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1990 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 85 owner complaints about the 1990 Ford Mustang, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

63
CarFlaw IndexSolid year42% below the Mustang median · #31 of 41 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints8547 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage129kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 30, 2013. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1990 Ford Mustang has problems

85 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 system3523
Engine and engine cooling107
Air bags97
Vehicle speed control84
Power train50
Fuel system, gasoline52
Seats40
Exterior lighting40
Structure40
10 other systems195

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

1 recall

1990 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

1990 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
NHTSA crash tests

1990 Ford Mustang safety ratings

1990 Ford Mustang 2-DR. Convertible in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1990 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. THROTTLE STICKS, HIGH IDLEPE91089 · closed Nov 26, 1991
    No recall
  2. HOOD LATCH FAILURESPE91137 · closed Feb 27, 1992
    No recall
  3. FUEL LINE ROUTINGPE94010 · closed Apr 19, 1994
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

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

THE WINDOWS WON'T ROLL DOWN AND I'VE SPENT A WHOLE DAY AND AROUND $100 TRYING TO FIX IT. ALL I WANT IS WORKING WINDOWS, CAN I GET SOME MANUAL DOORS? *TR
Complaint 10505098 · Mar 30, 2013 · 129,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE TURN SIGNALS AND AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BY SLIGHTLY TURNING BACK THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR…
Complaint 10453580 · Mar 30, 2012 · 130,000 miles
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE. PICUTRES ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.
Complaint 10122329 · May 27, 2005

Own a 1990 Mustang?

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