmission423
- Brakes45
Recalls to confirm (10)
Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
23V800000BrakesDo not driveNov 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles. The brake pedal assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in a loose brake pedal.
Risk: A loose brake pedal can result in a loss of braking function, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repair has been performed. Dealers will replace the brake pedal and bracket assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S61.
25V546000Exterior lightsAug 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Mustang, and Mustang GTD vehicles. Water may enter the body control module and cause a loss of communication with the exterior lighting, including the license plate light, side marker, and tail lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.".
Risk: License plate, side marker, and tail lights that fail to illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and seal the body seams as necessary. Dealers will also inspect the body control module for corrosion and replace it, if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C43.
25V516000ElectricalAug 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling one 2024 Mustang vehicle that was repaired incorrectly under recall 24V802. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may not illuminate at startup or while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.".
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: A dealer will update the instrument panel cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 12, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C35.
25V315000Backup cameraMay 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S49.
24V802000ElectricalOct 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles. The Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) may not illuminate at startup or while driving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 102, "Transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect.".
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information, such as warning lights or vehicle speed, increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C35.
24V634000Fuel systemAug 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
24V593000SuspensionAug 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles. The rear suspension knuckles may have a casting defect that causes them to fail, which can result in a loss of vehicle handling and steering control.
Risk: A loss of vehicle handling and steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear suspension knuckle as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 26, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S49.
24V496000BrakesJun 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles. The brake fluid level sensor may not be properly configured after a Body Control Module (BCM) service update, resulting in a constantly illuminated brake fluid level warning light that can conceal a low brake fluid condition.
Risk: An undetected low brake fluid condition can lead to a loss of braking function, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the body control module (BCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 12, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S43.
24V394000TransmissionJun 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles. The clutch pressure line may be improperly secured and contact hot exhaust components, which can result in melting of the clutch pressure line and cause a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A melted clutch pressure line can result in a loss of drive power, increases the risk of a crash. A brake fluid leak increases the risk of fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the clutch pressure line and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 14, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S36.
24V220000Fuel systemMar 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles equipped with 2.3L engines. The low-pressure fuel supply line may be damaged or cut, which can result in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire. In addition, a loss of fuel may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel supply line, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S19.
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2024 owner complaints, side by side
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- 2024 Ford Mustang63
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