Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Ford Mustang
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Ford Mustang has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 347 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #21E013000 Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V081000 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
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 240 complaints
- Power Train 30 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 19 complaints
- Electrical System 15 complaints
- Structure 15 complaints
- Service Brakes 9 complaints
Of the 347 complaints on file, 21 report a crash; across all 347 complaints, owners report 14 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Ford Mustang has a high number of owner complaints, mostly related to airbags and powertrain issues. Multiple recalls for airbag inflators, which may explode, raise serious safety concerns. Additional complaints about the powertrain and vehicle speed control suggest potential reliability issues. Overall, reliability evidence appears below average based on the type and number of complaints.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 70,000–100,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Powertrain | 80,000–120,000 miles | $1,000–$3,000 | 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 pad replacement
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Battery replacement
- Air filter replacement
- Coolant flush
- Transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Unusual vibrations
- Transmission slipping
- Frequent stalling
- Inconsistent speed control
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Ford Mustang at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.