What 113 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Ford Mustang

My car has always been a little rough on shifting since around 40k miles when I got it. I never really noticed after awhile and never had any problems. No lights flashing or codes no issues with anything under the hood. The other day my trans light popped on, but nothing was wrong the car was still driving fine. I took it in to get looked at the first shop said no codes were popping up and then I took it to another and they said the whole transmission now needs to be replaced. I went to look around and apparently a lot of people have issues with the transmission on the 2020.

NHTSA ODI 11739282

Check engine light came on, car lost power on highway. Car continues to have the same issue after repairs have been made. Ford App says engine misfire, after every repair. Ford mechanics fix spark plugs, coils, electrical. None of which has fixed the issue of stalling on the highway which poses risk of me the driver and others driving on the highway. The only light that comes on is engine light.

NHTSA ODI 11736216

My husband was notified via the Ford app that there was an issue with his airbag system. He called the dealership and set up an appointment. We brought in the car to German Ford dealership in Beavercreek on 4 May, where they confirmed that the airbag was bad and needed to be replaced. They confirmed it was the airbag on the drivers side knee. The airbag light did come on, but we were under the impression airbags usually last the lifetime of the vehicle. Thankfully the car warranty covered the replacement, and we just had to pay the deductible. However, had my husband been in a crash that airbag would not have deployed, there is also the chance that the airbag could have deployed randomly while he was driving, which would have caused a potentially fatal crash.

NHTSA ODI 11736144

My vehicle would suddenly downshifted to first, constantly seek for gears, loss of traction from not finding gears, and transmission died at 120k miles.

NHTSA ODI 11735913

IMRC actuator rod broke causing the air/fuel mix to be sporadic. Creating a misfire on random cylinders. Major loss of power and very jerky motions, causing the vehicle to loose control. Luckily it was on an open spacious road. Unfortunately this has been an ongoing problem and there is nobody selling updated parts the electronics will recognize and very difficult to find oe replacement parts, real costly. And may fix the issue for a short period of time. I have a brand new manifold off of a same totaled mustang since Dec 2025 and the same part broke.

NHTSA ODI 11734247

My 2020 Ford Mustang Ecoboost has a (P008A) AND (PO18B/PO18C) The fuel pressure fuel system you low and fuel pressure Sensor B is a well documented defects and has a customer satisfaction program 21N10 (or related TSBs). The dealer said there are no recalls under my vin number and vehicle was not repaired. I sent a certified letter to ford March 29, 2026 to Ford Motor Company and I have had no response. 2015 thru 2022 Mustangs have this well known defect. I am not sure why the 2020 mustang has not been issued a recall. It's the same identical part as the other years Mustangs that have been recalled

NHTSA ODI 11732166

I had parked my car in a spot at an office building. As I was about to put the vehicle in park it lurched forward going over a standard curb across a sidewalk and then into the brick wall of the building. The air bag did not deploy. The car lurched about ten feet total before hitting the wall.

NHTSA ODI 11726181

FAILURE TO NOTIFY/ADDRESS A KNOWN ISSUE DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD Vehicle has been serviced in accordance with Ford’s recommended maintenance schedule by Joe Cooper Ford of Edmond, Oklahoma, since purchase. At service appointment in September 2025, with 59,968 miles – just prior to the 60k mile powertrain warranty expiration – specifically requested a thorough inspection of any conditions that could potentially be addressed under warranty coverage. During that visit, Joe Cooper Ford documented that the “coolant was low (at minimum mark) and dirty” and recommended a coolant system fluid exchange. This finding occurred in the context of the well-documented coolant intrusion defect affecting 2017–2020 Ford Mustangs and other Ford models. When an authorized dealer observes conditions consistent with a known defect during the warranty period, reasonable warranty administration requires disclosure and further diagnostic evaluation, so the customer has a meaningful opportunity to pursue timely repair. By January 2026, at only 61,640 miles, were informed our engine had failed. No such disclosure or evaluation was provided. As a result, we were deprived of a reasonable opportunity to address the condition under warranty prior to expiration. The subsequent engine failure occurred after the warranty period but was directly preceded by these unresolved indicators. Under these circumstances, denial of warranty consideration is inconsistent with the purpose of the warranty and reasonable consumer expectations.

