2016 Ford Mustang engine problems

Related recalls

• Recall 16V779000Oct 26, 20166,582 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

  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.

  Risk: A sudden loss of engine oil may cause engine failure, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, an oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil cooler tube assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S40.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 3, 2026ALEngine

   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

   NHTSA complaint #11761935 · source
2. Filed Aug 5, 2026CAEngine

   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…

   NHTSA complaint #11755118 · source
3. Filed Feb 1, 2026CAEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

   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 complaint #11714747 · source
4. Filed Jan 28, 2026CAEngine

   The head gasket in my 2016 mustang eco boost failed. I have 126k miles and coolant is leaking into cylinder 2. I’ve always taken care of the maintenance on a timely matter and no modifications have been done.

   NHTSA complaint #11714046 · source
5. Filed Jan 8, 2026FLEngine

   2016 Ford Mustang 2.3L Ecoboost Engine. Coolant intrusion into the cylinder. It's a known issue, an engine block design flaw. Ford was replacing the whole engine when those cars were under warranty. There is extensive content online about it and dozens of class actions.

   NHTSA complaint #11709717 · source
6. Filed Jan 1, 2026KSEngine

   My cars head gasket blew at only 45,000 miles. Replaced my a local well known mechanic for around $3500.00. Now my car at 96,000 miles has blown the head gasket again. I believe the car needs a whole new block. I have seen several lawsuits regarding this and just would love my car running again. This is NOT cheap to fix for me.

   NHTSA complaint #11708242 · source
7. Filed Dec 15, 2025TXEngine

   From what I can remember its always been an issue with cylinder 3. I was always repaired by Ford Auto Nation of Fort Worth and Auto World Repair 2021 Engine Failure: Confirmed and repaired blown head gasket 2022 Check Engine Light code P303 - Found faulty as well as ignition coil on cylinder 3 2025 Engine Failure: code P303 - Found faulty as well as ignition coil on cylinder 3 Excessive smoke during idle Cracked engine block due to coolant leak through cylinder wall

   NHTSA complaint #11705197 · source
8. Filed Sep 6, 2025OHEngine

   Component/system: Engine (Coolant intrusion into cylinder 1); Inspection available: Yes; Safety risk: Sudden power loss on road; Reproducibility/Confirmation: Dealer verified coolant in cylinder 1 after engine inspection; Manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others inspections: No; Warnings/symptoms: Check Engine light turned on, error code P0301, higher than normal engine temperature, low coolant in reservoir, white smoke, rough idle at turning of engine;…

   NHTSA complaint #11685431 · source
9. Filed Aug 29, 2025AZEngine

   Coolant intrusion into the cylinder head. This caused a sudden halt of he vehicle which could have caused an accident and loss of life. The engine coolant overheating temperature warning light came on. Vehicle was inspected by ford dealership and found to have blown head gasket. The car is vat for inspection.

   NHTSA complaint #11683898 · source
10. Filed Aug 11, 2025NVElectrical SystemEngineOther / Unknown

    • What failed & is it available for inspection? Air-conditioning system failure. Loss of cabin cooling; dealer recommends compressor replacement (may include related components pending contamination check). Vehicle is at a Ford dealer now; no repairs performed yet. I requested the dealer retain failed parts for inspection. • How was safety put at risk? I live in Las Vegas; ambient temps ~112°F-120 degrees. This is my primary vehicle for transporting my [XXX] and for my work…

    NHTSA complaint #11679927 · source
11. Filed Aug 4, 2025FMEngine

    The coolant over temperature warning light of my 2016 ford mustang ecoboost came on and the engine immediately went on limp mode and I stopped the vehicle and switched off the engine. The vehicle quickly lost power and this created safety concern for other drivers who would have bumped me. I towed the vehicle to the nearest ford dealership for inspection and they found that coolant went into the engine and the coolant bottle was empty. As a result the dealership has said…

    NHTSA complaint #11678232 · source
12. Filed Jul 1, 2025CAEngine

    The engine on this 2016 Mustang GT is a 5-liter V-8. The 2015-2017 model years were equipped with plastic valve covers. This is a known defect with these vehicles. The plastic valve covers warp/melt/distort over time, causing motor oil to leak in significant amounts onto the exhaust manifold creating smoke and odor. There is a potential for fire in the engine compartment because of this leak. Ford issued a service bulletin regarding this known defect but has not as yet…

    NHTSA complaint #11670544 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology