Owner report · 1997 model year

1997 Ford Mustang

No photo available — body style shown for reference.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Engine

Engine leads by volume: 46 of 191 complaints (24%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (4) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed fell from 254 in 1996 to 191 in 1997.

Data last changed Nov 7, 2026. Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

At a glance

NHTSA complaints: 191
Recall campaigns: 11
EPA fuel cost per year: $2,950–$4,050
Combined MPG: 18–21

Complaints by model year

6161995
2541996
1911997
2521998
2361999

Where owners report problems

Engine46 (24%)
Brakes37 (19%)
Transmission & Drivetrain30 (16%)
Airbags & Restraints27 (14%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires22 (12%)
Fuel System16 (8%)

Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.
Category	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	vs. 1997 Subcompact Cars
Annual fuel cost ($)	2,950–4,150	2,950–4,050	2,950–4,050	2,950–4,300	2,950–4,550
Combined MPG	15–21	18–21	18–21	18–21	17–21
City / Highway MPG	12–18 / 20–27	15–18 / 22–27	15–18 / 22–27	15–18 / 22–27	15–17 / 22–27
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)	423–592	423–494	423–494	423–494	423–523
Complaints filed	616	254	191	252	236	Not compared
Recalls issued	16	12	11	14	11	Not compared
Crash-involved complaints	51	18	18	48	51	Not compared
Fire-involved complaints	29	6	4	13	2	Not compared
Injuries reported	42	16	13	32	22	Not compared
Deaths reported	7	0	2	1	2	Not compared
Configurations compared	5	5	5	5	5

Common questions

How many recalls does the 1997 Ford Mustang have?

11 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 1997 Ford Mustang?

Engine: 46 of 191 NHTSA complaints (24%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 1997 Ford Mustang get?

EPA rates it 18–21 MPG combined across 5 configurations.

How much does it cost to fuel a 1997 Ford Mustang?

EPA estimates $2,950–$4,050 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (5)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
Configuration	Transmission	Cylinders	Displacement	Drivetrain	Fuel Type	Vehicle Class	City	Highway	Combined	Annual Fuel Cost	CO₂
Configuration 1	Automatic 4-spd	6	3.8L	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	Subcompact Cars	18 mpg (high)	27 mpg (high)	21 mpg (high)	$2,950 (low)	423 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2	Manual 5-spd	6	3.8L	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	Subcompact Cars	18 mpg (high)	27 mpg (high)	21 mpg (high)	$2,950 (low)	423 g/mi (low)
Configuration 3	Automatic 4-spd	8	4.6L	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	Subcompact Cars	15 mpg (low)	22 mpg (low)	18 mpg (low)	$3,450	494 g/mi (high)
Configuration 4	Manual 5-spd	8	4.6L	Rear-Wheel Drive	Premium	Subcompact Cars	16 mpg	24 mpg	19 mpg	$4,050 (high)	468 g/mi
Configuration 5	Manual 5-spd	8	4.6L	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	Subcompact Cars	15 mpg (low)	24 mpg	18 mpg (low)	$3,450	494 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
Category	Complaints	Crash-Involved	Fire-Involved	Injuries	Deaths
Engine	46	1	1	0	0
Transmission & Drivetrain	30	2	0	1	0
Fuel System	16	0	0	1	0
Electrical	9	0	2	0	0
Brakes	37	8	0	1	1
Steering	8	1	0	0	0
Suspension, Wheels & Tires	22	1	0	3	0
Airbags & Restraints	27	5	0	4	1
Driver Assistance & Speed Control	5	2	0	1	0
Body, Seats & Latches	11	2	0	2	0
Visibility & Lighting	6	0	1	0	0
Other	15	0	0	0	0

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (11)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Campaign 09E025000 · May 11, 2009
Defect
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Consequence
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign 09E012000 · Apr 7, 2009
Defect
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Consequence
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Campaign 08E050000 · Aug 11, 2008
Defect
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence
WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign 06E064000 · Jul 17, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Consequence
LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign 06E060000 · Jun 29, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence
LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
Remedy
AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign 06E049000 · May 24, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Consequence
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Campaign 06E026000 · Mar 23, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Consequence
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Campaign 06E025000 · Mar 21, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy
POLI-AUTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS AT ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT POLI-AUTO AT 305-477-1356.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Campaign 06E023000 · Mar 13, 2006
Defect
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Campaign 01V318000 · Oct 3, 2001
Defect
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE REPLACED AFTER APRIL 5, 2000. THE REPLACEMENT DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE INFLATOR MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT WELDS THAT COULD PREVENT PROPER INFLATION OF THE AIR BAG.
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN LESS THAN THE INTENDED LEVEL OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Show 1 earlier campaign

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
Campaign 00V349000 · Oct 30, 2000
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. IF A VEHICLE IS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY APPLIED AND NOT IN FIRST GEAR, AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER GUIDE, AND THE SELF ADJUSTMENT PAWL SUBSEQUENTLY SKIPS ONE OR TWO TEETH, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE ON SOME GRADES.
Consequence
THIS COULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL AND INSTALL A PLATE OR OVER-BRACKET TO THE CONTROL TO LOCK THE SELF ADJUST MECHANISM IN POSITION FOLLOWING ADJUSTMENT.