2016 Ford Mustang engine problems
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2016 Ford Mustang — 20% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“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…”
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…”
filed Feb 1, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- A hose may separate from the engine oil cooler tube assembly causing an oil leakCampaign 16V779000 · Oct 26, 2016
Engine problems in other Mustang years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Mustang | 9 | 12% |
| 2022 Mustang | 5 | 10% |
| 2021 Mustang | 8 | 15% |
| 2020 Mustang | 23 | 20% |
| 2019 Mustang | 45 | 32% |
| 2018 Mustang | 53 | 28% |
| 2017 Mustang | 26 | 10% |
| 2015 Mustang | 51 | 12% |
| 2014 Mustang | 18 | 5% |
| 2013 Mustang | 22 | 8% |
| 2012 Mustang | 30 | 6% |
| 2011 Mustang | 48 | 10% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Ford Mustang
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.