2018 Ford Mustang

I own a 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost convertible and am reporting persistent spider activity that has become a recurring driver-safety concern. Spider activity occurs on or around the vehicle essentially every day. I routinely see multiple spiders and webs on the windshield, hood, doors, roof, trunk, sides, and around both exterior mirrors. Spiders repeatedly build webs between the doors/body and both mirror housings, and I have seen spiders crawl out from behind the mirrors numerous times, especially the driver-side mirror. I also find web strands inside the passenger compartment. On three occasions, a spider rebuilt a large web across the driver’s-seat entry area after I removed it. On Sept. 10, 2026, after a commercial car wash earlier that day, I had about six spider sightings within roughly 10 minutes. While driving, I saw one crawl up the hood and disappear near the base of the windshield. Shortly afterward, a sizable spider appeared INSIDE the windshield directly in front of my face, apparently coming from where the dash meets the windshield. I have severe arachnophobia and had an immediate panic response. I was fortunate to reach a nearby parking lot and stop without crashing. During the same period, I saw two spiders on the trunk, then another crawling across the interior headliner directly above me, followed by another emerging from the driver-side mirror. I am becoming genuinely afraid to drive this vehicle. This is not a cosmetic complaint. Spiders repeatedly appear in the driver’s immediate environment and create a risk of sudden distraction, involuntary panic, abrupt steering/braking, loss of lane control, and a crash. The car is normally kept closed and I rarely lower the convertible top because of this problem. I am not asserting a specific defect or entry path. I am asking NHTSA to review similar complaints and determine whether a vehicle-design condition may be contributing to persistent spider habitation or intrusion into the driver’s area.

The trunk wiring which powers the tail lights, brake and parking lights, turn signals, trunk light, and the back up camera is too short, and it stretches and breaks when the trunk is opened and closed. Ford is aware of the issue, but is unwilling to fix it. The back up camera was already recalled, but it and the trunk light are not working again because the trunk wiring issue has not been addressed. The biggest auto safety issue is that the tail lights, brake and parking lights, turn signals, and back up light could also fail due to the trunk wiring being too short.

Transmission would hesitate and jerk very aggressively. If trying to accelerate, the car wouldn’t move at all. Constantly jerking or pulling forward very hard when shifting from park to drive or even while trying to accelerate. Problems started occurring near 30k miles. The problem was attempted to be fixed by the ford dealership before by replacing the valve body but due to poor inspection another service center confirmed it is a failed CDF drum.

The vehicle is subject to NHTSA Safety Recall 25V572 (Manufacturer Recall Number 25S89) regarding the rear-view camera wiring harness. The manufacturer has notified owners of the safety risk but indicates that the remedy parts are currently unavailable and has failed to provide a specific timeline for repair. I have contacted the authorized dealer and the manufacturer requesting a remedy or an interim inspection, as the rear-view camera is currently functioning correctly with no blank screen or distortion. However, the manufacturer and dealer have refused to perform an inspection to verify the system's safety and close the recall status temporarily. Because the manufacturer cannot provide parts and refuses to offer an inspection-based solution, the vehicle remains flagged with an open safety recall indefinitely. This represents an unreasonable delay in the remedy process, rendering the vehicle unusable for its intended purpose while the manufacturer fails to address the safety defect status.

Like many many Ford Mustangs 2015 and newer, the AC Evaporator has failed and is leaking. This can cause condensation on the windshield and visibility issues with fogging / defrosting. Ford refuses to replace the defective evaporator. Ford dealer Coughlin Ford, Newark, Ohio diagnosed the defect and provided an estimate of $2,679.88 to replace the evaporator.