What 434 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Ford Mustang Coupe

I was driving down the highway with heater on and defrost. All of a sudden I hear a pop and my car started bogging down. I exited the highway to get out of danger, it then had a wrench light ( transmission) pop up and when I parked the car on the access road it started smoking a lot. I turned the vehicle off immediately and when I seen smoke coming from under the hood and into the cab of the car. I lifted the hood after seeing fire in the passenger wheel well. And then in the engine block towards the windshield in the middle of the engine. I am a fire fighter and it appeared to me that the fire was being fed by some kind of substance. Fort Worth Fire department showed up and put the fire out and took a report.

NHTSA ODI 11723807

“Charge system service now” came on the dash, battery lost power after about 10 seconds, screen went black, dash went black, car locked up, opened the hood and the engine was on fire, called 911 who came quickly and put the fire out without the entire car burning, insurance later total losses the car. I don’t know if it was the battery or the engine responsible for the failure, because the flames were on the engine and not the battery, but the incident was triggered by a battery warning. I was on the interstate driving 60mph when the car shut off and everything including my headlights and even hazard lights went black. Not only could I have been struck by a car on the interstate, I could have died in a car fire. Because the car locked up, I couldn’t open the trunk or use any electronics. The door could have just as easily locked and trapped us inside a burning car. The car is on a salvage yard, no attempt to replicate has been made. Progressive insurance, and Columbia fire inspected it and found that it was undetermined. “Charge service system now” was the only warning before the infotainment screen shut down to reduce battery usage. Every light on the dash flashed right before everything on the dash went black and power was lost to the entire vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11705769

The evaporator is leaking and apparently is a known issue from ford and they didn't report this. The evaporator core is leaking and it blows hot air for a good amount. It draws a lot of power form the system and drops the rpm below idling. Forcing me to rev a cold engine so that it does not stall out.

NHTSA ODI 11688859

The most common engine failure issues are associated with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine, which is prone to coolant leaks causing significant damage to the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11637828

Brake lights don’t function brake switch bumper broke off and lights stay on but not bright when brake is depressed. Loss of power random misfire cut from loss of power. Brake switch fault in computer

NHTSA ODI 11610774

A plastic clip ("Brake Pedal Bumper") broke and fell out of place, causing the brake pedal to no longer reach the brake light switch. The brake lights now remain illuminated permanently, even with the brakes released. This also caused the engine and transmission to go into "limp mode", the engine no longer revving over 2,000 RPM, the transmission not shifting, and hill-start assist and traction control no longer working, making the car unsafe to drive. The brake lights will remain on even when the car is completely shut off and locked, draining and damaging the battery. It is my understanding that this is a known issue, and there was a recall for this in certain states. (Safety Recall 22S02, Regional Recall 22R01). There should be a national recall for this, as the affected part appears to be of low quality, and causes safety issues when it fails, with the car's drivability and lighting affected.

NHTSA ODI 11590267

After 5 visits to a Ford dealer, rough idling issue finally discovered and fixed on 5/4/2023. All 4 VCT solenoids were found to have malfunctioned. Issue began 06/2020 and involved car rough idling at stops or stop and go traffic. No codes were shown on dash. During episodes, car might shut off. It would turn on if car restarted again. Vehicle first seen at Ford dealer on 7/3/2020. No issue found. Follow-on visits on 3/11/2021, 10/25/2022, and 3/22/2023 brought no answers to issue. Car left at dealers for 2-5 days at a time.

NHTSA ODI 11558963

2015 mustang ecoboost premium with performance package. Coolant leaked into the engine oil, causing damage to the engine. Now the engine may have to be rebuilt or replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11556572

The little rubber pad that it attached to the brake pedal disintegrated. Without that pad the vehicle goes into limp mode and won’t drive over 40. Don’t know why the brake switch is connected to other electronics in the vehicle that would make it go into limp mode. Very unsafe while driving on the highway.

NHTSA ODI 11542199

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the valve cover was engine oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold. There was smoke coming from underneath the hood. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and four new head gasket holes were drilled, and bolts were added. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 11541468

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the engine had been replaced six times since the vehicle was purchased in 2018. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the engine would be replaced; however, the vehicle would not be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11535880

outside of car always smells of antifreeze, not sure where from, don't see a leek. car sometimes feels like it stalling

NHTSA ODI 11506049

2015 FORD MUSTANG. CONSUMER STATED THAT THEIR VEHICLE HAS MULTIPLE OUTSTANDING RECALLS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI 11505864

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and there was an abnormal bump before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road and noticed oil leaking from underneath the vehicle. The contact checked and saw a hole in the engine block. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage 109,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11492323

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Connecting rod in the engine. The car is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I was traveling on a major highway at highway speeds when the engine failed. Luckily there was a wide shoulder on the section of highway I was traveling on. I could not make it to the nearest exit less than a mile away. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes a Ford Dealership Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning messages. I checked every gauge in my car when I began to lose power, and every gauge said it was within normal range. There were no earlier symptoms, and I have been told by the dealership that this is a mechanical defect.

