2008 Ford Mustang Problems

What owners report

Complaints for this model year are dominated by the Takata airbag inflator recalls, with owners most often describing long waits because dealers had no parts and no timeline. The other recurring theme is unexpected acceleration, usually a pedal that stayed down or a car that kept gaining speed while the driver braked. Manual-transmission cars also draw reports of difficult second-to-third shifts and clutch slip. Filings span very low mileage to well past 100,000 miles, and many arrived years after the cars were new.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall parts unavailable

   • 218 complaints (63%)
   • median 45,000 mi at 8.7 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2019

   Owners describe receiving a Takata inflator recall notice and then being told by the dealer that replacement parts were unavailable and that no date could be given. Many report calling repeatedly over a year or more; some were advised not to use the front passenger seat in the meantime. A few note that the driver side was replaced while the passenger side stayed outstanding, and that they learned of the campaign on their own rather than from a notice. Mileage ranges from a few thousand to over 120,000, and most of these complaints were filed between 2015 and 2018 while owners waited for parts.

   Recall 15V319000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 16V384000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 17V024000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 21V0810004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for a VIN-based recall printout and written confirmation that both the driver and passenger inflators were actually replaced, and check the NHTSA recall lookup for any campaign still open.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall - I own a 2008 Ford Mustang gt. I received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v319000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed for the repair were not available. I stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experience a failure. Vin tool confirms part not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #10864435, filed 2016-05, 60,000 miles

   “Takata recall. I was notified by letter from Ford on july 2015 regarding safety recall notice 15s21/ NHTSA recall 15v-319. It has been 2.5 years and this issue has not been resolved. I continue to ask each time I bring my car for an oil change at Ford and they say they do not have the parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #11060982, filed 2018-01, 32,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Stuck accelerator pedal / unexpected acceleration

   Mentioned in 13 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the accelerator pedal going to the floor and staying there, or the car gaining speed while they were braking, turning into a driveway or manoeuvring in a parking space. Several say braking only slowed the car slightly and that shifting to neutral or park is what finally stopped it; a few point to a floor mat trapping the pedal. Reported outcomes include contact with parked cars and roadside objects, and dealer responses ranged from throttle body replacement to computer reprogramming, with some cases not reproducible at the shop. Reported from a few hundred miles up to about 120,000 miles, with many between roughly 20,000 and 70,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On the test drive, check that the pedal returns freely and is not binding on the carpet or an aftermarket mat, and ask whether the throttle body, pedal assembly or engine computer has been replaced or reprogrammed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving my 2008 Ford Mustang gt home from work when the throttle got stuck wide open I placed on my weight on the brake and it did nothing I then threw it into park and the car red lined at 8000+ rpms I hit the person in front of me and a parked car on the side of the road I turned off the car and restarted it car revved out again did it again everything went back to normal.”

   NHTSA complaint #10567634, filed 2014-03, 45,000 miles

   “My accident happened in a parking lot. When carefully backing out of my parking spot, my car suddenly accelerated. I tried unsuccessfully to stop the car by hitting the brakes. My car kept accelerating. It clipped another parked vehicle. My car came finally to a stop when it hit a water hydrant/ sprinkler system.”

   NHTSA complaint #10307295, filed 2010-02, 5,450 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard 2-3 shifts and clutch slip (manual)

   • 30 complaints (9%)
   • median 27,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (29 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2025

   Owners of manual cars describe difficulty getting second and third gear, especially when the transmission is cold, with gears grinding or taking a couple of seconds to engage while the car loses speed. A warranty synchronizer replacement at low mileage is among the accounts. Others report clutch slip on a hill, shudder when pulling away or reversing, and in some cases clutch pedal or assembly failure; one downshift that landed in second instead of fourth was described as locking the rear wheels. Mostly reported under about 15,000 miles on manual cars, with a few at 85,000 miles and beyond.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a manual car, drive it from cold and shift slowly through second and third looking for a clash or raspy feel, and ask for clutch or synchronizer repair history and whether any transmission work was done under warranty.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Every other time I start from a stop the clutch shaking the hole car and in reverse at 1mile an hour doing the same thing I just bought this car like a month ago not to happy with it.its very dangerous.I look this problem up an everyone is having this problem Ford will not fix it without paying 2800.00 I don't think I should pay I just got the car please help please help please help..............:-(”

   NHTSA complaint #10632726, filed 2014-09, 84,901 miles

   “2008 Mustang with tremec 3650 manual transmission. Was on highway downshifting from 5th into 4th to pass another car which abruptly entered my lane when car went into 2nd, locked rear end and spun car, causing me to crash on side of road. Car was totaled, luckily I was unharmed due to side airbags. This 4th to 2nd gear lockout has happened to me numerous times although at surface street speeds so was able to retain control. Ca highway partol report #9645.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349330, filed 2020-08, 175,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake pedal going to the floor or pulsation

   • 19 complaints (5%)
   • median 54,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2025

   Owners describe a brake pedal that went to the floor or felt unresponsive during an incident, and in one case a brake and clutch pedal assembly plus master cylinder needing replacement. Others report grinding and pulsation through the pedal under medium to hard braking after a brake job, with repeat dealer visits and pads and rotors reworked. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 120,000 miles.

   What to check: Check pedal firmness and travel with the engine running, watch for pulsation or grinding on a test drive, and ask for brake service records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My daughter and I were getting home from a short trip. As I was slowing down and turning into my driveway the car accelerated out of control. I had to turn sharply to avoid a parked car and was headed straight into our neighbors house. I stomped on the brake, but it just went to the floor. I was about to throw the car into park when I regained control. Stopped the car, put it in park and told my terrified daughter to get out and go in the house. I backed up, pulled into my driveway and parked it. I'm scared to drive it now.”

   NHTSA complaint #11254824, filed 2019-09, 121,200 miles

   “The clutch assembly completely went out and at the same time the braking system went out. The clutch completely disappeared into the dash. I was in the motion of making a right turn on a city street.”

   NHTSA complaint #10909545, filed 2016-09, 114,798 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Water leak into front floor area

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe water appearing on the front passenger floor during rain, whether driving or parked, and dealers sometimes being unable to find the source. Related structure reports cover bubbling or peeling paint on body panels and a convertible top degrading along the edges. The leak reports note repeat occurrences rather than a single incident. Reported from about 20,000 to 58,000 miles, typically in wet weather.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the front carpet and underlay for dampness or staining after rain, and inspect the cowl area seals, grommets and A-pillar weatherstripping; service bulletins describe leaks traced to those areas.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My paint located near my hood pins is bubbling due to oxidation/rust mainly, from what I have read, is due to the wrong part. Ford or shelby have denied my multiple requests, even wiring warranty dates, to resolve this issue. Multiple 07-08 Mustang shelby gt's have this same issue and neither company can provide a solution or deal with this issue. Please help us owners keep our cars nice without having to pay out of pocket and be covered under warranty. Thank you for your time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10488029, filed 2012-12, 12,000 miles

   “The soft convertible top on my car is dry rotted and falling apart. It is a tan top. I thought it was just mine, however since this, I have noticed almost every single tan top I have seen, even on the newer cars, are the same as mine and are peeling all along the edges. They are falling apart period. There are so many things that are obviously dealer defects that should be recalled it is pathetic. The trunk screws that are supposed to hold the liners down, fall apart and come lose. Nothing you do can hold them in place. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10610762, filed 2014-07, 29,000 miles

Buying note. Confirm in writing which recalls are still open and whether the inflator replacements have actually been carried out, since parts availability sits behind much of what owners report. On the test drive, check pedal return and braking feel, and drive a manual car from cold through the first few gears before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.