FORD MUSTANG · model year

2020 FORD MUSTANG

155 NHTSA complaints, 24 crash reports, and 8 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2020FORDMUSTANG carries 155 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 24 crashes, 8 fires, 12 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 MUSTANG is electrical system with 21 filings, followed by unknown or other (18) and engine (18). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 8 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2020 MUSTANG, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

155
Complaints
24
Crashes
8
Fires
12
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

155 filings

Crashes Reported

24 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: 5/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM21
UNKNOWN OR OTHER18
ENGINE18
POWER TRAIN16
SERVICE BRAKES15
AIR BAGS7
BACK OVER PREVENTION7
STRUCTURE:BODY5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING3
SEAT BELTS3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2

Recalls (8)

23V72700027/10/2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Mustang vehicles. The brake fluid level sensor may not activate the visual warning indicator when the brake fluid is low. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Ligh

25V44200027/06/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2

22V38200027/05/2022

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles equipped with 5.0L engines and manual transmissions. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may broadcast an unintended faulted signal to the modules controlling the reverse camera, reverse light, and driver assist features, whi

20V30600027/05/2020

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Mustang vehicles equipped a forward-looking camera. The camera may be misaligned to the vehicle and features that are dependent on the camera such as Pre-Collision Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping System, Driver Alert, and Auto High B

20V57300023/09/2020

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Mustang vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The brake pedal bracket may fracture during sudden stopping.

20V57500023/09/2020

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or dist

25V69500013/10/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image wh

20V26300008/05/2020

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.

Recent Complaints

20260219BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING

Went to Clay Cooley Ford in Arlington TX off of highway 360 to have rearview camera issues fixed after being sent a recall notice to take it in to be repaired. The vehicle doesn’t show a black screen all of the time but it is at times distorted or black. Upon arriving my husband was told that one they don’t have the camera for the vehicle mind you an appointment was made I didn’t just show up and two because at this present moment the screen wasn’t showing distorted or black screen they were not able to repair the recall we were given a paper to contact a man who works at the dealership the vehicle camera wasn’t thoroughly inspected, just asked if it was doing it now when my husband said not right now but it does show a black or distorted screen sometimes he was sent on his way and told the repair couldn’t be done. I have reached out to Ford customer service to get their help with getting this recall resolved because I do transport a child in this car daily to and from scho

20260211BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle became inoperable. The message “Camera Unavailable - Contact Dealer” was displayed. Prior to the message being displayed, the camera image was distorted. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The camera was replaced; however, additional diagnostic testing was required. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20260128POWER TRAIN

January 22, 2025 Ford Case #CHX-XXX-XXX RE: Approval Code: XXX This vehicle was bought on June 26, 2020 with a 3 year 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty along with a 5 year 60,000 mile power train warranty. It has been regularly serviced by Ford dealership as documented on Ford's records. The following dates are documented FORD service and complaints of hard shifts by customer yet no work was done. July 21, 2022, 10,239 miles on vehicle. Under the bumper to bumper warranty. February 28, 2023, 14067 miles on vehicle. Under the bumper to bumper warranty. March 10, 2025. 26,088 miles on vehicle. Under the power train warranty. January 13, 2026. 30,000 miles on vehicle. 5.4 months, 60,000 miles for power train.* *On January 9th brought in to Spring Hill Ford, for same issue, but no transmission tech available for 4 months as stated by service. Brought to Flammer Ford in Tarpon springs for transmission issue on Jan 13, 2026. Dealership states: Transmission is bad and needs necessary

20251230UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The reverse camera is currently on recall. My vehicle has been experiencing intermittent camera issues as the recall describes. Ford's recall resolution states that the issue has to be replicated while with a technician to be fixed. While my vehicle was with the dealership for it's recall inspection the issue was not able to be duplicated regardless of the multiple occurrences over several months. We feel this does not adequately take care of the recalled problem and continues to present a safety concern until it is corrected. The earliest occurrence of this issue was documented on August 29, 2025 and has continued to occur since that date.

20251218BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251127UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Rear camera recall timely manner complaint 25SA9/25v695

20251118ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH in inclement weather, the instrument panel went black for approximately 5 seconds and then started operating as designed. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred on several occasions. The contact stated that on one occasion, while driving through a tunnel, the instrument panel went black and then returned to functionality. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated, and no fault codes were retrieved. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20251107BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

20251003ENGINE

I had the coolant gasket problem that resulted in having to get the engine replaced. It was a 202 mustang ecoboost premium.

20250917POWER TRAIN

Description of the issue: The transmission has a recurring problem with shifting. When placing the vehicle into Reverse, it engages with a harsh and sudden jerk. When shifting from Reverse to Drive, there is a noticeable delay in engagement before the vehicle responds. These problems occur under normal operating conditions and are repeatable. Safety risk: This creates a significant safety hazard. The harsh jerking when shifting into Reverse can cause unintended movement, risking collisions or injury. The delayed engagement when shifting into Drive leaves the driver vulnerable in traffic situations (such as backing out of parking spaces or entering traffic), increasing the chance of an accident. Inspection/confirmation: The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership. However, it has not been permanently resolved. Ford has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) addressing this known transmission problem through a software update. Manufacturer/dealer involvement: When

20250912VISIBILITY/WIPER

My backup camera on my 2020 mustang ecoboost goes blank when backing up at times and shows distorted images when it does work.

20250902ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The rearview camera display threw up a blue screen then proceeded to throw up a back screen and told me “Camera is unavailable. Please contact dealership.” From my knowledge, there is a current recall out for this particular issue. I was attempting to back into a parking spot when this happened and I was surrounded by vehicles when this happened. There were no warnings on the vehicle dash or in the app. I would like this fixed as soon as possible.

20250828ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1. 2020 Mustang Ecoboost is equipped from factory with redesigned block to minimize/eliminate coolant intrusion and or head gasket failure. I still had the dreaded "ecoboom" issue with coolant intrusion on two cylinders as a result of a broken head gasket and poor engine block design. Regular maintenance was perfomed and use primarily Top Tier 93 octane fuel. 5K mile interval 5W-50 oil changes according to manual using Ford spec oil full synthetic. Cold Start Misfires and excessive engine shaking are still occurring despite short block replacement by Ford and they won't diagnose properly. 2. Electrical/Audio. Issue with crackling audio, audio skipping and both iPhones and Androids having disconnection issues. Factory reset the Sync module twice, attempted reset by unplugging car battery and also checked alternator. Replaced car battery with fresh battery and issue persists. 3. Powertrain: The 10R80 Auto Transmission is extremely jarring and does not shift smoothly. Hesitates throughout

20250828ENGINE

1. 2020 Mustang Ecoboost is equipped from factory with redesigned block to minimize/eliminate coolant intrusion and or head gasket failure. I still had the dreaded "ecoboom" issue with coolant intrusion on two cylinders as a result of a broken head gasket and poor engine block design. Regular maintenance was perfomed and use primarily Top Tier 93 octane fuel. 5K mile interval 5W-50 oil changes according to manual using Ford spec oil full synthetic. Cold Start Misfires and excessive engine shaking are still occurring despite short block replacement by Ford and they won't diagnose properly. 2. Electrical/Audio. Issue with crackling audio, audio skipping and both iPhones and Androids having disconnection issues. Factory reset the Sync module twice, attempted reset by unplugging car battery and also checked alternator. Replaced car battery with fresh battery and issue persists. 3. Powertrain: The 10R80 Auto Transmission is extremely jarring and does not shift smoothly. Hesitates throughout

20250828POWER TRAIN

1. 2020 Mustang Ecoboost is equipped from factory with redesigned block to minimize/eliminate coolant intrusion and or head gasket failure. I still had the dreaded "ecoboom" issue with coolant intrusion on two cylinders as a result of a broken head gasket and poor engine block design. Regular maintenance was perfomed and use primarily Top Tier 93 octane fuel. 5K mile interval 5W-50 oil changes according to manual using Ford spec oil full synthetic. Cold Start Misfires and excessive engine shaking are still occurring despite short block replacement by Ford and they won't diagnose properly. 2. Electrical/Audio. Issue with crackling audio, audio skipping and both iPhones and Androids having disconnection issues. Factory reset the Sync module twice, attempted reset by unplugging car battery and also checked alternator. Replaced car battery with fresh battery and issue persists. 3. Powertrain: The 10R80 Auto Transmission is extremely jarring and does not shift smoothly. Hesitates throughout

20250825UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Two issues actually 1. Back up camera gives the blue screen. Says unavailable and contact dealer. I have not yet as this just started. I am seeing a bunch of complaints on this though. 2. When I roll all the windows down then roll them up, the back triangle windows don't go up all the way. I have to get out of the car and pull them up all the way. Dealer said I just need to lube the edge and the groove they sit in. Which was tried. Didn't work. Could be a safety issue if I have to pull over and get out of the car to pull the windows up.

20250825ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Two issues actually 1. Back up camera gives the blue screen. Says unavailable and contact dealer. I have not yet as this just started. I am seeing a bunch of complaints on this though. 2. When I roll all the windows down then roll them up, the back triangle windows don't go up all the way. I have to get out of the car and pull them up all the way. Dealer said I just need to lube the edge and the groove they sit in. Which was tried. Didn't work. Could be a safety issue if I have to pull over and get out of the car to pull the windows up.

20250731CrashAIR BAGS

On [XXX], I was involved in a front-left collision while driving my 2020 Ford Mustang GT (VIN: [XXX] ) with my [XXX] daughter in the front passenger seat. She weighs approximately [XXX] and was properly seated with her seatbelt fastened. The only airbag that deployed was the driver’s knee airbag. The front passenger airbag did not deploy at all. After the accident, the FordPass system reported multiple “Restraints Indicator Lamp Warning” alerts, all timestamped the day of the crash, stating: “Your Air Bag Warning is on due to an issue with the front passenger air bag system. The front passenger airbag may not work properly.” This alert was not visible on the dashboard prior to the crash and was only discovered after checking the app. This failure of the airbag system placed my daughter at serious risk. A properly seated child passenger of sufficient weight should have been protected. The vehicle had approximately 19,177 miles at the time of the accident and had no prior air

20250731CrashSEAT BELTS

On [XXX], I was involved in a front-left collision while driving my 2020 Ford Mustang GT (VIN: [XXX] ) with my [XXX] daughter in the front passenger seat. She weighs approximately [XXX] and was properly seated with her seatbelt fastened. The only airbag that deployed was the driver’s knee airbag. The front passenger airbag did not deploy at all. After the accident, the FordPass system reported multiple “Restraints Indicator Lamp Warning” alerts, all timestamped the day of the crash, stating: “Your Air Bag Warning is on due to an issue with the front passenger air bag system. The front passenger airbag may not work properly.” This alert was not visible on the dashboard prior to the crash and was only discovered after checking the app. This failure of the airbag system placed my daughter at serious risk. A properly seated child passenger of sufficient weight should have been protected. The vehicle had approximately 19,177 miles at the time of the accident and had no prior air

20250731CrashSEATS

On [XXX], I was involved in a front-left collision while driving my 2020 Ford Mustang GT (VIN: [XXX] ) with my [XXX] daughter in the front passenger seat. She weighs approximately [XXX] and was properly seated with her seatbelt fastened. The only airbag that deployed was the driver’s knee airbag. The front passenger airbag did not deploy at all. After the accident, the FordPass system reported multiple “Restraints Indicator Lamp Warning” alerts, all timestamped the day of the crash, stating: “Your Air Bag Warning is on due to an issue with the front passenger air bag system. The front passenger airbag may not work properly.” This alert was not visible on the dashboard prior to the crash and was only discovered after checking the app. This failure of the airbag system placed my daughter at serious risk. A properly seated child passenger of sufficient weight should have been protected. The vehicle had approximately 19,177 miles at the time of the accident and had no prior air

Compare 2020FORDMUSTANG to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2020 FORD MUSTANG have?
The 2020 FORD MUSTANG has 155 NHTSA complaints, 24 crashes, 8 fires, 12 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2020 FORD MUSTANG?
The 2020 FORD MUSTANG received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of 5/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 FORD MUSTANG?
Yes, the 2020 FORD MUSTANG has 8 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 FORD MUSTANG?
The most-complained component for the 2020 FORD MUSTANG is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 21 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ENGINE.
Is the 2020 FORD MUSTANG safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2020 FORD MUSTANG has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.