Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 347 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Mustang, and it carries 8 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 230 | 66% |
| Power train | 24 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 4% |
| Structure | 14 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 2% |
| Engine | 4 | 1% |
| Tires | 4 | 1% |
| Air bags | 3 | 1% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Driving approximately 20 mph, on a smooth road, in a retirement community, the drivers seat airbag explosively inflated without warning. The seatbelts are locked and unusable, the seat bolster is shredded, the driver do
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Battery goes dead when sitting for a week when not driven. When I charge the battery and hook up the terminals and turn on the ignition with key the radio comes on and I know it was shut off before shutting car down.I al
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while the son was driving approximately 40 MPH and pressing the brake pedal to reduce speed, the engine began to rev and the vehicle continued to accelerate.
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
I have a 2008 Ford Mustang with a V-6 engine. Recently I had to jump start it twice in a week's time to get it started and decided to take it to my dealer to have the battery checked. On the way there, I had to stop for
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The headlights on my 2008 Ford Mustang are dim at best. And it's hard to drive the vehicle at night due to the lighting. I've already had one accident where a deer ran in front of me and that was due to it being at night
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
Accident after side swiping cattle guard, flew off the road at 70mph, landing roughly, and bouncing off desert terrain, trying to control crash outcome, realign no brakes, and no way to slow down vehicle, except no accel
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I have had my car for about 3 years now and long story short one day my whole ignition switch feel out and what happens is it lock the steering wheel while driving which will cause an accident.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
When making a left turn the entire car turns off when using the car all day on hot days
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2008 Ford Mustang. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also i
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
Fix: Ford will notify dealers that purchased the affected parts, and dealers will provide replacement parts to purchasers, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford custome
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
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
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
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian
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. Interim
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
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
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 reca
| Reliability | 51 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 65 | good |
| Maintenance | 69 | good |
| Depreciation | 96 | excellent |
| Performance | 65 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 347 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 230 of them (66%). There are 8 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 51/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 65/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 64/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.