Ford Recalls 148,663 Mustangs; Fix Months Away

Ford is recalling 148,663 Mustangs because an electrical wiring problem can cause the car to lose drive power while it is being driven, federal regulators said Tuesday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says ground terminals in the engine compartment wiring harness may fracture, resulting in "a loss of drive power, or a loss of function in the windshield washing system, headlights, air conditioning, or engine cooling fan." The agency says that raises the risk of a crash.

The recall covers 2024 through 2026 Mustangs built between Sept. 7, 2022 and June 9, 2026. NHTSA estimates 1% of those vehicles actually have the defect.

What Owners Should Do

The repair is free. Owners take the car to a Ford or Lincoln dealer, where the engine compartment wiring harness ground terminals are replaced at no charge.

The NHTSA campaign number is 26V547. Ford's own recall number is 26C40. Owners can look the car up by VIN on NHTSA's recall site, or call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Notification letters went out starting Aug. 31. CBS News reports the first round of letters is scheduled to be mailed between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4.

There is a catch: the actual remedy is not ready yet. A second letter goes out once the fix is available, which the recall notice puts at around March 2027 — months of waiting, as Cleveland.com noted in its coverage.

According to the safety recall report cited by USA Today, a driver can spot the problem developing through an illuminated check engine light, instrument cluster warning messages, or an audible chime.