RecallMyCar

1978 Ford Mustang Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1978 Ford Mustang, and owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
3
owner complaints to NHTSA

4 safety recalls for the 1978 Ford Mustang

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Fan (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 83V025000 Reported 83,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The flexible blade engine cooling fan blades may crack and break off. This may be caused by high blade stresses that can result from vibration during vehicle operation.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the defective engine cooling fan at no cost to owner.

  2. Fan (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 81V003000 Reported 81,807 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The seven-blade engine cooling fan is subject to fatigue cracking during normal operation. Portions of the blades may separate without prior warning.

    Remedy: Defective fans will be replaced with fans of an improved design without charge.

  3. Retractor (seat belts)

    NHTSA 78V047000 Reported 1,956 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The automatic locking rear seat belt retractors on certain vehicles may fail to lock due to binding of the locking pawl against the retractor housing. This binding is caused by retractor housing deformation which occurred during assembly. As a result the passengers would be restrained only by the fully extended belt. This fails to…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace one or both rear seat belt assemblies free of charge.

  4. Cables (vehicle speed control)

    NHTSA 77V196000 Reported 154 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    The dust tube portion of the accelerator cable assembly on the involved vehicles may bind due to improper crimping of the cable assembly during manufacture. As a result, the return rate of the throttle may be slowed or the throttle may be prevented from closing properly. In this condition, a vehicle speed of 30 t0 40 MPH could be…

    Remedy: Dealer will inspect and, if neccessary, will replace the accelerator cable assembly, without charge to owner.

3 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1978 Ford Mustang have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 2 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Speedometer, odometer and tachometer malfunction due to defective carburator being installed. Yh”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 12, 2000 · Fuel system, gasoline

“Engine cooling fan blades separated from the fan hub prior to recall, repairs refused due to manufacturer's inability or unwillingness to provide parts to dealer necessary for them to make repairs (83”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 1997 · Engine and engine cooling

Compare Ford Mustang model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Mustang model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1965 Ford Mustang04
1966 Ford Mustang04
1967 Ford Mustang42
1968 Ford Mustang11
1969 Ford Mustang33
1970 Ford Mustang20
1971 Ford Mustang10
1972 Ford Mustang10
1973 Ford Mustang10
1974 Ford Mustang10
1976 Ford Mustang32
1977 Ford Mustang30
1978 Ford Mustang43
1979 Ford Mustang50
1980 Ford Mustang04
1981 Ford Mustang10
1982 Ford Mustang01
1983 Ford Mustang05
1984 Ford Mustang318
1985 Ford Mustang216
1986 Ford Mustang130
1987 Ford Mustang138
1988 Ford Mustang1108
1989 Ford Mustang1109
1990 Ford Mustang185
1991 Ford Mustang277
1992 Ford Mustang169
1993 Ford Mustang2101
1994 Ford Mustang4356
1995 Ford Mustang5602
1996 Ford Mustang3246
1997 Ford Mustang2176
1998 Ford Mustang4236
1999 Ford Mustang3213
2000 Ford Mustang2311
2001 Ford Mustang1173
2002 Ford Mustang0118
2003 Ford Mustang1145
2004 Ford Mustang1116
2005 Ford Mustang5705
2006 Ford Mustang5424
2007 Ford Mustang5615
2008 Ford Mustang5347
2009 Ford Mustang5181
2010 Ford Mustang5261
2011 Ford Mustang4466
2012 Ford Mustang6469
2013 Ford Mustang5271
2014 Ford Mustang3359
2015 Ford Mustang11437
2016 Ford Mustang5378
2017 Ford Mustang6265
2018 Ford Mustang3194
2019 Ford Mustang6149
2020 Ford Mustang8120
2021 Ford Mustang655
2022 Ford Mustang950
2023 Ford Mustang615
2024 Ford Mustang1282
2025 Ford Mustang618
2026 Ford Mustang58

Checking a specific 1978 Ford Mustang

How do I know if my 1978 Ford Mustang has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1978 Ford Mustang; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 77V196000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Ford models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.