Ford Mustang Structure Problems
Owners have filed 481 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the Ford Mustang across 29 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (56). The words owners use most often: “passenger door” (12% of reports).
- 481structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 30mention a crash
- 15mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 57%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Passenger door: mentioned in 60 of 481 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the Ford Mustang at $3,350, and half of them between $2,550 and $4,350.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do structure problems happen?
Based on 282 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 481 complaints, 30 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 15 an injury.
Ford Mustang structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Mustang | 6 | 7% | 350 |
| 2022 Mustang | 5 | 10% | 50,381 |
| 2021 Mustang | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Mustang | 6 | 5% | 45,500 |
| 2019 Mustang | 9 | 6% | 3,000 |
| 2018 Mustang | 15 | 8% | 45,087 |
| 2017 Mustang | 40 | 15% | 45,050 |
| 2016 Mustang | 28 | 7% | 50,000 |
| 2015 Mustang | 45 | 10% | 32,770 |
| 2014 Mustang | 17 | 5% | 18,750 |
| 2013 Mustang | 8 | 3% | 21,168 |
| 2012 Mustang | 23 | 5% | 36,251 |
| 2011 Mustang | 10 | 2% | 45,000 |
| 2010 Mustang | 17 | 7% | 50,127 |
| 2009 Mustang | 6 | 3% | 41,500 |
| 2008 Mustang | 15 | 4% | 37,500 |
| 2007 Mustang | 51 | 8% | 38,000 |
| 2006 Mustang | 30 | 7% | 52,609 |
| 2005 Mustang | 56 | 8% | 39,937 |
| 2004 Mustang | 4 | 3% | 1,600 |
| 2003 Mustang | 4 | 3% | 180 |
| 2002 Mustang | 10 | 8% | 114,000 |
| 2001 Mustang | 6 | 3% | 43,495 |
| 2000 Mustang | 18 | 6% | 35,000 |
| 1999 Mustang | 9 | 4% | — |
| 1998 Mustang | 8 | 3% | 85,000 |
| 1997 Mustang | 5 | 3% | — |
| 1996 Mustang | 10 | 4% | — |
| 1995 Mustang | 19 | 3% | 89,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure:body:hood
Model years: 1995, 1996
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans. Tearing of the bond between the inner and outer hood panels during minor front end collisions can result in a gap at the leading edge of the hood. Air forced between the inner and outer panels can produce enough pressure to force the outer panel upward.
Risk: This condition can result in total separation of the outer hood panel.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the hood area for any damage along the leading edge of the hood. If there is any evidence of bond separation, the hood will be replaced. If there is no evidence of bond separation, additional adhesive will be applied between the inner and outer hood panels.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have experienced a concerning issue twice while driving. On both occasions, I was traveling at approximately 72 mph with all doors closed and locked when the vehicle indicated that the passenger door was ajar. Although the door did not fully open, it appears that the latch may not have remained…
Bought the car in XXX noticed mold on the passenger floor board, non Ford dealer said window must of been left down made sense at time. They cleaned mold up. Drove it today in the rain noticed water on floor did my research found out it had a recall of 25C43 or NHTSA 25V546. Went to my dealer they…
It's the 4th time in the last 3 weeks that the passenger door which is locked just opens on its own. I start to hear the air hissing and I get a door open alarm in the dashboard. Scary because 2x it was while on I -4 and almost lost control of the car trying to figure out what was happening and…
The passenger side door is periodically opening to the first catch while driving on the highway without anyone touching the handle and it does not matter that the door is locked. It is very scary for any passenger when it happens. For the driver the tendency is to try to reach over and re-close the…
Our 2017 has had an ongoing problem through the years with the passenger door opening at speed. Sometimes going 70 mph on the interstate. Lately it has happened more and more. Yesterday, my wife called me at work, very upset saying that the passenger door popped open again on her way to work. I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Mustangs have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 481 owner complaints about structure for the Ford Mustang. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Mustang structure?
Yes: 1 safety recall list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the Ford Mustang?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,350 (half paid between $2,550 and $4,350), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the Ford Mustang?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger door”, in 60 of 481 complaints.
Other Ford Mustang problems
- Air Bags problems (2,316)
- Power Train problems (1,060)
- Electrical System problems (849)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (762)
- Engine problems (524)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (498)
- Steering problems (285)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (277)
See all Ford Mustang problems.