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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
20,436 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Ford Mustang engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Ford Mustang Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #40

Feb 012022

Mustang 4-cyl

  • 78,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated that the emergency brake was engaged however, the vehicle crashed into the curb. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that the driver-€™s side seat belt failed to operate and was seized. As result, the contact sustained an injury to her neck and finger. No medical attention was needed. The air bags failed to deploy. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle cylinder was replaced but failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced but diagnosed that nothing was wrong with the seatbelt. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact stated that they hung up the phone. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was sold because of the ongoing problems.

- Rancho Cordova, CA, USA

problem #39

Mar 072022

Mustang

  • miles
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" -The engine on my 2016 Ford Mustang EcoBoost is malfunctioning. My vehicle's RPM drop extremely low then rev high, then the car almosts cut off when I drive at low speeds, park, or stop at lights/stop signs. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -I stopped driving my car any further than 10-15 mile distances because I was afraid the car may cut off while I'm driving down the road in traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center" -I took my car to 3 different Ford dealerships, in Mississippi, North Carolina and Maryland. The first could not replicate the issue or find any issues, the second dealer whom I paid approximately $700 for repairs had my car for 3 weeks because they couldn't find the issue, so they replaced my spark plugs and an ignition coil and said it should be good. The third Ford dealership didn't diagnose it truly they just said it was leaking coolant so it had to be an internal coolant leak that has damaged my engine (causing a misfire), based on a Ford TSB that has apparently been out for a long time. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others" -It was inspected by 3 different Ford dealerships. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" -The first time I had this symptom was in the spring of 2021, but it was a one time thing and it went away. The next time I noticed the issue was around July of 2021 which is when I took it to the Ford dealership near me in Mississippi. The first time the check engine light came on was in April of 2022 when I arrived in Maryland after I took it to the repair shop in North Carolina. Note: I was in the process of moving from Mississippi to the DC area, otherwise I wouldn't have even driven it that far.

- Temple Hills, MD, USA

problem #38

Jan 012022

Mustang

  • 59,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mechanic discovered a misfire in cylinder #3. The coil and the spark plug in cylinder #3 were replaced; however, the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated as the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot. The contact took the vehicle back to the mechanic where they discovered that the coolant level was low and recommended that the vehicle be taken to a dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the diagnostic test discovered that coolant had leaked into cylinder #3 and that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #37

Apr 092022

Mustang

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Failure of Driver side Valve cover- leaking oil and valve cover bolts were completely loose. Both valve covers are prone to failure according to tsb 19-2309. Note: The engine block is designed to have 13 bolts to secure and seal valve covers to engine. Instead of using a 13 bolt valve cover, ford used 9 bolt valve covers for 3 consecutive years which deviates from the engine design. Safety concern- the discharge of combustible oil in and around engine bay and other engine components. engine components which are flammable and or susceptible to damage as a result from contact of leaking oil from failed valve covers and bolts. This failure could also result in catastrophic engine failure depending on when this failure occurs, if it goes unnoticed, and how bad it is. This problem has been confirmed by ford via tsb 19-2309 which instructs the removal of both valve covers, drilling 4 holes in each valve cover, replacing valve cover gasket-€™s, and adding 4 additional bolts to each valve cover upon complete re-assembly. This problem has been reproduced sufficient amounts for a TSB to be in place. An important NOTE with TSB 19-2309 is that it does not instruct the need to drill threaded holes into the engine block for 8 additional valve cover bolts because they are already present. The holes are simply covered up by the 9 bolt valve covers and go unused. Vehicle has been inspected by a Certified mechanic/ business outside of Ford dealership/company. No warning lights of any kind appeared. The issue was noticed on 4/9/2022 during a routine oil change and inspection. Car currently has 35,000 miles and is not being driven or started. Why is ford not willing to do the right thing by proactively recalling for this issue?

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #36

Dec 102021

Mustang 4-cyl

  • miles
Purchased the car around 40k miles. Did all the maintenance required for 3-4 years with it now at 98k miles. On the evening near Christmas eve as i was at the red light making a right turn i heard clank from the bottom of my engine, then metal pieces were falling off to the ground. Smoke was coming out from the engine, with the oil pressure illuminating light on. I pulled over to see a trail of oil, while looking under I saw a big whole on the bottom of the engine block. Good thing it didn't happened when I was driving at a higher speed and I was by myself vs having my kids with me. Geico would not cover my blown engine, and ford knows this is a known issue referring to "Ecoboom" but i no longer have warranty with them. Car has been sitting at the shop pending 6500 to have the engine replaced. With covid times we are living in right now i dont know what else to do.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #35

Oct 042021

Mustang

  • miles
Engine threw a rod and damaged several pistons. Car has only 86,000 miles on it. Routine maintenance was done on schedule. No warning lights or symptoms were present before the incident. This will now require a full engine replacement. The incident happened while driving causing a major loss of power and eventually the inability to safely get my vehicle out of traffic. My car is still sitting at my mechanic and is available for inspection. It was only diagnosed and no repairs have been performed. The current COVID situation has made it impossible to even secure a replacement engine. Ford should be held accountable based on the number of related issues reported. I-€™m now paying on a car I can-€™t drive or repair l.

