The Lemon Index2012 Ford Mustang.
The 2012 Ford Mustang is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 222 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 247, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 20 to 23 mpg combined. The best Ford Mustang year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 469 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Ford Mustang year. 2012 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 4K to 56K miles on the car (307 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 1K–51K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 17K–65K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 6K–57K miles
Recalls 7
- airbags 2021
These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute hu…
- airbags 2021
Please see Ford's recall report for the specific part numbers.
- airbags 2019
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show all 7 recalls
- airbags 2017
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- transmission & drivetrain 2016
The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
- airbags 2015
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- transmission & drivetrain 2012
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 FORD F-150, 2012 EXPEDITION AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, AND 2012-2013 MUSTANG VEHICLES, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. …
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 62 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Illuminated mil or safety stop now message, or a no
- Due to vehicles, with carbon fiber clutches, a chatter or moan/groan noise is heard while…
- In front of left hand (lh) on driver side cylinder head, an intermittent noise of metallic rattle
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedInability to shift gears on acceleration2011
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang C RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ |
| Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2800–3200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.7L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
I brought my 2012 Mustang gt with a manual transmission in to be serviced because of an awful noise occurring while shifting in and out of 5th gear. The service department now says I need a new transmission at 38,000 miles.
2012 Ford Mustang owner · NHTSA complaint 10583432
More owner reports
Transmission difficult to shift into reverse first and second gear. Almost got rear ended at traffic intersection.
NHTSA complaint 10447217
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the transmission would not engage into third or fourth gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The current and failure mileages were 4400.
NHTSA complaint 10459525
Quick answers
Is the 2012 Ford Mustang reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 2.5× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 247; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Mustang year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2012 Ford Mustang problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (54%), airbags (11%) and engine (9%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Mustang have?
7 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Ford Mustang get?
20 to 23 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2012 Ford Mustang safe?
NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2012 Ford Mustang problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 4,100 and 56,000 miles. The middle report was at 23,000 miles, from 307 complaints.
Does the 2012 Ford Mustang have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 54% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2012 Ford Mustang cost in fuel a year?
About $2800 to $3200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2012 Ford Mustang have?
3.7L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl.
What Ford Mustang year is better than the 2012?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2021 and 2022.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works