Ford Mustang VIN Number Check

A free NHTSA vPIC decode tells you which Ford Mustang you are looking at. Then check its model year against 77 NHTSA recall campaigns and what owners have reported.

VIN prefix1FA1ZV

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

Ford Mustang

About the Ford Mustang

Ford has sold the Mustang in the US since the 1990 model year, and there have been five generations. The Gen 3 came first (1990–1993); Gen 4 (1994–2004), Gen 5 (2005–2014), Gen 6 (2015–2023) followed, and the Gen 7 took over for 2024–2026. Across those years NHTSA lists 77 vehicle recall campaigns and 9,750 owner complaints. Complaints pile up on the Gen 5. Its 2005 and 2007 model years alone account for 1,483 of them, with owners bringing up air bags most often and the powertrain after that. EPA rates the Gen 3 at 17–23 mpg combined, while the Gen 7 gets 12–26 mpg. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years1990–2026

GenerationsGen 3 · Gen 4 · Gen 5 · Gen 6 · Gen 7

NHTSA recall campaigns77

Owner complaints9,750 at NHTSA

Ford Mustang photographed at a US vehicle auction — Auction lot photo, for illustration

Generations

Ford Mustang generations

Five generations since the 1990 model year. The Gen 5 (2005–2014) has the most owner complaints, the Gen 6 (2015–2023) the most recall campaigns (34).

5 / 5

Gen 7

2024–20267th generation

Photo: WMrapids, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

19901995200020052010201520202025

2024–2026· Generation 5 of 5

Gen 7 · 7th generation

EPA classSubcompact Cars

EPA combined mpg12–26

NHTSA recalls18

Engines (EPA)

2.3 L 4-cyl (turbo) · 2024–2026
5.0 L 8-cyl · 2024–2026
5.2 L 8-cyl (supercharged) · 2025–2026

Drive & transmission (EPA)

RWD
automatic (2024–2026), manual (2024–2026), automated manual/dual-clutch (2025–2026)

Known issues to check

Electrical system (47)Engine and cooling (16)Exterior lighting (13)5 high-risk recall campaigns

Mentions in 108 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · Gen 71FA6P8TH?R5······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2024 Ford Mustang I4, built in Flat Rock, Michigan

Check a Mustang VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which Mustang model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 77 campaigns on file for Mustang model years 1990–2026, and the 2024 shows up in more of them than any other year (12), ahead of the 2015 (11). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

Pick a row

What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Ford Mustang owners report

Owner summaries + NHTSA data

Complaints peak with the 2005 (868 of 9,750). Tap any bar or generation.

9,750NHTSA complaints, 1990–2026

798mention a crash

263mention a fire

569injuries reported

Owner complaints by model yearGen 7: 108 complaints · most for the 2024 (82)

Top complaint areas · Gen 7

Mentions in 108 complaints, 2024–2026.

Electrical system47

Engine and cooling16

Exterior lighting13

Powertrain (transmission, driveline)11

Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)10

Brakes8

Crashes 8Fires 0Injuries 5

2024–2026 (Gen 7)

NHTSA data summary

Its first model year, the 2024, drew more complaints than any other (82 of 108). Owners across the generation name electrical system most often (47 mentions), then engine and cooling (16).

What Mustang owners report across recent generations

Owner summary

2024–present (7th generation)

Owner data is thin for this generation. NHTSA complaints on the 2024 are mostly electrical, including infotainment screen and camera faults, and CarComplaints has only five reports for 2024, led by a dead throttle and an infotainment screen that glitches or goes blank. Recalls on 2024 cars cover a brake pedal assembly that may be loose, rear suspension knuckles with a casting defect that can fail and a clutch pressure line that may touch hot exhaust parts. [1] [2]

2015–2023 (6th generation)

Complaints are moderate for this generation. On the 2015 and 2016, NHTSA owners mention brakes, rearview camera failures and door issues, and CarComplaints ranks paint coming off first for 2015, followed by an A/C evaporator that stopped working and driveshaft vibration. Recalls on 2015–2017 cars cover a hose that may separate from the engine oil cooler and leak oil, rearview camera wiring that may be loose and front seat belt pretensioner cables that water and road salt can corrode. [3] [4] [5]

2005–2014 (5th generation)

On the 2005, air bag recalls and electrical faults lead NHTSA complaints. CarComplaints ranks transmission failure first for 2006, followed by bubbling paint and water leaking into the interior. Recalls cover a driver air bag on 2005–2014 cars whose inflator can rupture after moisture gets in, and replacement air bag inflators that may have been installed on these cars. [6] [7]

What to check before buying

Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup, including the air bag inflator recalls on 2005–2014 cars, the oil cooler hose, camera and pretensioner recalls on 2015–2017 cars and the brake pedal and suspension knuckle recalls on 2024 cars.
Check the paint for peeling or bubbling and the interior for water leaks.
On the drive, test the A/C and rearview camera and feel for driveshaft vibration.

Sources (7) and method

Sources:

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner summary updated September 25, 2026.

Owner complaints · by model year

Mustang complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Every Mustang version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.

