Head-to-head reliability
FORD Mustang vs FORD Expedition
How the FORD Mustang and FORD Expedition compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
FORD Mustang vs FORD Expedition: The Mustang averages 104.8 complaints per year, while the Expedition averages 207.9. The Mustang's top issue is electrical (225 complaints), whereas the Expedition's is powertrain (781). Both have zero deaths, but the Expedition has more injuries (138 vs 36). Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the FORD Mustang or FORD Expedition more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
FORD Mustang
The Ford Mustang, over the past decade, has been a frequent subject of owner complaints, averaging about 105 per year. The most common issues revolve around electrical system failures, engine problems, and powertrain concerns. Owners report sudden loss of throttle response, air conditioning failures, and persistent shift knob defects, indicating that while the car is sporty, it may require frequent dealer visits for electronic and mechanical gremlins.
FORD Expedition
The Ford Expedition, a full-size SUV, has a higher complaint rate, averaging about 208 per year. Its dominant problem area is the powertrain, with reports of vibrations at highway speeds, sudden loss of acceleration, and even a vehicle fire. Electrical system issues, such as trailer module communication failures and brake system warnings, also feature prominently, suggesting that the Expedition may have more serious reliability and safety concerns.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD Mustang | FORD Expedition |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,048 Better | 2,079 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 64 Better | 92 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 70 | 62 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 104.8 Better | 207.9 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 36 Better | 138 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
FORD Mustang
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM225
- 02ENGINE181
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER163
- 04POWER TRAIN162
- 05BACK OVER PREVENTION105
Owners report sudden air conditioning failure and incomplete recall repairs, indicating potential issues with the electrical components controlling climate and safety systems.
Multiple reports of a dead throttle where the car coasts to a stop despite pressing the gas pedal, a dangerous loss of power that has recurred even after dealer visits.
The shift knob's plastic piece detaches repeatedly, a quality issue that has required multiple repairs within nine months of ownership.
“I am extremely disappointed with Ford’s handling of my situation and the lack of customer support for what appears to be a premature major component failure. I own a 2024 Ford Mustang GT with only 56,022 miles. While driving, my air conditioning suddenly stop…”
“I am filing a safety complaint regarding an open manufacturer recall on my vehicle that has not been completed despite being scheduled for repair. On or about 2/16/2026, I scheduled the recall repair with an authorized dealership/service center. The repair wa…”
FORD Expedition
- 01POWER TRAIN781
- 02ENGINE367
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM252
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER245
- 05SERVICE BRAKES135
Strong vibrations at speeds over 60 mph and sudden loss of acceleration while driving, making highway driving challenging and potentially hazardous.
A vehicle caught fire while driving, with smoke entering the cabin, indicating a serious engine-related fire risk.
Trailer module may lose communication, causing trailer lights to malfunction, and brake failure with all warning lights on, leading to a near-accident.
“I purchased a new 2025 Ford Expedition Max. Since I left the dealer’s lot, the vehicle has had a strong vibration at any speed over 60 miles per hour, which makes highway driving and longer distance trips very challenging or impossible. Since I bought the veh…”
“Driving on highway, tried to accelerate, the car was acting like it was in neutral and would not accelerate. Checked to ensure I was not. the car began decelerating and I started to pull over. As I entered the brake down lane - the car automatically switched…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
FORD Mustang — 64 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair, and 2025 Maverick vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
The risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components increases the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in engine seizure and loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly, free of charge. All affected vehicles are still within dealership inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power.
The risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. F…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Mustang and 2025-2026 Mustang GTD vehicles. During certain cold temperature conditions, the windshield wipers may function only at their high-speed setting and the washing system may fail to function properly.
The risk: Windshield wipers or a washing system that fails to function as intended can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper motor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 9, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in lat…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
The risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
FORD Expedition — 92 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may los…
The risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Navigator and Expedition vehicles. The passenger side air bag may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the air bag to deploy with excessive force during a crash.
The risk: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the passenger side air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S51.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Lincoln Navigator, F-150, Expedition, Bronco, and Ranger vehicles. The Electronic Brake Booster (EBB) module may malfunction while driving or when the driver is utilizing an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) feature, resulting in a loss of…
The risk: An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expec…
The fix: The EBB module software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall…
Buyer analysis
FORD Mustang or FORD Expedition: which should you buy?
The Ford Mustang has fewer complaints per year (104.8) compared to the Ford Expedition (207.9), indicating a lower frequency of reported issues. However, both vehicles have significant problems, with the Expedition showing more severe safety-related complaints like fires and brake failures.
Key differences
- The Mustang has about half the complaints per year as the Expedition, suggesting a lower rate of reported problems.
- The Expedition has a much higher number of powertrain complaints (781) compared to the Mustang (162), indicating more frequent transmission or drivetrain issues.
- The Mustang's top issue is electrical (225), while the Expedition's top is powertrain (781), pointing to different reliability weak spots.
- The Expedition has more crash-related complaints (62 vs 70) and injuries (138 vs 36), though both have zero deaths.
- Check for any open recalls, especially the engine and engine cooling recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V122000), and ensure parts are available.
- Test the throttle response during a test drive, as multiple owners report a dead throttle issue that can recur.
- Inspect the engine bay for any signs of oil leaks or previous fire damage, given the reported engine fire incident.
- Test the trailer brake and turn signals if you plan to tow, as the trailer module may fail to communicate.
Before you buy
- Check NHTSA recall status for both vehicles and confirm all recalls are completed.
- For the Mustang, test the air conditioning and throttle response during a test drive.
- For the Expedition, drive at highway speeds to feel for vibrations and test acceleration from a stop.
- Ask for service records, especially for any transmission or engine repairs.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the electrical system and powertrain components before purchase.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | FORD Mustang | FORD Expedition |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 7 |
| 2025 | 14 | 27 |
| 2024 | 73 | 71 |
| 2023 | 145 | 64 |
| 2022 | 49 | 108 |
| 2021 | 55 | 226 |
| 2020 | 116 | 383 |
| 2019 | 141 | 471 |
| 2018 | 186 | 368 |
| 2017 | 264 | 354 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific FORD Mustang or FORD Expedition in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD Mustang vs FORD Expedition
- FORD Mustang total complaints
- 1,048
- FORD Expedition total complaints
- 2,079
- FORD Mustang total recalls
- 64
- FORD Expedition total recalls
- 92
- FORD Mustang avg complaints/year
- 104.8
- FORD Expedition avg complaints/year
- 207.9
- More reliable overall
- FORD Mustang
- FORD Mustang top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- FORD Expedition top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN