Transmission Issue. Transmission slams into 2nd gear when downshifting from 3rd. Transmission has grinding noise when going from 4th to 5th. Potential safety issue due to potential transmission failure. Yes, problem is reproducible, however, it is awaiting inspection at Mike Patton Ford. No warning lamps. Car has had transmission issues intermittently since 4/2020. This issue started 2 weeks ago.
2020 Ford Mustang complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2020 record →
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On 03.29.25 (Saturday) the car started rough and the check engine light came on. I took it to the mechanic 03.31.25 (Sunday) and they inspected the car and told me that it is either the head gasket or the engine block is cracked because there is coolant intrusion into the cylinders. They asked me to call FORD customer service and ask if there was any way to cover it under warranty as the car only has 64K miles. I was told no, the warranty was 5yrs or 60K whichever came first and the 5 years was October of 2024. They suggested I file a report with the NHTSA. The vehicle right now is at the mechanic as I try to decide what I would like to do with it. If the engine failed when driving, I don't know what would have happened. There were no other symptoms to the problem prior to the failure. In fact, weeks earlier I had it inspected to see if any maintenance was needed and it got a clean bill of health.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the back over prevention camera intermittently failed to operate as needed and was distorted or there was a blank image on the screen. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V575000 (VISIBILITY, BACK OVER PREVENTION); and linked the failure to the recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and a diagnostic test was performed and the camera failure was confirmed. The dealer notified the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The manufacturer advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where the contact was informed that there was no coolant in the vehicle. The contact added coolant to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the entire long block and the head gasket needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the long block and the head gasket needed to be aligned correctly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 53,500.
APIM: Failure at 47,,047' Very well known problem! Ford needs to discount or fully replace these components that keep failing.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving. The contact was able to pull over and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant in the combustion chamber, engine block, and cylinder head, and the low-pressure fuel pump had failed. The dealer recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the head gasket, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked or driving, the front passenger’s side window moved independently. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the passenger’s side window motor and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that after adding oil to the engine, the contact became aware that a significant amount of the engine oil had leaked out onto the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
- The light of the airbag and seatbelt came on my dashboard, went to the dealership and they told me that there's an issue with the control module, apparently there is a recall for that but since my car wasn't called they could repair. - Backup camera goes completely off when trying to go on reverse.
After driving for 2 blocks, my car would not drive when hitting the gas pedal, the engine only reved. Unable to move the car in any gear, pedestrians helped push my car out of the middle of the road. Towed the car to a Ford dealership because the Ford app on my phone said "shift solenoid stuck in off position". Upon diagnosis the dealership said yes the solenoid is stuck in the off position but now the gears are slipping and you need a brand new transmission. This is the 10r80 automatic transmission that has had problems like this nationwide. I don't understand how this has not been recalled yet. With 63,000 miles a transmission should not be failing. There have been hundreds of documented cases of this specific transmission failing for countless reasons involving internal components.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving at various speeds with the temperature gauge showing that the engine was hot(H). The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal with an engine misfire alert on the Ford App. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a pressurized test was performed; the test showed no defect with the engine. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs, and cabin air filter were replaced, and the fuel system was cleaned. The check engine warning light illuminated soon after the repair. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the APIM and FCIM had failed and needed to be replaced and reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,698.
A 2020 Ford Mustang eco boost premium 2.3L L4 DOHC 16 valve 6-speed manual with push button start convertible top burst into flames on [XXX] at about [XXX]. The entire car and the black box were consumed by flames that spread to my carport, shed and mobile home. From what I read; it might have been designed for a road racing car. I am [XXX] , and requested a small car from Enterprise and this is the only car they had for me. Zero to 60 mph: 4.9–5.7 sec Zero to 100 mph: 13.5–15.5 sec Standing ¼-mile: 13.4–14.3 sec Top speed: 145–155 mph. Why would they have put [XXX] in this car? I drove it as cautiously as I drive my 2011 Taurus. I did nothing to cause this fire. I have reached out to FMC and Enterprise and have finally come to terms that I have to ask for charity to get the home livable. We run a gas generator for one air conditioner, small frig and well pump for water. The roof leaks, the firefighters puled every outlet in the rooms near where the fire entered my home. The electric meter was pulled off my pole as is standard procedure in my county. Now I am begging for a new roof and a new 200 amp box and all new wiring so the county will allow the electric to be connected again. FMC did not design this car well. It caused a disaster for me and my family. I cannot afford a new home, I just want to get this one livable. Entreprises had RIMKUS do a complete investigation which revealed nothing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a Fuel Inlet warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, however; the contact was not provided the diagnostic result. The warning light was reset. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer, where the contact was advised there were failures with the EVAP System; however, the full diagnostic result was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor and active grill shutter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The Hill Start Assist System has detected a failure.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while attempting to park the back-up camera failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wires had been cut and damaged. The dealer replaced the wiring. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 56,671.