9,750complaints, 1990–2026

798mention a crash

263mention a fire

569injuries reported

25complaints report a death

Most complaints: 2005 (868), 1995 (616), 2007 (615)

2005 · 868 complaints

Crashes 40 · fires 8 · injuries 35

Air bags284

Electrical system283

Fuel system87

Vehicle speed control66

Structure64

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

Mustang CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 261 Mustang versions for model years 1990–2026. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 341 g/mi (2026). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

Gen 31990–1993

17–23 mpg · CO₂ 386–523 g/mi

Gen 41994–2004

14–21 mpg · CO₂ 423–635 g/mi

Gen 52005–2014

16–23 mpg · CO₂ 386–555 g/mi

Gen 62015–2023

14–25 mpg · CO₂ 350–631 g/mi

Gen 72024–2026

12–26 mpg · CO₂ 341–741 g/mi

Model year2025

26combined MPG

342CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)

$2,600EPA yearly fuel cost

6/10Smog rating

1 = worst · 10 = cleanest

5/10Greenhouse gas rating

California LEV-III SULEV30 · Federal Tier 3 Bin 30Emission standard

Cleanest gas version of 2025: Mustang · Auto 10-spd, 4 cyl, 2.3 L, Turbo — 26 MPG · 342 g/mi

Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year

Gas

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

Mustang vs Chevrolet Camaro vs Dodge Challenger

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 2015–2023. NHTSA lists 34 recall campaigns for the Mustang, against 9 for the Chevrolet Camaro and 18 for the Dodge Challenger. Pick a range to compare.

Ford MustangGen 6

Model years 2015–2023

NHTSA recall campaigns: 34
NHTSA owner complaints: 1,662
EPA combined mpg: 14–25
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.3 L · 6-cyl 3.7 L · 8-cyl 5.0, 5.2 L
Also listed: turbo, supercharged
Drive (EPA): RWD
NHTSA crash rating: 5★ overall (2022)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Engine and cooling 328
Electrical system 282
Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 206

Chevrolet Camaro

Model years 2015–2023

NHTSA recall campaigns: 9
NHTSA owner complaints: 750
EPA combined mpg: 14–25
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.6 L · 8-cyl 6.2, 7.0 L
Also listed: supercharged, turbo
Drive (EPA): RWD
NHTSA crash rating: 5★ overall (2022)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Electrical system 211
Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 183
Steering 120

Dodge Challenger

Model years 2015–2023

NHTSA recall campaigns: 18
NHTSA owner complaints: 478
EPA combined mpg: 13–23
Engines (EPA): 6-cyl 3.6 L · 8-cyl 5.7, 6.2, 6.4 L
Also listed: supercharged
Drive (EPA): AWD/4WD, RWD
NHTSA crash rating: 5★ overall (2022)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Electrical system 120
Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 72
Engine and cooling 68

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Ford Mustang VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on a Mustang

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Red Ford Mustang (seventh generation) coupe, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

Always cross-reference the door jamb sticker, the firewall stamp in the engine compartment, and the rear axle tag, four locations that should carry identical numbers. The primary VIN plate sits at the base of the driver's side windshield. On Shelby and GT500 variants, a secondary identification plate is riveted to the driver's door hinge pillar. The Gen 7 generation starts with the 2024 model year; the VIN’s 10th character (R for 2024) shows which side of that line a car falls on.

Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge

The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.

FAQ

Common Ford Mustang VIN questions

Which Ford Mustang model years have the most owner complaints?

The 2005 leads with 868, ahead of the 1995 (616) and 2007 (615). Those first two alone make up 15% of the 9,750 Mustang complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Ford Mustang had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 77 vehicle campaigns for model years 1990–2026, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns. By generation, Gen 6 leads with 34. Then come the Gen 7 (18), Gen 4 (13), Gen 5 (9) and Gen 3 (3), and a campaign can span two generations.

Which Ford Mustang recalls are high risk?

15V-319, 16V-384, 17V-024 and 17V-529 cover air bag inflators that can rupture. 01V-318, 18V-046 and 19V-001 cover air bag inflator modules and how they deploy. NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 96V-071, 93V-159, 01V-390, 97V-216, 14V-774, 15V-339, 16V-779, 24V-220 and 3 more. Do-not-drive advisories came with 15V-319, 16V-384, 17V-024, 18V-046, 19V-001 and 23V-800. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.

Which Mustang generation am I looking at?

By US model year, the Gen 3 is 1990–1993 and the Gen 4 1994–2004. Gen 5 spans 2005–2014, Gen 6 2015–2023 and Gen 7 2024–2026. Read the year off the VIN’s 10th character (R is 2024).

What fuel economy does the Ford Mustang get?

It varies. EPA rates the 2024–2026 Gen 7 at 12–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive, up from 17–23 mpg for the 1990–1993 Gen 3 (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Ford Mustang compare with the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger on recalls?

For 2015–2023 models the Mustang has 34 NHTSA recall campaigns. The Chevrolet Camaro has 9, the Dodge Challenger 18. Complaints run 1,662, 750 and 478 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

What crash rating does the Ford Mustang have?

NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2025 Mustang 5 stars overall. One version, 2 DR RWD, is rated. NHTSA lists 2 versions for that year, 1 of them rated.

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Ford Mustang VIN Number Check

About the Ford Mustang

Ford Mustang generations