Ford Calls Thousands of Mustangs Back to the Barn Over Potential Fire Risk

Talk about the wrong kind of burnout. A safety recall report posted this week from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration outlines a potential fire hazard for the 2024 Ford Mustang. The report cites the clutch line as the culprit, and refers to two incidences necessitating inspection by Ford engineers. Only Mustangs equipped with manual transmissions are affected.

While NHTSA says that 8,161 examples of the Mustang are subject in the recall, only one percent are estimated to be affected; that's roughly 81 cars. The Dark Horse model is not specifically named in the report, but CarBuzz has called it out based on an under-hood fire incident in April outlined on a Mustang user forum and following the clues in the report.

Affected models appear to include both Mustang GT and even more performance-oriented Dark Horse; EcoBoost models are only available with the 10-speed automatic as of the 2024 model year, so obviously, no new four-cylinder 'Stangs are subject to this recall.

For these vehicles, Ford says, a hydraulic clutch line may not be properly retained to a locating stud on the dash panel. As a result, the line may melt when it meets hot exhaust components, causing a hydraulic fluid leak. That doesn’t affect brake function, says Ford’s chief recall engineer Dan Wilyard in a letter to dealers. However, the impact on the brake fluid supply can affect gear shifting and can cause the vehicle to stall. Depending on where the driver is at the time, that becomes a crash risk factor.

If you're a 2024 Mustang owner in this category, head to your Ford or Lincoln dealership to get the clutch line inspected and replaced, if necessary. You can also call Ford's toll-free number — 866-436-733 — to have your VIN checked to see if your 'Stang requires a trip to the vet.

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