RoadVitals

2016 Ford Mustang Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
371
Latest Aug 7, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
17
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
19

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Mustang, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

80
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Nelson v. Ford Motor Company is a class action lawsuit targeting a defect in Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost engines. The suit highlights coolant leaks into engine cylinders, overheating, and catastrophic engine failures. I have had my 2016 ford mustang ecoboost in and out of mechanic shops for months now accumulating well over $7K in out of pocket expenses. I have been to multiple mechanics trying to diagnose and fix the problem but in the end it was a design flaw in the 2016 ford mustang ecoboost 4 cylinder which caused it to leak coolant, misfire, and overheat. I have been having this problem for some time now, this put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I had to slow down dramatically in order to pull over on the freeway due to the engine overheating from coolant loss. I've also experienced problems like trouble starting, rough idling, loss of coolant, and huge clouds of white smoke coming from the exhaust upon start. I have saved every single receipt and invoice breakdown since this problem began. My mechanic has also been documenting everything including taking notes and photographs of every issue. My car is currently in the shop right now being worked on. My mechanic says that he can temporarily patch the problem with a high performance head stud, copper sealant, and an ExtremeHeat metallic repair paste by JB Weld to momentarily solve the issue. He says that he does not know how long this patch will last so he is insisting I either get a new car or to see what my options are regarding the class action lawsuit filed against Ford.

NHTSA ID 11755118 · filed Aug 5, 2026

At about 75k miles my mustang started misfiring at about 2,500 rpm’s and higher. Turns out it was a blown head gasket. This engine model is prone to what happened to it. Ford should have a recall for these engine and a solution as they’re ticking time bombs. I wish I could drive with the peace of mind of not worrying about it. I couldn’t drive my car for months because of the warranty not even wanting to cover it. The warranty from the used car dealership. Got unlucky.

NHTSA ID 11714747 · filed Feb 1, 2026
All 80 reports naming engine

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

71
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The rear view camera has a recall. I took the vehicle into a Ford dealership on 6/23/26 for this recall. This is a risk to myself and others because backup cameras are a federally required safety feature. This is my 2nd attempt for Ford to fix this recall at two separate dealerships. Ford does not care about their recalls and the safety of Ford customers! I almost hit another car that was coming out due to the blind spots on that vehicle. My young daughter also drives the car and this is not the 1970’s as young drivers depend on that feature. Ford said that they could not find the problem with this issue and further diagnosing must be done on my part for $198. This is not fair to customers as this was a recall issue. If Ford is not properly training their technicians to diagnose this issue, it should not be the responsibility of the customer to pay for their error in producing this car. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by a Ford dealership. There were no warning lights or issues that were displayed. Ford only sent out letters stating that a recall was issued on the problem. In May of 2026 my backup camera and trunk was not working. Ford inspected and replaced the parts on the vehicle that they assumed was part of the recall. For a 2016 Mustang, a common cause is not just the camera itself but also wiring/connectors in the trunk area or the APIM/radio module that displays the image. If the dealer simply performed the recall software update or replaced one component and the screen is still blank, the underlying problem may not have been fully diagnosed. This the 2nd attempt to have a recall fixed by Ford but to no avail (2 separate dealerships)

NHTSA ID 11746775 · filed Jun 26, 2026

There have been 3 instances within the last year and a half where the rear window of my vehicle (Ford mustang) and the rear window of family member ford mustang both have shattered during the extreme cold possibly due to the heating coils on the window over heating and burning. You can see a burn pattern in the window This is a safety issue due to the window shattering, it sounded as if someone shot my window out the first time it happened my [XXX] son was in the back of the vehicle and I was driving home. The second instance, same vehicle, started the car using the remote starter and it did the same thing. This has not been inspected by my insurance representative, it has been reported in both instances through my insurance and pictures have been taken. There have been no warning signs or even issues, there wiring look like it had been burned, melted INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11715694 · filed Feb 4, 2026
All 71 reports naming electrical

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

67
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID 11746485 · filed Jun 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera was blank and then operated intermittently; however, the image was blurry. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on two occasions. During the first visit, the contact was informed that the harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a different dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the camera needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted during the first inclement weather. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID 11726715 · filed Mar 24, 2026
All 67 reports naming driver assistance

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

36
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH with his daughter inside the vehicle, the driver’s and passenger’s side doors opened unexpectedly. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact declined to pay the cost for the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure had occurred approximately twelve times with the driver’s side door. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 108,787.

