Ford Recalls Nearly 149,000 Mustangs That Can Lose Drive Power or Headlights

September 2, 2026

Ford Mustang recall — Ford is recalling an estimated 148,663 certain 2024–2026 Mustang vehicles because engine-compartment wiring-harness ground connections can fracture, potentially causing loss of drive power, headlights, windshield-washer operation or other vehicle functions. Dealers will replace the affected ground terminals free of charge. Nikonysta/Shutterstock

Ford is recalling nearly 149,000 Mustangs because electrical ground connections can fracture, potentially causing drivers to lose drive power, headlights or other important vehicle functions. The recall covers an estimated 148,663 certain 2024 through 2026 Ford Mustang vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA assigned the recall campaign number 26V547000, while Ford identifies it internally as 26C40. The potentially frustrating part for owners is that the complete recall remedy isn’t expected to be broadly available for several months. Ford plans to send owners an initial safety notice while it prepares the parts needed to complete the repair.

Why Ford Is Recalling Certain Mustangs

The problem involves ground connections in the Mustang’s engine-compartment wiring harness. Those connections can fracture, interrupting electrical circuits used by several vehicle systems.

Depending on which connection fails, the Mustang can experience a loss of drive power or lose functionality involving the headlights, windshield washing system, air conditioning or engine cooling fan. A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash, particularly if it happens while the vehicle is moving in traffic.

Failure of the headlights or windshield washing system creates another concern because either problem can reduce a driver’s ability to see or be seen under certain driving conditions.

The Defect Can Affect More Than One Vehicle System

The recall is notable because the same underlying wiring problem can produce several different symptoms. A fractured ground connection can interfere with the electrical path needed by the affected component or system. That means one owner might experience a problem involving exterior lighting while another could encounter a loss of drive power or another affected function.

Loss of the engine cooling fan could also interfere with the vehicle’s ability to properly manage engine temperature. Owners shouldn’t assume that a Mustang is unaffected simply because its headlights or other electrical equipment currently appear to operate normally. Recall eligibility is determined by the vehicle identification number, or VIN, rather than whether the owner has already noticed a symptom.

The Mustangs Don’t Meet Two Federal Safety Standards

The defect isn’t only the subject of a voluntary repair campaign. According to NHTSA, the affected vehicles fail to comply with requirements of two Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

FMVSS 108 establishes requirements involving lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment, while FMVSS 104 addresses windshield wiping and washing systems. The possibility of losing headlight or windshield-washer functionality is why those standards are relevant to the recall.

NHTSA says reduced visibility from those failures can increase the risk of a crash.

The Repair Will Be Free, but Owners May Have to Wait

Ford dealers will correct the defect by replacing the affected engine-compartment wiring-harness ground terminals. The repair will be performed free of charge. However, the complete remedy isn’t expected to be broadly available immediately.

Interim letters notifying owners about the safety risk were expected to be mailed beginning August 31, 2026. Ford plans to send another notification once the repair becomes available. The current recall information says remedy availability is anticipated in March 2027. That gap makes it particularly important for Mustang owners not to disregard the initial letter simply because a dealer may not yet be able to perform the final repair.

How to Check Whether Your Mustang Is Included

The recall applies to certain 2024, 2025 and 2026 Mustangs, not necessarily every Mustang manufactured during those model years. Owners should check their individual VIN rather than relying on model year alone. VINs associated with the recall became searchable through NHTSA’s recall system on August 28. Owners can use the NHTSA recall lookup tool and enter their 17-character VIN to see whether the vehicle has an open safety recall. Ford owners can also contact the automaker’s customer service department at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall 26C40.

Don’t Assume a Mustang Is Safe Because Nothing Has Failed Yet

A recall involving a component that can fracture is different from a problem that every affected vehicle will necessarily exhibit immediately. A Mustang may drive normally until the connection fails, which is why checking recall status is more useful than waiting for an obvious symptom. Owners of 2024–2026 Mustangs should check their VIN now and pay attention to both the interim safety notification and the later notice announcing that the remedy is available. Once parts are available for their vehicle, affected owners can have the engine-compartment wiring-harness ground terminals replaced at no charge. Until then, owners with concerns about unusual electrical behavior, loss of vehicle functions or the safety of continuing to drive their particular Mustang should contact Ford or an authorized Ford dealer for guidance specific to their vehicle.