2016 Ford Mustang engine problems
83 of the 378 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Mustang name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 83 reports a crash · 4 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 18 · 2025: 9 · 2026: 7
Half of the 49 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 12,000 and 79,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
378 complaints in all about the 2016 Ford Mustang, 7 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Mustang engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Engine oil cooler tube assemblies leak brought the car to the dealer twice problem not fixed, yesterday 4/12/17 brought the car again for the same problem, the service department is saying the coujld not finish the job today and wants to keep the car over the weekend for further repairs.
Rough idle with no throttle control while in drive. Engine died and wouldn't restart. Was taken into Ford for similar problem a few months ago and I reported it here. The first repair was recorded as a defective throttle body. This car is not safe!
It has a little over 5000 miles on it and it is using oil excessively. It is using a quart of oil every 600-900 miles and is getting worse. I have brought in to Ford twice. Both times they said I would need a new engine.
I bought a new 2016 Mustang in april. I was driving uphill at 40 MPH. All of the sudden the engine cut off. When the engine went off a large wrench came up on the display and it said see manual. I tried pressing the start button but it would not start. I had to come to a complete stop, put the car in park and then was able to restart it.
The car suddenly lost power and no acceleration was possible. The trouble light came on. Car would only roll at 10mph with engine power. The gas pedal would not control the motor speed. Car would not shift. This happened when I just pulled in to a parking lot.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 16V779000 HighOct 26, 2016 · 6,582 vehicles
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles manufactured February 24, 2015, to August 30, 2016. A hose may separate from the engine oil cooler tube assembly causing an oil leak.
41 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0011 P0012 P0014 P0015 P0016 P0017 P0018 P0019
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Ford Mustang names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Ford Mustang
Source: the same files- electrical problems 73 complaints
- backup camera and parking sensor problems 54 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Ford Mustang?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 83 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (22% of everything owners filed about it), and 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Ford Mustang?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 16V779000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Ford Mustang?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 44,170 miles; half of them between 12,000 and 79,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.