Ford is recalling 148,663 Mustangs from the 2024 through 2026 model years because ground connections in the engine compartment wiring harness can crack. Depending on which one breaks, the car can lose drive power, a headlamp, the windshield washer pump, the air conditioning or the engine cooling fan. Ford reported the campaign to NHTSA on August 25, 2026. NHTSA lists it as recall 26V-547, and Ford's number is 26C40. A repair is not available yet.
Ford filed it as a compliance recall, because a failed ground can leave the car out of line with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, which covers lighting, and Standard 104, which covers windshield wiping and washing. The covered cars were built at Ford's Flat Rock plant between September 7, 2022, and June 9, 2026. Ford's dealer notice says the recall applies to Mustangs with the 2.3-liter and 5.0-liter engines, and that the 5.2-liter Shelby is not affected. The cars were not built in VIN order, so owners need to check their specific vehicle.
What breaks, and what stops working
The problem traces to heat-shrink material Ford added to the harness at the start of 2024 model-year production. According to Ford's Part 573 report, adhesive from the heat shrink can intrude into the space around a ground eyelet's mounting bolt, creating an interference fit against the sheet metal that bends the eyelet. A bent eyelet has a shorter fatigue life and can fracture under normal vehicle vibration. Ford estimates about 1% of the recalled cars have the defect. The filing lists Versigent of Troy, Michigan, as the harness supplier.
Which symptom a driver sees depends on which of four grounds lets go. A broken ground may also bring on a check engine light, warning messages in the instrument cluster or a chime.
What each failed ground affects
| Ground | What happens if it breaks |
|---|---|
| G1D145 | Loss of motive power |
| G1D141 | Right front headlamp, horn, windshield washer fluid pump and air conditioning stop working |
| G1D120 | Left front headlamp stops working |
| G1D143 | Engine cooling fan stops working, possibly with a check engine light and a chime |
Source: Ford dealer notice for compliance recall 26C40, August 28, 2026.
Found on a 2027 test car
Ford says the issue surfaced on June 4, 2026, when two eyelets broke on a 2027 model-year Mustang durability test vehicle and caused a loss of motive power during testing. Engineers found the same concern applied to current production, and Ford stopped shipping 2026 Mustangs that day. By August 4, a review of global field data had turned up eight warranty claims, four of them on cars in service for less than three months, and no complaints filed with NHTSA. Ford's Field Review Committee approved the recall on August 18. The company says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries.
When the fix arrives
The remedy is new hardware. Dealers will replace the four engine compartment harness ground terminals with revised standoff eyelet pigtails, whose stepped-neck design removes the clamping interference and the bending stress, at no charge. Parts are not ready. Ford mailed interim letters warning owners of the risk on September 5, 2026, according to NHTSA, and its letter says the remedy should be available on or before December 21, 2026. NHTSA's summary anticipates the follow-up letters announcing the fix in March 2027.
Ford has not told owners to stop driving their cars, and NHTSA's record carries no "park it" advisory. Dealers have been told not to demonstrate or deliver affected new Mustangs in stock until they are repaired. VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, and Ford's customer service line for the recall is 1-866-436-7332.