1999 Ford MUSTANG: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
178 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 36 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 178 complaints (9.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 53 | 29.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 14 | 7.9% |
| Steering behavior | 12 | 6.7% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 5.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 1.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 16 |
| Parking Brake:Conventional | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 12 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 10 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 10 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Seat Belts | 6 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 16; Parking Brake:Conventional: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 10; Air Bags: 8; Seat Belts: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 2
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 142 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 55 |
| 2001 | 52 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
2000: 55; 2001: 52; 2002: 20; 2003: 12; 2004: 10; 2005: 6; 2006: 2; 2007: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2011: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2015: 1; 2018: 3; 2021: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 14 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000981 · 2003-01-12 (January 12, 2003)
DRIVING AT 75 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL. NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN SO TAPPED BRAKE PEDAL. CRUISE WOULD NOT RELEASE. HIT BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN. NO RESPONSE. POUNDED BRAKE PEDAL AND FINALLY CRUISE CANCELLED. DEALERSHIP FOUND CAUSE TO BE A BROKEN WIRE ON THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. LUCKILY HAD ROOM IN TRAFFIC TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM. NEXT STEP WAS TO HIT CRUISE OFF BUTTON.
Owner-reported narrative. 74,170 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000981 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016740 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. ENGINES IDLES ROUGH AND STALES AT ABOUT 1500 RPM'S. IF YOU TURN ON THE HEATER OR AC. THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE. I SCANNED THE CAR AND GOT A MISFIRE CODE AND AN EGR CODE. REPLACED ALL IGNITION PARTS AND ALL EMISSION PARTS AND THE CODE AND PROBLEM WON'T GO AWAY. HELP PLEASE. ANY INFO CAN BE SENT TO [email removed] THANKS
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016740 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017900 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
WHILE TRAVELING AT 15 MPH, THE CONSUMER HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE AHEAD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017900 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019397 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED HIS VEHILE IN VEHICLE IN THE MORNING IT WAS VERY LOUD FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES. HE ALSO STATED THAT WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS THE MANIFOLD HEATER VALVE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019397 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020223 · 2003-05-20 (May 20, 2003)
THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND MADE A LOUD NOISE AS IF THE MUFFLER HAD FALLEN OFF. ALSO, THERE WAS A RUST SPOT ON THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024572 · 2003-06-20 (June 20, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH VEHICLE'S HOOD FLEW UP WHICH IMPAIRED DRIVER'S VISION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024572 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028530 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)
25,000 MILES ON 1999 FORD MUSTANG 5-SPEED DIFFICULTLY SHIFTING INTO REVERSE - PILOT BUSHING DEFECTIVE - TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE PULLED & REPAIRED - VERY COSTLY 3 YR WARRANTY EXPIRED 4 MOS. AGO . *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028530 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030563 · 2003-08-01 (August 1, 2003)
1999 MUSTANG WITH 58,000 MILES. HAD MULTIPLE PREMATURE FAILURE OF REAR AXLE BEARINGS. ALL BEARINGS,CONES, AND CUPS REPLACED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 58,754 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030563 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V349000 · Parking Brake:Conventional
Reported: 2000-10-30 (October 30, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. IF A VEHICLE IS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY APPLIED AND NOT IN FIRST GEAR, AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER GUIDE, AND THE SELF ADJUSTMENT PAWL SUBSEQUENTLY SKIPS ONE OR TWO TEETH, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE ON SOME GRADES.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL AND INSTALL A PLATE OR OVER-BRACKET TO THE CONTROL TO LOCK THE SELF ADJUST MECHANISM IN POSITION FOLLOWING ADJUSTMENT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V062001 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1999-03-30 (March 30, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L, 3.0L FFV/EFI OR 4.0L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM JANUARY 5, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 MUSTANGS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE OR 4-VALVE ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (OVER 8,500 LBS.) TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; AND 1999 F-53 STRIPPED CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999. A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO PULLEY AND NOT ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL.
Consequence: IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS USED AND THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE REPLACEMENT CABLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ADVISED NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V250000 · Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
Reported: 1999-09-20 (September 20, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE A PIN SHAFT IN THE SWITCHABLE ELR/ALR MECHANISM THAT IS INCORRECTLY FORMED. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SWITCHING MECHANISM COULD BECOME NONFUNCTIONAL, PREVENTING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING FROM BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE RETRACTOR. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MALFUNCTION OF THE MECHANISM COULD PREVENT THE BELT FROM BEING SWITCHED INTO THE ALR MODE. THE ELR MECHANISM IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.
Consequence: IF THE MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONS AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE WEBBING TO BE EXTRACTED, THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COULD NOT BE WORN BY A VEHICLE OCCUPANT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE MECHANISM DOES NOT ALLOW THE ALR MODE TO BE ENGAGED, THE OPERATOR MAY BE UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL A CHILD SEAT IN THAT SEATING POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLIES. ASSEMBLIES WITH JULIAN DATE CODES OF 200 THROUGH 223 ARE SUSPECT AND WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