NHTSA ID 11755474 · filed Aug 7, 2026

Smoke came up from under both seats within a few weeks of each other, found burned harness and plug at both heated/ cooled seat control modules mounted under seats. Researched and found a fix that will cost hundreds of $$ per seat but no recalls. I would think smoke and burning electrical in the interior of nearly ALL Ford products with heated/ cooled seats would be a safety recall?

NHTSA ID 11628058 · filed Nov 30, 2024
All 36 reports naming interior & seats

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

29
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

At about 75k miles my mustang started misfiring at about 2,500 rpm’s and higher. Turns out it was a blown head gasket. This engine model is prone to what happened to it. Ford should have a recall for these engine and a solution as they’re ticking time bombs. I wish I could drive with the peace of mind of not worrying about it. I couldn’t drive my car for months because of the warranty not even wanting to cover it. The warranty from the used car dealership. Got unlucky.

NHTSA ID 11714747 · filed Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and shifting gear, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall and referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID 11540262 · filed Aug 23, 2023
All 29 reports naming powertrain (other)

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

28
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The passenger side door is periodically opening to the first catch while driving on the highway without anyone touching the handle and it does not matter that the door is locked. It is very scary for any passenger when it happens. For the driver the tendency is to try to reach over and re-close the door at highway speed which seems dangerous.

NHTSA ID 11754049 · filed Jul 31, 2026

Component failed: Driver side door latch Safety put at risk: Door could open while car was in motion making driver vulnerable to an accident or exposure of driver to road conditions Has the problem been confirmed: Manufacture Ford has a Safety recalls 15S16 and 16S30 for the problem Component has been inspected by Ford dealer ship. Both drive and passenger door latches were replaced. Were there any warnings before hand: No. Under recall 15S16 and 16S30 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Feb. 14, 2014, to April 30, 2015 were included for the door latch failures. My car was built in Sept of 2015 yet experienced the same issue. I was charged for the door latch replacement when the car should have included in the recall.

NHTSA ID 11578522 · filed Mar 20, 2024
All 28 reports naming body & structure

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

20
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

At about 75k miles my mustang started misfiring at about 2,500 rpm’s and higher. Turns out it was a blown head gasket. This engine model is prone to what happened to it. Ford should have a recall for these engine and a solution as they’re ticking time bombs. I wish I could drive with the peace of mind of not worrying about it. I couldn’t drive my car for months because of the warranty not even wanting to cover it. The warranty from the used car dealership. Got unlucky.

NHTSA ID 11714747 · filed Feb 1, 2026

On 12/06/2025 I filled the vehicle with gasoline. As I was driving home I noticd a strong odor of gasoline. When I arrived home I parked the car in my carport. A short time later I went outside and noticed that I could still smell gasoline and I looked under the car, which was approximately 3 feet from my house and saw a puddle under it. This could have caused a fire, so I immediately took the car to a repair shop. Approximately one hour later I received a call from the shop informing me that the tank was broken at the top and it would cost approximately $2,600 to replace the tank. The problem was confirmed by Gemba Automotive, Surprise, AZ. I am unaware of whether they have the part available for inspection. There were no warning messages or lights displayed on the driver information system.

NHTSA ID 11706935 · filed Dec 24, 2025
All 20 reports naming fuel system

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

17
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I am experiencing the same issues as NHTSA 22V-011 where the brake pedal stop bumper had disintegrated, causing continuous brake lights and a potential rollaway risk

NHTSA ID 11752628 · filed Jul 24, 2026

Break bumper disintegrated, causing the rear bites to stay on and the automatic transmission to be able to switch from Parker to drive causing the vehicle to be able to roll and possibly crash

NHTSA ID 11747552 · filed Jun 30, 2026
All 17 reports naming brakes

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

15
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that with the transmission in the reverse position and while reversing from a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, reversed, and crashed into a second vehicle. After shifting to the drive position, the vehicle immediately accelerated forward causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a tree. During the incident, while pressing the brake pedal the vehicle did not stop and after crashing head-on into a tree the airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained an injured ribs which did not require medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The contact indicated that five other parked vehicles were damaged during the incident. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ID 11564092 · filed Jan 8, 2024

