The 2011 Ford Mustang GT scrubs its tires. Image: Ford Motor Company
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 2011 and 2012 Ford Mustangs equipped with a manual transmission, as the agency has received 32 complaints about the cars not going into gear. The investigation covers both the 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang GT and the base 3.7-liter V-6 cars, but is specific to manual transmission versions only. In some cases, the cars failed to go into gear while merging onto a highway (and joining high-speed traffic), while other instances occurred turning left across oncoming traffic. While no accidents or injuries have occurred to date, the defect does pose an inherent safety risk.
Mustang forums have documented the transmission problems well over the past year, and there’s even a Facebook page dedicated to “2011 Mustang MT-82 manual transmission problems.” While the NHTSA may have only 32 complaints, there are many more owners who’ve experienced problems in manual gearbox Mustangs, and to date Ford has not addressed the issue with any kind of TSB. The automaker has stated it will “fully cooperate” with the NHTSA’s investigation, so there may be good news on the horizon for owners of 2011 and 2012 Mustangs with balky transmissions.
Source: NHTSA
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
