Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2006 Ford Mustang
NHTSA data on file today
The 2006 Ford Mustang has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns and 424 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #21V081000 Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21E013000 Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V024000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V384000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V319000 Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E025000 FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E012000 FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V082000 FMVSS 208/NECK INJURY REQUIREMENTS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06E089000 FRONT STRUT BRACKET SEPARATION NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 228 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 35 complaints
- Power Train 32 complaints
- Electrical System 31 complaints
- Structure 30 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 29 complaints
Of the 424 complaints on file, 19 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 424 complaints, owners report 15 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2006 Ford Mustang has frequent airbag recall issues and moderate owner complaints primarily about air bags and vehicle speed control, affecting its reliability perceptions. Common failures are typical for a vehicle of this age, resulting in an overall average rating.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbags | 80,000–120,000 miles | $300–$1,000 | common |
| vehicle speed control | 60,000–100,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
| power train | 90,000–130,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Coolant service
- Transmission fluid check
- Spark plug change
- Timing belt inspection
- Tire rotations and balances
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Unresponsive throttle
- Transmission slipping
- Unusual suspension noises
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2006 Ford Mustang at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.