Problems · NHTSA complaints

2016 Ford Mustang problems

Owners filed 380 complaints about the 2016 Ford Mustang with NHTSA between Jan 2016 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (76).

Complaints
380
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine76
  2. Electrical system73
  3. Back over prevention52
  4. Power train29
  5. Structure28
  6. Latches/locks/linkages27
  7. Fuel/propulsion system20
  8. Service brakes17
  9. Air bags15
  10. Steering12
  11. Seat belts10
  12. Vehicle speed control10
  13. Seats10
  14. Wheels9

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
201625
201726
201817
201938
202047
202129
202253
202342
202447
202527
202629

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

76 reports1 crash4 fires
“Brought the car in for service. The tech called me back and said the engine was blown. Condensation in cylinder 3. This was due to the cylinder walls being engineered to small. Which caused a leak in the coolant jacket. I paid out of pocket nearly $10,000 to have it replaced because the third party warranty that I had purchased declined my coverage to fix it because it’s a known issue by ford. Bc”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2026EngineODI 11761935

Electrical system

73 reports1 crash3 fires
“A new Walmart-brand EverStart Plus 96R, 590 CCA automotive battery was purchased on August 4, 2026, and installed in a 2016 Ford Mustang Convertible. On the evening of September 26, 2026, my family and I drove the Mustang and returned home at approximately 11:00 p.m. The vehicle operated normally. There were no warning signs, electrical problems, overheating, or other indications of a mechanical problem. The Mustang remained parked and untouched overnight. At approximately 2:00 p.m., 15 hours later, on September 27, my daughter came into the room and told me that the car was on fire. Riverside County Fire responded to the scene. Fire personnel specifically asked whether the Mustang had been driven or worked on that day. I told them it had not. The vehicle had remained parked since approximately 11:00 p.m. the prior evening. Fire personnel continued to suppress the fire, investigated the engine compartment, cut the battery cables, photographed the vehicle, and advised me that the battery appeared to be the possible source of ignition.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 29, 2026Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11767727

Back over prevention

52 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2026Back over preventionODI 11726715

Power train

29 reports
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2026Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11714747

Structure

28 reports
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2026StructureODI 11754049

Latches/locks/linkages

27 reports
“The contact owned a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the driver's side door independently opened. The failure caused severe wind noise to enter the vehicle, and the door ajar warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where technicians confirmed that the door latch mechanism had failed and stated that the mechanism was subjected to unintended opening. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) as the cause of the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 18, 2026Latches/locks/linkagesODI 11765269
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.