RoadVitals

2008 Ford Mustang Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure 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 Nov 8, 2021
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.
4%
of 347 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 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 body or structure

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

Body & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 8, 2021

Got rain for a couple days straight the seal in the window is faulty and all the rain got into my car and did something to my electrical wires.

NHTSA ID
11439653
Incident
Nov 1, 2021
Body & structure
Filed Jul 13, 2017

WHILE DRIVING MY FORD MUSTANG GT PREMIUM WITH THE BULLITT PACKAGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE HOOD SUDDENLY OPENED AND WAS CAUGHT BY THE SAFETY LATCH. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO JARRETT-GORDON FORD WINTER HAVEN AND THEY ADJUSTED THE HOOD LATCH. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND I HAD ANOTHER OCCURRENCE OF THE HOOD OPENING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN WHICH THE SAFETY LATCH PREVENTED A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AGAIN TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SAME DEALER - JARRETT-GORDON FORD WINTER HAVEN AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE HOOD LATCH MECHANISM. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED.

NHTSA ID
11004981
Incident
Oct 1, 2008
Mileage
5,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 1, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, WATER LEAKED ONTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ID
10722653
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Mileage
58,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 17, 2015

PAINT BUBBLING UP ON HOOD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10694947
Incident
Mar 16, 2015
Mileage
88,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 3, 2014

AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE ON 9/30/14, THE DRIVER'S DOOR REFUSED TO LATCH AFTER ATTEMPTING CLOSING THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND THERE IS NO BODY DAMAGE WHATSOEVER. AS THIS INCIDENT HAS NEVER APPEARED BEFORE, I CALLED MY SERVICING DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEM SINCE THEY SAID IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. AFTER A BRIEF TIME ON HOLD ON THE CALL, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT PERFORM THE WORK UNTIL OCTOBER 3, 2014 AND THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEN. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO SLOWLY "PULL" THE DOOR SHUT INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL CLOSING OPERATION. THIS DID, IN FACT, WORK AND THE DOOR REMAINED CLOSED, BUT I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS SOLUTION SINCE, I FELT, THAT EITHER: 1) THE DOOR COULD SWING OPEN AT ANY TIME OR 2) THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AND I COULD BECOME TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING DOOR OPERATION. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON OCTOBER 3, 2014 AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE NATURE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME: 1) THAT THEY CANNOT REPAIR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE UNTIL 10/10/14 AND 2) THAT THEY WILL NOT PERFORM THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. I DID REPORT THIS SAFETY ISSUE TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY THROUGH THEIR CORPORATE HOTLINE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE, BUT THEY INSISTED THAT I "WORK THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP." *TR

NHTSA ID
10641208
Incident
Sep 30, 2014
Mileage
71,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 6, 2014

PAINT ON UNDERSIDE AND FRONT EDGE OF THE HOOD IS BUBBLING UP, ALSO THE PAINT IS DELAMINATING AROUND THE REAR GLASS, THE REAR QTR GLASSES ARE DELAMINATING, THE INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS IS LOSING ITS BACKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10619343
Incident
Aug 2, 2011
Mileage
38,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 30, 2014

SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE EXPIRED I NOTICED PAINT BUBBLES ON THE FRONT LIP OF THE HOOD. I WAS STILL TWO YEARS AWAY FROM PAYING OFF THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TOOK PHOTOS AND RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE HOOD REPLACEMENT. FORD REFUSED TO FUND EVEN A PORTION OF THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. INTERNET MUSTANG FORUMS HAVE MULTIPLE THREADS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY IT BEGAN WITH MODEL YEAR 2004. I CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME. I CONTACTED THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THEY CONTACTED FORD AND FORD REFUSED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SENT ME AND THE MASS AG A LETTER STATING THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP AND THEY WOULD NOT TALK TO US ABOUT THE PROBLEM ANYMORE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HOOD. I WAS RECENTLY FORCED TO PURCHASE AN AFTERMARKET HOOD BECAUSE THE PAINT WAS GONE FROM SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE STOCK HOOD. I ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE A NEW STOCK HOOD BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN AGAIN ON THE NEW HOOD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10617749
Incident
Aug 17, 2011
Mileage
38,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 15, 2014

THE SOFT CONVERTIBLE TOP ON MY CAR IS DRY ROTTED AND FALLING APART. IT IS A TAN TOP. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MINE, HOWEVER SINCE THIS, I HAVE NOTICED ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TAN TOP I HAVE SEEN, EVEN ON THE NEWER CARS, ARE THE SAME AS MINE AND ARE PEELING ALL ALONG THE EDGES. THEY ARE FALLING APART PERIOD. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY DEALER DEFECTS THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED IT IS PATHETIC. THE TRUNK SCREWS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE LINERS DOWN, FALL APART AND COME LOSE. NOTHING YOU DO CAN HOLD THEM IN PLACE. WAY TOO MANY ISSUES TO LIST RIGHT NOW. I JUST WISH FORD WOULD STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE ITEMS AND MAKE THEM RIGHT. THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL CARS AND I LOVE MINE, I JUST HATE THAT IT IS PUT TOGETHER CRAPPY AND SLOPPILY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10610762
Incident
Jun 28, 2011
Mileage
29,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 14, 2013

PAINT BUBBLING ON FRONT EDGE OF HOOD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10519866
Incident
Dec 15, 2011
Mileage
26,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 25, 2013

