← New search

1990 Ford Mustang

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Ford Mustang do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 81.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Mustang years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 85 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports29 fire reports7 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2003
Exterior Lighting

I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HEADLIGHT/FOGLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM IT CAN CREATE ON 1987-1993, FORD MUSTANG GTS. *AK I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD MY HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT NIGHT. UPON INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM ON WWW.CORRAL.NET, I FOUND OUT THAT THE REASON THE H…

Read full complaint

I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HEADLIGHT/FOGLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM IT CAN CREATE ON 1987-1993, FORD MUSTANG GTS. *AK I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD MY HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT NIGHT. UPON INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM ON WWW.CORRAL.NET, I FOUND OUT THAT THE REASON THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF IS THAT FORD USED AN INSUFFICIENT GAUGE WIRE TO ROUTE POWER TO THE FOGLIGHTS. A TECH ARTICLE (HTTP://WWW.CORRAL.NET/TECH/) WAS WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE CORRAL.NET MEMBERS ON HOW TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. I WAS JUST BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE WAS NEVER A SAFETY RECALL ISSUED. LOSING YOUR HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM AND HAZARD TO EVERYONE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI #10025910

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2001
Exterior Lighting

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. HEADLIGHT SWITCH CONTINUED TO MELT, WHICH SORT OUT WIRING. DASH GOT EXTREMELY HOT. ALSO, MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH CAUSED HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAITING FOR REPLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #890819

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 1999
Exterior Lighting

THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND AFTER INVESTIGATING THIS HAS HAPPENED TO COUNTLESS OTHER FORD MUSTANG OWNERS WHO SAY THAT THE WIREING IN THE HEADLIGHT COLUMN IS NOT RATED FOR THAT AMPAGE..FROM THE FACTORY

NHTSA ODI #713345

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 1996
Exterior Lighting

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS AND FOGLIGHTS ON, ALL LIGHTS SUDDENLY GO OUT. *DSH

NHTSA ODI #501081

Official recalls

1

96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 25, 1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

PE94010 · Fuel Line Routing

Opened Feb 2, 1994 · Closed Apr 19, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE91137 · Hood Latch Failures

Opened Oct 9, 1991 · Closed Feb 27, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE91089 · Throttle Sticks, High Idle

Opened Jun 19, 1991 · Closed Nov 26, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available