25 mph mild frontal collision caused a fire to start in the door panel as identified by the driver and the fire dept. The fire caused a majority of the cabin to burn and the vehicle to become a total loss in under a minute. Front airbags deployed but not side airbags. Electrical system in left door possibly malfunctioned causing a fire, evident by the fire reigniting every time the fire fighter ceased using the fire extinguisher. Driver was right next to the damaged electrical and was almost hurt by the fire, almost resulting in severe burns or death to the driver had they not escaped the cabin a few seconds before ignition. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.

NHTSA ID 11452167 · filed Feb 15, 2022
All 15 reports naming airbags

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

12
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The steering wheel over time is very loose and in my case i need to be very careful with it because I feel I am losing control on my car while driving. You can feel the steering wheel moving up and down without little to know force also while driving. I don't even drive that fast since my way to work is always in a school zones.

NHTSA ID 11720522 · filed Feb 25, 2026

The steering wheel has a very distinct wobble. It moves in every direction as if the locking bolt is loose.

NHTSA ID 11674902 · filed Jul 20, 2025
All 12 reports naming steering

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

11
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Windows started fogging up when driving. Turned on ac to resolve and no cold air came out resulting a dangerous driving condition trying to see through condensation. Took vehicle to the dealer and found the cause was yet another leaking ac evaporator coil as several others have reported. Concerning to know there were toxic chemicals leaking in the vehicle. Dealer quoted at $3,000 to replace. Ford has changed manufacturers of this part due to widespread failure of the original equipment. Why is it on the vehicle owners to pay and replace this known faulty part which causes a safety issue?

NHTSA ID 11600972 · filed Jul 10, 2024

Back up camera recall was unresolved by previous owner. I’ve tried fixing the issue myself but cannot find it. The camera displays blue and black screens while in reverse.

NHTSA ID 11577894 · filed Mar 17, 2024
All 11 reports naming visibility

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

10
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

There are two recalls on this vehicle. South Bay Ford, located just a few miles farther away than Auto Nation Ford in Torrance has no problem with pick up and delivery resources to insure recall work is completed but stated I must use Auto Nation Torrance Ford because I fall into their service area, yet Auto Nation Ford Service Manager contacted on 6/22/2026 @ ~ 4:05 P.S,T. stated they do not have enough people to perform pick and delivery. It would seem to me Auto Nation Ford in Torrance has chosen profits over recall compliance putting lives at risk. I thought this was important enough for you to look into.

NHTSA ID 11745773 · filed Jun 22, 2026

Manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this safety recall for your vehicle IN A TIMELY MANNER. The Recall was from September 16, 2025. It has now been OVER half a year with NO remedy. I live in a salty air state and the last thing I want to happen is to drive with a seat belt with reduced effectiveness. I've ALREADY been in an accident a decade ago where a woman T-Boned me. I had a 2001 Mustang Convertible at the time with the convertible down. It's just like this Mustang with the recall but older. Thankfully the airbags and seat belt worked. Something needs to be done asap !!!!

NHTSA ID 11725120 · filed Mar 17, 2026
All 10 reports naming seat belts

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

9
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I took my 2016 Ford Mustang to a local Discount Tire store to replace my front passenger seat tire. A few minutes after my car was pulled into the work Bay I was called to the front desk. The store supervisor advised me at that time that his technicians noted that my Lug nuts were swelling and would soon either burst causing my tire to potentially become dislodged or at the very least many garages would not be able to remove the lug nuts and ultimately the tire. He added that this was a common and known issue of Ford and there was even a potential class action suit regarding the issue. Of course the Supervisor's "fix" was to sell me a kit of replacement lug nuts which i Purchased at the cost of $95 dollars. I feel this is very dangerous and Ford should be responsible to reimburse me for the cost to replace inferior parts.

