Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Speedometer went to zero while driving and seemed to be in neutral. Could not accelerate. Also low fuel warning light came on when I had a full tank. After car was shut off and restarted speedometer seemed fine for about 1 mile, then self accelerated. Now continues to read zero and can not accelerate unless I restart engine.
Transmission seems to lose power while driving, the car will barely pull itself but the rpms increase if I accelerate. This has happened several times while driving and occasionally there are dash lights lighting and speedometer/gas gauge doesn’t work but that doesn’t happen every time. When it happens I pull over and shut it down and restart and it runs correctly until it happens again! I do a lot of highway driving and the car just “falling flat” on a multi-lane highway at 70+ mph is definitely a safety issue! I have taken it to my local fastlane shop and the car was driven but didn’t malfunction at that time. He advised me to try to drive it there if it happened again, but I have never been close to the shop at the times it happens or they are closed. There is no advance warning, it happens at various speeds and even on takeoff after stopping for traffic lights. I once was pulling into traffic when it happened and didn’t have enough power to get to my lane before it fell flat! Fortunately I could back up before getting hit by oncoming traffic.
Windshield wipers turn on randomly and will not stay on when switch is on, also sprays washer fluid on windshield randomly and wipers do not work making it a very dangerous driving hazard
car stopped accelerating twice on my mustang 7/23/21.first time on the way to work in traffic and then again when I was going to lunch around 11:30.
THE IGNITION SWITCH MOVES AND WHOLE CAR LOSES POWER AND STALLS
I OWN A 2012 FORD MUSTANG AND RECENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IT WAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS OUTLINED IN FORD'S CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 16B23 (HTTPS://FORD.OEMDTC.COM/2670/16B23-ELECTRONIC-THROTTLE-BODY-REPLACEMENT-2011-2012-FORD-LINCOLN/5). I HAVE A 2012 3.7L V6 MUSTANG THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE FALLEN UNDER THIS PROGRAM. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY MAIL OR EMAIL NOTIFYING ME OF THIS PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH I HAD LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS FOR AS LONG AS I HAD OWNED THE CAR AND PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED AN AIRBAG RECALL NOTICE, SO I KNOW FORD HAS MY ADDRESS. I WAS ALSO AT MY DEALER FOR SERVICE APPOINTMENTS (THE SAME DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR) DURING THE PROGRAM TIME PERIOD AND THEY NEVER NOTIFIED ME EITHER. LONG STORY SHORT, I JUST HAD TO PAY A LITTLE OVER $400 TO HAVE MY LOCAL FORD DEALER REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY. I ASKED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WAS TOLD BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE PROGRAM END DATE THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. MY QUESTION IS, WHY DIDN'T FORD CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IF MY CAR WAS COVERED? IF MY CAR WASN'T COVERED, HOW DID FORD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHICH CARS WERE WORTHY OF BEING IN THE PROGRAM AND WHICH WEREN'T? THIS WAS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME AS THE CAR RANDOMLY LOST POWER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. ONE TIME I WAS DOING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITH ALOT OF TRAFFIC AROUND ME. LUCKILY THERE WAS AN OPEN MEDIAN I COULD COAST INTO, BUT I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS FORTUNATE AS OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE FORD'S CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 16B23 WHICH WAS ONLY IN EFFECT FOR A YEAR WAS ADEQUATE TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY HAZARD. I ALSO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT FORD DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS PROGRAM AND THE ASSOCIATED SAFETY HAZARD.
HOLA EL PROBLEMA COMENZ 2 MESES DESPUS DE HABERLO ADQUIRIDO CUANDO LO ENSCENDIA DESPUS DE MINUTOS EMPEZABA A TEMBLAR CASCABELEAR COMO SI SE AHOGARA Y SE KISIERA APAGAR LE PRENDI LUZ DEL CHECK ENGINE REPENTINAMENTE Y LO LLEVE AL DEALER DONDE LO ADQUIR Y DINERO TODO ESTS BIEN NO TENA PROBLEMAS AL PASO DEL TIEMPO REGRESO EL PROBLEMA PASO LO MISMO AHORA CUANDO LLENABA EL TAQUE DE COMBUSTIBLE Y ERA MS NOTORIO CMO TEMBLABA Y AL MOMENTO DE ACELERAR PERDA POTENCIA HASTA EL PUNTO QUE PRENDI CHECK ENGINE Y TUVE KE REPLAZAR LA VLVULA DE PURGA DEL CANISTER 3 VECES HASTA EL DIA DE HOY OBIAMENTE EL SCANER MARCABA LA FALLA EN LA VLVULA MENCIONADA...