NHTSA ODI 11725014

My backup camera is inverted (mirrored), causing safety concerns.( left is right). I am waiting for the 26C11/NHTSA 26V-123 software patch.

NHTSA ODI 11724390

The vehicle has ongoing engine and turbocharger problems, including loss of power, knocking, and worsening performance. It also has brake‑booster/vacuum issues that cause reduced braking assist and a hard brake pedal. Electrical and software malfunctions occur intermittently, including warning messages and irregular system behavior. These issues create safety risks and have been observed repeatedly. Some problems were confirmed by service technicians, but the exact cause remains unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11722612

THIS IS A SAFETY RISK: TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LEAKING Oil is leaking hard out of the Transmission oil cooler, that sits underneath the car. This oil is being sprayed onto exhaust system generating oil smoke and potentially a fire hazard, when hot oil hits warm exhaust pipes.

NHTSA ODI 11719817

Went to Clay Cooley Ford in Arlington TX off of highway 360 to have rearview camera issues fixed after being sent a recall notice to take it in to be repaired. The vehicle doesn’t show a black screen all of the time but it is at times distorted or black. Upon arriving my husband was told that one they don’t have the camera for the vehicle mind you an appointment was made I didn’t just show up and two because at this present moment the screen wasn’t showing distorted or black screen they were not able to repair the recall we were given a paper to contact a man who works at the dealership the vehicle camera wasn’t thoroughly inspected, just asked if it was doing it now when my husband said not right now but it does show a black or distorted screen sometimes he was sent on his way and told the repair couldn’t be done. I have reached out to Ford customer service to get their help with getting this recall resolved because I do transport a child in this car daily to and from school.

NHTSA ODI 11719024

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle became inoperable. The message “Camera Unavailable - Contact Dealer” was displayed. Prior to the message being displayed, the camera image was distorted. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The camera was replaced; however, additional diagnostic testing was required. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11717186

January 22, 2025 Ford Case #CHX-XXX-XXX RE: Approval Code: XXX This vehicle was bought on June 26, 2020 with a 3 year 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty along with a 5 year 60,000 mile power train warranty. It has been regularly serviced by Ford dealership as documented on Ford's records. The following dates are documented FORD service and complaints of hard shifts by customer yet no work was done. July 21, 2022, 10,239 miles on vehicle. Under the bumper to bumper warranty. February 28, 2023, 14067 miles on vehicle. Under the bumper to bumper warranty. March 10, 2025. 26,088 miles on vehicle. Under the power train warranty. January 13, 2026. 30,000 miles on vehicle. 5.4 months, 60,000 miles for power train.* *On January 9th brought in to Spring Hill Ford, for same issue, but no transmission tech available for 4 months as stated by service. Brought to Flammer Ford in Tarpon springs for transmission issue on Jan 13, 2026. Dealership states: Transmission is bad and needs necessary rebuild. **Previous Technical bulletins have been sent out by Ford prior to customer complaints date of shifting concerns in 2022. The latest, most in-depth bulletin is dated May 26, 2023 on this very issue. Ford first denied to to "outt of warrenty. 2nd offered to cover an approximate 70% of repair. Final offer to cover 75% of repair. This is not acceptable by customer. Reasoning: with multiple complaints of issue to Ford dealership service, over multiple time periods, all withing the warranty period, customer request Ford to honor the warranty coverage. This was denied. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11713856

The reverse camera is currently on recall. My vehicle has been experiencing intermittent camera issues as the recall describes. Ford's recall resolution states that the issue has to be replicated while with a technician to be fixed. While my vehicle was with the dealership for it's recall inspection the issue was not able to be duplicated regardless of the multiple occurrences over several months. We feel this does not adequately take care of the recalled problem and continues to present a safety concern until it is corrected. The earliest occurrence of this issue was documented on August 29, 2025 and has continued to occur since that date.

