KnownCarProblems2011 Ford Mustang Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 466 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Ford Mustang, most often about the transmission (43% of complaints, typically around 5,000 miles). It is 4th of 27 Mustang model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory3 recalls for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2011 Ford Mustang problems
Transmission
200 complaints · 43%Half of these problems showed up before 5,000 miles. Parts named most often: manual transmission, automatic transmission, driveline.
I, like many others, are having horrendous transmission/clutch issues on my brand new Ford Mustang. I have been informed by other forum members of allfordmustangs.com to come here and fill this out to get out serious issue known. If greater details are wanted I can be contacted. Information redacted pursuant to the…
During the first 5 minutes of driving (before the car has had a chance to reach its operating temperature), the transmission grinds when shifting from 1st to 2nd and sometimes 2nd to 3rd. Today while making a right turn, the car would not shift into 2nd gear or back into 1st leaving me coasting for several seconds…
Air bags
125 complaints · 27%Half of these problems showed up before 58,000 miles.
Front drivers airbag light on. Called Ford to get it fixed and was told by both dealership and the warranty department that I would have to pay $150 to have it tested. Depending on what the test showed I would be given the cost to repair. Have extended warranty with Ford too. They all stated that it probably would not…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. While driving 75 MPH, the wrench icon illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle decelerated immediately. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and turned off. The contact restarted the vehicle and the wrench disappeared. The failure recurred. The manufacturer…
Engine
55 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 55,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
While driving at different speeds, the car will just loses control of the gas pedal. It goes into a coast mode. You have to coast to safety and turn off the ignition and restart. My daughter was almost hit by an 18-wheeler on the bypass going about 50 MPH. Sometimes, it will do this one time per day, sometimes every…
Defective electronic throttle body (etb) as per dealership diagnosis. Ford customer service is excluding mustangs from the customer satisfaction program 13n03 - which clearly states there is a problem with etbs during this time. Looking over the internet, it is clear that some mustangs where built with the same type…
Speed control
39 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 43,000 miles. Parts named most often: cruise control.
6/22/2015: I was driving home from work and my car suddenly turned off and the check engine light turned on. It is very subtle when it happened; no jerky movement noticed. I realized what have happened after my failed attempts to accelerate. I was able to use the car's momentum to make it to a parking lot. I step out…
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. When the accelerator pedal was depressed up to 40 MPH, the throttle became stuck and the brakes failed to respond without warning. As a result, the contact shifted the vehicle into the neutral to stop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the…
Fuel system
26 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 56,000 miles.
Defective electronic throttle body (etb) as per dealership diagnosis. Ford customer service is excluding mustangs from the customer satisfaction program 13n03 - which clearly states there is a problem with etbs during this time. Looking over the internet, it is clear that some mustangs where built with the same type…
I was driving on the interstate and my vehicle stopped accelerating. It was as though it had switched to neutral. I had to quickly turn on my emergency lights and pull over on the side of the road. I turned off the engine, then turned it back on and pulled on to the interstate. The same thing happened again. I finally…
Steering
25 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. While driving at approximately 25 MPH, the contact turned the steering wheel to the right but the vehicle did not turn. The failure recurred numerous times. The contact also stated that the front passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was…
Intermittent loss of power steering while driving. Have to constantly try to turn off car and restart to get the electronic power steering to work again. Lost power steering on the interstate with kids in the car and ended up in the grass, almost taking out the guardrail. Ford dealership says there have been 450,000…
Electrical
24 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 63,000 miles. Parts named most often: ignition, instrument cluster/panel, instrument panel.
With no warning the electronic throttle body will fail causing the car to rapidly decelerate to its idle speed. In my case it happened on a city street in heavy traffic while the car was in motion. The motorist behind me almost rear-ended my car, and several other had to come to a screeching halt. The problem is…
I was driving on the freeway going 60mph when all of a sudden my cars power just cut off and it went into limp mode and had the worst idle at 1100 RPM until I turned off the vehicle. I then turned it back on and the limp mode light went away but a few more miles up it cut power again and almost caused a wreck as I had…
Other or unspecified
15 complaints · 3%Half of these problems showed up before 71,000 miles.
While driving on I-95 in ft. Lauderdale, flduring rush hour I rear ended the car in front, speed approximately 30mph or less before applying brakes. Car nose dived and hit rear of other car going under the rear bumper. My car suffered minor damage of both fenders, headlights, radiator. Front bumper was untouched, air…
Driving over speed bumps in my apartment complex and the wrench lights comes on and the car would not move when I press the gas pedal however, the car was still running idle but not throttle what so ever. It is a reoccurring problem and I fear for me and my child's safety so frightened this will happen in the middle…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Ford Mustang recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began march 17, 2021. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21s05.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 mustang, 2004-2011 ranger, 2009-2011 mercury milan, 2006 ford gt, 2008-2012 fusion, 2007-2010 edge and lincoln mkx, and 2009-2010 lincoln mkz vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began february 13, 2019. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19s01.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2014 ford mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands or "zone a." additionally, ford is recalling certain 2011 ford ranger and mercury milan vehicles, 2011-2012 ford fusion and lincoln zephyr/mkz vehicles and 2011-2014 ford mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia or "zone b." ford is also recalling certain 2010 ford edge and lincoln mkx vehicles, 2010-2011 ford ranger and mercury mi
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on july 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19s01.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 ford ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 ford fusion, mercury milan and lincoln zephyr/mkz vehicles, 2007-2010 ford edge, lincoln mkx vehicles, 2005-2006 ford gt vehicles, and 2005-2011 ford mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 ford ranger, edge and lincoln mkx vehicles, 2006-2008 ford fusion, mercury milan and lincoln zephyr/mkz vehicles, 2005-2006 ford gt vehicles and 2005-2008 ford mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana,
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on june 10, 2016. Even if interim repairs were performed under safety recall 14v-802, owners must bring their vehicles in for the final remedy. Owners may contact ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15s21. Note: this recall supersedes safety recall 14v-802.
Full defect summary
Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 mustang vehicles manufactured april 6, 2004, to june 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 gt vehicles manufactured february 20, 2004, to september 22, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Inability to shift gears on acceleration
Summary
The office of defects investigations (odi) analyzed complaint data provided by ford as well as complaints submitted to odi from consumers.in total, there were 364 unique reports indicating various shift quality issues while driving.ford identified several factors that may contribute to shift quality concerns in the subject vehicles, including cold transmission, clutch stay-out at high engine speeds, gear clash or grinding, and gradual loosening of clutch plate bolts in some early production vehicles.the largest percentage of complaints indicated higher than expected shift efforts in cold ambient temperatures.these complaints were related to transmission fluid viscosity and the higher shift e
Questions about the 2011 Ford Mustang
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Mustang?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (200 complaints, typically around 5,000 miles); air bags (125 complaints, typically around 58,000 miles); engine (55 complaints, typically around 55,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Ford Mustang have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 16, 2021 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Ford Mustang?
- It is 4th of 27 Mustang model years by number of complaints, with 466 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.