Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The clutch/flywheel/ and or other components of the drive train/engine/transmission connection are faulty and are known to fail for the 2007-2009 Shelby Ford Mustang GT 500 as documented in the numerous Ford Technical Service Bullitens (TSB). This vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Late this summer (2023), I was driving this vehicle with my kids in the car and attempting to merge on the entry ramp for the expressway. I experienced a sudden loss of acceleration and the RPMs immediately "redlined". I had to pull over to the shoulder of the expressway so I would not be rear-ended. I researched this issue and found hundreds of posts on Mustang forums documenting this known issue and the TSB issued by Ford. I have reached out to Ford directly and had my vehicle inspected at a Ford Dealership. …
I pulled into my driveway after returning from the store. As I began to slow down to pull in the garage the car accelerated causing me to crash into the front of my garage. The brakes were locked and the car did not stop but continued to push forward. I have skid marks the whole way up my drive into my garage from the car being pushed forward by the front tires..... I will be reporting this to Ford motor company as their was a class action lawsuit for Ford mustangs 2005-2010 if purchased in select states, mine being florida, which was part of this lawsuit. (was reported in usatoday for 3/23/13) I never received any information from Ford regarding this. My car's front end and entire left driver side is destroyed as well as my garage. The accident caused my son's bike to come through my house.
"Takata recall" I was driving my 2009 Ford Mustang on a neighborhood street 30 MPH, when I turned a corner (10 MPH) I attempted to honk my horn and the passenger airbag deployed, my car accelerated with a hard right straight into a dumpster damaging the drivers side of the vehicle, the drivers side airbag did not deploy. I had purchased the car 6 months before this accident and the horn had not worked, we did not know there was a recall on the airbag at this time. This accident could have killed someone because the car became uncontrollable, the impact was so forceful it bent the frame of the car the damage to the vehicle is estimated at $7000.00.
My son was driving his 2009 Mustang and after stopping at a stop sign in a residential neighborhood, he slowly accelerated and the car suddenly accelerated quickly on its own. He said the gas pedal went to the floor, he tried pushing brake and it was not stopping the car. It sent him through another intersection, he engaged emergency brake to no avail. Luckily his car went through an area of soggy grass that helped slow the car down, and came to a stop by running into hedges and resting next to a brick church. He described hearing the RPM's revving up along with the sudden acceleration. He also described the steering wheel as "locking up".
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford Mustang. While driving 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact crashed into a pole. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the diagnosis was unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V319000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
I was traveling at about 40 MPH in mid morning traffic. I went through a traffic signal on a city street at which time my engine accelerated at a high RPM. I could not control the vehicle or stop it even though I had depressed the brake pedal. I did lose control of my vehicle, spun around totally my vehicle and another and then stopping against guide wire. The engine was still revving when the car stopped. No airbags deployed and I was transported by ems to the er.
Random acceleration. Backed out of parking space , put car in drive and pressed accelerator to move forward. Acceleration increased on its own. Removed foot from accelerator, pressed the brake. Acceleration continued to increase, hit the brake pedal hard.. Accelerator continued to increase on its own. (couldn't stop vehicle) hit a curb and flipped the vehicle.
I was driving along heading to the freeway and the car accelerator caused the car to speed up and I couldn't stop the car. I had to choose between going on the freeway or driving the car in a parking lot and into a pole to stop it.
Just bought a 2009 Mustang gt on March 13th. Took it to the store, and was at a traffic light waiting for a green light. The light changed and I pulled the car out. I went from 1st to 2nd gear, and when I let off the clutch the car accelerated and continued to accelerate. I pushed hard on the brakes but it continued to gain speed. It threw me to the right lane, fortunately nobody was there, and off the edge of the road as it kept speeding up. I held the wheel tight while still continuing to try to stop the car. Before I knew it I was in a muddy ditch, and it slung me around and the rear of the car up onto the bank. The thick mud grabbed the wheels and slowed the car down enough that the front bumper was dug into the ground and the passenger side rear wheel off the ground, it finally had stopped. …
My car stalled a few times when I stopped at stop signs then it didnt happen again for a few weeks. This time I was running into dunkins to get a coffee shut the car off came out 2 min later started the car went to drive away and the car would not accelerate. Shut off car waited a min restarted it and no problem drove on. A few days later same thing ran in store came out and it did it again. Brought it to a mechanic he hooked it up told me it was the electronic throttle control and it had to be replaced. He told me Ford had recalls on many of the cars for this but no idea why the Mustang was not recalled cause it used the same part as the other car. Had to get it replaced. They said if I kept driving it like that it would go into limp mode and thats very bad while driving on the highway cause that could cause a fatal accident. …
Acceleration complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2009 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2009 Ford Mustang, 12% of the model year's 181 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Ford Mustang acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2009 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 2009 Ford Mustang acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to speed control & acceleration 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.