TAKATA RECALL WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. SEVERAL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD TURNED ON (AIRBAG, FUEL LEVEL , WRENCH LIGHT, TIRE PRESSURE ) AND SAID TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR DEFAULTED. AFTER RESTARTED THE CAR, EVERYTHING WORKS NORMALLY. FORD DEALER CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID MY PCM DIDN'T WORK. AND REPLACED IT FOR $1000. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS THE PROBLEM CAME AGAIN. THEY DID'T FIX IT.
WHEN STARTING MY CAR, THE WRENCH ICON STAYS LIT ON MY DASHBOARD. THE CAR MANUAL STATES THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. THE CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHEN I AM (OR NOT) PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL- SOMETIMES WHEN I LIGHTLY PUSH THE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVS, OTHER TIMES THE CAR WON'T MOVE AT ALL. THIS HAS PUT ME (AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD) IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION TO BE IN, THAT I CAN'T CONTROL MY CAR. I HAVE READ MANY THINGS ONLINE THAT THERE HAS BEEN THIS ISSUE WITH MANY OTHER FORD/LINCOLN CARS, FROM 2011-2015. WHEN CALLING MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS ISSUE FREE OF CHARGE, EVEN THOUGH FORD HAD A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM". I WAS TOLD MY CAR IS NOT IN THOSE THAT HAD THAT ISSUE.
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY (60MPH - 65MPH) CAR SUDDENLY STALLS. NO POWER TO ENGINE, NEED TO LIMP TO SIDE OF FREEWAY (VERY DANGEROUS). CAR SITS, THEN YOU CAN RE-START. SOUNDS LIKE ELECTRONIC THOTTLE BODY (ETB) ISSUE THAT YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF. WHY ARE YOU NOT INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE??? FORD (WESTWAY FORD, IRVING, TX) CANNOT DIAGNOSE. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. CARS STALLING ON FREEWAY ARE A HAZARD TO ALL PARTIES. YOU GUYS NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.
THE FAN BLOWER MOTOR 2P CONNECTOR IS DAMAGE. MECHANIC INDICATE SIGNS OF MELTING AND BURNING ON THE MAIN HARSHNESS WHICH RELAYS THE FAN, AND AC COMPRESSOR. ALSO INTENSE CHIPPING OF PAINT ON LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL.
CPSC: 2012 FORD MUSTANG: CONSUMER STATED WHILE CHARGING THE ANDROID DEVICE THE CHARGING PORT BURNED THE PHONE, AND CHARGER. *SS THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE POWER WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN. *JB
I WAS DRIVING IN THE EXPRESSWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER ON THE ACCELERATION. A WRENCH TOOL APPEAR AND THE DASHBOARD ON THE RPM CLOCK ... AT THAT MOMENT THE CAR DESACCELERATE ALMOST TO 30 MPH AND I WAS UNABLE TO GAIN SPEED. I WENT TO A SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN IT OFF AND RESTARTED THE CAR. EVERYTHING APPEAR TO BE NORMAL BUT THE FIRST THING I DID WAS GO TO THE DEALER. THEY RUN A TEST ON IT AND TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTEIC THROTTLE BODY. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW IS POSSIBLE TO HAPPEND SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN MY CAR BARELY HAS 4 YEARS. THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON OT AND THE REPAIR FOR IT IS REALLY EXPENSIVE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE INSTALLING AN AMATEUR RADIO IN THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE THE RADIO WAS TRANSMITTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. DASH LIGHT CAME ON AS VEHICLE STARTED LIMPING TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. *TR
MY 2012 FORD MUSTANG HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS STARTING WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE PARK POSITION. ALL OF THE APPROPRIATE LIGHTS ON THE DASH COME ON, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT CRANK UNTIL I PLACE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THIS HAPPENS WITH THE CAR PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKES APPLIED AND I HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE INDICATOR SHOWS THE P FOR PARK. AFTER, DOING RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT FORD RECALLED SOME 2012/13 MUSTANGS FOR THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR (TRS) WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY CALIBRATED AFFECTING THE STARTER INTERLOCK PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION IS PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THE RECALL WAS 12C23, NHTSA # 12V190000, MY 2012 MUSTANG WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, BUT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH AN IMPROPERLY CALIBRATED (TRS). *TR