NHTSA ID 11628000 · filed Nov 29, 2024

During routine service my mechanic repoted “3x lugnuts swollen past 22mm”

NHTSA ID 11599220 · filed Jul 5, 2024
All 9 reports naming other / unspecified

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

8
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owned a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a rattling sound was present and several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the power steering did not function as intended and the steering seized. The contact stated that the vehicle was very difficult to steer. In addition, the contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle veered off the road, went through the woods, and damaged 60 feet of ranch fencing. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact sustained bumps and bruises. In addition, the contact stated that he now suffers from anxiety because of his fear of driving. A police report was filed, however the information was unavailable. The contact stated that when he visited the dealer to pick up the spare key, the dealer provided him with new suspension parts. The contact was informed by the dealer that, due to the busy shop schedule, the parts were not replaced before the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that he was informed to either replace them himself or bring the vehicle on a later date to have the repair performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID 11632100 · filed Dec 23, 2024

2016 FORD MUSTANG V6 CONVERTIBLE WITH 75,000 MILES. I WENT INTO THE GAS STATION FOR 3 MINUTES, CAME OUT AND CAR WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN OVER. CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO AUTO MECHANIC. TURNS OUT THE FUEL PUMP WAS GARBAGE. THE CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. RIDICULOUS. ALSO, AROUND 40,000 MILES, IT STARTED TO SOUND LIKE I WAS DRIVING A COVERED WAGON, AS EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD MADE THE CAR SOUND AS IF IT WAS GOING TO FALL APART. THE MECHANIC TELLS ME 3 OF THE 4 CONTROL ARMS (SUSPENSION) ARE COMPLETELY SHOT. AGAIN, RIDICULOUS. JUNK CAR. I'VE HAD DOZENS OF CARS AND MANY WITH WELL OVER 120,000 MILES AND NEVER ONCE HAVE I DEALT WITH A FUEL PUMP NOR CONTROL ARMS. AGAIN, THE CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. ALL PARTS FOR THESE 2 FIXES HAVE BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR A MONTH. I MUST NOT BE THE ONLY ONE DEALING WITH THESE 2 ISSUES. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL!

NHTSA ID 11361599 · filed Sep 28, 2020
All 8 reports naming suspension

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Break bumper disintegrated, causing the rear bites to stay on and the automatic transmission to be able to switch from Parker to drive causing the vehicle to be able to roll and possibly crash

NHTSA ID 11747552 · filed Jun 30, 2026

Right rear turn signals and break lights occasionally fail to work. Turning the car off and on 3-4 times temporarily resolved the issue but eventually this temporary fix failed and I was told the entire rear tail light assembly would need to be replaced. An alternative to this total replacement might be found in Ford Special Service Message 47429 where Ford will reprogram the body control module which supposedly corrects the issue.

NHTSA ID 11442073 · filed Nov 30, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

My tire is a 255 / 40 ZR 19 model, speed rated 100W. While rotating my tires I noticed catastrophic tread separation on the inner sidewall of the tire. The separation is scattered, not all in one section, and in total covers about 1/4 of the total diameter. The underlying belt package has separated and steel wire is plainly visible at distance. The tire was still holding normal pressure at the time of discovery and there was no indication of the separation from any pressure devices or anything other than visual identification of the issue, which was only possible due to a routine tire rotation. Driving conditions since installation of the tire have been ~85% dry weather at speeds no greater than 85mph. A long haul trip from San Jose, CA to Los Angles, CA (~675 miles round trip) occurred 1.5 weeks prior to discovery.

NHTSA ID 11679983 · filed Aug 11, 2025

GOODYEAR EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC ALL SEASON TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN WINCHESTER ROAD IN TEMECULA, CA AT 45 MPH AROUND 6:45PM. THERE WAS A LOUD POP, FOLLOWED BY THE TPS WARNING THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE HAD 1 PSI OF AIR LEFT. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY. AFTER BEING TOWED FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT WAS DISCOVERED UPON INSPECTION THAT THE INNER SIDE WALL HAD FAILED.

NHTSA ID 10925676 · filed Nov 13, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Heating & air conditioning

Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The ac evaporator core keeps going out and it’s now out of warranty. This has happened on thousands of mustangs. There needs to be a recall to force Ford to fix this costly problem that in 100+ heat is a major safety concern.

NHTSA ID 11476782 · filed Jul 31, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .