2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 343 owner complaints about the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, or 60.5 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.44, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #66 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Ford models its rate is 11% higher; against other Electric vehicles it is 7% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2021-03-24 and 2026-09-01. Median delay from incident to filing: 11 days.
Analysis
The following model year (2022) drew 28.7 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 119 complaints, 95% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Electrical (36.4% of complaints), followed by Driver-assist systems (20.7%) and Transmission / powertrain (12.5%). Electrical complaints are 2.3 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Electrical reports, owners most often mention “hvbjb”, “high voltage”, “subassembly defects”, “battery” and “contactors”. 15 reports (4.4%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 9 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 32 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (33% of incidents). In the last 12 months 37 new complaints were filed, versus 64 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year. 4 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Collisions Involving Ford BlueCruise” (opened 2025-01-17, still open).
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles1.44
- vs. other Ford models1.11
- vs. other 2021 models1.58
- vs. other Electric vehicles1.07
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (119)1.95
- #66 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Electrical · Common terms in reports
- hvbjb18
- high voltage22
- subassembly defects9
- battery45
- contactors12
- junction14
Driver-assist systems · Common terms in reports
- front camera36
- camera fault26
- cruise45
- pre-collision assist20
- adaptive26
- control43
Transmission / powertrain · Common terms in reports
- hvbjb9
- junction box9
- high voltage10
- battery junction7
- mach7
- power24
Problem areas: Electrical · Transmission / powertrain · Driver-assist systems · Brakes · Interior & equipment
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 14
- Fires reported: 1
- Injuries: 9
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 32 months
What owners report
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended.
While charging my electric vehicle with this Enel X JuiceBox 40 charger, a burning plastic smell was noted. Upon examining the Enel X charger plug that was attached to my home's NEMA 14-50, it appeared partially melted and very to touch.
My 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E (142,009 miles) intermittently fails to accept a charge at public DC fast-charging stations.
My 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E suffered a total loss of motive power on the road, throwing code P0D10:00:AF for a stuck-open high-voltage contactor. This is the exact failure mode of Safety Recall 23S56.
The panoramic roof glass panel is not properly bonded/sealed to the vehicle body structure, allowing water to leak into the cabin on the driver’s side. The vehicle and the failed component (roof glass/moulding) remain available for inspection upon request.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2021 · Electric vehicles
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Tesla Model X | 40 | 7.1 | 0.17 |
| 2021 Chevrolet Bolt EV | 67 | 11.8 | 0.28 |
| 2021 Tesla Model S | 176 | 31.0 | 0.74 |
| 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 | 330 | 58.2 | 1.38 |
| 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E | 343 | 60.5 | 1.44 |
| 2021 Tesla Model 3 | 657 | 115.8 | 2.75 |
| 2021 Tesla Model Y | 1,066 | 187.9 | 4.47 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
- Collisions Involving Ford BlueCruise Open
On April 25, 2024, NHTSAâs Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24012) to assess BlueCruise, a partial driving automation system available on certain vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). NHTSA opened the investigation after the agency received notice of two fatal collisions involving BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Based on the…
- Collisions Involving Ford BlueCruise Closed
On April 25, 2024, NHTSAâs Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE24012) to assess BlueCruise, a partial driving automation system available on certain vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company (Ford). NHTSA opened the investigation after the agency received notice of two fatal collisions involving BlueCruise-equipped Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Based on the…
- High Voltage Battery Contactor Failure Closed
On August 17, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-004 to investigate instances of loss of motor power due to overheating high voltage battery contactors in model year (MY) 2021-2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles (subject vehicles). This Recall Query (RQ) was opened after receiving 12 consumer complaints alleging a high voltage battery main contactor failure in subject vehic…
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
343 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, or about 60.5 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
The most common category is Electrical, accounting for 36.4% of complaints.
Does the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year. 4 NHTSA defect investigations cover this model year; the most recent is “Collisions Involving Ford BlueCruise” (opened 2025-01-17, still open).
Is the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 37 new complaints were filed, versus 64 in the 12 months before — the pace is falling.
How does the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 343 owner complaints about the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, or 60.5 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.44, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #66 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Ford models its rate is 11% higher; against other Electric vehicles it is 7% higher.