1979 Ford Mustang Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 1979 Ford Mustang. Check your own VIN below.
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5 safety recalls for the 1979 Ford Mustang
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Pedals and linkages (service brakes)
The involved vehicles were produced with brake push-rod to brake pedal retaining pins which were not heat-treated as specified. This could allow the brake pedal to become disengaged from the push-rod.
Remedy: Dealer will replace the suspect brake retaining pin.
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Fan (engine and engine cooling)
With the engine operating at high speed, the plastic engine fan finger guards may contact the engine fan and breakage of the guard may occur. This could cause fragments of the finger guard to scatter.
Remedy: Two guard supports and two additional fasteners will be installed. If the fan guard has been damaged, the guard and fan will be replaced at no cost to owner.
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Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)
An incorrect steering gear flange may have been installed, which may slip and cause eventual loss of steering control.
Remedy: Inspection for and replacement of incorrect steering gear flanges will be done at no cost to owner.
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Fan (engine and engine cooling)
The involved vehicles are equipped with flexible cooling fan blades that may crack when subjected to high engine speed operating conditions. Fan blade cracking can lead to fragments separating from the fan.
Remedy: The dealer will replace the existing cooling fan at no cost to owner.
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Column (steering)
The tilt steering columns on the involved vehicles contain in-process temporary alignment pins rather than the permanent press-fit pivot pins. The temporary pins are slightly undersized and could separate from the steering column during vehicle operation. This can cause steering wheel lockup.
Remedy: The dealer will install a permanent pivot pin in the steering column without charge to owner.
No owner complaints on file
NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 1979 Ford Mustang. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.
Compare Ford Mustang model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Mustang model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 1979 Ford Mustang
How do I know if my 1979 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. 5 campaigns currently list the 1979 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 78V186000).
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
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
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.