Ford Mustang Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Ford Mustang years to avoid are 2015, 2016, 2017: the 2015 alone has 436 NHTSA owner complaints and 145 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by unknown or other issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2022 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-08-28 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015AVOID | 436 | 145 | 11 | — |
| 2016AVOID | 373 | 167 | 5 | — |
| 2017AVOID | 264 | 155 | 6 | — |
| 2018 | 187 | 198 | 4 | — |
| 2019 | 144 | 184 | 6 | — |
| 2020 | 118 | 184 | 8 | — |
| 2021 | 55 | 147 | 6 | — |
| 2022BEST | 49 | 113 | 9 | — |
| 2023 | 148 | 68 | 6 | — |
| 2024 | 73 | 116 | 11 | — |
| 2025BEST | 14 | 47 | 5 | $52,962 (7 deals) |
| 2026 | 7 | 11 | 3 | $36,557 (10 deals) |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Ford Mustang problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Ford Mustang are electrical system, engine, unknown or other, power train. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2015 Ford Mustang: 436 owner complaints, 145 service bulletins, 11 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: unknown or other, electrical system, engine.
2016 Ford Mustang: 373 owner complaints, 167 service bulletins, 5 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: engine, electrical system, unknown or other.
2017 Ford Mustang: 264 owner complaints, 155 service bulletins, 6 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: back over prevention, structure, unknown or other.
2025 Ford Mustang: cleanest recent federal record (14 complaints, 47 bulletins) — verified buyers paid an average of $52,962.
2022 Ford Mustang: cleanest recent federal record (49 complaints, 113 bulletins).
Know what to pay for the right Ford Mustang — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Ford Mustang?
Based on federal records, the Ford Mustang years to avoid are 2015, 2016, 2017: the 2015 alone has 436 NHTSA owner complaints and 145 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by unknown or other issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2022 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Ford Mustang?
Among recent model years, the 2025 and 2022 Ford Mustang show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record. Verified buyers paid an average of $52,962 for the 2025.
Is the Ford Mustang reliable?
The Ford Mustang's reliability varies by model year. Across 1,868 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2015, 2016, 2017 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2025 and 2022 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Ford Mustang?
The most-reported problem areas for the Ford Mustang are electrical system, engine, unknown or other, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Ford Mustang before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.