Flywheel broke while driving under normal conditions causing damage to clutch. Have to replace the entire assembly along with slave cylinder. When speaking to ford technician they stated it's a common issue
While driving at about 75mph the passenger door unlocked and opened by itself. We got an door not closed warning light on the dash and the warning chime in addition the horn was blowing in intervals of 2 quick beeps and repeated until we were able to pull over and reclose the door. About 1 hour later same conditions the same thing happened on the drivers side. We have since discovered from the dealer that here is a campaign number of 21N10 for this issue. Holiman Ford of Maple Shade NJ took the car in right away.
I rented a 2020 Ford Mustang on 01/16/2024. I drove it home and didn't use it until 01/28/2024 for short trip to the grocery store. I waited in the car and kept it running while my daughter shopped. The car shut itself off twice, but there were no red warning lights. So I restarted with the push button, and after the trip drove the car home and parked in my drive. Two days later, on 02/01/2024, the car ignited itself and burned so hot it set the carport, shed and mobile home on fire, in that order. The fire department were called out and saved part of the mobile home. The car was seen going on fire before the structures. The rental car company used a fire investigation company who towed the car (for evidence). However, they have not given me their report.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was misfiring. Additionally, the vehicle was shaking, and the contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant leak into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine, causing misfiring codes and a lack of motive power which resulted in the engine needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,500.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of an abnormal clicking sound. The contact drove the vehicle around the block. The contact noticed that the clicking sound had continued. The vehicle was taken to dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that both rear calibers were defective and was clamping down on the rotors. The contact was informed that the calipers and rotors needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a recurring issue with the rear camera system in my 2020 Ford Mustang. When attempting to engage the rear camera while reversing, a persistent blue screen obstructs the view, posing a significant safety hazard. After conducting thorough research, I have discovered that this problem is not isolated to my vehicle alone. Instead, it appears to be a widespread issue affecting numerous owners of Ford Mustangs. It has come to my attention that the root cause of this malfunction is attributed to faults within the wiring harness of the Mustang models. What is deeply concerning is that despite the prevalence of this issue and its potential implications for driver safety, Ford Motor Company has yet to initiate a recall to address and rectify the problem. It appears that there is a conscious decision to restrict the recall, leaving countless Mustang owners vulnerable to accidents and unnecessary risks. As a responsible consumer and advocate for road safety, I implore the NHTSA to investigate this matter urgently and compel Ford to take appropriate action. It is imperative that Ford acknowledges the severity of this defect and assumes responsibility by issuing a comprehensive recall to rectify the faulty wiring harnesses in all affected vehicles. Failure to address this issue promptly not only undermines consumer trust but also jeopardizes the well-being of drivers and pedestrians alike. I trust that the NHTSA will prioritize this comp
I drove my car for 22 miles, parked, and after less than one hour we heard a loud noise from the house and upon checking, we noticed the car was on fire. The fire and smoke was coming from underneath the hood (left side). The car had recent software update and the collision detection and traction control were turned-off and unable to turn it back on. Not sure if the software update had anything to do with it, but thought it would be good to mention that. The fire department came out and said it may have been electrical.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V727000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention some serious safety issues that I have encountered with a 2020 Mustang that I purchased from CarMAX, West Valley on September 24, 2023. Soon after taking possession of the vehicle, I noticed a malfunction with the airbag system. It is disheartening to report that I had to endure a three-day wait to have the necessary repairs carried out. The delay in rectifying this crucial safety feature is highly concerning, as it exposes both the driver and passengers to unnecessary risks. Unfortunately, the problems did not end there. Shortly after the airbag issue was addressed, the engine light illuminated on the dashboard. Despite my efforts to troubleshoot the problem myself, the light remained illuminated, indicating a persisting issue with the engine. Not only did this cause me considerable inconvenience, but it also raised concerns about the overall reliability and safety of the vehicle. The most alarming incident occurred on October 2, 2023, when my car unexpectedly broke down while I was driving on the freeway. This unexpected failure not only posed a significant risk to my safety but also left me traumatically shaken by the experience. I cannot emphasize enough the fear and anxiety I felt as I navigated the dangerous situation caused by the vehicle's sudden malfunction. I am deeply disappointed by the lack of quality control and the subsequent safety hazards that have plagued my 2020 Mustang. As a consume
This 2020 Mustang GT VIN# [XXX] with 9,600 miles was a total loss that happened on 10/28/2022 paid out by Insurance company USAA 1-800-531-8111. Please take note that this vehicle was a TOTAL LOSS with severe FRAME DAMAGE. My Name is [XXX] and owned the vehicle when it was a TOTAL LOSS due to a meager collision on 10/28/2022. If you have any questions please contact me at [XXX] or [XXX] . I have all of the documents of the TOTAL LOSS and PAY OUT from USAA Ins. 1-800-531-8111. Thank you! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Transmission issue. Transmission is leaking fluid. Vehicle is currently at my home waiting to go to dealership during normal business hours. Car started smoking and running hot while getting off the interstate. I was in a travel lane when this happened. Huge safety risk. Fire department was called to ensure there was not a fire that started. Car was towed to my home until it can be towed to a dealer during working hours. General vehicle inspection done by fire department to ensure there was not a fire. They advised the car not be driven until it has been inspected by Ford. No warnings or indications there was a problem other than the smoke billowing from the engine.
Intermittent loss of throttle with wrench light. Engine goes into derate, have to shut off car, let sit for 3-5 minutes, restart then ok until it occurs again. Loss of throttle at any time is unsafe. Two Ford dealers have tried to repair with no luck. They have replaced the throttle pedal assembly, the throttle body, and now the PCM. Problem is still present. Have an ongoing Ford customer service case #CAS44568044-D6G8F8. Still awaiting resolution. Vehicle is still under 3/36 Base warranty. Problem has been ongoing for a little over a year now.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact state that the while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a right turn, the vehicle failed to shift into 2nd gear and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspecting under the hood of the vehicle, he noticed that the clutch fluid line had shifted back and forth causing the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that he smelled a burning fuel odor inside the engine. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle in 1st gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,923.
Drive assist/hill assist malfunctions Timing issue when shifting gears resulting in spark knock Loud high pitch squeal when vehicle is off coming from front right of engine area Due to sporadic malfunctions dealerships are unable to diagnose to fix issues
3 lug nuts on the front passenger side wheel snapped and broke off while driving in highway.
The transmission takes over when shifting from first gear. This is a automatic 10 speed that when first driven after setting overnight slips out of first and the engine revs on its own (foot removed from gas pedal) to between 4 and 6 thousand then slams into the next gear. This lurches the vehicle ahead and slams the rear pinion. trying to stop the car is difficult when it revs so high then slams into gear. This also happened in a full parking lot and could have lurched into people. I have had it at the ford dealer several times to fix, The first dealer rode with me and replicated the issue. The first dealer reached out to ford engineers and they suggested replacing the valve body in the transmission. (it was worse after the valve body change) The dealer told me they did change the valve body but there is no warranty information showing that. I have been without my car total of 5 weeks so far and they continue to tell me they cant replicate it. I have it on video and it does it almost daily when I drive it. I will not let my spouse drive the car because of this safety issue. This is the same issue that the f150 had in 2020.
The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to us after we found out that at 20,000 miles a whole new engine was put in without our knowledge when we purchased the vehicle . We took it to the dealer and they put a new fuel assembly unit in it. It fixed the problem a little but never fully. Now, 2 days ago my husband with my youngest daughter ran out of gas again on US-19 and I had to leave work to go get them and gas. Next on the 57 things wrong with this car… 5 days after purchase it had 22 engine warning. Took it back and they replaced the 4th coil and the 4th injector and spark plug. About 3 days later my husband came flying into his work, ran by me grabbing a fire extinguisher and ran to the car and started shooting it at the car, the car had caught on fire and the 4th injector was spewing gas. They had pinched an oring while installing the injector and never put the clips back on the injector rail to keep them in place. My husband could have been killed easily. The dealership never took ownership for it and blamed it on the dealership that sold us this the car. Every time we turn around it’s something else. The month of December w
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the reverse light, the rearview camera, the Cross Traffic System, the blind spot detector, the Lane Assist System, and other unknown features had ceased to work. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V382000 (Power Train) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the failure persisted after the repair. The check engine warning light was illuminated and a message advising to check the Owner's Manual was displayed. The contact stated that the recall remedy failed to fix the failures. The dealer was notified of the failure and submitted a case report to the manufacturer; however, the manufacturer declined to cover the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 2,700.
Engine tick after first oil change.transmission shifts hard
Brake light stop switch replaced 2/2/23. Now brake lights cut off if any pressure is released but foot is not removed from brake pedal. Additional harder pressure is required for brake lights to come back on. Brake lights will flicker and then cut off while foot is on brake pedal. Intermittently comes on as it should. This is an extreme safety hazard.
2020 FORD MUSTANG. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 20V-575. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A 2 YEAR PERIOD, BUT INFORMED THE CAMERA IS ON BACK ORDER.
Pre-Collision Assist Not available, Hill Start assist warning messages multiple times since 12/24/22. Both errors happened after having the 10R80 Transmission worked on and recalls associated with VIN corrected from 10/06-12/22. Warning messages popped up on message center on dash at time of error. This greatly increases the risk of being in an accident and causing harm to myself or someone else. Vehicle has not been inspected. Ford was contacted 01/30/23. I was told to check for obstructions in front of camera behind rear-view mirror. No obstructions found, car is kept in pristine condition. Awaiting response from Ford for an appointment day and time to have issue corrected.
When trying to start got steering lock malfunction service now. Car would not start stranded for 10 hrs.
Evaporation Core is leaking. Many people have reported the same issue. Refrigerant was leaked into the car while driving and now needs a costly repair. The vehicle was only looked over by a mechanic. There is/was no warning lamps.
Tire size: 255/40 ZR19 Our vehicle only has 14,757 miles and these tires lack good traction under normal driving conditions. In more than one occasion, the vehicle would start fishtailing when entering a highway from a side street. So far, we have been lucky and managed to keep the vehicle from leaving the roadbed or crashing into another vehicle. However, every time this happens, we get the scare of our lifetime.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the passenger's side rear window failed to roll up completely. The contact also stated that the front passenger's side window would continuously roll up and down upon starting the vehicle and while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the windshield wiper relay had failed. The trunk and hood warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated upon engaging the front passenger’s and driver's side seat heaters, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear seats. The dealer was notified of the failure and picked up the vehicle for diagnostic tests. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Caught in stop and go traffic at night for 45 minutes. Car started moving forward even though my foot was only on the brake pedal. My first thought was I'd accidentally pressed both the brake and gas pedals, but I could see my foot on the brake pedal since the under-dash area is lit in the Premium model. It happened for about one minute the first time, then happened again a couple minutes later. I hit the bumper of a tour bus during the second instance at about two mph. The tour bus driver apparently didn't notice the hit and changed lanes a few minutes later. I didn't see any damage to the tour bus, but my license plate bracket and license plate were bent, and the middle part of my bumper didn't snap back together correctly. The Ford dealer was unable to duplicate the problem, and the brakes and vacuum pressure module didn't show any leaks. The service advisor said it was impossible for the transmission to engage without pressing the gas pedal, but I suspect the 10-speed transmission since the engine rpm didn't appear to change. There were no warning lights before or after the incident and the service advisor said no codes had been set. In retrospect I should have tried putting the transmission in neutral, used the emergency brake,or turned off the ignition (but a tractor trailer was about ten feet behind me).
Brake light switch stopped working at around 30k miles. Cruise control stopped working and acceleration does not work. Will go no more than 45 mph and stall and stop.
I was in an accident hitting my entire front end, which has a lot of damage. With the impact the car had obtained, I feel as though the airbags should have deployed.
DRIVING AT POSTED SPEED, WENT TO PASS A VEHICLE AND THE ACCELERATOR STUCK IN FULL OPEN (DOWN) POSITION. CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND LUCKLY I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT ON NEUTRAL, PULL OVER AND MANUALLY UN-STICK THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
I was contacted by the NHTSA, after I had an accident in my 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with the automatic transmission and ability to manually shift. I spoke with an Investigator by the name of [XXX]. The investigator wished me good luck, as it was relayed to me that I was the only one who had the problem which resulted in me having an accident. I have since then found multiple sites with multiple complaints of the same issue, and I was told that there’s a Fourth Class Action Suit right now that I should be a part of. Please have someone who is familiar with what’s going on with Ford call me at: [XXX]. Thank you for your help! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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