IllustrationSTARTED DRIVING VEHICLE UP A HILL AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO COAST THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS. CONSUMER THEN NOTICED SMOKE. RAISED THE HOOD AND THEN NOTICED THAT FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE GEAR SHAFT. CONSUMER PUT THE FLAMES OUT AND HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
1986 Ford Mustang
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1986 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
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: 8 of 30 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 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
30 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER PARKING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER THE VEHIICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, HITTING THE CONSUMER, CAUSING HER TO BREAK HER LEG.*AK
SEAT BELTS FAILED DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES.
THE CAR WAS PARKED AND IT WENT UP IN FLAMES DUE TO THE IGNITON SWITCH.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IT STARTED SMOKING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. *SD
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER SMELLS A BAD ODOR IN THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH IS STICKING. *AK
THE VEHICLE DIED ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE IGNITON MODULE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK, IT APPEARS TO BE LOCKED, BUT IN A SUDDEN STOP IT WOULD NOT RESTRAIN OCCUPANT. TT
DRIVERS SEAT BELT DOES NOT STAY FASTENED. TT
Official recalls
187V139000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 4, 1987
SPRING LOCK FUEL LINE COUPLING MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: COUPLING COULD DISENGAGE DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE,VIBRATION, AND ENGINE MOVEMENTS; THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF FUEL WHICH, INPRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CREATES A FIRE RISK.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINER CLIPS OVER THE COUPLINGS TO PREVENT COUPLING SEPARATION AND FUEL LEAKAGE.
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
5PE93011 · Cruise Control Malfunction
Opened Mar 3, 1993 · Closed Jul 19, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available
PE90052 · Fr Seat Floor Mount Fails
Opened Mar 7, 1990 · Closed Jun 20, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
PE89118 · Speed Control Malfunction
Opened Apr 19, 1989 · Closed Sep 6, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
===
PE87028 · Stalling
Opened May 1, 1987 · Closed Jan 21, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
EA86010 · Seatback Failure
Opened Mar 26, 1986 · Closed Jul 28, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:FORD BELIEVES THAT THE AL-LEGED DEFECT ONLY OCCURS IN A SMALL NUMBER OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ANDRECALLED ABOUT 195,732 1984 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES IN JUNE 1986.ANALYSIS: VEHICLES POTENTIALLY INVOLVED INCLUDE TEMPO/TOPAZ, ESCORT/LYNX/EXP, MUSTANG/CAPRI, LTD/MARQUIS, AND THUNDERBIRD/COUGAR.FORD SOLD ABOUT 110,000 REPLACEMENT MIO BOLTS, MAINLY FOR 1983 AND 1984MODELS. LOW CLAMPING FORCE APPEARS TO BE A LARGE PART OF THE PROBLEM.FORD INCREASED THE TORQUE REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED THE USE OF A MANUALTORQUE TOOL IN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 1985 PRODUCTION CHANGES. 1987 MODELSWILL BE PRODUCED WITH A LONGER M10 BOLT AND A NUT TO INCREASE AND MAIN-TAIN CLAMPING FORCE. BOLTS WERE FORMERLY SELF TAPPING. REPORTS LISTEDABOVE SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THE BOLT BROKE. NONE REFER SIMPLY TOSEAT BACK COLLAPSE ALONE.STATUS:FORD REPLY TO ODI IR DATED 2/2/87.FORD RECALLED 195,7321984 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES IN JUNE 1986 (86V-082). ANALYZING REPONSE,MONITORING CANADIAN PROGRESS. RESPONSE TO 4/6/87 LETTER TO FORDRECEIVED 7/15/87. WILL PROBABLY CLOSE AFTER CANADA COMPLETES THEIRACTIONS.===