- Clarksville , TN, USA

problem #34

Dec 082020

Mustang

  • 26,600 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While coming to a stop with the clutch pressed in the car will randomly turn off intermittently. This has now just began happening, although it has now happened to me twice in 1 months time. I have also been reading on S550 Mustang forums (years 2015 - present) that I am not the only one experiencing this. It seems like an electrical issue or something as there are people with completely stock cars that are affected by this, and also people with 2018+ newer Mustangs as well.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #33

Dec 052020

Mustang

  • 59,000 miles
After having the car for 5 months (59,000 mi) the engine blew up while driving 60mph on a state highway and dropped all of its oil. The ecoboost Mustangs are incredibly prone to this issue and Ford is just sweeping them under the rug. Ford had my car for 4 months when it was misfiring (which is how "ecoboom" begins) and replaced almost everything under the powertrain warranty minus the engine, transmission and turbocharger. When I got the car back it started to jump timing then misfire then all of a sudden it stopped. Then the engine blew up.

- Hephzibah, GA, USA

problem #32

Aug 242020

Mustang

  • 41,000 miles
Water pump leaked coolant requiring replacement.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #31

Aug 132020

Mustang

  • 35,000 miles
At approximately 61,000 miles, the original engine stopped working. Cylinder #3 gave out. Possibly a lspi condition. The engine was replaced under cpo warranty. My new engine has now given out at 36,000 miles. On the 1st engine, I came from Ford dealer after complaining of check engine lights coming on. Oil was changed, codes cleared. I drove approximately 4 city blocks, accelerated from a stop light, and the engine started blowing white smoke and I pulled it off the road. The engine was determined to have to be fully replaced, at 61,000 miles, a long block, not a short block. On my second engine, which has approximately 35,000 miles on it, I was driving the car and an engine light came on. The car was drivable. After parking it, the next time I started it up it was blowing white smoke again. I diagnoses at the dealer is underway.

- Cathedral City, CA, USA

problem #30

Jun 122020

Mustang 4-cyl

  • 64,758 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission issues, evap sensor, low fuel pressure sensor.

- Homestead, FL, USA

problem #29

Nov 012019

Mustang

  • 78,971 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated driving at 30 mph, several warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the shoulder of the road as the vehicle stalled. There was an abnormal odor coming from the engine. The contact unaware if there was any leaks. The contact turn the vehicle off and back on which resumed normal vehicle operation. The vehicle was taken to monro auto service and tire center 1769 kuser rd, hamilton township, NJ 08690, (609) 308-3139 where it was diagnosed that the water pump, drive belt failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 16V779000 (engine and engine cooling) as a possible solution to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 78,971.

- Medford, NJ, USA

problem #28

Sep 052019

Mustang

  • 36,300 miles
2016 Ford Mustang with 2.3L engine with automatic transmission. Engine stalls while coming to a stop at a stoplight and does not restart making the vehicle inoperable in the middle of the road.

- Novi, MI, USA

problem #27

Dec 122018

Mustang 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. While driving, the vehicle lost electrical power and the engine stalled. On another occasion, the contact could not open the door to exit the vehicle. When the vehicle was started, the contact was able to open the door and exit the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to carmody Ford (1111 NY-29, greenwich, NY 12834, (518) 692-2246), but the failures could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 20,000. The VIN was unknown.

- Granville, NY, USA

problem #26

Mar 012019

Mustang

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that when she turned the steering wheel, the vehicle made a loud, cracking sound. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that the evaporator cord was leaking and that the air compressor needed replacing. The mechanic also informed the contact that the faulty compressor was related to the noises she heard. The contact spoke with nalley Ford sandy springs (7555 roswell rd, atlanta, ga 30350 (678) 809-5711) and was referred to NHTSA to file a safety complaint. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 30,000.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #25

Feb 062019

Mustang

  • miles
There is a knocking coming from the passenger side engine cylinder head right after an oil change and now at the second oil change it is still there.

- Ellenwood, GA, USA

problem #24

Mar 272019

Mustang

  • miles
Shelby GT350 5.2L V8: Engine burns copious volumes of engine oil. Potential for owner to let engine run dry and seize during normal oil change interval. Engine has burned greater than 1 qt oil per 1000 mi over 47000+ mi, and most recently burned 8 qt over less than 4000 mi.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #23

Mar 272019

Mustang

  • miles
Shelby GT350 5.2L V8: Exhaust infiltration into passenger compartment. Moderate to high RPM operation causes exhaust smell to enter into passenger area. Worse with air conditioner off than on.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #22

Dec 062018

Mustang

  • 43,762 miles
Shelby GT350 5.2L V8: Engine valve cover gasket failure caused oil loss and fire in engine bay--oil burning on exhaust manifold. Smoke under hood and into passenger compartment. Car towed to dealership with manufacturer's roadside assistance. Oil spray from valve cover gasket onto exhaust manifold with medium RPM (~3000 RPM) and higher.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #21

Dec 242018

Mustang

  • 44,170 miles
Shelby GT350 5.2L V8: Engine oil filter spins loose, causing catastrophic loss of oil. Street use only, no track days. Car dealer serviced only. Dealer denied fault, said oil filter coming loose was "normal" for this model.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

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