ON 02-25-2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 MY WIFE ([XXX]) WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 FORD MUSTANG GT, SHE TURNED ON THE HEATED SEATS AND WAS TRAVELING NORTH BOUND ON GA HWY 49 WHEN THE SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTIONED OVERHEATING AND BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT BACK, CAUSING A FIRST DEGREE BURN TO THE BOTTOM LEFT FLANK OF HER BACK. ON 02-27-2014 WE TOOK OUR 2012 FORD MUSTANG GT TO RIVERSIDE FORD/LINCOLN IN MACON, GA WE ADVISED THEM OF THE INCIDENT, THEY CHARGED US $95.00 TO INSPECT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE SEAT WARMER TO MALFUNCTION AND BURN A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT BACK AND CAUSE A FIRST DEGREE BURN TO MY WIFE'S BACK. RIVERSIDE FORD STATED THE CIRCUIT FOR THE SEAT MALFUNCTIONED/FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT WARMER TO OVERHEAT AND BURN A HOLE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK. RIVERSIDE FORD STATED OUR MUSTANG WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING/REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT OF OUR MUSTANG AT A COST TO US OF $1,142.36 (PARTS $715.76, LABOR $350.00, MISC. $26.50, AND TAX $50.10). I CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER (1-800-392-3673) SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE AND OPENED A CASE (CASE #: [XXX]) THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS CONCERNING THE SEAT WARMERS IN THE FORD MUSTANG'S AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR US CONCERNING REPLACING/REPAIRING THE DRIVERS SEAT IN OUR VEHICLE BUT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. THEY DID ADVISE US TO SAVE OUR SEAT WHEN WE PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED IN CASE THERE IS A RECALL AT A LATER DATE. I AM GLAD MY WIFE WAS NOT MORE SERIOUSLY HURT THAN SHE WAS AND THAT SHE TURNED THE SEAT WARMER OFF BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND POSSIBLE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR HARMING OTHER MOTORIST AROUND HER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 FORD MUSTANG V6 PREMIUM ON THE MORNING OF 10\21\2013 WHEN FOR THE 4TH TIME THE ADVANCE TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER MY CAR, BLOWER ON MY AIR CONDITIONER CAME ON BY ITS SELF FULL BLAST. WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE A EIGHTEEN WHEELER HAD TO GO OFF THE INTERSTATE INTO THE GRASS TO KEEP FROM RUNNING MY CAR OVER! THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 OTHER TIMES STARTING AT ABOUT 13000 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS ONLY GETTING WORSE!! I CARRIED IT TO THE SHOP WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THEN THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WAS UNDER NATIONAL BACK ORDER AT IT WAS GOING TO BE 6 TO 8 WEEKS BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PART IN FOR MY CAR. THE DEALER WAS TOLD BY TECH SUPPORT TO REPLACE MY 2012 PART WITH A 2013 PART??? THEY DID THAT EVEN THOUGH THE PART NUMBER WAS DIFFERENT. THE NEXT TIME I CARRIED THE CAR IN THE SHOP FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL THEY KEEP MY CAR AND DID NOTHING.THE THIRD TIME I CARRIED IT TO THE SHOP FOR THE SAME THING THE TECH CONNECTED TO THE CAR TO THE COMPUTER THE ALTERNATOR SENT CRAZY WAVES TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IT MESSED UP THE BATTERY THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY. AND EVEN WITH EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE THE CAR IS STILL UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY TELL ME TO TAKE THE CAR AND WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN THEY WILL CHECK IT AGAIN. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE HURT OR WORSE SOMEONE KILLED!!! PLEASE HELP!!! *TR