NHTSA ODI 11707906

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11705885

Rear camera recall timely manner complaint 25SA9/25v695

NHTSA ODI 11701818

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH in inclement weather, the instrument panel went black for approximately 5 seconds and then started operating as designed. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred on several occasions. The contact stated that on one occasion, while driving through a tunnel, the instrument panel went black and then returned to functionality. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated, and no fault codes were retrieved. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11700122

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11698160

I had the coolant gasket problem that resulted in having to get the engine replaced. It was a 202 mustang ecoboost premium.

NHTSA ODI 11691177

Description of the issue: The transmission has a recurring problem with shifting. When placing the vehicle into Reverse, it engages with a harsh and sudden jerk. When shifting from Reverse to Drive, there is a noticeable delay in engagement before the vehicle responds. These problems occur under normal operating conditions and are repeatable. Safety risk: This creates a significant safety hazard. The harsh jerking when shifting into Reverse can cause unintended movement, risking collisions or injury. The delayed engagement when shifting into Drive leaves the driver vulnerable in traffic situations (such as backing out of parking spaces or entering traffic), increasing the chance of an accident. Inspection/confirmation: The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership. However, it has not been permanently resolved. Ford has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) addressing this known transmission problem through a software update. Manufacturer/dealer involvement: When the vehicle was already connected to Ford’s diagnostic system for a Body Control Module recall, the dealer refused to apply the available TSB update for the transmission without charging an additional $280 “diagnostic” fee. This was despite the fact that Ford has officially acknowledged the issue and issued a TSB to address it. No permanent fix has been provided. Availability for inspection: The vehicle and transmission are available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ODI 11687975

My backup camera on my 2020 mustang ecoboost goes blank when backing up at times and shows distorted images when it does work.

NHTSA ODI 11686979

The rearview camera display threw up a blue screen then proceeded to throw up a back screen and told me “Camera is unavailable. Please contact dealership.” From my knowledge, there is a current recall out for this particular issue. I was attempting to back into a parking spot when this happened and I was surrounded by vehicles when this happened. There were no warnings on the vehicle dash or in the app. I would like this fixed as soon as possible.

NHTSA ODI 11684550

1. 2020 Mustang Ecoboost is equipped from factory with redesigned block to minimize/eliminate coolant intrusion and or head gasket failure. I still had the dreaded "ecoboom" issue with coolant intrusion on two cylinders as a result of a broken head gasket and poor engine block design. Regular maintenance was perfomed and use primarily Top Tier 93 octane fuel. 5K mile interval 5W-50 oil changes according to manual using Ford spec oil full synthetic. Cold Start Misfires and excessive engine shaking are still occurring despite short block replacement by Ford and they won't diagnose properly. 2. Electrical/Audio. Issue with crackling audio, audio skipping and both iPhones and Androids having disconnection issues. Factory reset the Sync module twice, attempted reset by unplugging car battery and also checked alternator. Replaced car battery with fresh battery and issue persists. 3. Powertrain: The 10R80 Auto Transmission is extremely jarring and does not shift smoothly. Hesitates throughout gears, sluggish gears changes. Gives whiplash effect even after a filter and oil change for the transmission with OEM fluid and filter. Premature Transmission gasket housing failure as well causing ATF to leak onto ground.

NHTSA ODI 11683792

Two issues actually 1. Back up camera gives the blue screen. Says unavailable and contact dealer. I have not yet as this just started. I am seeing a bunch of complaints on this though. 2. When I roll all the windows down then roll them up, the back triangle windows don't go up all the way. I have to get out of the car and pull them up all the way. Dealer said I just need to lube the edge and the groove they sit in. Which was tried. Didn't work. Could be a safety issue if I have to pull over and get out of the car to pull the windows up.

NHTSA ODI 11682908