Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking and shaking uncontrollably. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred increasingly while driving on the interstate. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. Then the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to a second dealer; Don Rich Ford Co Inc (221 E Montgomery St, Villa Rica, GA 30180) who diagnosed the grille shutter and the sensor fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. …
Caught in stop and go traffic at night for 45 minutes. Car started moving forward even though my foot was only on the brake pedal. My first thought was I'd accidentally pressed both the brake and gas pedals, but I could see my foot on the brake pedal since the under-dash area is lit in the Premium model. It happened for about one minute the first time, then happened again a couple minutes later. I hit the bumper of a tour bus during the second instance at about two mph. The tour bus driver apparently didn't notice the hit and changed lanes a few minutes later. I didn't see any damage to the tour bus, but my license plate bracket and license plate were bent, and the middle part of my bumper didn't snap back together correctly. The Ford dealer was unable to duplicate the problem, and the brakes and vacuum pressure module didn't show any leaks. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the reverse light, the rearview camera, the Cross Traffic System, the blind spot detector, the Lane Assist System, and other unknown features had ceased to work. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V382000 (Power Train) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair; however, the failure persisted after the repair. The check engine warning light was illuminated and a message advising to check the Owner's Manual was displayed. The contact stated that the recall remedy failed to fix the failures. The dealer was notified of the failure and submitted a case report to the manufacturer; however, the manufacturer declined to cover the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 2,700.
I was contacted by the NHTSA, after I had an accident in my 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with the automatic transmission and ability to manually shift. I spoke with an Investigator by the name of [redacted]. The investigator wished me good luck, as it was relayed to me that I was the only one who had the problem which resulted in me having an accident. I have since then found multiple sites with multiple complaints of the same issue, and I was told that there's a Fourth Class Action Suit right now that I should be a part of. Please have someone who is familiar with what's going on with Ford call me at: [redacted]. Thank you for your help!
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact state that the while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a right turn, the vehicle failed to shift into 2nd gear and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspecting under the hood of the vehicle, he noticed that the clutch fluid line had shifted back and forth causing the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that he smelled a burning fuel odor inside the engine. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle in 1st gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,923.
1. 2020 Mustang Ecoboost is equipped from factory with redesigned block to minimize/eliminate coolant intrusion and or head gasket failure. I still had the dreaded "ecoboom" issue with coolant intrusion on two cylinders as a result of a broken head gasket and poor engine block design. Regular maintenance was perfomed and use primarily Top Tier 93 octane fuel. 5K mile interval 5W-50 oil changes according to manual using Ford spec oil full synthetic. Cold Start Misfires and excessive engine shaking are still occurring despite short block replacement by Ford and they won't diagnose properly. 2. Electrical/Audio. Issue with crackling audio, audio skipping and both iPhones and Androids having disconnection issues. Factory reset the Sync module twice, attempted reset by unplugging car battery and also checked alternator. Replaced car battery with fresh battery and issue persists. 3. …
Description of the issue: The transmission has a recurring problem with shifting. When placing the vehicle into Reverse, it engages with a harsh and sudden jerk. When shifting from Reverse to Drive, there is a noticeable delay in engagement before the vehicle responds. These problems occur under normal operating conditions and are repeatable. Safety risk: This creates a significant safety hazard. The harsh jerking when shifting into Reverse can cause unintended movement, risking collisions or injury. The delayed engagement when shifting into Drive leaves the driver vulnerable in traffic situations (such as backing out of parking spaces or entering traffic), increasing the chance of an accident. Inspection/confirmation: The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership. However, it has not been permanently resolved. …
2020 Ford Mustang with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle has a documented history of coolant loss with no visible external leak, consistent with the known coolant-intrusion defect in Ford's 2.3L EcoBoost engines where coolant leaks internally into the cylinders. The vehicle previously threw a cylinder misfire code (P0301) and now shows a crankshaft/camshaft timing correlation fault (P0017). A scan tool confirmed the exhaust camshaft is approximately 18-19 degrees out of correlation. A new variable valve timing oil control solenoid was installed and did NOT resolve the fault, confirming the problem is mechanical - a worn/stretched timing chain. This wear is consistent with the oil dilution and contamination caused by internal coolant intrusion. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center via scan data. The vehicle is available for inspection. …
The transmission takes over when shifting from first gear. This is a automatic 10 speed that when first driven after setting overnight slips out of first and the engine revs on its own (foot removed from gas pedal) to between 4 and 6 thousand then slams into the next gear. This lurches the vehicle ahead and slams the rear pinion. trying to stop the car is difficult when it revs so high then slams into gear. This also happened in a full parking lot and could have lurched into people. I have had it at the ford dealer several times to fix, The first dealer rode with me and replicated the issue. The first dealer reached out to ford engineers and they suggested replacing the valve body in the transmission. (it was worse after the valve body change) The dealer told me they did change the valve body but there is no warranty information showing that. …
After driving for 2 blocks, my car would not drive when hitting the gas pedal, the engine only reved. Unable to move the car in any gear, pedestrians helped push my car out of the middle of the road. Towed the car to a Ford dealership because the Ford app on my phone said "shift solenoid stuck in off position". Upon diagnosis the dealership said yes the solenoid is stuck in the off position but now the gears are slipping and you need a brand new transmission. This is the 10r80 automatic transmission that has had problems like this nationwide. I don't understand how this has not been recalled yet. With 63,000 miles a transmission should not be failing. There have been hundreds of documented cases of this specific transmission failing for countless reasons involving internal components.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles equipped with 5.0L engines and manual transmissions. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may broadcast an unintended faulted signal to the modules controlling the reverse camera, reverse light, and driver assist features, which may disable all of these…
Remedy: Dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 15, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S37.
Transmission complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Ford Mustang, 21% of the model year's 120 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ford Mustang transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 22V-382 (control module (tcm/pcm/tecm), May 27, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Ford Mustang transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 19,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.