Ford Mustang battery drain problems

Filed Sep 10, 2026 · Electrical · NJ

The radio is constantly draining the battery with no way to prevent this. This leaves me to constantly have to replace the battery due to being damaged.

Filed Jul 26, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · GA

I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a catastrophic Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) failure and severe electrical short circuit on my 2015 Ford Mustang. This vehicle is exhibiting hard fault code B137F:09 (Steering Wheel Left Switch Pack: Component Failure / Short to Ground or Open). This electronic failure creates an immediate, severe safety hazard that goes entirely outside the scope of normal vehicle wear and tear. While driving, the vehicle's steering wheel pulls and jerks violently on its own, actively fighting my manual steering inputs. Furthermore, this internal electronic short creates a massive parasitic electrical draw that prevents the vehicle's computer modules from entering sleep mode when turned off. This has resulted in the primary vehicle battery draining completely flat and causing the vehicle to completely shut down, stall, or lose total electrical power altogether. A vehicle that forcefully steers itself away from the intended path of travel and suffers total electrical shutdown is a clear, life-threatening safety risk to myself and others on the road. Ford Motor Company is fully aware of this dangerous defect. They previously issued Safety Recall 15S18 for a very specific, limited batch of early-production 2015 Mustangs experiencing identical EPAS failures, replacing their steering gears for free. For the remaining 2015 Mustang owners experiencing the exact same hazardous failure, Ford quietly shifted the issue over to a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB / SSM 51312). By limiting the scope of Recall 15S18 purely due to the financial cost of a universal recall, Ford has left an entire population of 2015 Mustang owners in direct harm's way. Some owners received a free lifetime safety fix, while the rest of us are being forced to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket to correct an identical factory electronic defect. I request that the federal safety agency immediately open an investigation into Ford's handling of the 2015 Mustang EPAS and more.

Filed Dec 26, 2025 · Electrical, Lights · OH

The vehicle has experienced repeated and ongoing electrical system failures, including chronic battery drain that causes the vehicle to fail to start, erratic HVAC operation where controls do not function as intended, and persistent water intrusion into the doors and interior areas. The HVAC malfunction has resulted in the inability to properly defrost or defog the windshield while driving, significantly impairing visibility and creating an immediate safety hazard. These issues appear consistent with failure or corrosion of the Smart Junction Box (SJB) or related electrical control components. Replacement Smart Junction Boxes are unavailable through both Ford and aftermarket sources, preventing proper repair of the defect. The electrical instability and water intrusion present a risk of sudden loss of vehicle operability, impaired visibility, and unpredictable electrical behavior while the vehicle is in motion, creating a safety risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. The issues are recurring and reproducible.

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Brakes, Lights · FL

While parked all day with the ignition off and lights off, I returned to find the brake lights and third brake light illuminated. The lights stayed on even after moving the brake pedal. I discovered a small broken plastic bumper on the floorboard, which appears to be the brake pedal stop bumper associated with recall 22V011. This failure causes the brake light circuit to remain closed, leaving the brake lamps on continuously, potentially confusing other drivers and draining the battery. No crash occurred.

Filed Jul 17, 2025 · Acceleration, Brakes · TX

Brake Stop Lamps Remain On When I was driving, my car was having throttle/acceleration issues. When I had my foot on the gas, my car would accelerate and the RPMs would rise, but then all of a sudden the acceleration stopped as if I was not applying throttle. I had to constantly take my foot off the gas and reengage for the car to drive home. When I parked my car, I noticed that my brake lights were all on even though my car was turned off & it is draining the battery out. I did some research & found out there is a recall for this issue (22S02) for the 2015 Ford model & Dealership mentioned that recall doesn't apply to my vehicle. So I have to get the repair done by replacing the break light switch & Break pedal bumper assembly with my local Auto zone shop and pay from my pocket.

Filed Jul 17, 2025 · Brakes · FL

The brake sensor position pad sensor deteriorated. Causing the system to read that the brakes were being applied. This makes the Brake lights staying on even when the key is turned off. This is safety since with the lights always being it there is no way for others to know when you are actually stopping. And it also makes the car be able to be started by accident. Even with no key fob. It also causes the lights being on and the ignition to be ready start to drain the battery. Ford used inferior material for the stop pad. It is a hard plastic piece instead o being either metal or rubber. There is a lot of info on mustang form sights about this happening around the 8 year mark.

Filed Jul 10, 2025 · Brakes · 76,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the brake pedal bumper fractured, and the brake lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure caused the battery to become drained. The accelerator pedal was stuck and drained the battery. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V011000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). Additionally, the contact resides in North Carolina but had not transferred the New York vehicle registration. The contact called the local dealer and was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

Filed Mar 25, 2025 · Electrical · 30,000 miles · MN

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from an unknown location with the vehicle turned off. The contact became aware that the battery was completely drained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that electrical components were draining the battery while the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Filed May 18, 2023 · Electrical · MI

I bought a 2006 Mustang convertible for my wife on her 40th birthday. We store the car every winter and bring the battery into the home. Car has 40k miles. 6 years ago we began experiencing amperage draw while the vehicle is off. I have went through 4 batteries, 1 alternator, several flat bed truck tows, and weeks into service at my local Ford dealer - only to have the dealership continue to tell me how difficult it is to find 'parasitic' amp draw because it is intermittent. My wife has had it being stuck and now afraid to drive the car, and contemplating to get rid of it. I work for a major tier 1 automotive supplier in engineering and know how my company pays special attention to the federal safety agency complaints and investigations relating to our products. I am hopeful that Ford engineering will get a hold of me and get this right before I take the Mustang to the scrap yard!

Filed Apr 12, 2021 · Lights · 120,000 miles · GA

My battery died and required a jump the next morning. When I began driving, the car was throttling down as I was attempting to accelerate as if the engine was losing power. I didn't feel safe driving so I returned home and notice that my rear lights including the brake light stayed illuminated even when the car was off. I had to disconnect the battery in order to save my battery from draining again. After some investigating I found the brake switch pad was broken and this is what was causing the brake lights to be on all the time and causing the lack of engine power. This issue was not allowing the car to accelerate because the throttle is over-ridden by the brakes. The car was thinking the brake pedal was being pushed at the same time as the gas pedal. The brake switch pad breaking and causing this problem is very dangerous. I'm so lucky it happened on a local road and not the highway. I've read multiple accounts of this happening to other people. Ford needs to issue a recall and get this fixed to avoid major accidents.