NHTSA ODI 11471511

Bolt at the back of the engine rattled loose and scarred the torque converter, flexplate, bell housing of the transmission, and the block of the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11421206

I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 TWIN ECO-BOOST CAR ON A CITY STREET,WHEN I I HEARD SOMETHING UNDER HOOD.AND RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT SMOKE WAS ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD.WHEN I STOPPED AND GOT OUT,THATS WHEN A WITNESS TOLD ME SHE SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR IT MELTED EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD.EVERY WIRE WAS EXSPOSED.I AM WAITING FOR REPORT FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT.I DO HAVE A PICTURE OF IT.FIRE CHIEF SAID BATTERY EXPLODED.

NHTSA ODI 11402717

2015 FORD MUSTANG GT WITH ABOUT 43,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING CAR ON RESIDENTIAL STREET AT ABOUT 30 MPH, LOUD NOISE CAME FROM ENGINE, PULLED OVER AND TURNED CAR OFF. CAR NO LONGER CRANKED. TOWED CAR TO MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT LIKELY ENGINE SEIZED AND A FACTORY DEFECT. ENGINE WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND SHOWED NO SYMPTONS OF ENGINE PROBLEM PRIOR TO FAILURE. ATTEMPED TO CALL FORD MULTIPLE TIMES AT THE PHONE NUMBER (1-866-436-7332) ON NHTSA SITE AND PLACED ON HOLD FOR MULTIPLE HOURS WITHOUT ANY ANSWER.

NHTSA ODI 11399187

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT MULTIPLE TIMES SOON AFTER START UP AS THE ENGINE AND SERVICE TIRE MOBILITY KIT WARNING LIGHTS WOULD APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHITE SMOKE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY EMIT FROM THE REAR EXHAUST PIPE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME WARNING LIGHT WOULD APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HE DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED HENRY CURTIS FORD(1120 AUTO CENTER DR, PETALUMA, CA 94952) WHERE THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY OR ON RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS THEN OFFERED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHICH SHE DECLINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND GAVE HER THE SAME INFORMATION AS THE DEALER;THEY OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11389033

THROTTLE BODY FAILING AT 60K, FORD HAS TSB FOR 2016+ MUSTANG THROTTLE BODIES WITH SAME ISSUE, NOT 2015. CODE P2112. VEHICLE RANDOMLY GOES INTO LIMP MODE AT ANYWHERE FROM 10MPH TO 60MPH. HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS INCLUDING TWICE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS.

NHTSA ODI 11340470

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FRACTURED PISTON ROD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 11337971

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH V-6 ENGINE. TRANSMISSION FLEX PLATE AND TORQUE CONVERTER WAS FINALLY REPLACED BY COAST MESA FORD DEALER AFTER THREE YEARS OF COMPLAINING TO H.B. FORD DEALER. H.B. FORD ALSO HAS OVER SERVICED THE ENGINE OIL SEVERAL TIMES WHEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NOISE. NO ROOT CAUSE WAS GIVEN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF FLEX PLATE AND TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT. IS THERE A FORD RECALL TO GREASE TIP OF HUB OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER? END. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328331

HUNTINGTON BEACH FORD, CA FROM 2018-2020, HAS NOT FOUND A KNOCKING NOISE ETHER IN THE TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE V-6, 3.7L. THE DEALER GAVE ME FALSE INFORMATION ON THE ENGINE NOISE. THE NOISE WAS FOR THE MUSTANG V-8, 5.0L. SSM 47787. FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER, BACK THAT UP DOESN'T APPLY. THEY SAID GO TO ANOTHER FORD DEALER. THEODORE ROBINS FORD, COSTA MESA ,CA. FOUND THE PROBLEM, VARIABLE CAM TIMING. NOW ROBINS FORD STATES NO WARRANTY. I HAVE PREMIUM CARE EXPIRES 2021. NOISE AT IDLE 900 RPM IN PARK. IN DRIVE UP TO 15 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11323193

CAR STARTED TO MAKE TICKING SOUND FROM UNDER CAR OIL PAN AFTER OIL CHANGE WORRIED ENGINE MIGHT BE BAD CAR ONLY HAS 24K MILES

NHTSA ODI 11298056

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HOT AND CAUSED THE OVERHEATING WARNING INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, SHIFTED INTO PARK, ADDED COOLANT, AND THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11289699