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1988 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 108 owner complaints about the 1988 Ford Mustang, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

61
CarFlaw IndexSolid year36% below the Mustang median · #28 of 41 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10844 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage47kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 28, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Ford Mustang has problems

108 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
Electrical system5631
Exterior lighting160
Seat belts100
Fuel system, gasoline74
Visibility50
Vehicle speed control51
Steering41
Engine and engine cooling41
Power train31
8 other systems131

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

1 recall

1988 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

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 96V-071 · Apr 25, 1996 · 7,900,000 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

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

1988 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
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. UNDERDASH FIRESPE89133 · closed Nov 28, 1989
    No recall
  2. FR SEAT FLOOR MOUNT FAILSPE90052 · closed Jun 20, 1990
    No recall
  3. HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY FAILUREPE91078 · closed Sep 23, 1991
    No recall
  4. HOOD LATCH FAILURESPE91137 · closed Feb 27, 1992
    No recall
  5. CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE93011 · closed Jul 19, 1993
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I WAS DRIVING TO A FUNERAL HOME TO PICK UP ASHES 40 MILES FROM HOME WITH TWO CHOW DOGS WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING AND WAS BURNING. THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CONTACTED AAA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A RELIABLE REPAIR SHOP. I HAD A USED ONE INSTALLED…
Complaint 10325609 · Apr 14, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RIDING ROUGHLY AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CONTACT PULLED OUT OF TRAFFIC, WAITED TWENTY MINUTES, AND THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. HE DROVE A BLOCK AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC.…
Complaint 10241065 · Sep 5, 2008 · 47,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD MUSTANG. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE THE TURN SIGNALS AND HORN DO NOT WORK. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUED THE PARTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,400 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
Complaint 10214276 · Jan 9, 2008 · 17,000 miles

Own a 1988 Mustang?

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