RoadVitals

1998 Ford Mustang Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Feb 6, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 236 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
11
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
10

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Feb 6, 2020
Crash reported1 injury reported

STIRRING-WHEEL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON GETTING HIT HEAD-BUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DID DEPLOY BUT DUE TO THE DEFECT STIRRING WHEEL AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING THE DRIVER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ID
11307406
Incident
Jan 31, 2020
Mileage
99,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 23, 2017
Crash reported2 injuries reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, NEITHER FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED

NHTSA ID
11035789
Incident
Oct 21, 2017
Mileage
147,000 mi
AirbagsInterior & seats
Filed May 11, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON MAY 5, 2016, I WAS DRIVING ON HWY 395 (NEVADA). DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH DUE TO RAIN/HAIL. I FELT MY CAR BEGIN TO HYDROPLANE, AND THEN BEGAN TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE HWY. AT LEAST 5 COMPLETE CIRCLES UNTIL I SLAMMED INTO A CONCRETE WALL WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVERS SEAT BOLTS BROKE UPON IMPACT AS WELL. NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED, BUT I SUFFERED MULTIPLE BRUISES ON MY RT. ARM, AS WELL AS SEVERE WHIPLASH AND INTERNAL BRUISING FROM SEAT BREAKING FREE UPON IMPACT. MY BACK/SPINE ARE IN SERIOUS PAIN DUE TO BEING KNOCKED OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHEN THE SEAT BROKE, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I DID NOT FILE A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, AS I ONLY HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE, HOWEVER I DO HAVE AN ACCIDENT CASE NUMBER FROM THE NEVADA HIGHWAY PATROL: # 160500374 DATE: 05/05/2016 TIME: 9:56 AM

NHTSA ID
10864389
Incident
May 5, 2016
Mileage
124,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 21, 2003

PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM DISABLES MY IGNITION (IT SEEMS) SOMETIMES WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN TO START THE CAR. THE ALARM LIGHT BLINKS RAPIDLY AND IF I TAKE OUT MY KEY AND RE INSERT IT, I WILL HEAR A SMALL NOISE LIKE A MECHANISM RESETTING AND THEN MY CAR WILL START. 3 ATTEMPTS TO PUT ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE..FAILED TO DIAGNOSE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10019060
Incident
Sep 7, 2001
Mileage
50,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 17, 2001
Crash reported

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A WOOD FENCE AT 30MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
8000764
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Mar 5, 2001
Crash reported2 injuries reported

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED, AND RESTRAINTS RELEASED. ALSO, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULING IN MINOR INJURIES. FORD WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
882092
Incident
Mar 2, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jan 24, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT HITTING A BUMP, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HIT SEVERAL TREES. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
855389
Airbags
Filed Sep 29, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported

NO SUMMARY.

NHTSA ID
712509
Incident
Sep 28, 1999
Airbags
Filed Apr 12, 1999

AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE FULLY IN A FRONT END COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
544919
Airbags
Filed Feb 26, 1999
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED A DELAYED REACTION OF THE AIR BAGS. WHEN ACCIDENT WAS OVER AND WHILE CHECKING TO SEE IF EVERYONE IN THE VEHICLE WAS OKAY, THE BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
835281
AirbagsVisibility
Filed Feb 8, 1999

I WENT TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE CAR TO PLACE MY BRIEFCASE, AND MY GYM BAG INSIDE. I THEN PUT THE PASSENGER SEAT UP, I PLACED MY BRIEFCASE ON THE SEAT, AND I SHUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. AS I SHUT THE DOOR, I HEARD A LOUD SOUND OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ICE CRACKING OFF THE CAR. I WENT OVER TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AND FOUND THE WINDOW COMPLETELY SHATTERED AND BLOWN OUT OF THE CAR. AT LEAST 80% OF THE GLASS FROM THE WINDOW WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, ON THE GROUND. . I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE WINDOW SHATTERED IN SUCH A WAY BECAUSE I ASSUMED ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN MY CAR HAD SAFETY GLASS. THIS EVENTLY DISTURBED ME BECAUSE IF THERE HAD BEEN A CHILD OR A PASSENGER IN THAT BACK SEAT WHEN I HAD CLOSED THAT DOOR, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED. WHEN I FIRST LEASED MY MUSTANG IN JULY OF 1998, I HAD PROBLEMS PUTTING THAT WINDOW UP AFTER HAVING MY CONVERTIBLE TOP DOWN. IT WOULD TAKE ME 2 OR 3 TRIES OF PRESSING THE ELECTRIC SWITCH UP AND DOWN UNTIL THAT WINDOW FINALLY SQUEALED ITS WAY ALL THE WAY UP THE TRACK. I NOW BELIEVE THAT THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS NOT PUT INTO THE TRACK PROPERLY, CAUSING SEVERE PRESSURE ON THE GLASS. THE COMBINATION OF EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND PRESSURE FINALLY CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER WITH THE VIBRATIONS OF CLOSING THE DOOR. THIS CAUSED THE WINDOW TO BLOW OUTWARDS, AND ALL OVER THE GROUND. DUE TO THIS DEFECT, I FEEL THE EXPENSE TO REPAIR THIS WINDOW SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *AK

NHTSA ID
703066
Incident
Jan 29, 1999
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Feb 1, 1999

DOOR HANDLE FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
607709
Incident
Jun 23, 1998
Airbags
Filed Oct 7, 1998
Crash reported

WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION(IMPACT SPEED BETWEEN 30-40 MPH), AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. DAMAGES TOTALLING $4,614. 51. *AK

NHTSA ID
828705
Incident
Sep 28, 1998
Airbags
Filed May 31, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

AIR BAGS CONTINUED TO SMOKE APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER DEPLOYMENT, DUE TO CRASH, AND FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO USE CO2 TO PREVENT FIRE.

NHTSA ID
536369
Incident
Apr 18, 1998
Airbags
Filed Apr 13, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE AIR BAG FINALLY DEPLOYED, IT CAUSED THE DRIVER'S HEAD TO GO INTO THE WINDSHIELD . THE DRIVE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE HEAD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
822383
Incident
Mar 28, 1998

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .