2012 Ford Mustang Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 30about this part
- Share
- 6%of 469 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 45,599miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 30 complaints about the engine of the 2012 Ford Mustang, 6% of the 469 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 45,599 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Air bag recall and iam having a code for electronic throttle body control issues that should be a recall from what I heard but my local Ford dealer said it wasnt.”
NHTSA complaint #11312184, filed 2020-02, 67,000 miles“Clutch would not allow me to shift the car between 3rd and 4th gear I traffic. This is not a new situation the car has done this on and off since I bought it new I notice it after driving a long time or in fast moving city traffic.”
NHTSA complaint #10473635, filed 2012-09, 9,500 miles“While merging on a local highway at 15 MPH the wrench warning light came and the car went into limp mode. I was lucky the right hand lane had break in traffic and I was able to get off the road. The limp turned in no acceleration and was unresponsive to the gas pedal. I turned the car off and waited 1 minute and restarted the car - everything was back to normal. I drove directly to my mechanic and had him scan for codes. No codes were found. He ran numerous other checks and drove the car for 60 miles with no problems. …”
NHTSA complaint #10716874, filed 2015-05, 75,000 miles“I had two incidents of unintended acceleration in my 2012 Ford Mustang gt automatic transmission premium pkg. These two incidents occurred on the same day march 5, 2013. The first was after I picked up my car from its garage of several weeks at lunch and drove back to work. I had gone about two blocks from my garage and was braking to slow down to make a right hand turn when the car down shifted and accelerated by itself while I was pressing the brake pedal. I was going about 5 MPH when this all started. …”
NHTSA complaint #10503717, filed 2013-03, 4,200 miles“The problem with the vehicle started when I tried to start it. When I turned the key the vehicle took a few seconds longer than usual to start up. As I began driving down the highway my vehicle wouldn't shift gears out of 40mph and caused the engine to have high RPM. When I turned off the engine at a gas station and tried to start it back up. Vehicle would not start and I had to get it jumped. Vehicle still doesn't shift gears. This vehicle is only 1 year and 1 month old since I purchased it.”
NHTSA complaint #10489334, filed 2012-12, 22,689 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10156888Feb 26, 2019Some 5.0L 4V engines may exhibit a tick/tap/rattle or knock immediately after secondary timing chain tensioner installation. In some cases the secondary timing chain tensioners…
- 10095154Jan 10, 2017To help differentiate engine oil leaks from other possible sources, a new white-colored fluorescent engine oil dye is available. Workshop manual (wsm), section 303-00 has been…
- 10109070Sep 21, 2016The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to…
- 10204987Feb 5, 201649 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - March 2016 Air bag warning light illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) B141B and/or B141C
- 10204986Feb 5, 201649 CFR Part 579.5 Monthly Communications - January 2016
- 10056696Aug 27, 2014Ford: in front of left hand (lh) on driver side cylinder head, an intermittent noise of metallic rattle or scratching, is heard when vehicle is idle and engine at operating…
- 10053469Jun 13, 2013Ford: no other dtcs or drivability symptoms present, on some vehicles, when mil is illuminated with combination of any diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0300, p0301, p0302, p0303…
- 10052191Apr 1, 2013Ford/lincoln/mercury: some vehicles may experience an illuminated mil or safety stop now message, or a no start condition or possible misfire or roughness at idling through…
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 38% |
| 2025 | 3 | 16% |
| 2024 | 10 | 12% |
| 2023 | 2 | 13% |
| 2022 | 5 | 10% |
| 2021 | 8 | 15% |
| 2020 | 25 | 21% |
| 2019 | 53 | 35% |
| 2018 | 59 | 30% |
| 2017 | 27 | 10% |
| 2016 | 76 | 20% |
| 2015 | 51 | 12% |
| 2014 | 18 | 5% |
| 2013 | 22 | 8% |
| 2012 | 30 | 6% |
| 2011 | 48 | 10% |
| 2010 | 8 | 3% |
| 2009 | 3 | 2% |
| 2008 | 6 | 2% |
| 2007 | 15 | 2% |
| 2006 | 11 | 3% |
| 2005 | 19 | 3% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3% |
| 2003 | 6 | 4% |
| 2002 | 4 | 3% |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% |
| 2000 | 3 | 1% |
| 1999 | 1 | 0% |
| 1998 | 1 | 0% |
| 1997 | 2 | 1% |
| 1996 | 2 | 1% |
| 1995 | 1 | 0% |
| 1994 | 2 | 1% |
| 1989 | 1 | 1% |
| 1986 | 1 | 3% |
Other parts of the 2012 Ford Mustang
177 complaintsAir bags
158 complaintsVehicle speed control
35 complaintsBody and structure
23 complaintsFuel system
22 complaintsElectrical system
21 complaintsOther or unknown
18 complaintsSteering
16 complaintsSuspension
16 complaintsElectronic stability control
12 complaintsBrakes
11 complaintsWheels
6 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Ford Mustang
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology