2018 Ford Mustang Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Backup camera fails frequently. Screen turns blue and error message of backup camera not available is displayed on the screen.
The radio screen which controls the back up camera climate control, and everything else has gone black and only turns on once every few weeks, when car is turned off it does not come back on. After a diagnostic test done at Yark Ford they recommended a APIM module and this would run $1412.70 + tax. After throughly investing this on the internet this is a common problem with this year and model. Ford should offer a recall!!
The review camera screen turns blue every time it’s put on reverse.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the instrument cluster remained blank. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Instrument Panel Cluster assembly (IPC) needed to be replaced. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V076000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 33,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument cluster remained blank. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle several times however, the instrument cluster remained blank. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired at his own expense. The manufacturer advised the dealer and informed the contact that his vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V076000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 19,500.
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? THE ELECTRONIC, ALL DIGITAL DASHBOARD WENT COMPLETELY BLACK FOR ABOUT 25 SECONDS WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, IN TRAFFIC AT NIGHT, 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS NORMALLY DISPLAYED, SUCH AS SPEED, AMOUNT OF FUEL, ETC. NOTHING. THIS GLITCH TOOK MY ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE INTERSTATE AND TRAFFIC. IT FRIGHTENED ME TERRIBLY. I COULD HAVE EASILY HAD AN ACCIDENT AS I TRIED TO FIGUE OUT THE ISSUE IN THE DARK. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? THE IS UNKNOWN TO ME. HOWEVER, IF YOU SIMPLY GOOGLE, "DASHBOARD GOES BLANK IN FORD 2018 MUSTANG', YOU WILL FIND MANY, MANY OTHER MUSTANG OWNERS STATING INCIDENTS OF THE EXACT SAME BLACK OUT HAPPENING TO THEIR INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN DRIVING THEIR CARS. FROM WHAT I READ, THIS ISSUE IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 2018 MODEL YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO FORD, YET THEY SEEM UNWILLING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? THIS QUESTION IS UNKNOWN TO ME 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE IN TRAFFIC, AT NIGHT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SIMPLY WENT BLACK. IT IS TOTALLY DIGITAL, SO I HAD NO ACCESS TO ANY INFORMATION REGARDING MY SPEED, AMOUNT OF GASOLINE REMAINING IN THE VEHICLE, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS CUSTOMARILY DISPLAYED BY A VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL. i PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, USED, ON JANUARY 22, 2022. PLEASE MAKE FORD RECALL ALLMUSTANGS, REGARDLESS OF MODEL YEAR, WITH THIS KNOW ISSUE BEFORE SOME IS KILLED!
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The contact stated the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V076000 (Electrical System) however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was confirmed that the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be repaired out-of-pocket. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Battery terminals on this and other ford models corrode to the point of breaking electrical connection possibly disabling vehicle. Ford does not want to fix issue and says whole wiring harness requires replacement to repair. Battery is often replaced and terminal cleaned but it comes back. They try to put off repairs long enough to get it out of warranty. F150 ford pickups have same issue. Corrosion advances so far as to break battery cable clamp. It is generally the positive clamp. Problem is so common that aftermarket manufacturers have issued redesigned replacements.
Purchased a used 2018 Ford Mustang 3 weeks ago, just now able to get it registered, and the entire electronic instrument panel cluster (e.g., speedometer, warning lights, etc.) all went fuzzy for a few minutes and then totally failed; now just stays totally dark and unreadable. This is an optional all digital instrument panel cluster with programmable color that was a $2,200 option when new. I read online in car forums reports of many others having the same exact issue with the optional 2018 Mustang digital instrument cluster failing and going dark some within weeks of the car being new, and there was a recall on this instrument panel going dark for the 2019 model year. I saw an online post where a driver is driving for 6 months without the speedometer or warning lights functioning because of the repair cost being more than $2000. I got a quote from a Ford dealer for my repair today: $2396.00. This car is less than 5 months out of bumper-to-bumper Ford warranty and under the 36,000 miles limit at 30,383. This appears to be a known and apparently frequent safety issue so I thought Ford customer support might help me out but on calling them today they said they cannot do anything to help. They expect me to pay the $2396.00 for repairs with no assistance for what looks to be an inherent safety defect.
Instrument cluster went black. Can’t know what speed I’m driving or anything. Have seen some people reported this issue.
Touchscreen went completely black. Unable to operate radio, temperature control is only available in the buttons below the screen. Tried resetting it, tried unhooking the battery, nothing. Hooked it up to see if it had any codes, none. Tested fuses- everything worked except screen. Spent $158 at Ford dealer only to be told I need a new APIM module which in total is going to cost $740. Car has 56,000 miles on it and is only 3 years old.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START-UP THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GWINNETT PLACE FORD LOCATED AT 3230 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096, (404) 418-6877, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V814000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.*DT CONSUMER CANNOT SEE SPEED, ALERTS, AND LIGHTS.*JB
DIGITAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILS TO ILLUMINATE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN PROBLEM OCCURRED.
WHILE DRIVING THE 12" LED INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS GONE DARK FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS PANELS SHOWS SPEED, TACH, FUEL GAUGE, TEMP, OIL PRESSURE, I FOUND A RECALL FOR SIMILAR ISSUE ON THE 2019 MUSTANG AND OTHER FORD AUTOS. THIS MAY BE JUST SHOWING UP ON THE 2018 MUSTANG.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS SEIZED FOR APPROXIMATELY THIRTY SECONDS WITHOUT WARNING. PHIL LONG FORD AT CHAPEL HILLS (1565 AUTO MALL LOOP, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80920, (844) 234-1769) WAS CONTACTED AND SCHEDULED A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,200.
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Quick Summary
The 2018 Ford Mustang has 15 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.