2012 Ford Mustang Recalls: 7 Safety Recalls
NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls for the 2012 Ford Mustang, including at least one urgent “park it” warning. Here's what each one means for a used-car buyer.
7
Open recall campaigns (NHTSA)
Yes
“Park it” urgent warning
2
Vehicle systems affected
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Open recalls for the 2012 Ford Mustang
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
NHTSA 19V001000
PARK IT — urgent
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A."
Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 20…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's nu…
Reported: 07/01/2019
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
NHTSA 17V024000
PARK IT — urgent
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."
Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford…
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available began mailing March 1,…
Reported: 10/01/2017
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
NHTSA 15V319000
PARK IT — urgent
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006. 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 10, 2016. Even if interim repairs were performed under safety recall 14V-802, own…
Reported: 28/05/2015
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NHTSA 16V248000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford F-150 trucks, 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Mustang vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with an automatic transmission that may unexpectedly downshift to first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Risk: An unexpected downshift into first gear can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly without warning and the rear tires may slide or lock, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S19.
Reported: 27/04/2016
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
NHTSA 12V190000
Defect: 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. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT" AND 108 LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A TRANSMISSION RANG…
Risk: IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR WHEN THE DRIVER PUSHES THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE REVERSE R POSITION AND THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION DOES GO IN REVERSE, THE R MAY NOT ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD OF THE F-150, EXPEDITION, OR NAVIGATOR MODELS AND/OR THE BACKUP LAM…
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE TRS AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.
Reported: 03/05/2012
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
NHTSA 21V081000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. 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…
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21…
Reported: 16/02/2021
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
NHTSA 21E013000
Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also includes certain passenger-side air bag inflators and/or modules designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2010-2012 Linco…
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Ford will notify dealers that purchased the affected parts, and dealers will provide replacement parts to purchasers, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.
Reported: 16/02/2021
Is the 2012 Ford Mustang safe to buy used?
7 open recalls doesn't automatically mean you should walk away — most recalls are repaired free of charge at a dealer. What matters is whether this specific car has had the work done. An unrepaired “park it” recall is both a safety risk and real negotiating leverage: you can make the repair a condition of sale or ask for money off to cover your time.
How buyers use recall data to negotiate
- Lead with the facts. Bring the NHTSA campaign numbers to the seller — it signals you've done your homework.
- Make repair a condition. Ask the seller to complete any open recall at a dealer before you pay.
- Trade it for price. If they won't fix it, ask for money off to cover the trip and downtime.
- Verify the VIN. A full ClearVIN Buyer Brief confirms which recalls are still open on the exact car.
Get the full Buyer Brief for your 2012 Ford Mustang
Enter the VIN and we'll pull this car's exact open recalls, a fair market-value range, an inspection checklist, and a 5-point negotiation script — in about 30 seconds.
Run my VIN report — $9.99
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Mustang have?
NHTSA lists 7 open safety recalls for the 2012 Ford Mustang, including at least one urgent “park it” campaign. Each campaign and its remedy is listed above.
Are Ford Mustang recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge at any authorized Ford dealer, regardless of the car's age or mileage and regardless of how many owners it has had.
How do I check if a specific 2012 Ford Mustang had its recalls fixed?
You need the car's 17-character VIN. A ClearVIN Buyer Brief looks up the exact VIN against NHTSA's database and shows which recall campaigns are still open on that individual vehicle.
Should recalls stop me from buying a used 2012 Ford Mustang?
Not necessarily. Most recalls are quick, free dealer fixes. Use any open recall as leverage: ask the seller to complete the repair before sale, or negotiate the price down to cover it.
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