2018 Ford Mustang engine problems
64 of the 193 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Mustang name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 23 manufacturer bulletins. 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 64 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 5 · 2019: 10 · 2020: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 12
Half of the 32 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 5,000 and 58,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
193 complaints in all about the 2018 Ford Mustang, 12 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.
I have the exact problem as NHTSA case number 11187080. I bought it new. Now has about 11000. Have taken it to two different Ford dealers and both have said that they cannot find anything wrong and it operates as it should. I plan to taken it back in again and show them the other NHTSA complaints
At 60mph on the freeway, my 2018 Mustang gt with 2,000 miles on it blew the engine. Massive amounts of smoke were pouring out the exhaust pipes and from under the hood and the vehicle was violently shaking and sounder like a tin can full of nuts and bolts.
When the engine is cold and when warm and running under 2000 RPM the engine makes a inconsistent ticking noise which can be heard while driving and at idle. This only started after the first oil change which was performed with the recommended oil
Car has a loud ticking sound once warmed up and at idle. Also occurs when rpms are between 1500-2000. Dealer told me it's the new direct fuel injection system. Research online shows many other Mustang gt owners having the same problems and found evidence of piston slap and scoring.
At certain RPM ranges the piston can be heard slapping the cylinder walls, cylinder wall scoring is present and may cause premature failure of engine. It can become worse down the road and create misfires, from no compression, also can make for a very loud engine knocking noise. I have driven a few of them and they all have the sound.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications23 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.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Ford Mustang?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 64 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (33% of everything owners filed about it), and 23 manufacturer bulletins 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 2018 Ford Mustang?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 3 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Ford Mustang?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 27,000 miles; half of them between 5,000 and 58,000. 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.