I HAD TWO INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MY 2012 FORD MUSTANG GT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PREMIUM PKG. THESE TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON THE SAME DAY MARCH 5, 2013. THE FIRST WAS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM ITS GARAGE OF SEVERAL WEEKS AT LUNCH AND DROVE BACK TO WORK. I HAD GONE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM MY GARAGE AND WAS BRAKING TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN WHEN THE CAR DOWN SHIFTED AND ACCELERATED BY ITSELF WHILE I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS GOING ABOUT 5 MPH WHEN THIS ALL STARTED. IT LASTED FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS AND THEN THE CAR RELEASED AND STOPPED THE ACCELERATION AND I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE MY RIGHT HAND TURN. I CONTINUED ON BACK TO WORK AND COMPLAINED TO MY CO-WORKER ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HOW I WAS BEGINNING TO BECOME AFRAID OF THE MUSTANG. HE IS MY WITNESS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING BEFORE THE SECOND INCIDENCE OCCURRED. LATER ON I LEFT WORK TO GO HOME AND ON THE WAY HOME IT HAPPENED AGAIN A SECOND TIME ONLY THIS TIME MUCH STRONGER. I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC GOING UNDER INTERSTATE HWY 820 BRIDGE IN FORT WORTH TO GO UNDER THE BRIDGE AFTER GOING THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON EACH SIDE TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN TO GET ON THE WEST BOUND IH820. WELL BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC YOU HAVE TO STOP AT ONE LIGHT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND THEN AGAIN STOP TO GET THROUGH THE SECOND LIGHT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BRIDGE TO TURN LEFT. ANYWAY THERE WAS A LARGE SEMI-TRUCK HAULING ROCKS IN FRONT OF ME AND I STAYED BACK ABOUT 60 FEET SO AS NOT TO GET THE ROCKS ON NEW CAR. HE WENT DOWN TO THE OTHER LIGHT WHICH WAS RED AND STOPPED I WAS GOING ABOUT 5 MPH AGAIN AND STARTED TO BRAKE WAY BACK FROM HIM BECAUSE OF THE ROCKS AND THE RED LIGHT. THE CAR AGAIN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHILE I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. I FOUGHT IT THE WHOLE WAY BUT IT WOULD NOT LET RELEASE TILL 15 FEET FROM TRUCK. I THEN CRASHED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! *TR
ISSUE # 1 BRAKES: UPGRADE "BREMBO" BRAKES SQUEAKED ABOUT 2 WEEKS OUT THE DEALERSHIP. TOOK IT A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES AND DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE ISSUE, THE 5TH TIME, I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND SHOWED SERVICE ADVISOR AND TECH. ACCORDING TO DEALER THE REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY, BRAKES ARE STILL SQUEAKING, TAKE IT BACK TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME, PICKED UP THE CAR, ON THE 4TH DAY, I WAS COMING TO SLOWING DOWN READY TO BRAKE, PUSHED THE CLUTCH AND CAR JOLTED FORWARD (AS IF I PUSHED THE GAS AND LET GO OF THE CLUTCH). I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF IT, 5 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR STARTED GRINDING, NOISE WAS ONLY HEARD WHEN DRIVING AND WOULD STOP AS THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT I WAS MOVING CAR FORWARD, IN MY DRIVEWAY, PUT IN FIRST GEAR, CLUTCH IN , AS I SLOWLY RELEASED THE CLUTCH (NEVER TOUCHED THE GAS), AND AS I TRIED TO BRAKE, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, CLUTCH ENGAGED, PUSHED THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD THE CAR KEPT MOVING AS IF THERE WAS PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL, ENDED UP HITTING OUR SUV PARKED IN FRONT, CAR STILL DID NOT STOP, ACTUALLY PUSHED SUV ABOUT 10 FEET FORWARD, UNTIL I TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND USED THE HAND BRAKE. ISSUE # 2 A/C - WHEN DRIVING THE AIR WOULD COME ON RANDOMLY, FULL BLAST, THE SCREEN WOULD SHOW EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE AT 00, 2 FANS WOULD COME ON, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE SCREEN DISPLAYING 88 DEGREES (VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DUAL AIR CONTROLS ). THIS HAPPENS RANDOM AND IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS I'VE HAD THE CAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE 3 TIMES. - DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *JS
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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