Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that during inclement weather, water was entering the cabin of the vehicle through the passenger's side glove box. The contact stated that due to the failure, mold had developed throughout the vehicle on the carpet, doors, and interior seats. The contact's husband also discovered that water had entered the computer module after inspecting the vehicle and the module was removed. The contact stated that the vehicle was inoperable after several repairs and several battery replacements. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the dealer and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 87,000.
Ford did issue a recall for several issues for my car, including but not limited to, problems when filling gas tank with evaporative purge system as well as cavitation of the fuel pump in high heat conditions, the doors not closing all the way or handles remaining open( not flush with rest of door) when door is shut, driver's side door trim/bezel around power window switch making buzzing sounds when stereo is in use, as well as ticking sounds coming from motor during operation and various creaks and sounds from front suspension when cornering and going over uneven terrain, and the transmission, the 5r55s, has the known hard shift into gear caused by bad servo. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Mustang. The contact noticed that there was an abnormal noise coming form the engine. The contact mentioned that the front frame was damaged and the vehicle was too unstable to drive. The vehicle was taken to universal auto llc (491 west main street, greenwood, in 46142) where it was diagnosed that the lifters, timing chain, and timing chain kit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. In addition, the vehicle was leaking oil and white smoke was forming on the front passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed back to the used dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
Driving Mustang on city street ( st george utah ) Takata airbag suddenly erupted prematurely causing loss of control of Mustang which rolled forward hitting another vehicle in rear. Driver [redacted] injured by shards of metal and required medical ( hospital attention ) transported by ambulance. Permanent scars and mental stress has caused driver to permanently fear driving .
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Mustang. While pulling out of the driveway at 5 MPH in rainy weather, water began pouring out of the dashboard. The contact detected a burning odor coming from the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact replaced the cabin filter, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 72,453.
Convertible top failure at 28,000 miles. Car is not safe to operate on highways after convertible top failure. Common problem on 2005 mustangs. Top becomes stuck at half up position. This obstructs vision in rear-view mirror, making it impossible to change lanes safely.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that under the floormat on the passenger side of the vehicle, there was water leaking. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Initial problems: 1. Pin strip on driver side was peeling off 2. A/C vent fell out of console 3. Convertible top got stuck in the down position. Stopped by closest dealer because I was on vacation and we pulled the top back up. Brought it to a local dealer for repairs and they said it was not covered under warranty because the entire convertible top frame was twisted. They stated this was because I most likely had driven while the top was half way up/down. After several weeks Ford engineers decided to cover the repairs for the top. Took the dealer five weeks to get all parts and replace the top. 4. Gas tank replaced because gas pumps would constantly cut off while refueling. 5. A/C makes popping noise every once in while. Current issues: 1. Noise in front end while turning at slow speeds 2. …
Was driving down the highway dec 23, 2008 when the entire electrical system on my 2005 Ford Mustang with 25,000 miles on it went completely dead. I purchased this slightly used Mustang at a Chrysler dealer six months ago and I purchased a top of the line extended warr, for $2000.00 when the vehicle was taken to the Ford dealership my top of the line extended warr. Did not cover the repairs due to the problem being a known factory defect. Ford motor company was no help with the problem also due to the car being slightly over the 3 year warr but not over the 36,000 mile warr. I have done some research since then on the matter and found this problem is a big problem with Ford . The internet is loaded with complaints from consumers with this exact same problem as mine. I would imagine driving down the highway at 65 miles per hr could be a catastrophe after losing all electrical power. …
1. Water leak in passenger side kick panel, has shorted Smart junction box, now traction control does not work (caused the rear wheels to spin out on wet pavement at 35 MPH and lost control of the vehicle, hit a curb and bent 3 rims and under carriage damage) and has caused other safety related problems while driving. With A/C on, car idle will drop and sometimes stall out, causing a loss of steering and brakes (very safety related). Ford knew of water leak issue when vehicle was manufactured, they put a little plastic cover over sjb computer to deflect leaking water inside passenger compartment on passenger side behind kick panel near door hinge. No dealer will repair the issue without buying a new sjb and programming for over $600. 2. Also rear brakes stick after using emergency brake. This is in a warm climate, not cold climate. …
Body complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2005 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the body & structure of the 2005 Ford Mustang, 7% of the model year's 868 complaints. The component named most often is body (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Mustang body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2005 Ford Mustang, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Mustang body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 37% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 3 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.