Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 Ford Mustang
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Ford Mustang has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 181 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 #18V046000 Passenger 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
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 135 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 22 complaints
- Electrical System 7 complaints
- Power Train 7 complaints
- Structure 6 complaints
- Suspension 6 complaints
Of the 181 complaints on file, 17 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 181 complaints, owners report 7 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 Ford Mustang has a high number of airbag recalls and complaints, which notably impact its overall reliability. However, other major systems such as the powertrain and electrical system receive moderate to low complaint counts, balancing its ratings to average.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbags | 50,000–100,000 miles | $200–$1,000 | very common |
| vehicle speed control | 70,000–120,000 miles | $150–$800 | common |
| service brakes | 60,000–90,000 miles | $300–$700 | occasional |
| powertrain | 80,000–130,000 miles | $500–$2,000 | occasional |
| electrical system | 50,000–100,000 miles | $100–$500 | 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
- tire rotation and balance
- cooling system flush
- spark plug replacement
- air filter replacement
- fuel system cleaning
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- persistent airbag warning light
- rough or unintended acceleration
- spongy brake pedal
- delayed vehicle response
- frequent electrical issues
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Ford Mustang at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.