NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1996–2006

Ford Mustang GT recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 694 owner complaints for the Ford Mustang GT, covering model years 1996 to 2006. The 2005 model year drew the most complaints (163), and Engine and Engine Cooling is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Ford Mustang GT VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
694 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
11 model years with data (1996–2006)

most complaints: 2005 (163 for that model year)
top component: Engine and Engine Cooling (181 complaints)
latest recall 00V355000 (reported Nov 3, 2000)

54 complaints reporting a crash (7.8%)
9 complaints reporting a fire (1.3%)
37 complaints reporting an injury (5.3%)
4 complaints reporting a death (0.6%)

Ford Mustang GT complaints by model year

11 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2005 model year has the most complaints: 163 of 694, or 23.5%. Next come 2006 (151) and 2000 (64). The fewest are for 2004, with 14 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Ford Mustang GT complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Ford Mustang GT complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1996	32	1	2	1	0
1997	23	1	0	1	0
1998	53	2	3	2	0
1999	36	3	0	2	0
2000	64	5	1	2	0
2001	59	11	0	5	4
2002	48	5	1	3	0
2003	51	3	0	4	0
2004	14	4	0	3	0
2005	163	9	1	7	0
2006	151	10	1	7	0
All model years	694	54	9	37	4

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Ford Mustang GT components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often, in 181 complaints (26.1% of all 694), followed by Air Bags (130) and Electrical System (91).

Components named most often in Ford Mustang GT complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Ford Mustang GT complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Engine and Engine Cooling	181	26.1%
Air Bags	130	18.7%
Electrical System	91	13.1%
Vehicle Speed Control	50	7.2%
Power Train	49	7.1%
Fuel System, Gasoline	42	6.1%
Structure	39	5.6%
Seat Belts	37	5.3%
Engine	21	3.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	21	3.0%
Suspension	20	2.9%
Parking Brake	17	2.4%
Fuel/Propulsion System	16	2.3%
Unknown or Other	16	2.3%
Visibility	14	2.0%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Ford Mustang GT recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Mustang GT, newest first. The only campaign, 00V355000, covers model year 2000.

1 recall campaign

Ford Mustang GT recall campaigns covering each model year
2000: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 00V355000
Reported Nov 3, 2000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 4.6L engines. A coolant flow blockage exists at the intake manifold heater core nipple resulting in no coolant flow to the heater and, therefore, no warm air flow from the heater or windshield defroster. Vehicles with this condition do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems."
Consequence:
Loss of visibility could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Customers will be asked to verify, following instructions provided, that heated air flows from their vehicle's heater/defroster outlets. The customers will be advised to contact their dealers to make arrangements for repair of their vehicles if no heated air flow exists at these outlets.
Filed by Ford Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Ford Mustang GT questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Ford Mustang GT have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Ford Mustang GT, covering model years 1996 to 2006. The campaign, 00V355000, was reported on November 3, 2000 and is filed under “Visibility”.

Which Ford Mustang GT model year has the most complaints?

The 2005 model year, with 163 of the 694 complaints in NHTSA’s file (23.5%). The next are 2006 (151) and 2000 (64). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Ford Mustang GT complaint?

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often: 181 complaints, or 26.1% of all 694. Air Bags (130) and Electrical System (91) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Ford Mustang GT?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Ford dealer.

How many Ford Mustang GT complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 694 complaints, 54 report a crash, 9 a fire, 37 at least one injury and 4 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Ford models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Ford VIN decoder with every Ford model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Ford F-150 1995–2027 · 158 recalls · 35,790 complaints
Ford Explorer 1995–2027 · 131 recalls · 31,089 complaints
Ford Escape 2000–2026 · 95 recalls · 27,343 complaints
Ford Fusion 2006–2020 · 46 recalls · 22,383 complaints
Ford Focus 1999–2018 · 36 recalls · 22,086 complaints
Ford Windstar 1995–2005 · 33 recalls · 14,108 complaints
Ford Edge 2004–2024 · 43 recalls · 14,009 complaints
Ford Taurus 1995–2019 · 52 recalls · 12,702 complaints

All Ford models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.