Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Accident after side swiping cattle guard, flew off the road at 70mph, landing roughly, and bouncing off desert terrain, trying to control crash outcome, realign no brakes, and no way to slow down vehicle, except no acceleration, and turned away from homes and power poles, to eventually slam into a a higher terrain, until complete stop. My repaired airbags didn't deploy, and at that speed, my passenger side wheels were shattered, tires flat, face hit the steering wheel and windshield, my knees hit dashboard, arms bounced off off everything the seat belt couldn't protect me from. Because of airbag failure to deploy, I ended up with 2 fractures, T9 and L1, 6 lose teeth making front teeth unable to use, and 2 cervical discs pushing into spinal column. …
Driving approximately 20 mph, on a smooth road, in a retirement community, the drivers seat airbag explosively inflated without warning. The seatbelts are locked and unusable, the seat bolster is shredded, the driver door panel is disconnected as is the exterior rocker cover. I am afraid to drive the car in fear of the other air bags exploding while driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Ford Mustang. While driving at 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. As a result, the vehicle veered to the right and crashed into the rear of a parked vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,600.
Driving down martin luther king dr. While approaching a curve at 45 MPH vehicle stability and brakes gave out. Airbags deployed incorrectly and caused injuries to myself and a passenger. Seat belts are also no longing working. Brakes are
Takata inflators. I received a notice in the summer of 2,015 from Ford motor company stating that they had found that my 2008 Mustang v6 premium convertible was found to have a defective drivers side air bag and that if it deployed, I could be seriously injured or killed and that it could deploy under certain circumstances even if the car were not involved in an accident. They said I would be notified to take my car to my local Ford dealer when a replacement was available. I have checked many times since with my local dealer (acton Ford, acton massachusetts) and have been told no replacements are available and they have no idea when any will be made available. …
I was involved in a serious car accident on Sunday of last week. While in the right-hand lane of interstate 95 in boynton beach, florida, my 2008 Mustang was hit in the rear by an apparently speeding motorist. I was traveling between 55-60 MPH and accelerating to achieve pace with the other cars on the highway. My car was struck in the rear, and propelled forward striking a minivan in front to me. I was pushed off the road and into the sea grape stand, and then struck one of the posts on a highway information sign. My car was totaled. (see the photo) neither airbag in the car deployed. I had received notices from Ford motor company that my car had takada airbags in it, and that they should be replaced. I was notified approximately one year ago that replacement parts for the driver's side air bag were available. …
Takata recall I received a safety recall notice several years ago regarding my 2008 Ford Mustang. I have repeatedly called the dealer where I bought my car, as well as other dealers in my area trying to get the airbag replaced/repaired. All of the dealerships said they didn't have parts, that parts were on back order and would be in next few months. I got this same speech every time I called. I called my dealer at least once per month. Its has been over 2 years and my airbag has not been replaced. I have called Ford motor company several times as well. Last week a received a legal notice regarding Takata airbag company filing chapter 11 bankruptcy. I am driving in a potentially dangerous car. I've had my car for 9 years. …
Takata recall - I have tried on several occasions to have the passenger side airbag recall performed at autonation Ford, sanford, fl. They keep telling me that they have to order the part. I keep checking back and they keep telling me that they still have to order the part. Most times no one answers the service line at autonation Ford. Now I'm receiving several airbag recall notices from Ford each week. I tried their 1-866-([redacted]) help line but can never get through. I tried the chat on their www.fordowner.com website but cannot get through. This has been an extremely frustrating situation, especially since I'm told I should not have someone sit in the passenger seat until the recall is performed. I want to know how soon I can get this recall performed on my vehicle and stop being hounded by all of these mailings. There is no way to send Ford an e-mail complaint about this issue. …
NHTSA recall 15v-319 states that in certain vehicles, the front driver side air bag inflator housing May rupture and deploy abnormally in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver side frontal airbag. An inflator rupture could result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death. I contacted my local dealership from whom I purchased the car, tasca Ford on Pontiac ave in cranston, ri who told me they had no information on this recall and suggest I contact the manufacturer. I call Ford and was told they were aware of the problem and were working with their suppliers to obtain parts to remedy this unsafe situation, and they would notify me when they were ready to hopefully repair this defect. I feel unsafe now driving this vehicle, and fear for my own safety as well as any passengers in the vehicle. …
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Ford Mustang. When the contact purchased the vehicle, the dealer informed her that there were two recalls associated with the vehicle: NHTSA campaign number: 15V319000 (air bags) and NHTSA campaign number: 16V384000 (air bags). The dealer stated that the recalls would have to be repaired. The dealer (sunset Ford, 11700 gravois rd, saint louis, mo 63127) asked the contact if she purchased the vehicle from their lot. When the contact mentioned that she had not, the dealer stated that the first available appointment would not be until July of 2018. The contact was informed by the independent dealer that the remedy was available for one of the recalls. The failure mileage was 122,000. …
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2012 Ford Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2005-2014 Mustang vehicles manufactured April 6, 2004, to June 21, 2014, and 2005-2006 GT vehicles manufactured February 20, 2004, to September 22, 2006.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator, free of charge.
Show 1 more recall
Air bags › Frontal
Ford is recalling 434,593 my 2008 mustang vehicles for failing to comply with one of the neck injury requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection," for an unbelted 5th percentile female sitting in the passenger seat while it is in the full forward position.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the restraint control module free of charge. The recall began on March 3, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332 or through email to www.ownerconnection.com.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 240 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Ford Mustang, 69% of the model year's 347 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Ford Mustang airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V-081 (frontal, Feb 16, 2021); NHTSA recall 17V-024 (inflator module, Jan 10, 2017); NHTSA recall 16V-384 (inflator module, May 31, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Ford Mustang airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 0 fires and 10 injuries to air bags 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.