
2013 Ford MUSTANG
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Ford MUSTANG has 325 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.1x the segment average of 296. The most common issue is air bags problems (45% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owned a 2013 ford mustang. the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle while idling at a stop sign. the driver side air bag deployed, but the passenger side air bag did not deploy. both the driver and the passenger suffered injuries and were transported to the hospital fo. There are 6 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.
325
Total Complaints
6
Recalls Issued
4/5
Safety Stars
1.1x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
AIR BAGS
145 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FO
- • ON FEBRUARY 24, 2013, I WAS INVOLVED IN A "FENDER BENDER" IN MY BRAND NEW 2013 FORD MUSTANG WHERE I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. ALTHOUGH THE COLLISION WAS MINOR, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END WAS MINIMAL, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND SIDE PANEL AIRBAGS BOTH DEPLOYED. T
- • TURNED VEHICLE TO THE LEFT OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND, BACK END FISHTAILED, SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL TO TRY TO DECREASE THE SPIN OF THE TIRES, PUMPED THE BRAKES, OVER CORRECTED AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE AT BETWEEN 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR. ONLY ONE PERSON IN
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FO”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2013 Ford MUSTANG
Based on 159 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 41K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
TRANSMISSION
AIR BAGS
FUEL SYSTEM
BODY/STRUCTURE
SUSPENSION
ENGINE
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (6)
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, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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 number for this recall 19S01.
Fuel Cost Calculator for 2013 Ford MUSTANG
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
5-Year Gas Price History
EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → todaySource: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2013 Ford MUSTANG
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Recommended Ford MUSTANG Service Intervals
IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.
"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.
Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2013 MUSTANG, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 325 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: OWNER OF A 2013 MUSTANG GT PREMIUM 5.0 WITH 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION. HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ROUGH SHIFTING SINCE SHORTLY AFTER BUYING. HAVE TAKEN IT INTO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES SO FAR AND MADE MENTION OF MY PROBLEMS SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. FORD HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ROUGH SHIFTING WI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: INCREASING SPEED TO MERGE ONTO KELLOGG IN WICHITA, KANSAS WESTBOUND FROM OLIVER AND TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO JERK, THEN IN A VERY SHORT TIME SPAN, ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS, ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DEALER DID SOME REPAIR WORK BUT THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL INCIDENTS INCLUDING FAILING TO START, SHUT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: INCIDENT: WHILE WAITING IN THE LEFT TURN LANE FOR THE LEFT TURN LIGHT TO TURN GREEN I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I WAS BEHIND ANOTHER LEFT TURNING VEHICLE. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE SO TO APPLY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR. HOWEVER, BEFORE I PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 6 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Ford MUSTANG — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 325
- Recalls
- 6
- Fire reports
- 2
- Crash reports
- 14
- Injury reports
- 10
- Segment avg
- 296
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Ford MUSTANG