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1985 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 16 owner complaints about the 1985 Ford Mustang, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints167 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage45kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 30, 2009. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1985 Ford Mustang has problems

16 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts40
Electrical system31
Fuel system, gasoline21
Power train21
Engine and engine cooling21
Latches/locks/linkages10
Interior lighting10
Fuel system, other10
Steering11
3 other systems31

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1985 Ford Mustang recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Front: anchorage

Recall 92V-063 · Apr 29, 1992 · 306,000 vehicles

Risk. IF THE TONGUE DETACHES FROM THE SAFETY BELT WEBBING, THESAFETY BELT WOULD NOT ATTACH TO ITSELF, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF INJURYTO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1985 vs. every other Mustang year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Mustang median. How we score

'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1985 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SEATBACK FAILUREEA86010 · closed Jul 28, 1989
    Led to recall 86V-082
  2. SAFETY BELT TONGUE BREAKSEA91003 · closed Apr 30, 1992
    Led to recall 92V-063
  3. STALLINGPE87028 · closed Jan 21, 1988
    No recall
  4. SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE89118 · closed Sep 6, 1989
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

SEAT BELT WAS RECALLED IN 1992. THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED, AND THE RECALL LETTER STATED THAT REPAIRS WERE FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, SEAT BELTS WERE NOT LATCHING PROPERLY, AND THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE.*AK
Complaint 10039778 · Sep 11, 2003 · 40,000 miles
I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK ON CAMPAIGN # 92V063000. HE SAID HE COULDN'T HELP BECAUSE MY VIN # DIDN'T COME UP. *NLM
Complaint 10013853 · Apr 2, 2003 · 50,000 miles
CONSUMER RECEIVE A RECALL # 92V063000 TOOK CAR TO BE REPAIR DEALER REFUSE TO FIX THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THERE WAS THE PEICE IN THE BUCKLE. TT
Complaint 965830 · May 25, 1995

Own a 1985 Mustang?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.