I WAS DRIVING MY RECENTLY PURCHASED 08 MUSTANG (LEAST YEAR) IN THE HEAVY RAINS WE WERE HAVING. TO MY UTTER DISMAY, IT STARTS GUSHING, NOR LEAKING, GUSHING IN THROUGH WHAT SEEMED TO BE UNDER MY PASSENGER SIDE DASH. IT FLOODED MY FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR SIDE SO BAD, IT WENT THROUGH TO THE BACK PASSENGER SEAT FLOOR BOARD. I HAVE "RECENTLY" FOUND ONLINE, WHERE NUMEROUS, NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MUSTANGS. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WILL DO NOTHING TO MY KNOWLEDGE AS OF THE WRITING OF THIS. I, LIKE MANY OTHERS, AM CONCERNED OF THE DAMAGE IT IS DOING TO MY CAR UNDERNEATH THE CARPETING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT RUST IN THE BODY OF MY CAR UNDERNEATH THE CARPET AND WHAT ALL WET CARPET BRINGS WITH IT (I.E. ALLERGIES, MOLD, SMELLS, RUST, DECAY)!!!!! I WOULD THINK FORD WOULD CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT AND MAKE SURE ALL OF THESE CARS ON THE ROADS WITH SUCH DEFECT, WOULD BE REMEDIED. ALSO, MY CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM A FLEET ORGANIZATION. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN FIND OUT WHO THEY WERE? I DON'T THINK THEY KEPT UP WITH RECALLS ON THIS CAR BECAUSE I RAN A CARFAX AND IT DID NOT SHOW THE DEALER RECALL RELATED ITEMS. I THINK IT IS REALLY SAD SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CAR "MUSTANG", HAS THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN AN AVID RETRO MUSTANG FAN, BUT MY LOVE FOR THE CAR IS BEGINNING TO FADE DUE TO FORD MOTOR NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10494690
Incident
Aug 23, 2012
Mileage
37,500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 11, 2012

MY PAINT LOCATED NEAR MY HOOD PINS IS BUBBLING DUE TO OXIDATION/RUST MAINLY, FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, IS DUE TO THE WRONG PART. FORD OR SHELBY HAVE DENIED MY MULTIPLE REQUESTS, EVEN WIRING WARRANTY DATES, TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. MULTIPLE 07-08 MUSTANG SHELBY GT'S HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE AND NEITHER COMPANY CAN PROVIDE A SOLUTION OR DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP US OWNERS KEEP OUR CARS NICE WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10488029
Incident
Feb 28, 2011
Mileage
12,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 14, 2012

THE CLEAR COAT IS BUBBLING/POPPING OFF ON THE HOOD AND FENDERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465630
Incident
Mar 1, 2012
Mileage
52,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 11, 2012

AFTER HEAVY RAINFALL, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS WATER LEAKING IN THROUGH DASH BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX ON PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ALLOWING WATER TO BUILD UP IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS/CARPET. IT WAS UNKNOWN ORIGINALLY WHERE WATER WAS COMING FROM BUT AFTER MOST RECENT STORM, WHILE I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, WATER LITERALLY STARTED FALLING IN AND ON TO FLOORBOARD DIRECTLY FROM BEHIND GLOVE BOX, COMING IN AT STEADY STREAM, SOAKING PASSENGER SIDE CARPET/FLOOR MAT/JUTE. I HAVE PERSONALLY LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF OTHER MUSTANG OWNERS DEALING WITH SAME ISSUE AND MENTIONING THAT FORD HAS PRODUCED A BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465280
Incident
Jun 29, 2012
Body & structure
Filed Oct 27, 2008

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH IN VERY HIGH CROSSWIND CONDITIONS WHEN THE HOOD BEGAN TO VIBRATE WILDLY AND THE LATCH RELEASED. SECONDARY LATCH CAUGHT THE HOOD BEFORE IT COMPLETELY FLEW UP. I SLAMMED THE HOOD SHUT AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE MY TRIP BUT THE HIGH WINDS STILL MADE THE HOOD SHAKE AND VIBRATE. TODAY THERE IS NO WIND AND I DROVE THE CAR AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WITH NO VIBRATION AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10246793
Incident
Oct 26, 2008
Mileage
3,300 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 29, 2008

2008 FORD MUSTANG GT, PURCHASED ON 25 JULY 2008 PURCHASED NEW VEHICLE ON 25 JULY 2008. FIRST WATER DAMAGE WAS ON 5 SEPT 2008, THE CAR HELD APPROX. 3 INCHES OF RAIN WATER ON PASSENGER SIDE. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THEY FOUND THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED AROUND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER, HOWEVER, MY PRINT OUT FROM THEM SHOWS WHERE THEY PAID "MR. VINYL" $125.00 FOR CLEANING UP THE WATER DAMAGE. FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS DENIED MY REQUEST FOR NEW INTERIOR CARPET. THIS NEW VEHICLE HAS 1,900 MILES ON IT. AGAIN ON 26 SEPT 08, THE INTERIOR PASSENGER FLOOR OF CAR FILLED WITH WATER. TODAY IS 29 SEPT AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY VEHICLE BACK. I AM CONCERNED WITH FUTURE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH COULD OCCUR FROM THIS. THIS DEFECT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIR THE USE, VALUE, OR SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE AND I AM CONCERNED WITH FUTURE PROBLEMS THAT MAY OCCUR FROM THIS.. *TR

NHTSA ID
10243953
Incident
Sep 5, 2008
Mileage
1,900 mi

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 .